Guide to Developing a New Commercial Business in Port Orange (Raw Land Site Development)
Download Development Guide in pdf format 
The purpose of this brochure is to provide business owners with helpful hints on how to develop a piece of commercial property into a small business location. This brochure was jointly developed by the Port Orange/South Daytona Chamber of Commerce and the City of Port Orange in order to answer questions concerning new commercial development. Thank you to the members of the Chamber’s Economic Committee, as well as the City of Port Orange’s Community Development Staff for their support and knowledge.
Development Situation:I am a small business owner who has found a great new piece of property in Port Orange for my business. How should I approach this opportunity, now that I have the property under a due diligence contract?
Developing a new commercial business in Port Orange from ground up is a lengthy process guided by National Building Codes and Standards, local code and state law. All of the health and safety procedures are administered by the City Staff. The City Staff administers these codes with the specific goal of creating an aesthetically pleasing community that is safe, functional, and has a pleasant atmosphere. Achieving solid market value and quality is also a primary concern of the code.
The process is lengthy and has many steps and reviews before completion. For those of you not familiar with the process, you may struggle with the details and find the process cumbersome. Don’t worry! Think of the process as three mini-processes-
1) Zoning and Planning,
2) Site Development Review and Approval, and
3) Construction.
The first part, Zoning and Planning, is a fact identification process in which the owner learns about the allowed uses for the property in question. The second mini-process, Site Development Review and Approval, involves working with the City to develop a site plan that satisfies all of the safety, quality, and aesthetic rules. The third mini-process is building a structure that will meet all the safety and aesthetic code requirements and standards for starting your new business.
Finally, business owners are encouraged to also consider the requirements and timing of other permitting requirements such as St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), Volusia County or Florida Dept. of Transportation (FDOT) for example. This brochure primarily focuses on City of Port Orange requirements as provided by federal, state, and local code. A diagram of the complete development process for minor site development is included in this publication for your use and easy reference.
*** Note: The entire building permit process can be followed in Port Orange using the City Click2Gov online innovation. You can do this by going to the City web site www.port-orange.org once you have your permit #.
NEW COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION - BEFORE YOU START CONSTRUCTION
Before you apply for your new commercial construction permits, there are some things you need to know. Gather all the details about your lot and the site where your new structure will be built. Then answer the questions below on a separate sheet of paper or commit the information to memory! You will need this information for your project applications as well as throughout the entire process:
1.Zoning and Planning: Things to Know
Know Your Lot
So, you have secured a contract on a piece of property and you want to build a new business. What is the nature of the business you want to construct?
Does the lot have a separate tax account number? Does it have a legal description?
What are the dimensions of the lot?
Does the lot size meet current development standards? For example, consider the space needed for storm water retention and parking needs.
Know Your Site
What is the zoning?
What are the elevations?
Where are the City Services- Streets, Sewer, Water, etc.?
Was the lot created through a Subdivision Review? Is it vested under prior zoning regulations?
Do your homework
Gather all zoning and land use review history. Note: You should also look at surrounding properties as well.
Get grading plans and topographic maps.
Think of items such as parking, stormwater management, architectural style, and landscaping requirements.
The City staff is available for consultation during your due diligence phase.
Assemble Your Team
After you have decided that the land/site is feasible for building your business, create a project team.THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL STEP IN THE PROCESS. The team should include a Licensed Professional Engineer who is a civil engineer, a landscape architect, an architect, a structural engineer, a land use attorney, an environmental consultant, and others as desired.
As the owner – stay involved in all aspects of the development process. Attend all meetings with your development team so that you are fully aware of the project status.
Scheduling a Pre-Application Conference
You and the Project Manager of your team (usually the engineer) MUST schedule an appointment with the City Staff to discuss potential issues regarding the project site. City Staff will guide you through the Development Review Process.
MAKE SURE that you bring maps and the information you collected from the “Do your homework” section to the Pre-Application Conference?
2. Site Plan Review and Approval Process: Things to Do
After carefully reviewing the site and evaluating the information obtained from staff at the pre-application conference, determine if the site will work for your business. If yes, then you are ready to start the Site Development Review & Approval Process. You MUST have an engineering site plan in order to start this process. After submitting a completed application for site plan review to staff, the next step in the Site Plan Review and Approval Process is the Site Development Review Committee meeting (SDRC).
