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Daytona Beach advisory board debates 2026 goals as members weigh blight, beach driving and outreach
Summary
Board members debated five proposed 2026 goals including ways to address blight on A1A/Main Street, gateway improvements, economic-development outreach and potential beach-area reforms; staff will rework language and return recommendations next month.
Daytona Beach — Members of the city’s economic advisory and Brownfields advisory boards spent the bulk of the meeting refining five proposed goals for 2026, focusing on long‑standing blight, gateway improvements, expanded economic-development efforts, demolition/grant strategies to address neglected properties, and beach‑area reforms.
Chair read the board mission and invited discussion of five consolidated goal areas. Board members repeatedly urged that language be data-driven and measurable. "Maybe over the year, we try to figure out a way to understand the economic cost of beach driving on the community," one board member said, arguing that a quantified estimate would help the board weigh resident preferences against investment prospects.
Tensions and tradeoffs
Members acknowledged competing priorities. Some defended local traditions: several speakers noted that residents value scenic drive access to the beach; others stressed that car access can deter certain private investment. The chair asked staff to rephrase goal language to ‘‘recognize the balance’’ rather than to suggest a predetermined outcome.
Targets and tactics
- A1A/Main Street: Several members urged starting with the A1A corridor, with Main Street to follow, to make blight remediation and redevelopment more tractable. One member suggested focusing on specific corridors and metrics rather than a citywide, one-size-fits-all approach. - Gateways: The board discussed LPGA Boulevard median and landscaping improvements to strengthen the city’s visual identity for visitors and investors. - Economic development and opportunity zones: Members flagged forthcoming revisions to federal opportunity-zone rules and suggested early engagement with stakeholders to position city projects for potential OZ2 criteria. - Combatting blight: The board discussed demolition of condemned structures, targeted grants and tax incentives to revitalize empty commercial properties and improving awareness of code-enforcement lists. - Beach area reforms: Short-term rental rules, co-management of beaches with the county and off-beach parking with shuttle service were discussed as tactics to address blight and balance resident/visitor interests; members noted that co-management could implicate county charter changes.
Outreach and inclusion
A community member urged more intentional outreach to historically underserved neighborhoods so minority-owned small businesses can access incentives and technical help. Board members and staff pointed to the Volusia Business Resources site and county newsletters as distribution channels and agreed to better use existing channels and partner lists.
Next steps
Jeff will consolidate the board’s edits and rework the goal language for the board’s review. The board scheduled follow-up work and expects an updated proposal in the coming weeks. The next regular meeting is 8:30 a.m. Jan. 21.
