Speaker raised concerns about the workshop meeting policy that prevents residents from asking questions of presenters during workshop agenda items, specifically citing frustration that she could not ask questions of the contractor presenting about canal and stormwater repairs.
She also asked about the status of a bridge on Belle Terre, which she said was reported to be a million dollars in the hole and still unfinished as schools reopened.
Speaker demanded council approve a forensic audit of city government from bottom to top, accusing unnamed parties of attempting to walk back a prior unanimous council vote supporting the audit.
He urged employees to become whistleblowers and alleged that sub-government decision-making within city departments had gone unexamined.
He cited the Enterprise fund as having excess cash to pay for an audit.
Speaker asked whether the city would consider installing speed bumps on Ryan Drive, citing blind curves, speeds she estimated at 45-50 mph, an incident requiring the Sheriff's Department, no sidewalks, and heavy pedestrian and bicycle use.
She noted a curve on the road is locally called Dead Man's Curve.
Speaker raised concern about the cumulative traffic impact on Seminole Woods Boulevard from the Seminole Trails development and the proposed Cascades development, noting a prior traffic study based on roughly 400 single-family homes may be outdated now that the application has grown to over 800 residential units.
She suggested widening Seminole Woods Boulevard to four lanes all the way to US-1.
Speaker identified himself as a Grand Landings HOA member who was tasked with investigating why the HOA pays over $20,000 per year in stormwater costs while individual homeowners collectively pay roughly $100,000.
He praised city employees Andrea Mudrick and Carmelo Morales for their helpfulness in explaining ERU calculations.
He expressed ongoing concern about whether the HOA's internal pond and dry-pond system should reduce its stormwater fee liability.
Speaker raised multiple points: supported the forensic audit, raised concerns about airport area zoning and the need for city planning attention to what is being zoned near the airport given the county's inaction, and urged council to verify that wellheads to the west of US-1 are protected and that water capacity calculations support the level of development being approved.
Speaker expressed support for the forensic audit, describing it as a preventive measure similar to thermal imaging inspections she used as an electrical engineer at General Motors.
She referenced the 2011 Town Center development plan that was never completed, a property tax jump from $2,100 to $5,300, and a general sense of public mistrust in city decision-making.
She argued an audit would reveal whether the city has stellar, mismanaged, or possibly corrupt governance.
The voluntary annexation of approximately 330.8 acres south of Flagler County Airport (the Cascades parcel, application 5108) received its second reading.
Staff confirmed it meets statutory contiguity and compactness requirements.
Three residents spoke: Bob Meyer and Jan Manella asked about the 44 acres in Grand Landings (staff said the 44-45-acre "hook piece" was annexed earlier and will come back with a future FLUM amendment and rezoning), and Dennis McDonald raised airport noise.
Council briefly discussed commissioning a noise study for the airport and noted airport representatives will present to council in October.
The ordinance passed 5-0 on a roll call, on a motion by Klufas and a second by Danko.
The Belle Terre Estates MPD (application 5302) — a 40-acre site at Belle Terre Boulevard and Citation Boulevard proposed for 275 townhomes, neighborhood commercial space, and a donated 1.2-acre public dog park — received its first reading.
Staff and the applicant presented; extended council discussion addressed the public-benefit justification for smaller-than-code lot sizes, concern about the potential future conversion of adjacent mixed-use land to residential, workforce and senior housing needs, and the timing of commercial pad-readiness and park dedication.
Staff was directed to clarify the commercial development timeline in the MPD agreement and revisit the proportionality of lot-size deviations before second reading.
The ordinance passed 4-1.
Speaker asked whether the city has a board or department actively recruiting commercial businesses to Palm Coast, expressing concern that approving residential development without corresponding commercial job creation will cause young people to leave the city.
She offered to help recruit businesses if pointed to the right contacts.
Speaker commended the Belle Terre Estates project's mixed-use approach and step-down commercial design but raised concerns about parking, specifically that many residents store items in garages and park cars outside, and suggested the MPD include a requirement that residents park vehicles in their garages.
He also criticized a separate planning decision in which he said thousands of square feet of existing commercial space was demolished and replaced with a gas station, calling it a planning failure.
Speaker criticized the use of the term 'affordable housing' as meaninglessly vague and called on city employees to use the city's whistleblower program or contact the state attorney's office, FDLE, or the state auditor general if they have observed wrongdoing inside city government.
The 2023 Amendment to the Marina Village MPD (application 5448) — increasing residential units east of Colbert Lane from 423 to 845, reducing commercial floor area from 160,500 to 103,000 sq ft, and lowering maximum building heights from 95 to 60 feet on several tracts — received its first reading.
Council raised questions about guaranteeing fuel service at the marina, preserving depicted green space and a waterfront restaurant or hotel in the development agreement, ensuring townhome specifications comply with LDC, the adequacy of the environmental kiln-dust remediation report received the prior evening, and the potential impact of the adjacent Sea Ray/Whaler manufacturing facility on residential uses.
Staff was directed to work with the applicant on several clarifications before second reading.
The ordinance passed 4-1.
Speaker raised concerns about reducing commercial space in the Marina Village MPD while increasing residential units, questioned whether the project's vision for a restaurant and hotel is truly guaranteed or just aspirational, and asked about the risk that the adjacent Sea Ray/Whaler boat manufacturing plant (a major county employer) could be driven out by complaints from new residential neighbors.
