NSB 'State of the City' updates residents on hurricane recovery, growth and more
Hundreds of NSB residents sat across the vast room inside the Brannon Center Monday night as their city commissioners and Mayor Fred Cleveland updated them on the latest developments in the State of the City address.The mayor touched on several topics during his speech, addressing recent successes, what needs work and what the future looks like. These topics included hurricane recovery efforts, growth management, environmental issues, parking and more.Several city staff members, department heads and other city and Volusia County officials attended the event.
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City commissioners address zone developments
Before the mayor’s speech, residents watched a video in which the four city commissioners spoke about several topics and latest efforts in their respective zones.
Zone 1 Commissioner and Vice Mayor Valli Perrine discussed the Barracuda Bridge project, Washington Street traffic improvements and beautification, and the partnership with First Step Shelter to help the homeless population.
Zone 2 Commissioner Lisa Martin spoke about hurricane recovery efforts and beachside developments.
Zone 3 Commissioner Jason McGuirk discussed Turnbull Creek preservation, recent stormwater improvements and historic preservation efforts.
Zone 4 Commissioner Randy Hartman spoke about the Corbin Park stormwater master plan, the New Smyrna Beach Utilities Commission's planned move to the west side of the city, and Innovation Park, a residential, commercial and industrial development.
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Immediately after the city commissioners’ presentations, Sammy Davis Jr.’s “The Candy Man” started playing in the room.
Cleveland, dressed in a firefighter’s uniform and carrying a bucket of candy, greeted audience members and distributed candy before taking the stage.
One of the highlights of his speech was on storm preparedness efforts.
“Of the 12,000 homes that accumulated anywhere from 4 inches to 1 feet of water during (tropical storms) Ian and Nicole, now less than 20 remain uninhabitable,” Cleveland said.
He spoke of the planned dredging work on several of the city’s canals that aim to help its stormwater drainage system. He mentioned the recent cleanup and restoration efforts on the Turnbull Canal.
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On growth, Cleveland spoke of the necessity of finding a balance between responsible growth and historic preservation.
The city received more than 1,000 new residents over the last 14 months and welcomed 218 new businesses, Cleveland said.
“Finding the balance between accommodating growth while protecting not only the historic charm of New Smyrna Beach’s heritage, but also our residents and resources as well — this is a tight rope that we must walk,” he said. “Failure on either of those is not an option.”
Caring for the Indian River Lagoon and infrastructure
On the environment, Cleveland said, “We must recognize the impact our human footprint has on our delicate surroundings.”
The focus, he said, has been on efforts to maintain and improve conditions at the Indian River Lagoon, which he called “one of our most special features in this town.”
He mentioned recent oyster repopulation efforts along parts of the river, with “increased placement of oyster beds filtering at up to 50 gallons of water a day per oyster.”
He also spoke about the Marine Discovery Center’s plans to construct a “coastal restoration center,” which will cultivate clams, oysters, seagrass, mangroves and more for regional habitat restoration efforts.
Cleveland also touched on the wildlife hazard mitigation program for the city airport, which aims to “protect local bird life and departing and arriving aircraft at Jack Bolt Field.”
On infrastructure, Cleveland said the city must continue to address the demands of an increasing population and business scene.
He mentioned last year’s parking task force, which work for months to identify potential solutions to the city’s often chaotic parking situation. The city hired a consultant to organize an action plan, which will help the city prioritize next steps.
He praised the police department’s new towing and booting protocol, which aims to stop drivers with outstanding parking tickets from repeating the offense.
In closing, Cleveland thanked city staff members for their work and dedicated time to praise City Manager Khalid Resheidat, who is set to retire in August after 35 years with the city.
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At the end of the speech, the mayor and city commissioners made themselves available to residents in attendance.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NSB State of the City updates residents on latest developments
