It’s one of Thomas Jefferson’s most quoted words about religious freedom: “It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” It’s a lovely line, because it’s not just about tolerance, but acceptance. It’s a mystery to me why Palm Coast, which at least pretends to be a tolerant city, doesn’t apply the same principle to the commercial truck in one’s neighbor’s driveway.
I don’t see it any differently. Just as it does me no injury if my neighbor is white, Black, Zuni, Trumpy, Lutheran or luddite, it does me no injury if my neighbor has a work van or a car with psychedelic lettering in the driveway. It does me even less injury if the van replaces one of those SUVs or ungodly show-off cars that people insist on parking outside. In fact, I prefer the work van: it’s aesthetically more pleasing, because it’s less pretentious, more Leaves of Grass than Bonfire of the Vanities.
Would one work van affect my property values? Of course not. Our own property appraiser is on record saying so. “I don’t have anything saying that if someone parks Fred’s Electric in the driveway, it’ll crush the property value next door, or even measure it,” Property Appraiser Jay Gardner told me.
That would apply to any type of similar-size commercial vehicle with a ladder on top or some crazy wild lettering on the side, even if it were the lettering of a business with the mentality of a caveman. Anyone who claims it affects values is fabricating assumptions out of the same playbook that tells us that since Palm Coast has had its prohibition of such vehicles in place for 20 years, it should have it in place for the next 200, or that people moving in now should know the rules that have prevailed for those 20 years.
But any city, any county, any country changes as people change. Every time a government changes a zoning rule, a noise ordinance or an overlay district, it’s adapting to new residents, new realities. A city, at least a city that doesn’t rot, is an organic creation that renews itself with every new arrival. Palm Coast’s population has tripled since incorporation. But in many ways the city still pretends to be a Tuscan village, when in fact it continues to be little more than any old suburban sprawl as interchangeable with a thousand dogmatic home-owner associations like it across the country. It has a chance to be better than that. It’s choosing to be comatose instead.
Palm Coast is more unique from its policing prohibitions than it is from its vibrant allowances that recognize the changing landscape of work. I remember in 2012 when the city council had a chance to relax its rules controlling businesses in residential zones and allow home-based bakeries. It killed the idea on bogus pretexts. It missed a chance to save the city from a lethargic, outdated interpretation of the geography of work. The same lethargy is oppressing us now. Despite the lessons of Covid, which are revolutionizing the meaning of “workplace” and finally recognizing–and respecting–the autonomy of workers, Palm Coast is again refusing to adapt, as if work conditions and the economy in 2021 were identical to work conditions in 1999.
For those who don’t work, maybe they are. Lucky them. Half the people in this city don’t work. But if retirement is an entitlement, it’s not a truncheon to discipline all those who still work, especially those who are fixing the air conditioning and plumbing and cable and roach infestation in the homes of those who don’t, or painting the walls closing in on those who’ve decided to end their days playing golf, wait for their next medical appointment and bitch about the workers making their life easier.
The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday is voting on whether to keep the current regulation in place or allow for some relaxation. The council’s vote seems foretold against a change. That would be a shame, especially on a council where every member claims to be pro-business, for more jobs, more diversity and more tolerance.
Three council members, including Mayor David Alfin–a Realtor–and Eddie Branquinho–married to a Realtor–are opposed to changing the current rule, even though Palm Coast, as the Observer found in a survey of 10 cities of similar size, is a relative outlier when it comes to this kind of draconian prohibition. I hope one of the three opposing council members changes their mind. If there’s one thing we need in this town, it’s not more old, fusty, self-indulgent people like me (and most of the people in local office), but young, energetic, hard-working people who think nothing of answering work calls at all hours of the day. That’s the new economy, especially in this town, where half the population is dependent on the services of the rest.
It’s not as if today’s driveways are a gift to good taste. Most of them are heaped with shiny assembly-line vulgarities with no more style than a metal mule–“technological ugliness syruped over with romantic phoniness in an effort to produce beauty and profit,” as Robert Pirsig put it in that old irritable classic. Palm Coast would be on stronger legal ground by prohibiting all vehicles from driveways. What are those garages for, anyway? Since it’s not so inclined, it shouldn’t be playing taste police with wheels, or privilege a cop to take a patrol car home and spend that extra half hour a day with spouse and children, while forcing the electrician or the painter to waste that time parking the van elsewhere. That’s not just anti-blue collar. It’s anti-family.
