Deltona planning board approves Halifax Crossings MPUD amendment to allow smaller commercial lots

The City of Deltona Planning and Zoning Board voted unanimously April 16 to recommend that the City Commission approve Ordinance 14-20-25, which amends the Halifax Crossings Mixed-Use Planned Unit Development (MPUD) for about 109.71 acres along Halifax Crossings Boulevard near the Halifax Hospital complex.

The amendment allows alternate master development maps and reduces the minimum commercial parcel size from 1.5 acres to 0.5 acres. Staff said the change would enable smaller commercial parcels and increase the amount of land available for commercial uses under the board’s Option B.

Staff member Jessica told the board that, under Option B, the site plan would shift to about 75.71 acres of commercial uses and 34 acres for multifamily, with an upper limit discussed in the hearing of about 575 multifamily units. "Pursuant to sections 163.3194 and 163.3202 of the Florida Statutes, the proposed amendment to the Halifax MPUD has been reviewed and found consistent with the city's comprehensive plan and the land development code regulations," Jessica said, and she recommended the board forward the ordinance to the City Commission.

Traffic, school capacity and design standards were the primary concerns raised during the public hearing and board questions. Staff and the applicant said a traffic impact analysis (TIA) will be required for final site plans if development exceeds the existing trip caps. Applicant representative Alex Stringfellow said the formal TIA work is planned to begin after the zoning process and that no additional development beyond currently "vested" trips can occur until the TIA and any resulting approvals are complete: "We plan to start the TIA after we go to this zoning process, likely next year. And we can't do any kind of construction outside of those vested trips until we complete our TIA, get approval for that, and get more trips."

City Planning Manager Matthew West, who explained the countywide TIA guidelines, said rezoning-level traffic analyses are generally less detailed than site-plan TIAs and focus on projected volumes. He described how an analysis layers existing traffic, vested trips (approved but unbuilt developments) and the project’s proposed trips to identify where improvements or proportionate-share payments might be required. West also explained that large roadway projects (for example, the Rhode Island Avenue extension) are only reflected in a study if they are funded and scheduled within the study’s near-term horizon.

Board members asked whether the amendment still permits age-restricted multifamily. Jessica said the development agreement contains no age restriction for Option B. Several members asked about bicycle facilities and native landscaping; staff said the details for bike paths and specific plant lists are addressed at final plan or by the city’s land-development code and would be clarified with the applicant as the project advances.

Members also pressed on school impacts. Staff described the process for school concurrency: developers must obtain a capacity determination from Volusia County Schools and address required mitigation, such as paying for additional seats, before residential construction can proceed. Board member Stewart noted Deltona High School's capacity numbers cited from county data and expressed concern about existing overcrowding; staff said the school-board review and any mitigation would occur at the development stage.

Two members of the public spoke. Darren Elkind, representing Halifax, said the hospital and Halifax (the hospital system) have entered interlocal agreements with the city and that Halifax remains committed to partnership with Deltona. Elkind said the PD will be adjusted so non-age-restricted multifamily would not be located within 500 feet of hospital property under Option B. Resident Jasmine Walton asked whether the project would create new cut-through traffic into her Arbor Ridge neighborhood; the applicant responded that there are no plans to connect the development to that residential street.

After discussion, Member Stewart made a motion to approve forwarding Ordinance 14-20-25 to the City Commission; a second was made and a roll call showed the motion passed unanimously. The board’s roll call recorded affirmative votes from Gonzales, Northey, Stewart, Trojnowski, Alternate French, Secretary Amoroso and Chair Cardo.

The ordinance as presented would: reduce the minimum commercial lot size from 1.5 acres to 0.5 acres; allow Option B with approximately 75.71 acres of commercial and 34 acres of multifamily; require updated TIAs and potential proportionate-share agreements when future trip thresholds are exceeded; and, per staff, remains consistent with the city comprehensive plan and land development code. The Planning and Zoning Board’s action was a recommendation to the City Commission, which will consider final approval.

Votes at a glance Ordinance 14-20-25 — Amend Halifax Crossings MPUD to add master map alternatives and reduce minimum commercial lot size from 1.5 to 0.5 acres. Motion to forward recommendation to City Commission approved unanimously (yes: Gonzales; Northey; Stewart; Trojnowski; Alternate French; Secretary Amoroso; Chair Cardo).