With budget season in full swing, the City of Palm Coast is presenting the Fiscal Year 2026 General Fund budget at the City Council workshop meeting on Tuesday, July 8, at 6 p.m. The City Council’s priorities remain at the heart of this budget, with a focus on maintaining a healthy fund balance or reserve while investing in public safety, infrastructure, and long-term efficiencies.
Palm Coast
DeSantis Signs $115 billion Budget, Vetoes $567 million; Palm Coast’s Modest Appropriations Survive
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a long-awaited state budget Monday just hours before it would take effect, vetoing $567 million. Palm Coast’s pair of appropriations, $2.5 million for an “equalization tank” and $2.5 million to help modernize Waste Water Treatment Plant 1 in the Woodlands, the city’s biggest and oldest, survived vetoes.
Yummy: Palm Coast Residents Get Behind-the-Scenes Look at Water and Sewer Plants
Palm Coast residents gained an in-depth understanding of the city’s vital water and wastewater treatment processes during a guided tour of the city’s Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant. Not to worry: the two are not co-located.
July 4 Celebration from Flagler Beach Parade to Palm Coast Fireworks at County Airport
Flagler County Government and the Cities of Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, and Bunnell invite all Flagler County residents and visitors to the United Flagler 4th Community Celebration on Friday, July 4, starting with the Independence Day Parade in Flagler Beah and culminating with a 15-16 minute firework show featuring 3,300 shells at the county airport. All events are free.
Palm Coast Council Will Seek At Least a Small Reduction in Property Tax Rate, Leaving Open Possibility of More
The Palm Coast City Council will seek at least a modest decrease in next year’s property tax rate when it adopts its budget in September, continuing a trend begun in 2021. It is not ruling out a full rollback in the tax rate, something the council has done only once in the city’s history, in 2023, at heavy cost to the city’s operations. The council resisted rolback last year.
Palm Coast Council Deadlocks Over Selling Palm Harbor Golf Club; It May Raise Rates Again and Beg Loopers for a Cut
The Palm Coast City Council deadlocked over the future of the Palm Harbor Golf Club today, split between council members who want to sell it and those who don’t. Other proposals include sharply raising rates, bringing in new management, reconfiguring overhead costs, and even asking Loopers, the successful restaurant at the golf club, to renegotiate its lease for a little profit sharing that would benefit the club’s bottom line. Previous councils have tried most of these tactics for years, almost going back to the city’s acquisition of the 141-acre property in 2008.
Still on Warpath, Palm Coast Mayor Files Records Requests Targeting City Manager’s Communications
In an unprecedented inquisition into the city’s top staff by its own mayor, Norris filed a public record request, seeking to know every communication Acting Palm Coast City Manager Lauren Johnston has had with Chief of Staff Jason DeLorenzo, local developers, county and sheriff’s officials, local media and others, from the day of his election–Nov. 6–to the present. It is unusual that an elected official would seek with such sweep what amounts to an interrogative of his own city manager’s administrative paper trail, especially in light of his recent censure.
Jason DeLorenzo, Palm Coast’s Chief of Staff and Target Mayor’s Attacks, Leaving to Be Assistant City Manager in Palm Bay
Jason DeLorenzo, Palm Coast government’s community development director and chief of staff for the last six years, previously a city council member for five years, and one of the administration’s most institutionally versed and versatile executives, will be leaving City Hall July 11 to be the assistant city manager in Palm Bay in Brevard County. The move up for DeLorenzo is a huge loss for the city administration, and a portend of a brain drain exacted by Mayor Mike Norris’s continued scorched-earth assaults on the city administration.
Palm Coast Planning Board Rejects Rezoning That Would Allow Concrete Mixing Plant on Hargrove Grade, Citing Pollution
The Palm Coast Planning Board rejected a request to rezone 37 acres on Hargrove Grade on the west side of U.S. 1 to heavy industrial so a national could build a concrete mixing plant there. The land includes 10 acres of wetlands, overlaps within the protection zone of two public well sites that furnish water to the city, and would not be far from acreage zoned for a hospital or a medical building. The batch plant would be the only one in Palm Coast. Those factors, along with traffic, noise and pollution, played into the reasoning of board members and members of the public who opposed the rezoning.
