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Port Orange commission approves land‑use change and rezoning for 1737 Fern Park Drive
Summary
The commission voted unanimously to adopt a small‑scale future land‑use amendment (CPAM‑25‑0003) and rezoning (REZ‑25‑0005) for 1737 Fern Park Drive, reducing allowable units on the parcel from 37 to 19; applicants said they plan to demolish an existing home and build one house and later may seek a special exception for a nursery business.
The Port Orange commission voted unanimously to approve a small‑scale comprehensive plan amendment (CPAM‑25‑0003) and a rezoning (REZ‑25‑0005) affecting 1737 Fern Park Drive, moving the property from Volusia County urban low density to Port Orange rural transition and into the city’s agricultural zoning district.
Suzette Cameron of Community Development Planning told the commission the amendment would reduce the allowable number of residential units on the parcel from 37 to 19 and that the owners intend initially to demolish the existing, deteriorated single‑family home and build a new single‑family dwelling. Staff also said the property owners may later apply for a special‑exception permit to operate a retail and wholesale nursery on the rear portion of the site if that application is approved.
During questions, staff clarified that agricultural zoning would permit one single‑family home and that any change beyond the zoning requested — including additional homes or a different use that requires rezoning — would require a separate rezoning process with public hearings. A commissioner raised density arithmetic referencing the site's roughly 9 acres and noted that a 0–2 units per acre policy could theoretically allow up to 18 homes; staff explained that any subdivision or additional rezoning would trigger separate review and that, under a recent state change, plats are processed administratively.
Applicants Sandra Bridal and Daniel Bordas addressed the commission, said they recently closed on the property and do not intend a multi‑home subdivision, and asked the commission to preserve roughly five acres of the parcel. "We had no idea that we could possibly build more homes, but we don't want to," one applicant said, explaining their plan is to live on the property and potentially build a single house for a family member in the future.
Homeowner Laurie Faust, who said she has lived on Fern Park Drive since 1987, urged the commission to maintain larger spacing between houses and supported the amendment, noting a prior townhouse proposal had been denied.
The commission took separate roll‑call votes and approved both the future land‑use amendment and the rezoning by unanimous votes. Chair remarks congratulated the applicants and wished them well.
The commission moved on to other business after approving the cases; no conditions or special modifications to the approved actions were recorded in the vote.
