In a five-hour special session Tuesday night, the Volusia County Council took steps to address years of grievances regarding the region’s increasing and persistent floods.
In a 6-to-1 vote, the council adopted two new ordinances and one resolution that push for low-impact development standards, or LID.
LID is a development approach that aims to not alter an area's natural landscape as much as possible, minimizing its impact and allowing for improved, undisturbed stormwater flow. The county’s ordinances made LID a voluntary program that includes incentives and discounts for developers.
The move went against expert advice from the appointed members of the county’s Environment and Natural Resources Advisory Committee, or ENRAC, who were pushing for a “hybrid” LID approach, with a mix of some voluntary and mandatory measures.
Dr. Wendy Anderson, a professor of Environmental Science and Studies at Stetson University and the department Chair, is also a member of ENRAC. She said that while LID practices have proven to work, clear and enforceable regulations are necessary to ensure that effectiveness.
“An ordinance is an order, okay? A decree, a law. By its very definition mandatory. What is the point of having an ordinance that is entirely voluntary, and not just voluntary but actually gives away incentives just for choosing to do the right thing?” Anderson asked.
Over the last three years, residents across Volusia have organized, frustrated by persistent flooding that resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages and repairs to their homes, displacement, and even mortalities. They say the floods are a direct result of irresponsible growth and overdevelopment. Record-breaking rainfall to the region is also increasing the frequency and intensity of flooding.
Action in some county neighborhoods have included moratoriums on development. Most recently, residents demanded an all-out countywide moratorium on future developments until flooding concerns are addressed, but it didn’t pass.
The meeting Tuesday included council members, experts, and the public, engaging in a long and painstakingly detailed discussion regarding their best alternatives to improve the county’s stormwater management.
The final decision -- voluntary measure -- left some disappointed individuals. Some said they were hoping for more tangible, enforceable, and immediate solutions. County Chair Jeff Brower was the dissenting vote.
"It's not a silver bullet, but it will go a long way to solving our long term flooding issues,” he said.
Others said they feared the new ordinances could alarm investors and deter development, affecting the county’s need for economic growth, as LID practices often are more expensive and time-consuming than high-impact development.
District 1 Representative Councilman Don Dempsey said he supports incentives to prevent this.
“I like the idea,” Dempsey said. “I think we need to let it play out with these developers, see if they bite on it. We all want to see low-impact development tested out and tried, to see if it works, but all we may do with mandates is drive developers out of the county.”
The county has yet to lay out how the incentives will work.
Lillian Hernández Caraballo is a Report for America corps member.