He also expressed skepticism about the kiln-dust environmental report submitted the evening before the vote.
Council approved a contract amendment with DRMP, Inc. for design updates and post-design services on Old Kings Road North Widening Phase II in the amount not to exceed $901,933.32.
Staff explained the project is funded by legislatively appropriated dollars and that the design updates are needed to meet current FDOT specifications before a construction contract is bid.
The resolution passed unanimously.
Council approved a DRMP work order for $351,929 to update design documents for the Belle Terre Safety Improvement Project — adding right-turn lanes and drainage improvements at several intersections along Belle Terre Parkway including Pritchard Drive, Whippoorwill Drive, White View Parkway, Pine Grove Drive, Ponce de Leon, Point Pleasant, and Royal Palms — in preparation for a construction bid funded by $4.5 million in state appropriations.
The resolution passed unanimously.
Speaker commented on the Belle Terre Parkway safety improvement project, noting that impact fees fund the work and that expanding road capacity and collecting impact fees are not mutually exclusive.
He asked whether construction work could be scheduled outside peak morning and afternoon traffic hours to reduce congestion during the project.
Council authorized the city manager to sign FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program applications for four projects totaling approximately $5.9 million (75% federal, 25% city match): PEP panel replacements, emergency backup pumps for lift stations, well-field generator upgrades, and a Colbert Lane stormwater culvert expansion.
Staff noted Flagler County is allocated approximately $2.8 million in Tier 1 funding and the city is over-applying to capture potential Tier 2 surplus.
The resolution passed unanimously.
Council approved a construction contract with Custom Built Marine Construction, Inc. for the London Waterway Expansion Project at $8.236 million — approximately double the engineer's estimate — along with a DRMP CEI work order and a $702,000 project contingency, for a total project cost funded by ARPA dollars and $2 million from the stormwater fund.
Significant council debate focused on the large gap between engineer estimate and bid price, the contractor's delayed performance on the Belle Terre project, and how to maintain oversight.
Council reached consensus to direct staff to report any contingency draws over $50,000 in a manner similar to sole-source purchasing reports.
The resolution passed unanimously.
Council approved the CDBG Federal Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Action Plan with no changes from the prior workshop presentation.
The resolution passed unanimously on a motion by Vice Mayor Danko, seconded by Council Member Pontieri.
Council approved the final nuisance abatement assessment resolution, confirming the updated roll for property owners who have paid since the initial assessment hearing and directing transmission to the Flagler County Tax Collector.
Staff noted this follows public hearings held on July 11 and July 18.
The resolution passed unanimously.
Speaker disputed a $300 nuisance abatement charge on a property at 42 Seattle Drive, arguing the fire mitigation work the city contracted out costs less than the fee assessed.
He also raised concerns about a neighbor's fence that he said encroaches two and a half feet onto his property, and asked whether the city's building department could enforce removal or whether he would need to pursue civil litigation.
He asked to be removed from the nuisance abatement list.
Council approved a $152,357 contract with Lassiter Transportation Group to conduct a five-year update of the city's transportation impact fee study, required by the comprehensive plan.
Staff noted the study will also support the comprehensive plan update and produce data on projected growth.
The resolution passed unanimously.
Council approved the FY 2023-24 Old Kings Road Special Assessment District non-ad-valorem assessment roll for certification to the Flagler County Tax Collector.
The assessment, first placed on the tax roll in 2013, funds repayment of Old Kings Road Phase 1 road improvements over a 30-year period ending in 2043.
The resolution passed unanimously.
Council approved acceptance of a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant of $34,881.33 to purchase a Polaris Ranger Crew XP1000 side-by-side vehicle with lights and siren for the Palm Coast Fire Department, replacing older golf-cart-style MERV units.
Fire Chief Berryhill credited Lieutenant Patrick Giuliano for managing the grant application.
The resolution passed unanimously with enthusiastic council support.
Approved as part of the consent agenda: piggybacking the OMNIA Kansas City contract with Graybar Electric Company for miscellaneous electrical supplies as needed.
Approved as part of the consent agenda: piggybacking the City of Casselberry RFP 2023-1027 for generator maintenance and repair.
Speaker praised the visible effect of the Sunshine Law on council deliberations given the day's lengthy and open debate.
He asked for clarification on the city attorney's legal role — specifically whether she represents citizens or the council — and noted that a council member appeared to have been cut off earlier in the meeting while preparing to address the Seminole Woods agenda item.
Speaker, who identified himself as a Grand Landings resident, asked whether the 330.8-acre Cascades annexation parcel included or excluded a separate 44-acre tract referenced in some publications as being owned by JTL Grand Landings development, and whether that acreage would affect the current Grand Landings master plan.
Speaker raised concerns about the city annexing land near the Flagler County Airport and asked how council plans to protect future residents from airport noise and how it intends to engage with county commissioners who have refused to address residents' airport concerns.
He asked what federal zoning regulations near airports might apply.
Speaker asked for clarification on whether the 44-acre tract described as owned by JTL Grand Landings would be taken away from the current Grand Landings master plan development or whether it is simply adjacent land being incorporated into the Cascades project.