NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — New Smyrna Beach city commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to extend a development moratorium at Venetian Bay for a second time.

What You Need To Know

  • Members of the New Smyrna Beach City Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a second extension of a temporary development moratorium for Venetian Bay

  • The moratorium prohibits issuing building permits for new development in parts of Venetian Bay following ongoing flooding issues that started in the fall of 2023

  • A study done by city staff and engineers showed that wetlands to the east of Portofino Gardens are occasionally backflowing into the system, resulting in ponds overflowing, storm drains backing up into streets and standing water for extended periods of time

  • The building moratorium will last until July 22, 2025, unless automatically terminated by St. Johns River Water Management District permit compliance, or if it is extended by a subsequent ordinance

This moratorium prohibits issuing building permits for new development in parts of Venetian Bay following ongoing flooding issues that started in the fall of 2023.

The first moratorium was adopted in April 2024. It was extended in June, and now, the second extension will last for six months.

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City officials say they hope the extension will allow the Venetian Bay Homeowners Assocation to address the ongoing flooding issues.

“Within Phase II, there’s an area that has experienced some street flooding in the last year," said  Shane Corbin, the director of development services for the city of New Smyrna Beach. "And so, this is to prevent additional impervious surface from going into that area."

This decision comes following two non-hurricane-related storms in 2023 that caused street flooding in areas of Venetian Bay, known as Portofino Gardens.

Related Story: New Smyrna Beach city officials seek to extend Venetian Bay development moratorium

“We had two floods back in 2023 from rainstorms that never should have happened," Portofino Gardens resident Nicholas Rella said. "Three or four of our roads are completely impassable for almost three to four days."

He said he was glad to see the moratorium extended once again.

“I’m happy, because it shows they’re taking it seriously and they’re trying to help us,” he said.

On Oct. 20, 2023, the St. Johns River Water Management District issued a warning letter to the Venetian Bay Homeowners Association that lists five concerns that needed to be addressed regarding compliance with their stormwater permit.

City staff worked with the homeowners association engineer to complete an extensive modeling analysis of the system using StormWise modeling software, as-built surveys, piezometer readings, staff gauges and a USGS gauge on Spruce Creek. The engineers agreed that wetlands to the east of Portofino Gardens are occasionally backflowing into the system, creating conditions that it was not designed to handle.

The results are ponds overflowing, storm drains backing up into streets and standing water for extended periods of time.

In 2024, the homeowners association worked on resolving each comment in the letter, submitted a response to the St. Johns River Water Management District, and are currently waiting for a response.

“Right now, we are waiting for responses from St. Johns River Water Management District to go to Venetian Bay Homeowners Association," Corbin said. "Once we see that letter, then we’ll talk about what next steps are going to be. But right now, the attorney has been tasked with looking into what other enforcement options we might have."

With this second extension, the building moratorium will last until July 22, 2025, unless automatically terminated by St. Johns River Water Management District permit compliance, or if it is extended by a subsequent ordinance.