Double-Edged Resolution Calling on Mayor Norris To Do Better Falls Short at Flagler GOP After Sharp Debate
In a remarkable display of the polarizing effect Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris is having within his own party–and the party’s own internal strains– the Flagler County Republican Party could not agree on a double-edged resolution about Norris at its monthly meeting last week. The voice vote was not a failure of support for Norris, exactly. It spoke more about the party, its fractured membership and its complicated relationship with Norris.
Charter Review Committee’s 5 Slots Draw 27 Applicants With Variety of Backgrounds Except in Age
After a slow start, the call for applicants to Palm Coast government’s Charter Review Committee drew 27 candidates by the time the window closed at 5 p.m. this evening, 11 of them over the weekend. The applicants bring a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. The council wanted choices. It now has them and then some but for its pronounced boomer skew.
Palm Coast Launches Government-Wide Risk Assessment to Drive Efficiency
In response to City Council direction and residents’ calls for continual advancements, the City of Palm Coast will conduct an Entity‑Wide Risk Assessment this summer. National consulting firm Plante Moran has been selected through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process to lead the effort.
Palm Coast Approves Sharply Increasing Development Impact Fees on Builders, Citing ‘Extraordinary Circumstances’
With some pushback from the Flagler Home Builders Association but notable unanimity from the dais and no complaints from the public, the City Council today approved sharply increasing fire, parks and transportation impact fees in hopes of further shifting the burden of development toward new residents. Last year the council did likewise with water and sewer impact fees.
Four ‘No Kings’ Protests of Trump’s Authoritarian Swerve Draw Upward of 1,000 in Palm Coast and Flagler Beach
Demonstrators by the hundreds in Palm Coast and Flagler Beach this morning peacefully but loudly, festively and–for Flagler County–massively transformed major intersections, a bridge overpass and a 1,000-ft. stretch of State Road 100 in Palm Coast into the largest anti-Trump protests to date. The size of the protests surprised even organizers and frequent participants, two of whom, after attending every protest this year on State Road 100, said today’s was more than double any previous one.
Ex-Council Member Ed Danko’s Ethics Complaint Against Mayor Norris Found ‘Legally Insufficient’
The Florida Ethics Commission on Friday tossed out a complaint by former Palm Coast City Council member Ed Danko against Mayor Mike Norris, finding it “legally insufficient.” As often as not, that sort of dining is equivalent to saying: “Not the Ethics Commission’s venue.” It is not necessarily to the discredit of the complaint’s allegation, as indeed several of those allegations are either in the public record, have been corroborated in an investigation conducted on behalf of the city, or have been argued in a city filing in Circuit Court.
Taxable Property Values Rise 9% Over Last Year, But Rate Is 3rd Decline in a Row in Cooler Housing Market
Annual taxable property value increases local governments depend on to fuel growth in their budgets have continued their descent from a post-crash high of 18 percent in 2022, to just 9 percent as of June 1 in Flagler County, according to figures released by the Flagler County Property Appraiser. In Palm Coast, values increased 9.29 percent in 2025, with more than half of that powered by new construction. In Flagler Beach, it was 7.56 percent, and in Bunnell it was just 5.5 percent.
Coaches in All Local Sports Organizations Will Need Higher-Level Criminal Background Checks; Palm Coast Seeks Standards
Palm Coast government wants to align city policy with a new state law requiring more detailed criminal backgrounding of youth athletic coaches and others who supervise children in organized sports even when they do not work for the city. The backgrounding could result in disqualification from coaching in some cases, but council members want to more precisely define those thresholds so that, say, a drug offense from 10 years ago isn’t a life sentence away from coaching. The city attorney is cautioning council members to be consistent, whichever policy they adopt.
