The board re-elected Clinton Smith as chair and elected Sandra Shank as vice chair, each on a motion by Ms.
Nicholson seconded by Mr.
Lemon.
(From the approved minutes; there is no video of this meeting.)
Minutes of the Oct 18, 2023 business meeting and workshop approved as presented, on a motion by Board Member Hilton seconded by Board Member Lemon.
Subdivision master plan for 386 single-family lots on 180.47 acres, the first two phases of the Cascades development, on land bought by Byrndog PCP, LLC in August 2022.
The staff memo recounts the Aug 15, 2023 annexation and the Nov 7, 2023 council votes that limited the land to 416 units and removed the multi-family (MFR-2) zoning.
Deputy Chief Development Officer Ray Tyner introduced the item and planner Estelle Lens presented.
For the applicant, Michael Chiumento said that, based on guidance from City Council, the project would include no multi-family zoning.
Chair Smith asked about a land donation previously made and whether the county would donate the land to the city; Mr.
Tyner said there had been no discussion of a donation to the city.
School board representative Whitson asked about a school bus stop; Mr.
Chiumento said there is one outside the entrance.
No one spoke at public comment (5:49 to 5:50 pm).
The board approved the plan, on condition that the site plan be amended to show the zoning council adopted Nov 7, 2023.
Later, under board discussion, Mr.
Hilton asked about the earlier Cascades item where council removed the MFR-2 zoning; staff said council is the final approving authority and items are not typically sent back to the board, and that it would most likely have come back had the density increased.
(From the approved minutes; there is no video of this meeting.)
Master site plan for 216 apartments on Old Kings Road.
Board members asked about traffic on Old Kings Road, the road's widening and its special assessment district, apartment sizes, and notice to the Toscana and Hidden Lakes HOAs.
Staff said the project meets the Land Development Code and Comprehensive Plan standards.
The board recommended approval to City Council.
(From the approved minutes; there is no video of this meeting.)
Withdrawn based on City Council direction at its Nov 7, 2023 workshop; staff said it would be readvertised when rescheduled.
(From the approved minutes.)
Mr.
Hilton asked about the earlier Cascades item where City Council removed the MFR-2 zoning.
Ms.
Reischmann said council is the final approving authority and such items are not typically remanded to the board; Mr.
Tyner said that had the density increased it would most likely have come back to the board.
(From the approved minutes, p.
5.)
Heard before · Item D.3 · Nov 15, 2023
Aug 1, 2023 · City Council · Item I.7 · first reading — Annexation of about 330.8 acres (application 5108) passed first reading 5-0, motion by Council Member Klufas, second by Vice Mayor Danko (approved minutes p. 9). The minutes (p. 8) record Council Member Pontieri asking for clarification of the utility-service requirement. No unit count was discussed.
Aug 15, 2023 · City Council · Item G.3 · second reading — Adopted on second reading as Ordinance 2023-10, 5-0 roll call, motion by Council Member Klufas, second by Vice Mayor Danko (approved minutes p. 4-5; captions 1:01:17-1:01:29). No changes since first reading; no unit count was discussed.
Aug 16, 2023 · Planning board · Item D.2 and D.3 · recommendation — PLDRB recommended approval of both. FLUM amendment (application #5109, with a site-specific policy limiting development to 850 dwelling units): 4-1, motion by Board Member Gross, second by Board Member Dodson-Lucas, Vice Chair Shank no. Rezoning (application #5107, about 375 acres to SFR-1, MFR-2 and PRS): 5-0, same mover and seconder (minutes). No video of this meeting has been found; the minutes are the only record.
Sep 19, 2023 · City Council · Item I.8 and I.9 · first reading — Heard together. FLUM (App. 5109, 850-unit cap) passed first reading 4-1, motion Vice Mayor Danko, second Council Member Klufas; rezoning (App. 5107) passed 4-1, motion Klufas, second Danko. Council Member Pontieri voted no on each (approved minutes p. 9; motions named by the chair on video 02:54:00 and 02:55:38).
Nov 7, 2023 · City Council · Item H.11 and H.12 · second reading — The land-use change was adopted as Ordinance 2023-15 with the cap set at the original 416 units, 3-1 (Vice Mayor Danko no; Council Member Klufas absent), on a motion by Council Member Pontieri seconded by Council Member Heighter (video 03:32:30, roll call 03:33:24-03:33:38). An earlier Pontieri motion to deny died 2-2, and Danko motions to approve at 750 units and to continue drew no vote. The rezoning was adopted as Ordinance 2023-16 with all MFR-2 changed to SFR-1, 4-0, motion Danko, second Pontieri (approved minutes pp. 10-12).
Nov 15, 2023 · Planning board · Item D.3 · this meeting
Dec 19, 2023 · City Council · Item F.3 · rehearing granted — Council agreed 3-1 to rehear the Nov 7, 2023 land-use change at the earliest possible date, on a motion by Mayor Alfin (gavel passed to Vice Mayor Danko), seconded by Council Member Klufas; Alfin, Klufas and Danko yes, Pontieri no, Heighter absent (video roll call 00:54:05-00:54:18; minutes p. 4). The applicant, for JTL Grand Landing, said the owner of the 44.3-acre hook parcel never authorized the plan change.