No one is asking for the transformation of driveways into parking lots worthier of Sodom and Gomorrah than they already are. The exaggerations and fear-mongering of pseudo-ascetics aside, the only change would be to allow for a single commercial vehicle of very modest size–nothing bigger than a van or a pick-up–to be parked up front without the wrath of Palm Coast’s code enforcement brigades descending on the offender. Boats, RV’s, dump trucks, buses and other mastodons of the road would not be allowed.
The change would hardly be noticeable to most, and would make a huge difference to some. This isn’t a majority rule issue anymore than it would be if the majority of Palm Coast’s white residents decided against allowing Latinos to barbecue in their backyards, Blacks to have a beer in their driveway or single mothers to have swing sets on the grass. Obviously that would never carry. I don’t see how discriminating against trades workers is any less offensive. Let’s not put workers’ rights to a vote. Let’s champion them.
Pierre Tristam is FlaglerLive’s editor. Reach him by email here. A version of this piece aired on WNZF.
Steve says
NO longer subjected to antiquated former Retirement Community rules and Regulations. Good Luck
R. S. says
On target, Pierre Tristam! I couldn’t agree with you more. Either let’s get all vehicles off driveways and into garages, or let’s step back and practice tolerance of one another.
Concerned Citizen says
Great article.
After all the backlash I received commenting before on just suggesting a compromise this is why it was a big deal to me.
Yes I own and live out in West Flagler. But you know what I have in-laws in Palm Coast Proper. After an honorable career in Public Safety I decided to go back to work after retirement wasn’t suitable. My wife still has a few more years working as a PA before we want to call it quits. A friend of mine got me a very lucrative job working as an Armed Guard supervising contracts in a large area This entailed bringing a vehicle home. We get new Chevy Caprice every few years and are required to keep them clean and maintained. They have markings on the side doors only.
During the course of living in the old C’s and not having a garage I received no less than 4 notices about a commercial vehicle violation. We decided that a change of environment was needed and moved. Bringing home a vehicle was both convenient and essential in running smooth operations in a 24/7 industry. Fast forward a few years later I would stop off on the way home at our in-laws have dinner before going home and they got hassled. For what? I’m not driving a great big gaudy work van. It’s a 4 door sedan no different than your daily driver.
I personally think there are bigger concerns in the community to address. But you are also entitled to your concerns. I just wanted some sort of compromise. And for any rules to be enforced evenly and fairly. There’s just no need for all the hate. Life is hard and short. We are loosing loved ones ever more frequently. Learn to disagree but be civil. None of us are promised tomorrow.
Another One Lost says
The problem is that you were not just suggesting a compromise in your previous comments. Right off the bat you falsely accused 2 separate people of being “openly hostile” and “Having a lot of anger”. Maybe it’s time for you to look in the mirror. I think that you are the angry one.
Concerned Citizen says
You obviously didn’t see how the one person was coming at me right away. But that’s Ok you’re entitled to your opinion also. :)
Another One Lost says
Your either delusional or dishonest. Go back and read your own words. Paula said “Many of us who work for a living do not want billboards in residential driveways”. You responded that her “open hostility amazes you to no end”.
Mark said “You should park your work vehicle at your business if it’s only 30 minutes away. Why should your neighborhood suffer for your convenience” You responded by accusing him of “having a lot of anger”.
Where in those exchanges was someone “coming at you”? Your a joke.
Dennis says
This certainly does not stem from a city councilman who wants to park his work truck in his driveway. This issue goes back way farther than that, in fact it dates back to before Palm Coast was a city, back to somewhere around “94” or “96” if my memory serves me right. Before you shoot off your mouth about a person who has simply chosen to step forward and offer his time to the city and it’s residents you might try to do some research first. People who own businesses in this city who choose to have lettered vehicles have had enough of these draconian regulations, and we demand change. Please learn what you are talking about before you shoot off your mouth and make yourself look like a fool again!
Another One Lost says
By the way, thanks for letting me know that your OK with me expressing my own opinion. That’s quite an honor coming from Concerned Citizen, the most opinionated, self aggrandizing (The act of enhancing or exaggerating one’s self importance) individual that I have ever encountered on these pages. Question: What does your “honorable” 30 year career in public service coupled with your current “lucrative” private security position that includes a shiny new car have to do with the subject of this article? I think you need to figure out who you are trying to impress.
Concerned Citizen says
I don’t need to impress anyone.
