Flagler County government still doesn’t think the owners of the ruin known as the Old Dixie motel are admirable people by any stretch. But the Flagler County Planning Board on Tuesday finally approved on a 6-1 vote the owners’ site plan for a refurbished “Henry Hotel.” The vote does not end the county’s three-year-old legal dispute with the owners nor does it scrap the county’s pending order to demolish the motel–unless construction begins swiftly and proceeds earnestly.
Flagler County Commission
Bronx House Pizza Parking Lot Approved Over Objections as Owner and Planning Board Member Attacks Resident
Though stand-alone parking zones are not allowed in the Hammock, the Flagler County Planning Board Tuesday evening voted unanimously to approve a special exception allowing Bronx House Pizza to operate a valet parking lot south of 17th Road to alleviate overflow parking. Planning Board member Mike Goodman abstained from the vote, since he co-owns Bronx House Pizza. He did not abstain from a personal and–in the words of attorney Dennis Bayer–a “highly inappropriate” tirade against Dennis Clark, a Hammock resident and the chair of the Scenic A1A committee that opposed the parking lot plan.
Bronx House Pizza in Hammock Sees Valet Parking Lot as Solution to Overflow, Scenic A1A Sees Hazards
Almost since it opened several years ago, Bronx House Pizza in the Hammock has been the victim of its success: its popularity has grown in proportion to neighborhood parking headaches as rights-of-way became de-facto parking zones. On Tuesday, Bronx House Pizza goes before Flagler County’s Planning Board, seeking approval of an overflow parking lot it would build south of the restaurant, but not contiguous to it, on four lots totaling 20,000 square feet south of 17th Road. It’s facing opposition.
Fewer Problems at Bulow RV Park, But Evictions and Code Violations Loom as Deadline Approaches
The conflict between residents of the Bulow RV Park off Old Kings Road is not as intense as it was last year. Numerous issues have been resolved. But some problems persist, with more than a dozen residents still out of compliance with county and park rules, and with water pressure and water cleanliness issues now coming to the fore. The county continues to attempt to mediate a solution, with limited success. In the assistant county attorney’s characterization, the matter can be “intractable.”
County Bans Smoking, Vaping and Toking In Parks and Public Recreation Areas, With an Exception for Cigars
Mirroring Flagler Beach, which passed a similar ordinance two years ago, the Flagler County Commission today approved on first reading a prohibition on smoking or vaping in any public park or public recreation area, with a notable exception: unfiltered cigars. While the ban applies to county-owned portions of the beach, it does not apply in most portions.
Flagler Humane Society Critics Urged to ‘Stop Accusations’ as County and City Seek Oversight and Expansion Plans
Officials at a joint meeting of the Flagler County Commission and the Palm Coast City Council on Wednesday agreed to place representation from either government on the board of the Flagler Humane Society, which has faced significant criticism from current and former volunteers. while the 20-year-old shelter on U.S. 1 is old, overcrowded and growing more so, and the society’s director says it’s been outgrown, the Humane Society has neither capital plan nor savings either to build larger shelter or move to one, though it would be prohibitively expensive to do so. Local officials want that plan.
BJ’s Wholesale Club and Traffic Nightmares on SR100: County Says Pain Will Ease With Coming Turn Lanes
With BJ’s Wholesale’s impending opening and traffic congestion already exacerbated by road construction, Flagler County and Palm Coast officials sought to allay public anxieties with assurances of a pair of turning lanes off of State Road 100, near BJ’s, that should relieve some of the bottlenecks. That construction is possibly slated for November. But larger concerns about traffic backups in the area are still looking for solutions, even as some transportation impact fee revenue is available to facilitate them.
Flagler’s Officials Hope Congressman Mike Waltz Will Be Their Sandman as They Dredge for More Beach Dollars
Flagler County officials asked U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, the Republican whose six-county district includes all of Flagler County and who was visiting Flagler Beach today, to give them help in efforts to federalize larger portions of the 10 miles of shore that still need new beach sand. The county has no money to extend beach renourishment to that portion of the barrier island. But the congressman, who is not big on climate change measures, was reserved, making no promises.
Controversial Solitude Development on A1A Moving Toward 14 Three-Story Condo Units Instead of 16 Houses
On the drawing board for almost 20 years, the controversial Solitude at Matanzas Shores development proposed for 3.9 acres of beachfront property on A1A just south of the Surf Club condominiums is now moving toward construction as 14 three-story condominium units in an L-shaped pair of buildings rising 35 and 36 feet. Each unit would have a pool deck.
It’s Official: Pam Richardson Takes Down Ed Danko, Ending Term of Bluster and Animosity
When it was all done, the result was unchanged from Tuesday, except for this: it’s now official. The often cheery, at times underestimated Pam Richardson has taken down the blustery and divisive Ed Danko, the one-term Palm Coast City Council member, in the most closely contested Flagler County Commission race in memory.