NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — The New Smyrna Beach City Commission approved the rezoning measure late Tuesday night for the Deering Park Innovation Center.

Commissioners rezoned more than 1,600 acres of land at the southwest corner of I-95 and State Road 44.

What You Need To Know

  • New Smyrna Beach city commissioners voted to rezone 1,600 acres for the Deering Park Innovation Center

  • The project could include 2,150 residential units, 6 million square feet of commercial space, and a sports complex

  • Residents have raised concerns over flooding and infrastructure, while supporters argue the development offers long-term benefits

The land could be zoned for the Deering Park Innovation Center, changing its category from prime agriculture, forestry resource, and conservation to planned unit development.

The meeting was packed with both those for the project and those against it.

The proposed project includes 2,150 residential units, six million square feet of commercial and industrial space, a regional sports complex, and more.

Byron White believes this project isn’t the right fit for New Smyrna Beach.

“This phase of the development could add as many as 10,000 people to the city’s population,” he said. “We’ve been dealing with a lot of infrastructure challenges, a lot of catastrophic flooding, especially from the last two hurricanes. Those challenges are unresolved.”

White joined many others in protest of the proposal.

“I’ve always been opposed to this project. It’s been talked about for many, many years,” he said. “But now that we’re up against the wire, the citizens need to voice their opposition to it.”

But not everyone is against the development, including Gerard Pendergast, who has been an architect in New Smyrna Beach for 25 years.

He finds his work rewarding and sees the benefits of the project.

“The fact that Deering Park Innovation Center is giving us an opportunity to have so much commercial growth that we just don’t have," Pendergast said. "That’s going to be really critical for the tax base.”

Pendergast says the long-term benefits of this project are there.

“You can do a regional large development or you can have piecemeal development," he said. "I think the piecemeal development is what’s led to a lot of the flooding because they’re not cohesive. To have a master plan is just so much more preferable to not having it.”

Glenn Storch represents the landowners of the Deering Park Innovation Center and says he wants this property to be developed.

"We spent the last two years planning this property," Storch said. “The whole idea is to make sure that there is absolutely no stormwater that is affecting everyone else. We’re fortunate to have 71 miles of conservation area that we actually have a place for the water to go.”

Glenn said if the project is approved, studies will be done over the next two years to make sure stormwater is not impacting anyone in the area.