Port Orange council and CRA approve incentive for Salty Marine; debate centers on turtle mitigation timing

The Port Orange City Council and the Eastport Business Center Community Redevelopment Agency voted to approve an economic incentive agreement for Salty Marine Services Inc., doing business in the Daytona/Ponce/New Smyrna area, to relocate to a lot in the Eastport Business Park.

Tim Burman, the city's community development representative, told the joint meeting the incentive is structured to assist with permitting fees and the cost of relocating gopher tortoises on the 1.4-acre site. "The way the agreement is structured is that the permitting must be done, the relocation must be completed, it must be approved by Florida Fish and Wildlife prior to the reimbursement of the funds," Burman said.

Nick Foster, president of Salty Marine Services, told the council his firm plans a phased build-out: clear and fence the yard, use the site for storage and operations, and later construct a building. Foster said turtle mitigation typically runs between $6,500 and $8,000 per turtle and that the company's immediate priority is securing mitigation "spots" so construction can begin.

Council members raised concerns about reimbursing the applicant for mitigation costs before the developer completes site improvements or obtains a certificate of occupancy. Councilman Lance Green urged reimbursement only after a CO, citing the risk that a developer could clear and then abandon the site. Staff proposed a compromise: tying reimbursement to staff inspection and approval of site improvements (site plan/site inspection completion) rather than waiting for a building CO.

Despite the debate, council members did not amend the motion on the floor; both the council and the CRA approved the agreement by unanimous votes. The city and CRA recorded approvals as 5-0. Staff said reimbursements will be limited to documented permitting and mitigation costs, will require Florida Fish and Wildlife approval of the relocation, and will reimburse only actual costs or the lesser reimbursable amount.

No dollar amount for the incentive payment to the applicant was stated in the motion; Burman referenced an estimated fees figure in staff remarks but also cautioned actual reimbursement will reflect documented costs. Foster and staff noted the city's mitigation bank could be used to reserve mitigation credits but also said the bank has limited remaining capacity.