The Volusia County Planning and Land Development Regulation Commission on Nov. 20 continued case V‑26‑001 after a nearby neighbor testified the proposed boat-storage building could alter drainage and push flood water onto adjacent property.

Planner Courtney Harris told the commission the applicant sought two variances to construct a 984-square-foot storage building on Stone Island PUD property; staff recommended denial because the requests failed to meet the five variance criteria. Applicant Zachary Huffman said the house’s siting limited placement options and that the building was intended to store multiple boats. Neighbor Robert Moran told the commission the proposed location sits at the first place water will collect during high-water events and said the structure could drive water into his yard.

Moran said he opposed any variance for the proposal. "When you look at the property... there's a natural culvert... when the Stone Island floods, water comes through there... my concern is that structure is going to drive water into my property," he said.

Commissioners debated whether to approve only the rear-yard variance while denying the side-yard variance, or to continue the case to allow the applicant to revise the plan. After discussion, the applicant asked for a continuance to reexamine the layout; the commission unanimously continued V‑26‑001 to the Dec. 18, 2025 PLDRC meeting and instructed staff to keep the record so opponents do not have to reappear.

The continuance gives the applicant time to move the building, test alternative layouts and, if needed, obtain further environmental review. The item will return to PLDRC on Dec. 18 with updated plans.