NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — The city of New Smyrna Beach is looking to buy multiple properties for conservation and flood mitigation.
The land surrounds the Turnbull Creek, which is one of the main drainage points in the city. If it’s maintained, the area will flood which is something residents quickly realized after Hurricane Ian in 2022.
Turnbull Creek Preservation Board Chairwoman Donna Athearn said after Ian, a major effort was launched to keep the creek clear and moving and part of that plan included purchasing land around it.
“We have already purchased 125.7 acres on the northern section of the creek. This section we are standing on now is a 10-acre parcel,” said Athearn.
The city is now looking to add nearly 30 more acres through the purchase of three properties located at Doster Drive and Corbin Park Road, Paige Avenue west of Mission Drive, and Paige Avenue behind the NSB Regional Shopping Center.
Residents like Bryon White were strongly against the city rezoning more than 1,600 acres of land of State Road 44 and Interstate 95 for the Deering Park project. He is relieved to see preservation efforts now becoming more of a priority.
“I really do feel like municipalities in Central Florida need to be buying more sensitive land and putting it into conservation,” said White.
The city was supposed to vote on the land purchase Monday but the item was removed from the agenda that afternoon. The city said the property owner needs to first address some site conditions before it will move forward with the purchase plan.
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