The SDRC is there to review and evaluate your project to make sure all national, state, and local rules are followed on your site. After an official application is submitted to the City, your project will be scheduled for SDRC review. The meeting is scheduled according to the adopted schedule outlined on the City’s Critical Dates Calendar. This calendar is available on the City’s web site. During the SDRC meeting, comments will be generated that your project team must address. There may be multiple meetings with the SDRC. There is the potential that new comments will be generated during the SDRC meetings. The most common reason for new comments is that while addressing the original comment, the corrections impacted other aspects of the project thus requiring adjustment in those areas in order to meet code requirements or good development/engineering practices. Your development team project manager should be familiar with this process. Listed below are some things to do that will help your team prepare for this important review.
Getting Ready For the Staff Development Review Committee (SDRC) Meeting
Have you and your team discussed the Staff’s suggestions from the pre- application meeting? If you and your development team discussed the suggestions, then MAKE SURE that the engineered site plans submitted are corrected to reflect Staff suggestions before filling out the development plan approval application. It is very important that the engineering site plan is accurate in order to avoid future delays.
Now that you have a site plan that satisfies you and City requirements, please fill out and submit a development plan approval application?
MAKE SURE your application includes all required exhibits and attachments to avoid rejection or time delays in the review of your project.
Check to see that you and your team’s presentation is properly organized and ready for presentation. This is a review so be prepared to answer questions.
The City provides a checklist of all items that need to be included in the submittal package.
The next step of the Review and Approval Process is the Final Development and Review Approval. After the SDRC meeting, you and your development team will receive a letter outlining all of the outstanding comments/issues discussed at the meeting. You have sixty days from the SDRC meeting to make corrections and resubmit a revised site plan.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COMPLETENESS & QUALITY OF YOUR RETURN SUBMISSION TO CITY STAFF WILL DETERMINE HOW QUICKLY THIS PROCESS MOVES FORWARD AND HOW MUCH TIME IS CONSUMED IN REVIEW. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOUR TEAM RESPOND TO EACH COMMENT AND MAKE CORRECTIONS TO THE PROPOSED PLANS THAT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL, STATE & LOCAL CODE. PLANS DO NOT MOVE AHEAD TO THE NEXT STEP AND RECEIVE A DEVELOPMENT ORDER UNTIL THEY ARE COMPLETE.
Make Sure You Have Everything in Order for the Final Development Review and Approval
Did you revise the site plan to reflect all the comments/issues outlined by the SDRC members in the post-meeting letter? Once the site plan reflects the changes and meets all requirements, you may be issued a Development Order.
NOTE: Major Site Plans require additional review by the Planning Commission and City Council before a Development Order can be issued. This can add, at a minimum, an additional 60 days review time to your project. Once you have the Development Order, you are ready to begin construction.
For further information, see Section I of this document or review the brochure entitled “The Development Review Process”.
3. Pre-Construction to Construction- What You Must Do
Now that you have a Development Order, pre-construction meeting is the next step. The Pre-Construction meeting is the bridge between the issuance of a Development Order and the issuance of a Development Permit. The meeting is an opportunity for the city staff, development team, inspectors, sub-contactors, and utility companies to coordinate field information about your site and discuss shared issues such as timing of the project, schedules, equipment staging etc….
You and your development team should contact the Engineering Division of the Community Development Department and scheduled a meeting. Please call at least one week prior to when you would like to meet.
MAKE SURE to bring a copy of all the necessary final plans and permits to answer the following questions- Have you contracted the project? Have you satisfied all of the conditions of the development order? Have you secured an ABC Land Clearing Permit?
After scheduling a pre-construction meeting, your next step is to obtain a Development Permit for your project (plans stamped “Approved for Construction”). This authorizes the construction of the project. It’s important that all of the development team and Community Development staff work from this set of stamped plans.
If the plans are not stamped, then turn in the required documents for the issuance of the Development Permit?
For more information, see Section II of this document or review the brochure entitled “The Pre-Construction Meeting”.
4. Building Permit to Final Inspection & Issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy
Submit Building Permit Application
Did you submit a Building Permit Application?
Did you meet all code requirements, such as plumbing, electrical, etc.?
If so, did your team arrange for an inspection visit?
If not, did you correct the code violations?
If inspections are passed you will receive a Certificate of Occupancy.
You may now apply for an Occupational License and start your business.
For more information, see Section IV of this document.
Disclaimer: The City of Port Orange, nor its officers or employees, can undertake any duties or responsibilities of any such person or entity that chooses to use the document. It is not intended to be a standard and should not substitute for the exercise of good engineering judgment by engineers nor the determination by contractors of the appropriate manner and method of construction on projects under their control. The information provided in this brochure does not address all of the possible questions or situations that may arise as you experience the process of new commercial construction. While good faith effort is made to keep this document current, it is the user’s obligation to make sure that he/she uses the appropriate practices.
