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Commission approves special exception for First United Methodist Church building replacement, waives masonry wall requirement
Summary
The commission approved Resolution 2025‑187 allowing First United Methodist Church to demolish and replace its gathering building at 336 S. Halifax Drive with conditions; staff and the applicant said the new layout increases setbacks and retains a gate and landscape buffer, and the commission accepted a vinyl fence in lieu of a masonry wall to protect trees and drainage.
The Ormond Beach City Commission unanimously approved a development order (Resolution 2025‑187) that allows First United Methodist Church at 336 South Halifax Drive to demolish an existing gathering building and construct a new one, replacing a prior detailed development order from 1993.
Planning Director Steven Spreaker said the new building is pulled further away from adjacent residential lots than the existing, nonconforming structure and that the applicant requested a waiver of the typical masonry wall requirement in favor of a 6‑foot vinyl/PVC fence placed atop a roughly 3‑foot retaining wall to reduce impacts to tree roots and to allow drainage through the barrier. The applicant’s counsel, Jessica Gabbel of Cobcole, and project engineer Sean Mead of Zev Cohen & Associates described the site work and said the proposed reconfiguration reduces impervious area and retains or improves existing stormwater performance.
Engineer Sean Mead told the commission the reconfigured site reduces pavement and building coverage and will send less runoff to the existing ponds; the project also will rely on the existing stormwater lift station for off‑site runoff and did not require pump upgrades. Neighbors spoke during public comment; one resident asked that the fence color be a muted brown or be supplemented with vegetation rather than a bright white vinyl option, and the applicant agreed to consider color alternatives.
After questions about parking, setbacks and drainage, the commission voted to approve the special exception with the conditions noted in the development order.
Staff said the applicant will coordinate final stormwater details with the St. Johns River Water Management District and that the proposed fence and landscape buffer will be refined in coordination with nearby residents.
