Conservation and Access. Voters Approved Both : Volusia's proposed motocross facility in NSB

We’re openly skeptical of development, especially corporate and commercial sprawl that changes the character of our towns and consumes open land. Residents also need access to the outdoors, and supporting public recreation fits that position.

That is why we support projects like Edgewater’s proposed boat ramp. The proposed motocross facility at 4845 State Road 44, New Smyrna Beach, could also expand outdoor access for New Smyrna and Edgewater residents.

Whether this purchase belongs in Volusia Forever depends on what voters approved and what the proposal would actually do. The record settles some of that and leaves some of it open.

The argument that recreation alone disqualifies this purchase leaves out the ballot language. The 2020 ballot expressly included “outdoor recreation lands” and “for conservation and resource-based recreation.” The enabling resolution also directs that lands be managed, to the extent practicable, to balance public access with protection of their natural state. Both commitments matter.

Florida DEP’s definition of resource-based recreation include motorized off-highway vehicle (OHV) riding and specifically include motorcycles among the vehicles. That supports considering motorcycle recreation as part of Forever Volusia's scope, though it does not establish this particular facility’s eligibility.

The county has paired conservation with recreation before. In December 2022, Council approved buying the Doan property near Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve for $405,000 in Forever funds, and the county’s July 2025 ECHO plan lists a kayak launch, pavilion, trail and disc golf course for that property. Throwing a Frisbee into a basket isn’t a traditional conservation activity either. Motocross raises different concerns and they deserve real scrutiny. But the mere presence of recreation cannot be what separates an acceptable project from an unacceptable one. Compatibility has to be the test.

Florida also has established riding facilities in protected areas, including the designated OHV trail network in Ocala National Forest and the Croom Motorcycle Area in Withlacoochee State Forest, which has separate adult and youth tracks accessible to the public. These are large, publicly managed forests, not a private operator on a county-owned parcel, so they don’t settle whether the proposed project is a good fit for the site. They do show that motorized riding and protected land can coexist when the rules are strong and enforced, which is the standard to apply here.

The July 2025 ECHO plan lists a $4.628 million purchase of 356 acres, with $2.314 million each from ECHO and Forever. ECHO supports outdoor recreation facilities. The county’s March 2026 development map shows a potential development area of about 77 acres, leaving roughly 279 acres outside it. At the April 15, 2025 Council meeting, staff said both program committees had reviewed the proposal, and Council voted unanimously to buy the land. Members stated repeatedly that the vote was for the purchase, not approval of the facility.

The Volusia Forever Advisory Committee’s September 2024 minutes document an eligibility review without mentioning motocross, and public ECHO funding records do not show what members were told. Residents, and the committee members who did that review, are entitled to know whether they had the full picture. That information could matter to eligibility and scoring, even though motorized recreation is not automatically excluded. The purchase is complete, but questions about the review process and how the land will be used remain.

The land’s existing condition matters, too. The county’s January 2026 assessment describes wetlands within the proposed development area as low-quality pasture wetlands, significantly degraded by historic conversion from natural habitat. That history belongs in the discussion of what this project would change. A quick look at the development plan shows the majority of development area overlaps with areas that have already been cleared for prior use. To most people, that is distinctly different than mowing down more woods to build a track.

The assessment also identifies earlier unauthorized wetland impacts the county agreed to resolve, and further wetland impacts would require permitting and mitigation. Those obligations remain, but so does the distinction between using previously disturbed land and clearing intact habitat.

For context, the Volusia Forever Advisory Committee is not an elected lawmaking body. It reviews projects and makes recommendations, and elected councilmembers make the acquisition decision. Both must follow the program’s requirements.

We support a local riding facility with environmental protections, enforceable public access, reasonable resident fees and clear financial responsibilities for the proposed private operator. That support also depends on adequate, enforceable limits and buffers for nearby neighbors. We ask that you judge this proposal on its impacts and on whether it meets the rules. Protecting the land matters. So does the public’s ability to access it. The voter-approved program calls for balancing both.