Daytona Beach, don’t let development strain roads like LPGA | LETTERS

June 03--Plan for growth

A recent editorial stressed that leaders in Volusia County must be willing to say "no" to new development in areas where infrastructure is already strained.

[OUR VIEW: Volusia defeated its half-cent sales tax. What happens next?]

The area within the confines of LPGA Boulevard to U.S. 92 to Tomoka Farms Road and back to LPGA Boulevard are recognized as an area whose growth is already straining existing roads, as well as desperately needing a traffic signal at U.S. 92 and Grande Champion Drive.

The City Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a proposal to rezone land directly within this area. That proposal seeks rezoning that could permit as many as 600 single family homes, or 1,100 townhomes. It seeks to modify the land development code with a number of variances (e.g., smaller lot sizes). The Daytona Beach Land Development Code, as well as existing zoning, provide the local regulations within which the City Commission makes decisions regarding rezoning and new development approvals.

Phase I would have an access road near the stadium on LPGA. Phase II would use Grande Champion's entrance off U.S. 92, already a dangerous and congested intersection. The Florida Department of Transportation has already determined the need for the traffic signal. Phase I traffic for construction vehicles, employees, vendors, and residents of Phase I will significantly add to the traffic on U.S 92, and to the danger to our residents leaving Grande Champion. The traffic signal is needed at the beginning of Phase I, not at Phase II. There is no guarantee Phase II will be built. Agreements between the developer and city and county are needed to ensure this critical part of the infrastructure is functional when beginning the development. Our 363 tax paying owners strongly urge Mayor Derrick Henry and the city commissioners to delay any decision on the rezoning until all necessary agreements have been executed and are part of the rezoning proposal.

Jack Roose, Daytona Beach

Roose is a member of the Grande Champion Homeowner's Association board of directors.

Who needs intervention

Last month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged members of the Trump family, White House staff, and administration officials to stage an "intervention" for President Trump, after claiming again that he had a "temper tantrum" a day earlier.

This comes a day after she accused President Trump of engaging in a cover up. Cover up of what? She can't say. On the contrary, I urge all Democrats, for the good of the country, to urge an "intervention" for Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic leadership in Congress. Their obsession with continuing a witch hunt and hatred of all things Trump, his family, and all former associates can not logically be called politics. It is demented behavior and is putting the country on a course for disaster. We can assume that nothing will be done by this Congress until 2020 and the Republicans win back the House. So, kiss these critical Congressional actions goodbye....border and immigration reform, infrastructure, healthcare, abolition of late term abortions, USMCA and other treaty approvals, budgets, etc. etc. It has reached the point where ridiculous doesn't even begin to describe the Democrats' behavior. It is the actions of sick people who need help. At least that's my opinion.

Paul Cline Jr., Port Orange

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