I have the DD214 with an honorable discharge and my retirement from Fire Rescue. I’ve dedicated the bulk of my life towards service. And I am proud of what I have accomplished. And at nearly 60 years old I have worked and earned my way in this life.
I was trying to make a point. That not all working class people are the issue of disdain. That maybe sometimes there are more immportant things to worry about than who parks what where. Especially when it’s not your property. And the property values aren’t affected in anyway per our own Property Appraiser.. If you aren’t paying that person’s mortgage then who are you to dictate what you like and don’t like on their property?
Why not refocus all of this energy for more important things? And that includes our councilmen? Way more important issues need to be resolved. Like the wellfare of our fellow citizens.
Another One Lost says
You just can’t help yourself. It’s quite amazing that you simply lack the ability to not talk about yourself and your accomplishments. You regularly state how “proud you are of YOURSELF. Unbeliebable!! Remember that Pride is the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins.
Concerned Citizen says
I’m sorry you dislike me so much. I promise to do much better in the comnment section so as to not anger you.
TheTruth says
This was all brought on by a City of PC on the committee wants his work truck parked in his driveway.
He doesn’t seem to care about what the taxpaying residents of Palm Coast want.
Pat says
That ugly man cave truck is disgusting and should be parked in his garage. All the time!
Pat says
That truck is advertising his beauty salon.
It’s not a truck that is relevant to his work. It’s not like it contains a plethora of scissors, hair dryers and a variety of shaving cream.
I bet there isn’t one can of hairspray or a a tin of mustache wax in that truck either.
So stop calling it a work truck and call it what it really is. An ugly excuse for a billboard!
KMineau says
It seems to me it depends on who you are. I see a limo parked in a driveway for several years. It’s covered but it’s used for work. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. People have to make a living . So ridiculous to harass honest working people.
Combat Vet says
Rubish! Keep Palm Coast pristine!
PC Resident says
Palm Coast is not nor has it ever been “pristine”. Keep your beliefs inside of your property line.
cgm says
when palm coast was sold to the people up north like my mom the sales pitch was- golf, boat, fun in the sun.
bring your boat go fishing but now you cant bring your boat. the sales pitch was all a lie.
there is nothing wrong with a well kept boat on a trailer in your driveway. I dont boat so its no skin off my back I just hate being lied to.
Quite retirement- schools ,industry,apartment buildings, traffic jams were enver part of the sales pitch.
Dennis says
It’s not the well taken boat that conserns me. It’s the junky old crap that used to be a boat the dies.
An actual worker says
Stop worrying about what others do on THEIR property.
John Stove says
No….
None of the service workers, contractors or maintenance folks I have used over the years have ever complained or made a statement about “not being able to park in the driveway”.
This wasn’t on anybody’s radar until a council member started bitchin’ about his own vehicle.
This is why it should be put to a citywide vote and you will see that overwhelmingly people don’t want to change the regulation.
No commercial vehicles period
Big bill says
Do you think they are going to bitch at you about being able to park the car that they have to drive to fix your stuff, that you are already complaining about costing to much. How bout you dont stick your trash at the end of your driveway i do t want to see your trash.
PC Resident says
This has been on the radar since at least 2002 when I started working for Time Warner Cable and then Brighthouse Networks. Just because you were oblivious to the problems this causes service employees doesn’t mean it’s wasn’t a problem back then…..and now.
Dennis says
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!!!
I really enjoy when people shoot of their mouth on a topic they know nothing about, you obviously being one of them.
FYI: this issue goes back way beyond today’s city council, in fact it goes back to before Palm coast was even a city!
If memory serves me right it dates back to around 94 or 96.
There was a period from 2000 to January 2005 where the city had not adopted the code of ordinances formally in place by the Palm coast service district. During that period of time I didn’t witness property values plummet, I didn’t see all manner of commercial vehicle over running residential driveways, nor did I see the city fall apart. So for those who fearmounger Deflating property values, what say you about the period from 2000 – 2005.
paul says
So if the Council agrees to end this ‘discrimination’ suffered by the victimized workers I’d like it to be in a package with a couple of other minor concessions to householders.
-If I park my vehicle in my driveway why does it need current registration, why can’t I put it on blocks and worl on it?
-Why can’t I leave my small trailered boat in my driveway or a small RV, neither is a mastodon or bigger than a tradesman’s truck.
