The Beachside Redevelopment Advisory Board voted to send a set of short- and long-term recommendations to the Daytona Beach City Commission after a wide-ranging discussion of code enforcement, lighting, trash collection, signage, and security in the Beachside redevelopment area.

Board members said the recommendations will emphasize inexpensive, city-owned “low-hanging fruit” — including adding string lights over Main Street, wrapping transformer boxes in artist-designed vinyl, improving trash-pickup frequency in high-visitor areas and creating an advertising/beautification program for the pier — while reserving larger items such as pier replacement and major boardwalk work for longer-term planning.

Ken Thomas, Redevelopment Advisory Board member, opened the agenda item and framed the proposal as a twice-yearly or periodic opportunity “to make recommendations directly to the city commission” rather than relying on individual public-comment appearances. The board discussed a two-tier approach: near-term items that the city owns and can act on quickly, and longer-term infrastructure projects that require coordination with other departments and funding sources.

Board members and several residents urged better lighting on Main Street and the A1A corridor, expanded code enforcement and a visible security presence on A1A and the boardwalk. “I would say we support visible security person or police officer in the area of A1A and the boardwalk,” a board member stated during the meeting, noting police have recently increased patrols on the boardwalk.

Public commenters described recurring problems they want the commission to address. Christine Ferrelli, who lives on South Peninsula Drive, said rodent infestations and hazardous sidewalk/utility pole conditions have caused property damage and personal injury; she told the board, “I killed 23 rats,” while describing recent cleanups after hoarded properties were cleared. John Nicholson, a longtime attendee, urged the board to review budget allocations and to be more aggressive about using funds in the redevelopment district.

Staff clarified scope and process. Redevelopment staff said their primary duty is to implement the redevelopment plan and that some items raised by the board (trash collection, police beats, public works tasks) fall under other city departments. Staff also noted that the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) budget and allocations are publicly available and that the advisory board can request budget materials or invite department staff to future meetings for more detail.

The board discussed operational details raised by business owners and residents: automating annual trespass authorizations (currently required and notarized each year), improving event logistics so food-truck setups do not block business all day, examining vacant-lot and parking standards in the Land Development Code, and creating a program for pier advertising or sponsored murals that would offset maintenance costs.

The board unanimously approved a motion directing the board chair to present the assembled recommendations to the City Commission. The motion’s text on the record was: “I motion to approve me presenting this to the City Commission as we’ve discussed.” After a call for the question, members answered “Aye” and the board chair said he would prepare a written package for the commission and aim to present at an upcoming November workshop.

Board members and several public speakers requested that the board ask the commission for regular follow-up (one speaker suggested quarterly reporting) and for staff to provide the advisory board with available budget detail and progress updates on prioritized items.

The board said it will draft a concise presentation that prioritizes (1) near-term, city-owned improvements — lights, transformer wraps, more frequent trash pickup, pier advertising program, and a visible security presence — and (2) longer-term, higher-cost infrastructure items such as pier and boardwalk work and parking studies. Staff agreed to share budget links and to coordinate with police and public works on logistics for event permitting, barricade placement, and trespass program automation.

Members closed the item by asking staff to identify a date at which the board could present to the commission; staff said the city is planning a November workshop where boards will make presentations and the commission will schedule which boards present first.

Questions and next steps included requests for (1) a single written recommendation list with no more than three immediate priorities for the commission; (2) staff-provided budget breakdowns of the TIF fund; and (3) outreach to FDOT, police and public works about event barricade timing and food-truck delivery windows.

The board’s formal vote to approve the presentation was recorded as unanimous; individual yes/no tallies and named roll-call votes were not listed in the transcript.

Residents and business owners who spoke during public comment reiterated concerns about blight, rats, damaged sidewalks, vandalism and inconsistent trash pickup. Several attendees offered to support volunteer cleanups and community-led beautification efforts. The board asked staff to prepare a written draft for the board to finalize at its next meeting and to place the item on the November workshop agenda for a commission presentation.