Charter Amendment 5

Urged a no vote on Charter Amendment 5, saying it breaks faith with Volusia Forever voters, and asked the council to pass the data center ban on second reading.

Called Charter Amendment 5 a 'wolf in sheep's clothing' crafted by developers, urging a no vote over the county public purpose carve-out in subsection three.

Urged the public should know candidates' backgrounds before elections and said he'd vote against all charter amendments, including Amendment 5.

Speaking for Green Volusia, she detailed how Amendment 5's public purpose exception undermines protection of the $100 million Volusia Forever investment; urged a no vote.

Concerned the amendment's vague "public purpose" language could open Volusia Forever lands to state-statute uses like bombing ranges, prisons, and hospitals; asked that those uses be excluded.

Called the CRC's registry a loophole for developing Volusia Forever lands and urged the council to place the stronger Alachua-style voter-referendum amendment on the ballot instead.

The CRC vice chair defended Amendment 5 as stronger protection than current law and legally defensible, unlike the Alachua model.

A CRC member who defended Chairman Watts against personal attacks and argued the registry plus supermajority requirement genuinely strengthens conservation protections.

Said the registry isn't strong enough — feared even a drainage ditch could open protected lands — and supported an elected county chair.

A former councilman and CRC member urged against hamstringing future councils with rigid restrictions, arguing flexibility is needed for fire stations, police needs, and future land swaps.