Jan 2, 2024 · City Council · Item F.4 · rehearing — Rehearing of the land-use change (granted Dec 19). After a motion to postpone to Jan 16 (Danko/Klufas) failed 3-2, a motion by Council Member Pontieri, seconded by Council Member Heighter, to deny the request and revert to the Nov 7, 2023 decision failed 4-1 (only Pontieri yes; Heighter voted no and afterward said she had not heard the motion properly; no revote). Council Member Klufas's amended motion, seconded by Pontieri, to remove the JTL "hook" parcel and keep the plan amendment with the site-specific 416-unit limit then passed 5-0 (video roll call 05:19:39-05:19:47; minutes pp. 12-13). The applicant had asked to remove the hook and approve 850 units. The adopted Ordinance 2024-01 (8 pp., signed, marked readopted Jan 2, 2024; obtained by records request) limits the Cascades Planning Area to 416 dwelling units on about 330.8 acres and recites the “deletion of a 44.5+/- acre parcel under separate ownership” (p. 2 of 8).
Feb 4, 2025 · City Council · Item L · Bert Harris response — Response to the developer's Bert Harris Act claim (filed Nov 6, 2024). City Attorney Duffy gave two options: uphold Ordinance 2024-01, or offer more density (an additional 219 single-family units, per the captions). Motion by Vice Mayor Pontieri, seconded by Council Member Stevens, to respond no and keep the ordinance as-is (minutes p. 12); passed 5-0 on a roll call (captions 3:31:01-3:31:14; the minutes record no tally for this motion).
Council heard the first reading of an ordinance annexing about 330.8 acres south of Flagler County Airport for the Cascades (application 5108), requested by Byrndog PCP, LLC.
Senior Planner Phong Nguyen said the land meets the statutory tests for voluntary annexation, and that city ordinances and a settlement agreement require land in the city's utility service area to annex before it can receive city utilities.
Council Member Pontieri asked whether annexation is required when utilities are requested and whether the owner could instead pay the outside-city surcharge; staff said the settlement agreement and ordinances do not allow that, and she said "the wiggle room is very small." Resident Celia Pugliese asked about utility capacity and raised flight-school noise near the airport; resident Steve Carr asked what annexation would cost the city, and Ray Tyner said infrastructure is at the developer's cost.
Mayor Alfin got consensus for staff to ask the county about changes in airport use.
The first reading passed on a voice vote.
Vote, per the approved minutes: motion to approve on first reading — Passed 5-0 (Alfin, Danko, Klufas, Pontieri, Heighter) Moved by Klufas, seconded by Danko.
Vote, per our caption record: 5-0 (motion Klufas, second Danko; Alfin, Danko, Klufas, Pontieri, Heighter yes)
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.
Vote, per the approved minutes: motion to be adopted on second reading — Passed 5-0 (Alfin, Danko, Klufas, Pontieri, Heighter) Moved by Klufas, seconded by Danko.
Vote, per our caption record: 5-0 (motion Klufas, second Danko; Danko, Heighter, Klufas, Pontieri, Alfin yes)
First reading of an ordinance amending the Future Land Use Map for the 375+/- acre Cascades planning area (Application No.
5109) from Flagler County designations of Residential Low Density/Rural Estate and Conservation to City of Palm Coast designations of Residential and Conservation, with a site-specific policy capping development at 850 dwelling units.
Staff reported the planning board recommended approval 4-1 in August.
Council Member Pontieri voted against, citing concerns about doubling density, infrastructure strain, quality-of-life impacts on existing residents, and the pattern of annexing county land and then increasing density.
Vote, per the approved minutes: motion to approve — Passed 4-1 — yes: Alfin, Danko, Klufas, Heighter; no: Pontieri Moved by Danko, seconded by Klufas.
Vote, per our caption record: Approved 4-1 on first reading (motion Danko, second Klufas; Alfin, Danko, Klufas, Heighter yes; Pontieri no)
Second read of the FLUM amendment for the Cascades at Grand Landing, a 375+/- acre area.
Staff presented a summary of the state review (no objections received).
Council Member Pontieri asked detailed questions about traffic studies, infrastructure strain calculations, compatibility standards, and the developer's last-minute concession letter.
The application drew extensive public opposition from Seminole Woods residents.
A motion by Council Member Pontieri to deny, seconded by Council Member Heighter, "died for a lack of a majority" (the approved minutes, p.
10).
In the video roll call (03:28:18 to 03:28:30) Vice Mayor Danko and Council Member Heighter answered no and Council Member Pontieri and Mayor Alfin yes; confusion over what a yes vote meant followed, and the vote was not retaken.
A motion to approve with the unit cap reduced from 850 to the original 416 dwelling units (Pontieri/Heighter) passed 3-1, with Vice Mayor Danko voting no.
Vote, per the approved minutes: motion to be adopted as amended on second reading — Passed 3-1 — yes: Alfin, Pontieri, Heighter; no: Danko Moved by Pontieri, seconded by Heighter.
Vote, per our caption record: Approved 3-1 with the cap at 416 units (motion Pontieri, second Heighter; Heighter, Pontieri, Alfin yes; Danko no). Earlier: a deny motion died for lack of a majority; a 750-unit motion by Danko and a motion to continue drew no vote.
Sources: the Nov 15, 2023 agenda packet (page numbers link to the page), and PalmCoastStorylines meeting records for August 1, 2023; August 15, 2023; September 19, 2023; November 7, 2023, built from the city's agenda packets and meeting video. Summaries and votes from those meetings are generated from the captions and are unverified unless marked otherwise; the video is the record. Agenda (cover sheets) →