-I’m a climate science believer, Why can’t I plant native vegetation in my front yard tp replace the water guzzling anti environment lawn which needs constant mowing and trimming . Why can’t I save energy by putting up a clothes drying line and put solar panels on the street facing south slope of my roof. And while we’re at it why do I need a permit to repaint my house of extend my fence? , There are all manner of city codes that could be relaxed, let’s open the floodgates.
IDGAF says
I don’t care what you park in your driveway. You can have 10 cars if you want. You can have a hot pink house. You can have a blue roof with sparkles. You can have fence art “gasp” facing the road. You can keep your Christmas lights on your house all year. You can let your grass grow a bit long before you mow. You can have unruly flower beds. You can keep your garage open all hours and have a garage band. You can hang in your driveway, smoke a joint, and have some beer with friends while listening to loud music. I honestly don’t care what you do in your domain. It’s yours. Not mine. This town is far too over-regulated. It’s like a giant HOA except no one maintains my property as part of the deal. Let them park their darn work vehicles in their driveways. WGAF? This isn’t the BIG morality issue facing society.
Me too says
As I recall, this town was once one big HOA and I believe that is where the historical rules about everything under the sun come from. There is undoubtedly some picking and choosing going on however. I drive by a lot owned by SeaGate Homes every day with hip high weeds on a well traveled road in a nice residential area. I however can’t let my grass grow over a couple of inches long. Hmmmm…. Time for the old ways to go. I agree, live and let live.
Peter Chichitano says
Well said, been here 35 years and tired of the shit, I think its time to move on…
Bill C says
Quoting Jefferson’s words on religious freedom and then extending them to cover commercial truck parking creates a false and misleading equivalency between the two. One is a constitutionally guaranteed right, the other is a local parking ordinance. Likewise, the rest of your article is inflated with puffery.
Wow, Pierre… “against allowing Latinos to barbecue in their backyards, Blacks to have a beer in their driveway “. Talk about stereotyping!
NO to commercial vehicle parking in residential areas.
Pierre Tristam says
You’re right, I really should’ve said Arabs in reference to beer in the driveway.
Bill C says
Or you could have simply said “neighbors” instead of Blacks and Latinos. What you tried to do is so transparent- you tried to add moral weight and gravitas to your flimsy argument by dragging in race, like you again just did in your frivolous response.
PC Resident says
Pierre is a liberal and a foreigner. What did you expect from him?
Bill C says
Hey brother, that’s not cool either. I completely separate myself from your comment.
palmcoaster says
PC resident totally out of common sense and fairness about “he being a foreigner”. That was probably a long time ago like your ancestors were and that makes you one too then. We are all foreigners no matter when we our generation arrived here except the Native American Proud Indigenous Nations!
JimBob says
Good Lord! A “liberal” and a “foreigner”? I’ll expect to see you at the next school board meeting protesting algebra for having been invented by Arabs.
Mark says
This is gross and the beginning of the decline of Palm Coast. Welcome to the new “Bunnell” ewww!
Pierre Tristam says
What do you have against Bunnell? It has more character in two city blocks than in entire Palm Coast sections. And the “new Bunnell” is Grand Reserve, a Palm Coast-looking city within a city whose population will soon outstrip “old” Bunnell.
Mark says
It’s dirty and small , it’s residents are more on the poor side and the food options are horrible. Imagine living there full time? I think not. It’s a nice place to take the kids to show then all walks of life but to park and walk around..really? I think not.
Roy Longo says
Bit of an elitist? Or just an ass?
Mary Fusco says
Wow, and you think that because you live in Palm Coast you are rich? Talk about delusional. If you were rich, you would be living in a gated community in a million dollar home instead of in a bedroom community pretending to be something. BTW, your children will have a difficult time in school and life in general if you teach them that anyone with less than them is inferior. I always taught my children that there will always be people who have more than you and those that have less than you. Treat everyone with kindness no matter what they have.
Concerned citizen says
Mary,
Sadly it’s the same outlook some have on those who moved out to West Flagler. We all live in trailers with dirt floors. And smoke Meth.
I would insert a massive eye roll here but Pierre won’t allow it.
No some of us moved out of Palm Coast proper because we had never lived in an area where people snitch on you for grass being to tall. Or for bringing a work vehicle home. And are proud of it at that!!
Some folks have their priorities mixed up. Been all over the world. And never saw so much silliness as in Palm Coast.
