Resident urges DeBary council to press for new school; staff and council cite prior site approval

A DeBary resident urged the City Council on Wednesday to take “immediate cooperative action” with the Volusia County School Board to build a new school in DeBary, saying growing enrollment and new development are straining existing facilities.

Yvette Best, identifying herself as a resident of Orlandia Heights and an advocate for children, told the council the city’s comprehensive plan states the city will coordinate with the school board to provide future educational facilities and that residents should expect the council to partner with the school board to site a new school. "Our children deserve nothing less," Best said.

The nut graf: staff and council responded by reviewing prior council actions on school-site approvals and consistency determinations, noting the city previously approved a K–8 site and that at least one proposed school site was found inconsistent in a separate council determination and not appealed by the school board under the process established in Florida law.

Growth Management Director Stephen Babb told the council that Volusia County Schools is evaluating properties for a new elementary site near DeBary and Orange City but that a specific site had not been determined at the time of the presentation. He told the council the comprehensive plan allows schools within any land‑use classification subject to a consistency review by the council and referenced an amended interlocal agreement between the city and Volusia County Public Schools dated July 1, 2007.

Babb and other speakers noted the council on July 3, 2024, approved the location of a new K–8 public school at 25 Buckley Drive (approval referenced in the workshop materials). Babb also said that on Jan. 15 of the year the council held a determination of consistency for a proposed K–8 at Spring Vista Drive and found that proposal inconsistent with the comprehensive plan; Babb said the Volusia County School Board did not appeal that decision under Florida Statute 163.3215, making the council’s determination final.

Council members expanded the discussion beyond large public schools. Mayor Chesay and others said the state legislature’s recent actions and funding changes increase options for alternative school providers and charter schools, and council members noted that some smaller schools might fit in other parts of the city even if a 1,400‑student campus requires a larger site. City Manager (unnamed in the transcript) reiterated the city has approved a school site and said the approved site was intended for a school of more than 1,400 students.

Public-comment and council exchanges at the workshop focused on how the comprehensive plan’s policies, sidewalk and trail connections and transportation improvements would intersect with any future school siting and how city coordination with the school board can facilitate pedestrian safety.

The workshop session provided data and background and the council did not change the comprehensive plan at the meeting; staff will bring goals, objectives and policy proposals to the June 18 workshop for council consideration.