DeBary council adopts 2045 comprehensive plan in second reading

The DeBary City Council voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance 03-2026, replacing the city’s comprehensive plan with the DeBary 2045 plan. The ordinance was read into the record by the city attorney and supported by staff as the product of more than a year of public and interagency review.

Steven Bap, the city’s growth management director, told the council the update was required by Florida Statute 163’s evaluation and appraisal process and reflected a “major or substantive overhaul” after 14 years without significant amendments. "All actions we take as a city really do relate back to what our goals, objectives, and policies are in the comp plan," Bap said, summarizing the rationale for the update.

The adoption follows the plan’s transmittal to reviewing agencies, coordination with the county growth-management council and follow-up with utility providers to resolve technical questions about potable water and sewer levels of service. Bap said state agency comments were not substantive and that staff had satisfied the requests from the regional review body.

With the council’s approval, the plan will be retransmitted to state agencies for final processing; staff said it becomes effective after the state’s typical 45-day processing period. Councilmembers who spoke during the discussion praised the public engagement and agency coordination that led to the current draft.

The council’s vote ensures DeBary’s land-use and policy framework will guide development decisions, capital priorities and permitting standards through 2045. The ordinance and associated volumes include updated data and analysis, goals, objectives and policies that staff said are intended to align development with the city’s stated vision.