Be Charter Smarter
Vote with knowledge on the 2006 Volusia County Charter Amendments
What is the Volusia County Home Rule Charter?
The Volusia County Home Rule Charter, passed by Volusia County voters in 1970, is the foundation for Volusia County’s council/manager form of government. It provides the framework for self-governance within the guidelines of Florida law.
What is the Charter Review Commission?
The Charter Review Commission, composed of 15 citizens appointed by the Volusia County Council, spent the last year conducting a mandatory review of Volusia County Government’s Home Rule Charter and the county’s ordinances and structure. Commission members are Bill Scovell, Chair; John Graham, Vice-chair; T. Wayne Bailey; Joseph Benedict; Clarence “Bo” Davenport; Patricia Drago; F.A. “Alex” Ford Jr.; Phillip T. “Bud” Fleuchaus; Richard Gunter; Peter Heebner; Thomas McClelland; Pat Northey; Charles Matousek; Ezell Reaves; and Glenn Storch.
What are the proposed amendments?
Charter Review Commission members voted to propose amendments one through six. The Volusia County Council added the seventh proposed Home Rule Charter amendment. These amendments will be on the Nov. 7 general election ballot for a countywide vote.
School Planning Amendment
Shall the Volusia County Home Rule Charter be amended to require the County Council provide by ordinance that any comprehensive plan amendment or rezoning allowing increased residential density may be effective only if adequate public schools can be timely planned and constructed to serve the projected increase in student population, and that such ordinance shall prevail over any conflicting municipal comprehensive plan, ordinance or resolution?What it means: This amendment would provide that developers' plans to increase residential density can be approved even in early stages by local governments only if schools can be planned and built to serve the student increase.
Water Plan Amendment
Shall the Volusia County Home Rule Charter be amended to require that the County Council provide for a county water plan by ordinance that shall prevail over any conflicting municipal comprehensive plan or ordinance?
What it means: This amendment would direct the County Council to create a countywide water plan that would prevail over conflicting city plans. The plan could address such things as aquifer protection and where wells are located and whether water systems are expanded.
Comprehensive Planning Districts Amendment
Shall the Volusia County Home Rule Charter be amended to designate districts in which the county comprehensive plan prevails over a conflicting municipal plan for 10 years after annexation or until other conditions have been satisfied?
What it means: This amendment would make county long-term planning prevail over city planning in designated areas, including natural resource areas and non-urban buffer zone, for 10 years even after a city annexation unless the County Council makes a change or agrees to a change.
Dispute Resolution Commission Amendment
Shall the Volusia County Home Rule Charter be amended to establish the Volusia Growth Management Dispute Resolution Commission, which will make recommendations to resolve local comprehensive planning, annexation and service area disputes, and to abolish the Volusia Growth Management Commission, which determines local comprehensive plan consistency?
What it means: This amendment would abolish the Volusia Growth Management Commission, which makes sure county and city long-term planning do not conflict. It would establish a Growth Management Dispute Resolution Commission to make recommendations in cases of conflict.
County Council Vice-chair Amendment
Shall the Volusia County Home Rule Charter be amended to provide that the at-large council member shall serve as the vice-chair of the County Council instead of council election of a vice-chair?
What it means: This amendment would change the at-large County Council seat to elected vice-chair of the County Council.
County Council Compensation Amendment
Shall the Volusia County Home Rule Charter be amended to increase County Council member compensation?
What it means: The salary for a Volusia County Council member shall be 65 percent of that prescribed by law for the office of county commissioner, or $51,173. The salary for the Volusia County Chair shall be 100 percent of that prescribed by law for the office of county commissioner, or $78,728. The salaries shall constitute full compensation for all services and in-county expenses, except that out-of-county expenses, as permitted by law, shall be authorized.
County Planning Authority Amendment
Shall the Volusia County Home Rule Charter be amended to provide that with limited exception, the county shall maintain comprehensive planning authority over annexed lands which were governed by the county comprehensive plan on September 1, 2006, the provisions of which amendment shall apply regardless of other charter terms and proposed amendments?
What it means: Amendment 7 provides that Volusia County’s comprehensive plan will apply to all lands governed by the County's plan on September 1, 2006, regardless of whether the land has been or will be annexed into a city. This provision will apply even if the planning districts proposed in Amendment 3 also are established.
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