Fundraiser March 28th

We are only accepting guests who RSVP so secure your spot on the range today. Date is March 28th and a Private Range in Osteen Florida from 2-6pm. Directions will be sent via email to each guest prior to the event day.

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Spend a day on the range with Mike P. Meet former MLB MVP turned Extreme Hunter Luke Scott. Learn Luke's secrets to long range shooting and ballistics design to get that perfect grouping.

General Admission $25 Bring your own hand guns and ammo

Autographed Baseball and Admission $50 Bring your own Hand Guns and ammo

Autographed Baseball and Admission + meal $100 Hand Guns and ammo provided

Only 36 Autographed Baseballs available so get yours while they last

Last night several of us from the Tomoka Farms Village, A Quiet Place in the County and The Fly In showed up at the Port Orange Planning Commission meeting to speak out against, for the fourth time, Vintage Acres, now called Paylin Acres. The Developer changed the name, changed the density and came back with a new plan, with a different zoning classification request to skirt the 12-month moratorium which was denied in November. I will post what I said in the comments below. While fewer spoke this time, the comments were spot on with facts and some emotion. However, the two votes were 3-2 in favor of the developer with the two newest members voting against because from their comments – they got it!

One major question I have is that last year Commission Member Stan Schmidt, a local CPA in October, recused himself from voting because he has been Paytas Homes CPA for over 30 years. Last night however, he made the motions to approve both Agenda Items in favor of his client and then voted in favor of both as well. He did not recuse himself last night and voted. What has changed. Did he give up that book of business to vote for his business friend? Well, we are going to find out and see what’s changed and why, and if necessary lodge the appropriate official complaints.

The Planning Commission (3 of them anyway) blatantly voted against the wishes of the City Commission who overwhelmingly voted to deny this development until the results of the Spruce Creek Watershed Study are issued (due out in April).

Once again, the Planning Commission of Port Orange has failed its citizens and neighbors. Now we will see if the Port Orange City Commission holds true to its own beliefs in the coming month.

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For some strange reason I feel like I’m in a time warp, or some kind of Ground Hog Day on steroids.

I carefully read items 4 and 5 on tonight’s agenda, and it brought to mind a verse in Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, “ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves, suggesting that their true nature would be revealed by their actions, or an Aesop’s Fable, Pelle sub agina latitat mens saepe lupina, under a sheep’s skin often hides a wolfish mind.

In plain English, today comes before you a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Palin Acres looks suspiciously like Vintage acres which this body approved back in October of 2025, but your city council twice voted down soon thereafter. At that time the mayor and other council members stated that they wanted to wait on the results of the Spruce Creek watershed study, which your agenda item notes will be completed in April of this year, just two months away.

This project squarely sits in this watershed, in fact its mere yards away from this designated Outstanding Florida Waterway which still demands the highest level of protection.

No surgeon would ever perform an operation on their patient prior to having all the appropriate test results in hand. Why would you ever approve a rezoning of a piece of land within the watershed prior to having the results of this study.

We are also all aware that the first vote was 2-2 against and the second vote a month later was 4-1 against.

In fact some of the documents in your packet officially describe “Palin Acres” as AKA “Vintage Acres” in a bold reality that the name has changed but the plan, other than fewer home, really has not! It’s a fill and build slab on grade project. The names of the players are the same, the location is the same, the same potential damage may be done to the neighbors and the environment.

Why the fourth bite at the apple within the 12-month period?? If you are truly concerned about the environment, your citizens and their neighbors in the unincorporated county, what’s the harm in waiting the allotted time so that staff and others can digest the studies determinations so that any future developments are planned in accordance with what is recommended. We are spending close to a half million dollars for this study and we should heed the councils wishes and not approve any further changes or add development within this watershed until the results of this very important study, on this Outstanding Florida Waterway are delivered to us with its appropriate guidance.

This is no more than a Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing, the same project with a different name!

About Mike

Introduction: Mike Poniatowski announces his candidacy for the At Large Seat of the Volusia County Council in the 2026 elections.
Background:
Lifelong resident of Volusia County, grew up on the beach and graduated from Spruce Creek High School in 1977.
Diverse career in public safety: Firefighter (5 years), Police Officer/Deputy Sheriff (37 years), Paramedic/EMT (35 years), SWAT Team member, flight medic, marine deputy, EMS instructor, and Director of Operations for EVAC Ambulance (22 years).
Extensive leadership experience as Emergency Manager for Florida’s largest hospital system and US Government contractor overseas.
Community Involvement:
Resides in Port Orange with his wife Lydia; have lived in the same home for 37 years.
Active participant in preserving the rural character of Tomoka Farms Village, fighting against development threats for over three decades.
Concerns for Volusia County:
Witnessed rapid growth, erosion of green spaces, and lagging infrastructure development causing traffic congestion and flooding issues.
Advocates for better management of taxes and fees with tangible results for residents.

Paid for by Mike Poniatowski for Volusia County Council at Larg

Educational Credentials:
Holds degrees in Emergency Medical Sciences, Management and Supervision, Political Science, and pursued advanced studies in Homeland Security, Emergency Management, and Public Health.
Certified EMT and Paramedic with numerous national and international credentials.
Vision and Commitment:
Pledges to represent citizens as his sole "special interest."
Promises fiscal responsibility, careful evaluation of development projects to prevent flooding, and protection of residents' homes and legacies.
Plans to address flooding issues with urgency and replace ineffective staff if necessary.
Personal Life:
Family-oriented with three daughters, three granddaughters, a brand new Grandson, pets, horses, and wildlife at home.
Enjoys outdoor activities like shooting sports and teaching community courses on active shooter survival and emergency response.
Closing Statement: Mike looks forward to serving Volusia County residents with dedication, listening to their concerns, and working tirelessly to improve their quality of life.

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As you know we have been fighting the Creek Crossing development, in unincorporated Volusia County / Port Orange for almost a full year. If this subdivision is allowed to go through it will be the final blow to the Spruce Creek Watershed because it will be built right on Spruce Creek, a designated Florida Historic Waterway - destroying thousands, yes thousands, we counted them, of old growth oaks among others and it will destroy wildlife habitat and displace hundreds of millions of gallons of storm water runoff. This will flood Spruce Creek Fly In, A Quiet Place in the Country and Spruce Creek Farms among others. With Spruce Creeks decades long lack of maintenance, this will cause further upstream flooding and addition tail water that will end up in our living rooms and garages. This is historically accurate information! Please share this video widely to get our message out. We forced the developer to withdraw their PUD and now they are coming back with a Conservation Subdivision that actually places a pickleball court over a designated wetland that they plan to fill.

We need your help! We must stop Creek Crossing!!!

#stopcreekcrossing @everyone