Commission approves Midwest Transit plan amendment despite traffic-study objections; vote 6-1

The Daytona Beach City Commission approved a second amendment to the Midwest Transit Inc. master development agreement on Feb. 18, allowing additional residential townhome entitlements and updating infrastructure language for roughly 226.1 acres west of Timoca Farms Road.

Commissioners raised concerns about the currency of traffic data and the absence of a full site-specific traffic-impact study at the rezoning/amendment stage. Commissioner Monica Perez (announced in the record) said she wanted contemporary traffic counts rather than relying on legacy studies; she emphasized the commission should make quasijudicial decisions on current facts.

Applicant representative Rob Morrow said the office had provided an ITE-based trip analysis comparing zoning-allowed uses and noted the team had agreed to add guest parking (one guest space per five houses) even though the code did not require it at this stage. Planning Director Dennis Merzak explained that an updated, site-specific traffic impact analysis and concurrency work will be performed during the site-plan review process and that fair-share road improvements would be required if the site plan demonstrates impacts.

After extended discussion about the proper stage for trip-counts and potential mitigation, the commission approved the amendment; the vote was 6 in favor, 1 opposed. Commissioners recorded a need for clearer, contemporary traffic data and instructed staff and the applicant to ensure the forthcoming site-plan process includes a full traffic-impact analysis and mitigation plan prior to construction approvals.

The amendment changes the zoning map language and authorizes the mayor and city clerk to execute the second amendment; additional conditions and detailed mitigation measures will be determined during subsequent site-plan review.