In the end, Mayor Mike Norris’s motion for a residential building moratorium this morning, made after nearly an hour of zealous speeches for or against, but mostly for, quickly failed for lack of a second, and applause resounded across the standing-room-only chamber. Some of it was consolation for Norris by his supporters. Most of it was from builders and their supporters.
For the third time in 14 months, a proposed moratorium in one form of another–the two previous ones had been floated by Council member Theresa Pontieri–died. It wasn’t a surprise.
Mobilized like an army by the Flagler County Home Builders Association, the dump truck and trailers and semi cabs and pick-ups lined City Place and spilled onto Lake Avenue by City Hall this morning, their crews clustered in groups against the morning chill, a large “SAVE OUR CITY” banner stretched across the flank of a truck, with a red circle-backlash symbol painted over the head of Mayor Mike Norris.
The thick crowd inside City Council’s chamber had its large share of Norris supporters, who, addressing the council in accusatory and hectoring terms, made up in shrillness and praise what they lacked in hardware to denounce what they see as an effort to undermine the mayor. Norris’s behavior with administrative staff at City Hall led his colleagues last week to call for his investigation. “Mr. Mayor, I’m really happy that you’re our mayor,” one resident said, interpreting Norris’s difficulties at City Hall as proof of his advocacy for people, or as proof of his willingness to challenge the city’s bureaucracy.
“The show of the contractors being out there today,” another said later, “just re-emphasize that everything that’s been posted about Mayor Mike, that was incorrect and him allegedly doing something incorrect. Y’all are really showing your true colors in the city. Very evident.”
Most of the residents who addressed the council in support of Norris and a moratorium treaded a knotty tightrope: They were reluctant to criticize the builders, most of them outside and in the room being rank and file workers, neighbors, friends, family breadwinners. They were not there to criticize Norris, either, and all the council seats but one were occupied by new faces, with the hold-over having herself championed moratoriums in the past. The previous council members, former Mayor David Alfin especially and ex-Council members Ed Danko and Nick Klufas to some extent, took plenty of criticism. But their absence made for a wanting target. So they ended up directing their wrath at “the people in the back,” the city’s administrative directors who, in the view of many speakers, were really to blame, when in fact the administration merely carries out the council’s direction.
Celia Pugliese, a city critic of long date, led the way with a defense of Norris on First Amendment grounds and in defense of his coarse humor. “If Mr. Trump in Washington D.C., has the right of his First Amendment to say anything he wants, so it is our mayor to say what is his First Amendment protection,” Pugliese–who’d left her husband’s bedside in hospice to deliver her speech–said, her voice at fever pitch, as she referred to the private meeting Norris had with Interim Manager Lauren Johnston and Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo, when he demanded that they resign (Johnston confirmed it). Others echoed Pugliese’s theme. (Johnston was at the dais this morning. DeLorenzo was absent.)
Of course it was not a First Amendment issue. If Norris did so, he violated the city charter on at least two grounds: it forbids elected officials from interfering in administrative management, and elected officials are barred from unilaterally enacting city policies or measures outside of a public meeting, with majority support of the council.
The administration was repeatedly blamed for “mismanagement” and “poor planning,” if with or no specifics and recurring misconceptions (the city charter is not a remnant of ITT’s doing, as one speaker claimed; some residents questioned where their utility bill money goes, perhaps overlooking that the bill includes charges for garbage, stormwater as well as water and sewer.)
That was all at the top of the meeting, before the council even began its day’s business, which was to revisit the proposed–and controversial–utility rate increase, if in a version substantially revised from when the council first voted on it earlier this month–with Norris’s support.
But the biggest round of applause, next to the one that greeted the failure of Norris’s motion, went to Jared Halleck, a construction manager in Palm Coast. “I cannot, in good conscience, stand by while this council considers a building moratorium, a decision that is not only short-sighted, but fundamentally damaging to our local economy, workforce and families,” he said. “Let’s call this moratorium what it really is–a knee jerk reaction that creates more problems than it solves. You want to address infrastructure concerns, great, but halting construction won’t fix those problems. It will make them worse. You want to control growth. Stopping new builds won’t stop people from moving here. It will just drive up housing prices, making it impossible for working-class families to buy a home. This isn’t a solution. It’s a roadblock and a poorly thought-out one at that a moratorium doesn’t just pause development. It chokes the local economy.”
Fernando Melendez says
Norris and his tiny little group of moratorium fans got laughed right out of city hall today. If we stop building we’re going to dry up and die as a city and all will be shouldered by us the residents. No, this will not become another Detroit because of NIMBYISM. Thank you all that came out in support of our builders. Where do these people come from that object to everything being built in our community, or in the area where we live, especially while raising no such objections to similar developments elsewhere and going over there and enjoying it. We’re a growing city and we need to keep up with growth. Infrastructure will be addressed in a priority bases as we grow. Thank you Palm Coast and staff.
Mike says
It’s definitely about pure greed! You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see how bad we need the moratorium. Our infrastructure is horrible and not up to date, but the developers and certain individuals only want money in their pockets and could care less how they ruin this city. You definitely see it at every building site. They will destroy everything here until they are done then move to another and destroy that. Pure greed will hopefully come back and bite them!
