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Concrete plant proposal reignites Ormond Beach land-use debate

A property that once sat at the center of a major fuel terminal fight in Ormond Beach is back in the spotlight — this time over a proposed concrete mixing plant. Three industrial parcels along Hull Road and Hull Trail, totaling about 52 acres, are before the city again. The proposal would change their land-use designation to light industrial and utilities. Halifax Paving is also seeking to build a concrete mixing plant on its property. For Dave Smith, the debate feels familiar. Smith has lived in what is now known as the Ormond Lakes neighborhood for more than 50 years — and says the fight over what gets built across the street from his home never seems to end. "The fallout from a concrete plant would be very tough for us," Smith said. "So we're within a half a mile of the proposed location, very much against it. So many of us that live in here, almost all will line up behind us." Smith says his top concerns center on air quality and the potential mess a concrete plant could bring to the area. "My top concerns: air quality and the mess potentially coming with it," he said. Truck traffic is another major concern for nearby residents, who say they want the city to address the issue before moving forward with any approvals. "The traffic coming in and coming out — we have no traffic light here at Hull Road, and there's 620 roughly houses just in this one neighborhood called Ormond Lakes, but so many other close ones," Smith said. The city is proposing a less intensive industrial designation than the one that sparked the original Belvedere fuel terminal controversy. But for neighbors, the concern remains what kind of industrial activity could ultimately end up in their backyard. "We're ready. If this goes in front of the city and the county for the permits, we will pack the place," Smith said. The proposals are scheduled to go before the city's Planning Board on Thursday.