Gina Weiss says
Mark: it’s called character Mark, apparently you have never visited or lived in a big city where there are million dollar town houses and just around the corner is the charm of a little bodega and some subsidized housing, and to call Bunnell dirty and poor with horrible food options, there are some great restaurents that my spouse and I have frequented perhaps you should revisit. Also there is alot of untouched land beauty, friends of mine own horses there, everytime I drive to Bunnell I love seeing the old homes with the grand old oak trees dripping with spanish moss. You have to open your eyes and your mind to see its charm and beauty. A little old southern sleepy town. Be careful what you say Bunnell may just be the next “it” place.
trailer bob says
And the arrogant again knock Bunnell. This is NOT New York or New Jersey…you left there for a reason…remember? Wd don’t need your type to try and make this just like New York, but with a better climate.
Ralph says
If you only knew what happens in PC on a daily basis, Mark. PC is full of BS, drugs, prostitution, crime etc, you just don’t know about it… shit Bunnell has a higher tax rate than PC. It’s too bad your Rich and dont find yourself living in certain parts of the P, W, B R F or whatever section…. you’d be tooting a different horn. Have a great day or not the choice is yours…
Jp says
What I think is funny is listening to certain groups of people say two different things. “People won’t work!” That same person sees a company car showing that a person does work.
“Their job offends me because they have a company vehicle. They should be forced to inconvenience themselves for me.”
Crazy world.
Nelly says
Get back at us people from ‘Bunnell” when you have more than .09 acres of land. Hell, I lived in the area of sugar mill growing up and I view the entirety of the rest of palm coast as Dirty and unkept, but soon quickly realized after moving into my first apartment and only recently building a house on 10 acres that everybody comes from somewhere, like palm coast. Thats why kids are so quick to leave the area, because its people like you that Ruin the entire atmosphere of palm coast.
Jimbo99 says
Let’s see, crime may go up ? I mean we see the stories where someone’s work vehicle or whatever is stolen from the storage locations. Is that now going to happen in the residential communities for the working class ? And now that the criminals are looking around to victimize a commercial vehicle owner in a residential, since the criminals are coming around, maybe they case out the neighbors homes that doesn’t have a commercial vehicle. That’s something nobody wants, a neighbor attracting criminals and leaving tools & vehicles worth even more out on the driveway while everyone is sleeping. Doesn’t affect anyone when it’s another’s property vandalized or stolen, or maybe it does ?
Mary Fusco says
I believe break ins on vehicles in driveways have been a regular occurrence here for several years or more. How many times has Sheriff Staly been on imploring residents to keep their cars locked and leave no valuables in them. Haven’t been to the beach in years but the last time I went, there was a huge sign stating “do not leave any valuables in your car”. There seems to have been a lull in driveway break ins lately but the holiday season is just around the corner. You know when they steal packages and mail from the mailbox looking for some gift cards or cash. This is a loaded issue and I can see both sides but crime is already here.
Jimbo99 says
I agree, I was aware of the “9 PM Ritual” as it’s called to lock vehicles up. I just think when we’re talking about vehicles that might have equipment & tools in them, that the vehicle break-in would become more prevalent, now you have hundreds and thousands of dollars worth of incentives at any given home, regardless of a locked or unlocked vehicle. And I can imagine that accruing to an additional risk for anyone else that lives next door & up & down the street. We all will end up with forming organized neighborhood watches even more so, because nobody wants the neighbor with the work vehicle being vandalized or robed that way.
Dennis says
Hurray Pierre, this must be the first article written by FlaglerLive.com (Pierre Tristom) that I agree with and endorse 100% , since the inception of this publication back in 2009!
The Draconian covenants and restrictions imposed against a select group of working class citizens in this City must end now!
The concept of no overnight parking of commercial vehicles (lettered) on Palm Coast residential driveways has long since become outdated. Conceived by ITT when seeking approval from the county for the PUD development known as Palm Coast, then governed by the Palm Coast Service District was a vision of a residential utopia of retirees has long since fallen by the wayside, and is representative of the failure by ITT to realize its dream. Less than halfway through the project they then realized that their concept was a miserable failure, hence bailing out on the project and leaving Flagler County holding the bag for their many mistakes.
We the residents now left to grapple with an idea that has since outlived its time. Most may not be aware that upon incorporating Palm Coast back in 2000, these covenants and restrictions were not adopted by the new city government, and were not adopted until 2008, very quietly I might add.
