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Volusia County planning panel approves multiple variances, forwards rezonings and PUD to council
Summary
The county Planning & Land Development Regulation Commission approved a series of residential variances, denied one lot-coverage request, and forwarded a small-scale land-use amendment and PUD for the DeLand Stockyard to county council. The body also tabled a draft backyard-chicken ordinance for further work.
The Volusia County Planning & Land Development Regulation Commission on March 19 approved several variance requests for single‑family properties and moved two land‑use applications to county council for final action.
The commission unanimously approved variance case V-26-009, allowing a modest reduction in front-yard setbacks and two pool‑related variances for a vacant parcel at 1177 John Anderson Drive, after staff presentation and brief applicant remarks. The applicants, Adam Marcus and Sarah Gummy Marcus, told the commission the request was “a very modest variance to the existing setback requirements” intended to match neighborhood patterns.
On an after‑the‑fact request, V-26-023, the commission split its action: it denied variances 1 and 2 related to accessory‑structure setbacks but approved variances 3 and 4 for the detached garage/studio with staff conditions. For the combined‑parcels request V-26-032 (a large addition, increased lot coverage and a proposed 6‑foot CMU privacy wall), the panel approved most items but voted separately to deny variance 6 — an increase of maximum lot coverage from 35% to 46% — after commissioners expressed concern about runoff and impervious surface. The denial vote on variance 6 carried 4–2.
Other votes included approval of V-26-025 (a reduced waterfront setback for a small pool and screen enclosure described by applicant Darryl Corbett as intended for physical therapy) and V-26-028 (a front‑yard carport), the latter passing 5–1 after discussion of aesthetics and alternatives.
The commission forwarded rezoning application Z-26-029 (A-1 to A-2) to county council with a unanimous recommendation of approval and unanimously recommended approval of a small‑scale comprehensive‑plan amendment (CPA-25-006) and the accompanying PUD for the DeLand Stockyard site (PUD-25-005). Staff noted the PUD limits future commercial intensity on the property, adds on‑site and overflow parking and requires a crosswalk with flashing lights for pedestrian safety.
Public comment included neighbors and applicants. Resident Robert Trimmer opposed one after‑the‑fact variance, saying the property owner had “thumbed his nose at county codes” by installing unpermitted doors and windows; applicant James Hannes said he had circulated seven certification letters to neighbors and that ‘‘73% of the property owners did not deny the variances.’’
The commission distinguished discussion from formal action in each case and tied approvals to staff conditions where noted; several applicants were told they could appeal adverse decisions to the county council.
Next steps: forwarded rezonings and the PUD go to county council for final action; applicants denied on specific variances may revise plans or appeal; staff will compute any necessary site‑plan revisions per the commission’s conditions.
