Task Force to Present Ormond Beach Plan

A special task force will present its vision of how the Ormond Beach area should be developed to the City Council tonight.

Made up of industrial leaders, resource agencies, government officials and environmentalists, the Ormond Beach Task Force in March approved the far-reaching blueprint for the 1,400 acres in south Oxnard.

Task force members have said they hope city leaders will consider their plan as an alternative to a proposal by Orange County-based developer Baldwin Co. when studying the environmental impacts of possible development at Ormond Beach.

The task force’s plan essentially divides the coastal property into six types of zones, including development-free conservation areas, spots for industry and 500 acres for homes.

The Baldwin Co., which filed for bankruptcy protection last year, owns several hundred acres in the area and has proposed building up to 5,000 homes.

Company representatives initially worked on the task force plan but dropped out last year. They have not endorsed the plan, saying they want more information on the size of the wetlands at Ormond Beach and that they still want to work out a land swap with another area property owner.

Ultimately, the city will decide the future of Ormond Beach, including any developments in the area.

Conservationists have long argued that the Ormond Beach area’s wetlands, which house protected species, would be a poor place for homes. And manufacturers have said that residences do not belong near factories.

But some south Oxnard residents have said homes would help revitalize the area.