I do not recall any major effort by the then city council to inform voters in the city the intentions to adopt those covenants and restrictions. We must consider at the time residents didn’t has access to public information through media that exists today, at the time there was no FlaglerLive.com, no Askflagler.com, no city website in existence as it is today. At the time the only resources available to residents of Palm Coast besides being actively involved in city government, (which many working families with children didn’t have time or the inclination to get involved for obvious reasons), the only other resources were the observer, and the Palm Coast Tribune, neither of which were widely read back then or even today. These convenient were not adopted until 2008, whereby the city council restored the discriminatory practices of the former governing body with little to no fanfare. I don’t understand why in 2008 being an election year this was not offered up to the city voters as a referendum issue before moving forward with the adoption of the restrictions. Like has been the case for the past 21 years the city officials choose to handle controversial issues like the covenants and restrictions very quietly without involving the engagement of the general populous for their input, in an effort to avoid controversy, this to must end. Palm Coast has never and will never be governed by a dictatorship, although many have tried.
The very people who are being discriminated against in many cases are small business self employed business men/women employing anywhere from 0 – perhaps 5 people. For those who have never owned or operated a business, many do not understand the financial and personal burden this places on the people who provide needed services to the residents of Palm Coast, IE: roofers, electricians, carpenters, home improvement contractors, painters, carpet installers, landscapers and lawn care, handy man services, private trash haulers and recyclers, block layers, framers, window door and siding contractors, water and mold abatement contractors, the list goes on and on. Why is it that city policy has chosen to discriminate against these people, and for those who do not comply are cited, repeat offenders brought before a kangaroo style court Code Enforcement Board who is deaf to the points of view of the persons being summoned, and in most cases being given strict warnings or having fines levied against them. These actions being very reminiscent of the actions taken against its citizens in the former USSR.
The time has come for residents and business owners to stand up and be heard, we have had enough of this discrimination and it must end now.
E, ROBOT says
This isn’t just a PC problem. There was one little general store and no other shopping — a bug or a feature, is up to individual. Palm Coast had no access to I95 and residents had to go north or south to hop on it. The one traffic light in the county was at A1A and Rt. 100 which was then single lane, no island with the woods right up against the road. Toll bridge was wonderful — very light traffic.
Unfortunately when ITT left the area, the barbarians at the gate rushed in.
The rest is history both for the FB and PC. Affordable apartments are already here and many many more coming. These new neighbors are not tax payers. They’re taxpayer dependents.
Greed in the process of killing another affordable beach side Florida location.
blondee says
Wow! If I lived in a community that I thought was “comatose” and “old suburban sprawl” and filled with “old, fusty, self-indulgent people”, you better believe I would move. Think about it!
Concerned Citizen says
So if the tax appraiser has said your property values won’t be lowered then it boils down to personal dislike. That kind of takes the steam out of that argument. Then it boils down to personal dislike. And it ends up being no different than the neighbor who insists on calling Code Enforcement because the neighbors grass is a little taller than suits them. If you are going to help that person pay their mortgage then you get direct say on their property. If not then leave them alone.
thomas oelsner says
What could be more conducive to the city’s “buy local” theme than seeing a neighbor providing a service one needs through their business info on the vehicle parked in a driveway?
Celia M Pugliese says
This time with disagree Pierre! and hope mayor and council leave the current ordinances as they are that is what the majority of the city residents want and was in the survey.
Jimbo99 says
Give an inch and they will take a mile. Leave the ordinance in place as is. If you relax the rule there will be those who will push it to the next level like they do today. Even though some of these commercial vehicles have become smaller, there are some that have gotten taller. With the city changing zoning laws years ago to allow small home building lot sizes where you can easily talk to your neighbor through the kitchen window, start putting in these work vans in these areas and would really add to the congestion of homes and vehicles. I already see commercial vehicles in driveways. Showing that some people have no respect for others or requirements.
Leave it AS IS.
PC Resident says
So you show no respect to service workers and their requirements but you expect respect in return? What a joke.
Mark says
To bad you don’t follow the same principle.
Vincent A. Liguori says
To Flagler Live-No to your proposal. The reason is obvious, what will come next? Your proposal is a retrograde movement back to an unincorporated Palm Coast.
Mike Cocchiola says
Pierre… you make some very good points. I don’t think anyone wants to deny the right of people to work for a living and this sometimes entails the ownership or use of a commercial vehicle. But I disagree on relaxing or overturning the current ordinance limiting where they can be parked. Here’s why.