Richard says
The city continues on the way to destruction, just like every other city! Instead of pausing and fixing the infrastructure, taking the time to keep a small city nice and quaint. Instead, we rather become Jacksonville. That is the final straw for me I didn’t retire to be in the middle of a jacksonville Orlando type city. We are putting our house up for sale and moving back to a much smaller area in Virginia ,so long Palm Coast for a few years it was nice but not anymore!
Pogo says
@The desire for a moratorium
… doesn’t even need explanation, or change the total impracticality (and illegality, etc.) of same. Hey, kids, quit growing til I figure out how to steal larger shoes for you! While you are at it, hold your breath til the smell of all this… goes away.
a concerned observer says
THANK YOU Mayor Mike Norris. “Illegitimi non carborundum est!”
FLF says
Then quadruple the impact fees to pay ahead of the growth curve. Infrastructure ahead of growth, not growth ahead of infrastructure.
Sad says
Theresa caved to builders.
Flagler REC member says
Fernando Melendez, Alfin’s best friend.
Having lunch with David Alfin today Fernando?
Mike says
This town is a complete circus- time to move.
JC says
“”Celia Pugliese, a city critic of long date, led the way with a defense of Norris on First Amendment grounds and in defense of his coarse humor. “If Mr. Trump in Washington D.C., has the right of his First Amendment to say anything he wants, so it is our mayor to say what is his First Amendment protection,” Pugliese–who’d left her husband’s bedside in hospice to deliver her speech…””
Does this person know anything about respect and being business professional? Makes me wonder if this person ever works in the private sector, because saying things like that is a fireable offense and private businesses don’t tolerate it at all.
Greg says
Hold your vote for the sewer expansion. Slowly making city a crap hole. Traffic is crap, the roads are crap, and the realtors control the city.
RK says
Crowded roads in poor condition. Waste treatment plants overwhelmed. Soon clean water to be in short supply. Just thinking to myself.
Land of no turn signals says says
Of coarse.
Responsible Dude says
Maybe a moratorium is not the way, but slowing down the building is. When a builder has 44 spec homes sitting in inventory why do they need to flood the market with more homes ? Sell those off first before you can move on and build more. A slow steady controlled building plan would help catch up with the infrastructure we need. Our roads are deuterating and need repair. The sewerage plant is behind. The widening of some roads are needed. I don’t want to hear from builders about money and jobs. Your just like any other business and not above being slowed down for the betterment of this community. Mr. Norris slow the building down by only allowing a minimum number of building permits per a builder. No moratorium needed just the city saying permits will slow down period. Also hit these builders with a heavy infrastructure fee per lot, this will slow them down also. Use the powers you do have and make adjustments ! I am not against building but I am for building responsibly for the battement of the community!
Joe says
As a more recent citizen here in the Palm Coast I attended the meeting today to better understand what is happening to my new hometown. I must admit I was disappointed. I relocated from another Central Florida town that is seeing its beauty and ambiance being destroyed because of short sighted officials, and developers who are not truly interested in the sanctity of the community. They are like any large organization driven by quarterly and annual results. I do believe the construction profession attendees today are good and solid people, the developers who will rape this community are not citizens here. They live in more elite sections of this great State. I hope the good folks who were in attendance push their City officials to stop looking at the Moratorium as a black and white issue. It is very gray and deserves much more than a half hearted motion that receives no second. We will rue the day we didn’t look deeper into a compromise that allows for growth but demands immediate accountability.
Responsible Dude says
So the law says you cannot stop a bldg permit. But you can take the full 120 for approval under state law to approve it. Slow them down with the laws on the books !
Wow says
Well good luck if you want to get out. There’s 1,669 existing single family homes for sale in PC. And that doesn’t count FSBO. Gonna be a long wait to sell if you can get out now.
Down the drain says
This city can crumble just like its roads are due to lack of vision !
Everyone knows cities don’t make money on houses. Houses cost money for cities in the long run. Money is made for the city by commercial properties. These bozos have turned the majority of commercial property into houses.
DOWN THE DRAIN we go (pun intented)
polysci says
Anyone out there who was not aware of who controls this city should know after today. The builders, developers, and relators are in charge. We really don’t stand a chance against them. They have the money, the lawyers and even their big trucks to intimidate. I do not believe in coincidences. So Norris being charged with bullying by our unelected council member right after Norris called for a moratorium on building just seems too coincidental. Then just before the council was to vote on that all these memos and e mails from as far back as November that cast Norris as a bad guy are made public. Where were they and why were they not addressed before? Just a coincidence? All my opinions. But maybe something to consider.
celia pugliese says
JC another one attacking a resident that has the courage to disclose her name versus a coward punch and hide style. Why are you hiding display the transparency needed and disclose you ID and stop the alias. I sure know about honest business in this city had one for almost 30 years. You are just one more of those with conflict of interest one more “confidential mouth piece”.
