BEACON PHOTO/PAT HATFIELD
On patrol — Capt. Alan Osowski of the Volusia County Sheriff's office keeps a close eye on the often-unruly crowd gathered for the special DeBary City Council meeting Nov. 21. That meeting was canceled because of the overflow crowd, has has now been rescheduled to 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at River City Nature Park in DeBary.
By Pat Hatfield
posted Dec 1, 2008 - 9:31:41am
The City of DeBary has chosen a nature park for its zoning hearing on the controversial gambling facility known as DeBary Downs.
The meeting, which city officials expect 400 to 500 people to attend, will be 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at River City Nature Park, 200 Barwick Road. The city will provide tents, folding chairs and portable toilets.
The zoning hearing was initially scheduled Nov. 21, but so many people crammed into and around Florence K. Little Town Hall, the City Council voted to cancel the hearing, and postpone the matter until they could find a time and place where everyone could hear and speak.
The Dec. 13 meeting will be the first reading of a rezoning request to allow the quarter-horse track and poker parlor. River City Nature Park is near Meadowlea on the River, just south of Fort Florida Road off South U.S. Highway 17-92.
The developer will pay the costs of relocating the meeting, City Clerk Stacey Tebo said, because of a pass-through city ordinance that allows the city to charge developers for extra costs associated with reviewing their projects.
If the rezoning to allow the quarter-horse track and poker room passes this first reading, the second hearing will start at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29, at Florence K. Little Town Hall.
The City of DeBary has no jurisdiction over whether gambling is allowed in the community. That's the state's decision, and DeBary Downs' developer already has the state's OK.
DeBary can decide only whether to grant the zoning needed for a horse track. Without the horse track, the developer cannot have a poker room. Approval on two readings is required for the rezoning to be granted.
Current council will decide
Although much was made during the recent City Council campaign about whether the candidates supported or opposed the gambling facility, the current plan will decide the DeBary Downs matter while the current City Council is still in office.
In January, DeBary Mayor George Coleman will be replaced by Bob Garcia, and Vice Mayor Chris Carson, who has gone on record in support of the gambling facility, will be replaced by Van Conoley. Garcia and Conoley were elected Nov. 4.
The parimutuel project, also called DeBary Town Center and Equestrian Park, is planned for about 69 acres at the intersection of Dirksen Drive and and South U.S. Highway 17-92. It was first proposed in March.
The auditorium in Florence K. Little Town Hall can safely hold around 200 people. That capacity was exceeded long before the meeting was scheduled to begin Nov. 21. A solid mass of people packed the aisles and the back of the room.
Assistant City Manager Anthony Gonzalez estimated there were at least 250 people inside, and another 250-300 outside.
At the Nov. 21 meeting, those in support of the horse track and poker room wore green; those opposed wore red.
Suspicions inflamed
Many of those wearing red were also seeing red after the failed Nov. 21 hearing.
Kevin Davidson, who opposes the project, said he saw organizers holding a pizza party at Stavros Pizza in DeBary earlier that evening, "getting ready for the meeting." One supporter of the project was giving out green T-shirts, Davidson said.
Davidson said he got to Town Hall a little before 6 p.m., and encountered the group he'd seen at Stavros.
"They came down and started packing in the room," he said.
Former City Council Member Greg France, whom Davidson said had seen giving out T-shirts at the restaurant, told Davidson if he left Town Hall, he wouldn't be able to get back in.
Davidson wondered why France had such authority, "making decisions about who came in and who didn't."
France said he was just helping keep a count of the number of people entering the hall, for safety purposes. When the number reached 299, no one else would be admitted.
Questions arose about who all those folks in green T-shirts really were.
"We've heard lots of different rumors, one about them paying Stetson students. They got there so early. Some got there an hour early and filled up the place," said Pastor Ron Munizzi of Victorious Living Church in DeBary, which has hosted meetings of opponents of the project.
Munizzi and his wife, Tracy, couldn't get into Town Hall.
Davidson said he heard Stetson University students were paid $20 each to don the green T-shirts and yell at the meeting. The Munizzis heard similar stories.
France said absolutely not.
"No one was paid to attend that meeting," he said. "That's a rumor I've heard swirled around. There were students interested in the democratic process — I can't say whether they were they for a student project or interested in learning about local government. I can tell you definitely, no money was expended."
France said he supports the project, because after investigating, he decided it is a good project that would be financially good for DeBary. He's been working with Ty Harris, attorney for Green Bridge Co., developer of DeBary Downs.
Tom Blawn, a radio correspondent who led a Nov. 19 meeting of opponents, said he'd never seen a meeting as unruly as the Nov. 21 gathering.
"One of the loudest ones was Mark Meister," Blawn said.
Meister ran unsuccessfully for City Council in the Nov. 4 election. As a candidate, he supported a referendum to allow residents to decide whether they wanted the track and poker room.
Meister and his live-in companion, Wendy Kuehne, attended the Nov. 21 meeting. Kuehne wore one of the green shirts. The couple argued against canceling the hearing because of the crowd.
Council Member Lenny Marks moved to postpone the meeting. His motion passed 4-1, with Vice Mayor Chris Carson dissenting.
This was the meeting's second postponement. It had originally been scheduled for Nov. 6.
Be prepared
Planning to go to the Saturday, Dec. 13 special DeBary City Council meeting? Be prepared. The new River City Nature Park doesn't have amenities. Tents, chairs and portable toilets will be brought in for the meeting, which is expected to last for hours. Some beverages and a picnic lunch might come in handy. The Beacon will advise you of any developments.
Reader Comments
The comments posted below are posted by readers, not by The Beacon staff. These comments express the views and opinions of the authors, and not the administrators, moderators or webmaster. The comments forum is governed by these rules. Please use the report abuse link if you find offensive comments.
Comment on this article
Commenting is closed for this article.
If you would like to contribute a letter to the editor, please click here.
Did you find this story interesting or informative? Subscribe to The DeLand-Deltona Beacon to read more stories by Pat Hatfield, along with others from our award-winning writers. Subscribe now!
Photos - Real Estate - Newcomer's Guide - Beacon Magazines - Advertise - Local Web Sites - About Us - Beacon Archives
