Volusia council approves second round of CDBG-DR hurricane recovery projects; residents raise concerns over Taylor Road plan

Volusia County Council voted unanimously to approve a second round of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) infrastructure projects, authorizing grants and project plans advanced by several cities, nonprofits and the county.

Donna Butler, director of the county Office of Recovery and Resiliency, presented the package and said the round included applications from multiple municipalities and non-profit organizations; one applicant withdrew a project and reapplied because it had lost Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding that had been intended as local match.

Councilman Matt Reinhardt moved approval and Jake Johansen seconded; the motion passed 6-0.

Public comments at the meeting highlighted local flood concerns tied to specific projects. Lake Helen resident Christina Lautus urged the council to rethink a proposed East Taylor Road project in DeLand that would pipe stormwater to Lake Moore. "I spent 10 days ... trying to get out of my house after Hurricane Helene," Lautus said, describing long delays and property inundation. She urged the county to consider an alternate alignment that would use the Victoria Hills golf course stormwater system rather than routing large volumes east toward Lake Helen mobile home communities.

Wendy Anderson, another resident of District 1 who described local flooding history, urged careful review of the East Taylor Road plan and suggested continuing stakeholder conversations to find a best-use solution for the federal dollars. "I don't want to delay this project. You all should probably approve it with contingency that maybe a follow-up conversation and study" to refine the approach, she said.

County and project staff said the East Taylor Road design includes property acquisition and a graduated system that relies on Lake Moore for storage; Ben Bartlett (stormwater lead) told the council the plan would not send pumped volumes to downstream areas and that the project includes elevation controls and other safeguards. Staff said a broader watershed analysis for the Deep Creek area is already underway and that the East Taylor Road project will be incorporated into that modeling so potential downstream effects can be reviewed.

Other applicants that spoke in favor of funding included Halifax Urban Ministries, which asked for support to repair a large, aging roof on a facility that shelters people and provides food and social services. Ray Young, the ministry's new executive director, said the organization served thousands of people annually and that the roof replacement would protect emergency shelter and program capacity.

The council approved the full package by voice vote, 6-0. Staff said applicants are pursuing complementary funding sources where possible, including state legislative appropriations, to stretch the federal CDBG-DR dollars.

Ending: Staff will incorporate the approved projects into the county's CDBG-DR application work, continue the Deep Creek watershed analysis, and return with updates on property acquisition needs and any permits required to implement the approved projects.