Abandoning Most Public Responsibilities, But Not Pay, Palm Coast Mayor Norris Forces Council Members to Pick Up Slack
Attending and chairing most meetings aside, a piqued and vengeful Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris is no longer fulfilling basic public and administrative council responsibilities that his four colleagues are fulfilling, in some cases causing his colleagues to carry the weight of the responsibilities he’s shrugging off. He has abandoned all but one of his committee responsibilities, he refuses to meet with the acting city manager to prepare for meetings, his petulance or absence has required Theresa Pontieri, as vice mayor, to step in and lead high-profile public functions, and he’s now refusing to participate in town halls.
Charter Review Committee Field Grows to 10, With Notably Experienced Additions
The list of applicants to serve on the five-member Palm Coast Charter Review Committee has grown to 10, with a little over a week left before the application window closes. The four new applicants since last week bring distinct and varied experience, including Donald O’Brien, who just ended an eight-year tenure as county commissioner, two of them as chair, Jake Scully, the data architect, former member of the Palm Coast Planning Board and former long-time owner of PC Bike, and Karen Sousa, a 10-year employee of the Flagler County Supervisor of Elections office.
City of Palm Coast Wins Statewide Planning Award for Imagine 2050 Comprehensive Plan Update
The City of Palm Coast was honored with the 2025 Florida Planning and Zoning Association’s Outstanding Public Outreach & Community Involvement Award for its exceptional public engagement efforts during the Imagine 2050 Comprehensive Plan update. The award was presented on Friday during the 72nd Annual FPZA Conference at the Casa Monica Hotel & Spa in St. Augustine.
Without Prior Discussion, Palm Coast Council Approves $300,000 Plan Integrating City Surveillance with Sheriff’s Crime Center
The Palm Coast City Council approved the first phase of a five-year, $304,000 plan to integrate all city surveillance cameras–on streets, on and inside buildings, at utility and other facilities–with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Real Time Crime Center. Integration will significantly expand the center’s capabilities and give the Sheriff’s Office immediate and unimpeded access to the camera streams, though the city will retain control of the network, the software, and the implementation of the system.
Palm Coast Will Not Charge Residents ACH Autopay Check Fees in Utility Payments After All
The Palm Coast City Council agreed to scrap plans to charge residents and businesses bank or digital check fees–the ACH autopay system, or ACH debit–when making electronic payments for utility bills and other city-related costs. But the transaction fee applying to credit or debit card transactions will remain.
New Cell Towers Planned for Palm Coast Parkway East of I-95 and in Seminole Woods, as Business and Safety ‘Necessity’
Two more cell towers will rise over Palm Coast to add to the seven existing ones as the Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved leasing two city-owned land parcels. One is at the future Fire Station 22 on the north side of Palm Coast Parkway near Colbert Lane–the station is under construction–the other is at 50 Citation Boulevard, co-located with the city’s Water Treatment Plant #2. Palm Coast government will generate some revenue from each, which will be built by private companies at their own expense.
Palm Coast Council Approves Hiring of Sheriff’s Chief Strobridge on 4-1 Vote; Staly Addresses Risks
The Palm Coast City Council on a 4-1 vote Tuesday night approved hiring Mark Strobridge, the Flagler County Sheriff’s chief of staff, as the assistant city manager for at least three months. With little discussion, the majority of the council was supportive. Mayor Mike Norris was not. Strobridge has described his responsibilities as focusing on the utility department hire and on improving process and efficiencies across the city. A source familiar with the hire says some already-designated personnel may be losing their job during Strobridge’s tenure.
Mark Strobridge, Sheriff’s Chief of Staff, Set to Be Assistant City Manager in Palm Coast for 3 Months
In an unusual arrangement, the Palm Coast City Council is set to vote on an agreement that would bring Mark Strobridge, Sheriff Rick Staly’s chief of staff and right-hand man, as assistant city manager for a few months, with a focus on operations and the city’s leaderless Utilities Department. Acting Palm Coast City Manager Lauren Johnston finalized the plans today after approaching Strobridge about it a few weeks ago. The Sheriff’s Office has the largest contract out of the city’s general fund, and Strobridge has negotiated that contract every year.