You indicated that pickup trucks and small vans may be a compromise position. But remember that a large number of citizens do not agree. They clearly said “no”. So do you really think the council can very deftly cut this baby in half by saying yes but with limitations? How does the council clearly define the limitations given the almost limitless range of commercial vehicle sizes and styles with creative but visually intrusive advertising? Would the new ordinance be enforceable? And do you not think there will be a truckload of lawsuits and extralegal challenges of the new ordinance? Not to mention downright wilful abuses like parking long-haul tractors, tow trucks and dump trucks, all of which which I have seen. Are we ready in Palm Coast to empty commercial storage facilities and use residential driveways as storage units… boats, RVs and such? How does the city government control this… more and more code enforcers?
So, my vote would be to protect the ambiance and character of our neighborhoods. It’s why we all moved to Palm Coast.
Character says
So much for being a man of the people.
These are the same vehicles we see in our daily lives parked in driveways or in the street while performing the services we need. We can tolerate seeing these vehicles during work hours but not afterwards???
It’s very difficult to find a plumber or any other tradesman in Palm Coast. If tradesmen could actually live here it would be easier to get services.
Labor, especially skilled labor, is in short supply and is likely to get worse, not better as the young people can’t afford to have families. We need a sustainable community and that requires having workers.
You just sound like a damn elitist to me!
trailer bob says
I agree. People have to work, and sometimes that means they have a truck…with a little sign on it. I never woke up and thought…man…I don’t want to see your truck and sign. The alternative is living in the western side of Flagler where people can live their lives without others complaining. Why complain after YOU made the decision to live on a postage stamp sized parcel with your neighbors house 8 feet from yours?
Stupidest subject I have heard in a while. And with houses literally a few feet apart, you can’t have it both ways. Take your pension money from up north and buy an actual decent sized lot so you don’t have these supposed problems. Palm Coast sucks, as does many who come down here from NYC and New Jersey. It’s Florida man…not NYC. SO don’t move down here and try to make it the “north without the snow”.
Dennis says
Well y’all should have moved to Grand Haven or Hammock Dunn’s, where you need approval for the type of lawn ornament you can place in your yard! I think the mistake is yours, for having moved to the city directly instead of having chosen one of the gated communities, where the restrictions abound. I suggest you move there, we blue collar working stiffs can stay in Palm coast.
Your an upper crust individual, why have you chosen to live alongside we peasants. You belong in Grand Haven… lol
Pierre Tristam says
Mike, I don’t think it would be a matter of cutting the baby in half, but rather adopting the approach that most cities do. Palm Coast is the outlier here, making it an example of sclerosis, not ambiance. As the Observer found in its survey of 10 cities Palm Coast’s size or so, most cities’ bans–including Miami Beach, the City of Style–apply to size (as ours should), not commercial lettering, not whether they’re a work van or not. The abuses won’t be an issue anymore than they are today. That’s why we have those seven billion code enforcement officers, plus Barbosa. If the 11-inch height on 40,000 lawns can be as effectively policed as gum-chewers in Singapore, I’m sure the occasional big rig can be cited without leading to the decline and fall of Palm Coast’s empire of the senses.
trailer bob says
Exactly.
Edith Campins says
I completely disagree. No we don’t have “seven billion” code enforcement officers. They can barely keep up with the violations now. I have lived through this and I can tell you that it doesn’t work.
Recently there complaints in Flagler Beach about a commercial vehicle plastered with obscenities driving around town. They response was that if was a 1st Amendment issue and they couldn’t do anything about it. How would you like that parked next to your home. Because as long as it met the new size requirements you would be able to do anything about it.
Pierre Tristam says
Edith, in every recent election including the last one I had to look at flowerbeds of election signs that were far, far more obscene than that just that one truck parking in Flagler Beach, and the signs were everywhere. Thankfully though, you’re right, there’s nothing we can do about the signs(voting aside), nor should there be.
Celia M Pugliese says
Pierre you got that right nothing we can do about the political signs but we can do about the advertising trucks (vehicles) no parking on the residential driveways by NO changing our current ordinance.
Edith Campins says
You are being disingenuous and you know it. Those election signs are temporary and part of a democratic process.
As I’ve posted before I have have actually experienced what happens to a neighborhood once the restrictions are removed. It wasn’t pretty. and the decline became irreversible.
