VCC Approves Moving Forward With Beach-Related Ordinances

DeLand, FL – The Volusia County Council voted unanimously today to move forward with a program for naming rights of County assets and sponsorships. How to go about creating the program is what was decided, with a unanimous vote to hire a consultant and instructions to staff to find companies that are interested. Assistant County Attorney Heather Wallace explained how the choice would be made. “We can see what we get in, then we can bring it forward and, if we want to, pare it down to whatever you decide, and bring the top two or three back to Council for presentation.” A draft ordinance with regulations for parking on beach parks and approaches for buses, RVs, and tractor-trailers is also moving forward to the next step which is advertising the proposed ordinance for thirty days. A third item about allowing electric motorized devices on parts of the beach is moving forward. Senior Assistant County Attorney Paolo Soria made the presentation saying that  Volusia County currently includes an e-bike, e-scooter, or other electric motor devices in the definition of a motor vehicle. However, due to e-bikes no longer being able to be registered, an e-bike would be considered an unauthorized motor vehicle and prohibited on the beach. This ordinance has the following changes: 1. Revises definitions to exclude e-bikes, e-scooters, and other electric motor devices from the definition of a motor vehicle.2. Allows e-bikes, e-scooters, and electric motor devices on the urban and transitional areas of the beaches (those that are not designated as natural beach management areas) regardless of designation as a non-driving or driving area. 3. Allows e-bikes, e-scooters, and other electric motorized devices in both the driving lanes and outside the driving lanes. 4. Permitted to operate year-round, but during the hours of operation of other motorized vehicles. 5. Provides a standard of conduct for the operation of e-bikes and e-scooters as a means to address public safety concerns.