Volusia planners back limited approval for Legacy Diving Dogs facility with strict conditions

Volusia County planning commissioners voted May 15 to forward a recommendation of approval to the County Council for a special exception that would allow Legacy Diving Dogs to operate a dock-diving and training facility on a 10.56‑acre A‑1/Resource Corridor parcel near Marsh Road in the DeLand area.

The Planning and Land Development Regulation Commission (PLDRC) made the recommendation after public testimony both for and against the proposal, a staff presentation recommending denial and substantial negotiations between the applicant and adjacent property owners. The applicant has agreed to a set of conditions that limit events, require landscape buffers, and subject the use to a one‑year review.

The commission heard from county planner Scott Ashley, who described the parcel, the companion variance request and staff’s continued recommendation of denial. "This property is a 10.56‑acre parcel in the northeast of DeLand ... the proposed use includes weekend events, weekly training sessions," Ashley told commissioners, noting the permit history and adjacent‑owner concerns.

Joey Posey, attorney for the applicant, told the commission the owners have reduced the scope of activity from earlier plans after meetings with neighbors. "We have an agreement with the owner to the south," Posey said, adding the applicant offered to limit events to five per calendar year, schedule events to start no earlier than 10 a.m., require registration and increase landscape buffering along…