Flagler County Will Buy 5.2-Acre Parcel on Intracoastal North of Hammock Dune Bridge for Preservation as Parkland
The Flagler County Commission this morning approved the purchase for up to $1.9 million of 5.2 acres of scrub land fronting the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Coast, immediately north of the Hammock Dunes bridge, for perpetual preservation and possible transformation into a park. County officials say the price is worth the future preservation of a prime piece of land in an area prone to high-density development. The parcel is not isolated, but would become part of Palm Coast’s network of connected trails and parks.
Answering Lawsuit, Palm Coast Accuses Mayor Norris of Frivolously Weaponizing Court Against Gambaro’s Legitimacy
Palm Coast has mordantly and vigorously answered Mayor Mike Norris’s claim that Charles Gambaro should be booted off the council and a special election held to replace him. Attorney Rachael Crews, who represents the city, is giving Circuit Judge Chris France a buffet of arguments to find Norris’ claim “frivolous,” falsely urgent, legally groundless, injurious to the city charter, and not least, without standing. Norris sued Palm Coast and Gambaro on May 5, claiming that Gambaro’s appointment last fall should have ended in November.
Palm Coast’s Fire, Parks and Road Impact Fees Are About to Jump 90 to 160% as City Capitalizes Future on Development
The Palm Coast City Council is about to raise development impact fees for transportation, fire and parks from 95 percent to over 160 percent in some cases. The new fees would go in effect in full in mid-September. Impact fees are the one-time fee builders or developers pay on new construction to defray the cost of the “impact” of their development on infrastructure. The revenue helps pay for new roads, new parks or recreation centers and new fire stations or fire trucks.
Palm Coast Council Holds 8-Hour Meeting Without Drama or Embarrassments. Mayor Norris Was On Vacation.
Normalcy shouldn’t be news. At the Palm Coast City Council’s workshop on Tuesday, it was. Normalcy returned, if perhaps temporarily, after a string of meetings going back months that degraded proceedings with embarrassing regularity, derailing the city’s search for a city manager and culminating in the mayor’s censure and his retaliatory lawsuit against the city he leads. The tone on Tuesday was oddly, radically different. Mayor Mike Norris was on vacation. And Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri chaired the workshop.
Solemnity and Dissonance at Palm Coast’s Memorial Day Ceremony as Congressman Invokes 1.2 Million Casualties
Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri led Palm Coast’s traditional commemoration of Memorial Day at Heroes Park with a tribute to Gold Star families as U.S. Rep. Randy Fine invoked the “stupendous” deaths of 1.2 million American casualties in wars over the years, four days after implying that nuking 2 million Palestinians was justified.
Don’t Buy the False Narrative that Palm Coast’s Infrastructure Isn’t Keeping Up with Growth
No one disputes that Palm Coast has grown significantly and faster than most communities in the country. The city’s population has grown by 150 percent in 20 years. That kind of growth naturally brings challenges, and anyone who suggests otherwise is being disingenuous. But to claim that our infrastructure is incapable of supporting this growth, or worse, that the city has been sitting idly by, is to ignore a mountain of evidence.
Palm Coast City Attorney Calls Mayor Norris ‘Unprofessional and Inappropriate’ 3 Weeks After Censure for Similar Behavior
Palm Coast City Attorney Jeremiah Blocker last week told Mayor Mike Norris that his conduct with the city’s two attorneys was “unprofessional and inappropriate” following a suggestion by Norris that the attorneys were ignoring him. It was the latest in a series of incidents involving Norris’s often brusque conduct involving city staffers, council members or members of the business community. The latest revelations are notable for having occurred after Norris was censured by the rest of the City Council for his conduct, and after he had offered something resembling an apology.
Reversing Planning Board’s Decision, Palm Coast Council Approves 100,000-Sq.-Ft. Storage Facility on Pine Lakes Pkwy
Overriding a decision by its Planning Board, the Palm Coast City Council today granted a special zoning exception to allow construction of a 100,000-square-foot storage facility on 6.8 acres off Pine Lakes Parkway, halfway between Belle Terre and Palm Coast Parkway. The Planning board, in an unusual decision, voted 4-2 to deny the special exception, saying there were enough self-storage facilities as it is: social media pages are rife with screeds about a surfeit of storage facilities.