Elaine Rhoades says
We have lived here since 1993, why because of the way Palm Coast was, do we oppose building no, but our city needs to be planned out where things like water and sewer and roads are planned out a head of time and built to keep up with the growth. Please do not let them continue to destroy what was once a beautiful place to live. Please Mr. Mayor Stop these builders who do not care about us, but Money is all they want. For the sake of our children and their future, if there is one.
Thank you
JimboXYZ says
It’ll take a real estate crash to get the Builder’s to slow down their pace. When their profits dry up, they’ll impose their own moratorium. When the banks won’t underwrite loans for what they’re after, they’ll be stuck with a glut of inventory. I don’t doubt the builder’s showing in force with their trucks & other equipment isn’t the true sentiment of the community. Norris is most likely one & done term mayor here, but his legacy will be far better than Alfin’s was/is. The same one’s that gave us the next 3-4 years of Water inflation drove their trucks to City Hall to continue to terrorize the citizens of Palm Coast. And all that nonsense about saving the beach/planet, is exactly the same lies. Bidenomics & Building Anything lives on as long as they defeat a moratorium. We need a DOGE-like entity in Palm Coast/Flagler County. That’s the only way to even fight back. Alfin’s Vision/Imagination of 2050 is rewarded. Those making the money extorting increases for inflation to the rest of us to fun it. Know that for every dollar you spend on water alone will become 12.35% in the next year, after that the amount compounds on the previous year at 4% for 3.5 when they revisit what they’re obviously going to be short in Oct 2028. Expect another “Fresh New Water & Sewage Deal” like the Federal Government trots out a “Green New Deal” to save the environment that always is short of actually saving the planet too.
All those trucks & semi’s, who was working today on those new residential approvals ? And instead of ruining our roads & parkways, they parked them at City Hall.
Crystal Lang says
I was taxed out of my home up north and now I’m being fee’d and increased out of my home here. For one, if there is a hold on building no one is going to be out of work. There are still lots and lots and lots of homes that are in the works and communities as we speak being approved and built so yeah no one will be out of work that is just pure STUPID. Second, why on earth do I have to pay that increase for the water treatment plant. Since the builders and developers have this need to stuff their pockets then their pockets are stuffed enough to pay for the new plant. Why do we have to pay the price, it’s not fair that we are being screwed and then when the builders and their employees damage property to already existing homes and you call the city to report it guess what they do NOTHING and have no problem telling you if you sue the builder you will lose. So it was my responsibility to pay to fix something that was NOT broken in the first place. And their truck drivers are RUDE and they have no problem just running you off the road, banging the back of their trucks at 7am to get all the dirt out of their trucks. Third, between the developers and the builders they should be paying for the new plant NOT US.
Steve S. says
Ms. Pontieri insisted on a lower rate increase, but that only delays the inevitable higher rate increase. Why? Because our water systems are already overtaxed, and in a recent meeting, when asked, the city’s chief of staff, Jason DeLorenzo, admitted that Palm Coast does not have the utility infrastructure to handle the already-approved 19,000 permitted housing units.
The council’s (in)action will only bring more congestion, higher rates, and the same low quality water.
Biktarvy.... says
This kind of chaos makes it impossible for State Legislators to bring money from Tallahassee.
Palm Coast raising rates when they spend money of vanity projects.
This is what happens when you have no City Manager in place for long term planning.
I appreciate Lauren Johnston in trying to keep this mis-fuctional Council in the history of Palm Coast led by what maybe the worst Mayor in its history.
Shear and utter Chaos and no end in site.
This Mayor is to egotistically stupid to lead this City.
hjc says
We need to find out what elected officials and city employees family members profit from building to many homes.
MITCH says
The one thing not answered. When talking of the waste water overflow being released into the environment, how much would 19,000 homes increase that overflow. If you don’t want to know don’t ask.
Dennis C Rathsam says
4 new emptey homes on Luther Dr…. No one comes to look, Builders cant build if no one,s buying. Let the homes sit empty, while the kids deface them, & cost the builders more
Greg says
I’ve been noticing a lot of foreclosure homes in Palm Coast. People are disgusted living here, which was once a beautiful tree city is now in overdeveloped traffic parking lot!
Hammock Bear says
Sorry I missed the Builders Bully Show, Not. Next time residents are asked to limit our water useage during a heavy rain due to the water filtration system ready to overflow we Will recall the Builders Bully Show. In the meantime, it would be decent of builders to complete their construction of new homes with respect for adjacent existing homeowners. Comply with proper levels of soil and the manner of grading the new property you build on so that the adjacent neighbor does not get flooded and be forced to pay for flood situation that often begin from the front ditch to the rear of the property. Channel 6 Orlando has mega information of resident’s water problems from the new homes built adjacent to their property. Those residents should Not have to pay one cent for the Builders Greed of a rush job that the grade of soil levels never should have passed inspection. Last count over One Thousand homeowners have this problem that has yet to be remedied. Ganging up on the Mayor is not the manner in which any decent businessperson should attempt to do business. Shame on the Bullies who have trashed the Mayor. Jobs are VIP to everyone and understanding that counts. Just do your building jobs correctly and let us work to get the new construction to absorb a lot more of the raised water rate costs. You KNOW it is NOT fair at this latest figure. Man Up Builders and do your part.