The Ormond Beach City Commission voted 4-1 to approve a 254-home development on the former Tomoka Oaks Golf Course despite strong opposition from dozens of residents who packed City Hall. The Tomoka Reserve development will transform the vacant golf course property that closed in 2016 and has remained empty for nearly a decade.
“I hear the residents, and I understand how deeply this impacts them,” said Commissioner Lori Tolland. “This was an incredibly difficult decision. But given the legal position we’re in, denying this could have resulted in a far worse outcome for both this neighborhood and the city as a whole. My vote was about managing that risk responsibly while staying within our legal obligations.” The commission approved the project at a special meeting despite more than 50 people speaking against the development during public comment.
“Like, 240 houses is a lot, and the traffic is going to be awful,” said resident Mary Herman. The proposed neighborhood would have only one entrance and exit, raising safety concerns among neighbors who worry about emergency access and daily traffic congestion. Tyler Justice, who lives on Tomoka Oaks Road, expressed additional safety concerns about the single access point.
“I really didn’t see a way of it being approved, because you’re going to have this one small street be the only way in and out for how many people and homes,” Justice said. “It just seems dangerous. It seems like a liability.” City records show developers will be required to install a new traffic signal at Nova Road and modify the existing intersection on Tomoka Oaks Road to allow emergency vehicles better access.
“For all of us that are living here, it’s going to be a nightmare,” said Bonnie Kloepfer, a three-year resident near the entrance of the old golf course. “It’s going to be unsafe, and we’re just going to do whatever we can to try to make them see the light.” The development has sparked ongoing federal and civil litigation between the city of Ormond Beach and developer Triumph Oaks of Ormond Beach, LLC.
Adjacent communities including The Trails also raised concerns about the project’s impact beyond the immediate Tomoka Oaks neighborhood. Darla Widnall, who has lived in The Trails for more than 30 years, said traffic is already problematic for existing homes and expects commutes would become unbearable if the development proceeds. “They would be coming right into our neighborhood and over our old 1979 two-lane bridge,” Widnall said. “So, we’re concerned about that, especially if we’re to have an emergency evacuation.”
“It’s not acceptable to me that your proposing putting 254 homes in the center of my neighborhood and it makes less sense to me that those 254 homes are going to have an emergency exit out onto one of our main streets where everybody else is emergency exiting,” said Michelle Zirkelbach, Co-Vice President of the Tomoka Oaks Volunteer Homeowner’s Association. Initially, developers proposed more than 270 homes but scaled back the project after negotiations with city officials.
“I do feel bound by the law and I feel bound by the time constraints,” Deputy Mayor Lori Tolland said. “Based on the criteria presented to us in planning, I cannot legally deny this project based on our land development code and our comprehensive plan and stay within compliance to our statute.” The commissioners who voted in favor cited legal obligations and compliance requirements as primary factors in their decision.
Developers have not yet announced a timeline for construction to begin on the Tomoka Reserve project. The development’s website states that developers worked with city officials to create the best possible site plan and went “the extra mile” to reach an equitable compromise with the community.