Port Orange approves economic incentive agreement for Salty Marine Services (Sea Tow)

Salty Marine Services, Inc., a Florida corporation d/b/a Sea Tow Daytona/Ponce/New Smyrna ("Sea Tow") has requested financial assistance from the Eastport Business Center Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) under the Targeted Business Program. The request is for reimbursement of all costs related to the permitting, removal, and relocation of gopher tortoises at 4455 Eastport Parkway within the Eastport Business and Technology Park. Location Map of 4455 Eastport Parkway in the Eastport Business Center Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) Sea Tow is currently operating at 4958 S. Peninsula Drive in Ponce Inlet and uses 4431 Eastport Parkway as a storage site. The proposed project at 4555 Eastport Parkway is part of the company’s regional expansion plan and will serve as its regional headquarters (office and storage). The new facility will feature a ±10,000-square-foot building with office space for administrative staff, equipment storage, and an enclosed yard for boats and equipment associated with its operations. This yard will also store vessels that have been retrieved and require holding for repair or insurance purposes. Upon completion, Sea Tow plans to add both administrative and on-water skilled positions. The company provides employee benefits, including health, dental, and 401(k) plans. For the past 13 years, Sea Tow has served coastal Volusia, Flagler, and Brevard Counties, and will expand service to Nassau, Duval, and St. Johns Counties. Its fleet of nine commercial vessels performs boat salvage, recovery, towing, and other on-water services. Photos of Sea Tow performing boat salvage and recovery, towing The Eastport CRA Redevelopment Plan allows incentives for businesses locating or expanding within the CRA, as outlined in Chapter 20 of the City’s Land Development Code (LDC). The Targeted Business Program is designed to promote new development and redevelopment, reward the creation and retention of value-added jobs, attract targeted businesses, revitalize redevelopment areas, expand the nonresidential tax base, and diversify employment opportunities. Incentives may be extended to retain, enhance, or relocate targeted businesses within the city. The applicant seeks an Economic Incentive Agreement (EIA) for reimbursement of up to $28,000 for gopher tortoise mitigation costs. A Gopher Tortoise Study prepared by Zev Cohen and Associates (July 2025) identified 26 active burrows on the ±1.4-acre site. The estimated cost to permit and relocate the gopher tortoises to the City of Port Orange off-site mitigation area is approximately $28,000. Under the proposed EIA, the applicant would complete the permitting and relocation process, and the CRA would reimburse the actual cost, not to exceed $28,000. The funds used to reimburse the actual cost to permit, remove, and relocate the gopher tortoises would be from the CRA’s fund balance. The estimated fund balance at the end of FY 2025 is $933,902, which may be allocated toward any project identified in the current Eastport CRA Plan, including development incentives. The lot at 4455 Eastport Parkway was purchased in early 2025, and the applicant intended to develop the storage yard as phase 1 and the 10,000 SF headquarters building as a future phase. During initial site design, the significant presence of gopher tortoises was discovered. According to the applicant, the associated permitting and relocation costs were not included in the original development budget, prompting this request for CRA assistance to help offset the unforeseen expense and prepare the lot for development. Development sites of this size in Port Orange generally do not have such a high concentration of gopher tortoises. However, this site and the adjacent property to the north contained a significantly greater number than other recently developed sites in the area. Before the start of any site development on any site in Port Orange, a survey is required to determine the presence of gopher tortoises. | attachments=2 | reports=1