Palm Coast Council’s Charles Gambaro Calls Norris Lawsuit Against Him ‘Frivolous’ and Mayor’s Conduct an ‘Abdication’
In a letter to the community, Palm Coast Council member Charles Gambaro on Sunday said Mayor Mike Norris’s conduct, from suing to get Gambaro off the council to conspiracy theories to evading City Hall deeply concerning, and the mayor’s refusal to fulfill numerous responsibilities “a troubling and unprecedented abdication of the fundamental duties he swore to uphold when taking office and deprive our citizens of full representation in their government.” Gambaro, for his part, intends to continue to serve.
Palm Coast Will Charge Transaction Fees on Electronic Utility and Other Payments 2 Months After Rate Increases Kicked In
Starting June 1, all Palm Coast customers paying their utility bills by credit or debit card–67 percent of customers last year–will see their bills increase by $1.95 per month, or 3.5 percent if they pay in person. Payments by electronic checks will cost 43 cents per transaction. The Palm Coast City Council in February, overriding its finance director’s recommendation, unanimously approved changing the payment model to pass those costs on to customers. Until now, the city was absorbing $700,000 worth of such fees. Customers may still avoid paying the new transaction fees if they pay bills by check or in cash, in person.
Majority of Palm Coast Council Willing To Scrap Certain Restrictions on Commercial Vehicles in Residential Driveways
Palm Coast may finally revise its commercial-vehicle ordinance, removing a ban on the parking of commercial vehicles in residential driveways. The proposed allowance would apply to commercial pick-up trucks, work vans and similar work trucks, including trucks with ladders and racks and a few other allowances. Commercial messaging–or any messaging, including political, poetic or polemical messaging–willl no longer have to be covered up if it exceeds 3 square feet on each side.
Court Sets Arguments for July 3 on Legitimacy of Charles Gambaro’s Palm Coast Council Seat
A July 3 hearing is set before Flagler County Circuit Judge Chris France to determine the validity of Palm Coast Mayor Norris’s lawsuit claiming that Council member Charles Gambaro was appointed to fill out a two-year term last October in violation of the city charter. Norris contends the council should have held a special election for the District 4 seat, and Gambaro should not have continued past Election Day in November.
Palm Coast Council Launches Review of City Charter, This Time Seeking an Actual Advisory Committee
The Palm Coast City Council is launching a review of the city charter. The year-long process will include the appointment of a five-member committee and public hearings. Any proposed amendments will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot, should the council vote to place them there. Theoretically, the council could vote down any amendment recommended by the charter review committee, which, like all other council committees, sits only in an advisory capacity.
Palm Coast Will Consider Lowering Citywide Speed Limit to 25 and Let Residents Request Traffic-Calming Devices in Neighborhoods
Palm Coast government will develop a process to let residents request traffic-calming measures on certain streets almost citywide. The Palm Coast City Council’s decision is the result of a $100,000 pilot study that included installing three different traffic-calming methods in the F-Section, among them speed cushions on Florida Park Drive and Cimmaron Drive.
AdventHealth Palm Coast’s 3rd Robotic Surgical System Vastly Expands ‘Equity of Care’ While Improving Outcomes
AdventHealth Palm Coast’s two hospitals now have three robotic systems and four surgeons trained on them, enabling the machines’ tiny incisions and great precision to reduce recovery time and pain for patients while improving outcomes. The $2.6 million da Vinci 5, just unveiled locally, was funded through the AdventHealth Palm Coast Foundation, the non-profit arm of the hospital.
Connecting to Palm Coast Expo Orients New Residents With Score of Organizations
The Palm Coast Community Center was full of energy and excitement on the evening of May 7, as vendors and residents gathered for the spring edition of the Connecting to Palm Coast Expo. Organized by the Palm Coast Citizens Academy Alumni Ambassadors, the event brought together a vibrant mix of city departments, non-profits, civic groups, and local partners—all eager to welcome new residents and strengthen community ties.
Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris Thinks the FBI or CIA Is Bugging His Phone
In the course of a lengthy conversation with a Palm Coast resident who was investigating why and how a six-second voice mail from Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris’s phone ended up disseminated publicly in a clumsy attempt to accuse a council member of corruption, Norris suggested he may have been “wiretapped” by the FBI or CIA. It was the latest in a continuing series of bizarre behavior and statements by the mayor.
Flagler Beach Mayor Patti King Questions Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris’s ‘Authenticity’ on Beach Plan
Flagler Beach Mayor Patti King said Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris told her on May 9 several times that “he is all in agreement with the beach management plan as it’s been proposed.” If so, that would represent a significant shift for Norris and a boost for the county’s plan, which has been losing support from its own county commissioners. But King was quick to add: “I’m a little concerned about the authenticity” of the mayor’s statement, a reflection of Norris’s mercurial, unpredictable behavior in the past few weeks.
Mayor Mike Norris’s Lawsuit Against Palm Coast Has Merit. And Limits.
It is one of the mocking ironies of the Palm Coast reality show known as America’s Next Top Mayor that the same man found to have violated the city charter is now invoking it to boot fellow Councilman Charles Gambaro off the island. Yet the lawsuit Norris filed against the city this week, arguing that the council violated the charter when it appointed Gambaro last October, has merit. The strict wording of the charter, poorly written though it is, is on Norris’s side. But a less fundamentalist interpretation of the charter is not.
Palm Coast and Flagler County Burn Ban Issued in April Is Extended Through May 14 Despite Rain
The Flagler County burn declared on April 23 and in effect countywide has been extended through May 14, the county announced today even though some areas of Flagler County started receiving rain Wednesday.
Sheriff Staly Cautions Palm Coast Mayor Norris on Mystery Claims: ‘We Just Don’t Go on Witch Hunts and Innuendoes’
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said today that Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris is welcome to report an allegation of a “quid pro quo” involving him and suggesting an attempted bribe from a developer, but cautions that “we just don’t go on witch hunts and innuendoes,” or “fishing expeditions,” and that in any case the way Norris has handled the matter so far has likely undermined any effective investigation.
Quid Pro Quoi? Mayor Norris Flips Against Discussing Incendiary Accusation About Mystery Developer
After agreeing to openly discuss an alleged “quid pro quo” a developer had offered him, Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris said at last night’s meeting he wouldn’t talk about it after all, and take his case to law enforcement. Still, Norris’s conduct was one more example in an accumulating series of bizarre behavior, conspiratorial statements, accusations, deflections and flip-flops that continue to shift the sands under the council’s feet and project more images of distrust and dysfunction.
Firing Recruiting Firm, Palm Coast Council Agrees to Re-Start City-Led Search for 90 Days as Mayor Attacks Administration
The Palm Coast City Council unanimously agreed to fire SGR, the recruiting firm that had led the search for a city manager since last April, and directed the city administration to post the position for 90 days. Mayor Mike Norris’s attempt to yet again attempt to hire Rich Hough, a candidate who withdrew Monday, failed. The council worked through that segment of the meeting through more antagonism between Mayor Norris and Council member Charles Gambaro, and from a raucous audience.
Sustainable: Palm Coast Marks 20 Years of Arbor Day
Sunshine, smiles, and sustainability took center stage as Palm Coast’s 20th Annual Arbor Day celebration drew hundreds of residents from across the community this past Saturday. This milestone event marked two decades of environmental awareness and community connection, blending eco-conscious fun with family-friendly festivities.
Palm Coast Mayor Norris Sues Palm Coast, Seeking Councilman Gambaro Booted and Special Election Held
Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris today filed an emergency suit against Palm Coast government and Council member Charles Gambaro, charging that Gambaro’s appointment last fall violated the charter. The suit seeks to have Gambaro removed through “a judgment of ouster” and a special election declared for the District 4 seat. Norris has been claiming that Gambaro’s appointment was illegal since soon after he was sworn-in late last November. The lawsuit was filed days after Gambaro made an unsuccessful motion for the council to ask Gov. Ron DeSantis to remove Norris from the council.