Steven says
Palm Coast pretending to be tolerant….. haha !
The elected and hired officials in this town and county are the most and I improvise on a Clark GrisWold quote
“cheap, lying, no good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake licking, dirt eating, overstuffed, ignorant, blood sucking, dog kissing, brainless, @$&*#, hopeless, heartless, @$&*#, bug eyed, stiff legged, spotted lipped, worm headed, sack of monkey $*#%,
Wheres the Tylenol !!!!
Land of no turn signals says says
With the rules that were in place not only were the rules broken but pissed on with a smile.We are not talking about a A/C van with writing or a pick up with racks and some pipe here.Things that I’ve seen like A tractor without the trailer parked for days,30 foot plus boats,giant motor homes,trailers with bobcats on them.The shit storm is going to start give an inch take a mile glad I moved just in time the renters will be happy at least.There will be more cars and trucks parked in the swales out front all nite and day.
oldtimer says
As I said before , if you knew the rules BEFORE you moved here why would you expect them to be changed because you don’t like them now that you are here? Please explain
Stretchem says
Get your face out of your crosswords and reread the article boomer. It was very much explained.
Lorraine says
GREAT thoughts Pierre!!! I 💯% agree with you! Palm Coast demographics are changing and changing rapidly! The reason it seems many here are against the change are apparently older retired people who can “post” comments here while the younger generation are working or at school. Once MedNex opens in conjunction with the University of North Florida many more people will be going to school here. Much was about trying to maintain those skilled students. Palm Coast needs to move to the future. Palm Coast is growing and changing. The rules that once worked in this one street light town has grown and flourished and new rules are needed to meet the demands of the working class. Palm Coast is no longer a sleepy retirement community. The rules need to be adjust to those changes!!
John Stove says
I am older (65) and work full time. I post because I see this an a negative issue for my neighborhood and being “older” does not take away my rights.
Secondly the students or people employed by MedNex or the University of North Florida will NOT be driving commercial vehicles with advertising on the sides so what is your point about that? They basically will be standard residents who can and will park their cars in their driveways.
Third businesses will NOT go out of business or “move” just because their employees cannot park in a residential neighborhood driveway.
Your suggestion that we “meet the demand of the working class” is not my demand and I work full time.
No to commercial vehicles in neighborhoods
Lorraine says
Well I have you beat in age! I am 71 and retired! MedNex will bring young adults who will be hopefully employed in our area after they complete their school…know way to know what skills or what employer they will have! You can not see into the future….many of these young adult will also be employed while going to school!! So your narrative is debunked! I never said a word about business leaving the area! But I do your age (or mine) does not take away “anyone’s” rights! but being stagnate when the growth is moving forward appears will make you very unhappy when it is time for you to retire!
Celia M Pugliese says
Lorraine if your home will suffer a devaluation of 30% https://magazine.realtor/daily-news/2020/01/27/how-much-does-curb-appeal-affect-home-value because the nuisances parked next door then maybe and too late you will regret your support now. Will be like karma too late to back up. In spite of what the property appraiser Mr. Jim Gardner says now.
Pierre Tristam says
Celia, while it’s fine to disagree on issues, it’s not fine to misuse evidence and misinterpret the study, as the article you linked to does, and as you do even more in your comment.
1. The study was based on an analysis of Google images–of lawns, paint jobs, actual conditions of curbs, pavement, roofs and so on, not what kind of vehicle is parked in the driveway.
2. Using those factors, nowhere in the study does it refer to a 30 percent devaluation. It refers to an “up to 7 percent” difference in curb appeal, more so in “times of housing market weakness and greater in neighborhoods with high average curb appeal.”
3. The study stresses that it is the comparative aspect of one property versus another that provides the “up to 7 percent” higher values for properties that are better kept. In other words, the higher premium goes to those who care for their properties (as it should be). You have less to worry about in your neighbor’s yard or house than from what your property looks like.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Pierre, With all due respect ‘ OVERALL ‘ appearance of neighbor’s property means ‘OVERALL’. We were tired of living next to our neighbor who put a chain link fence in her front yard and hung her underwear to dry- had a boat and pop up camper just behind her fence and made our decision to move where we could protect our property value to the utmost and enjoy the view driving into the community.
I highly respect most of what you support and do believe we would be in the dark on many important issues affecting our lives locally and nationally and am an avid daily reader ( even though you sometimes give me a verbal ‘punch’) your support of using driveways instead of garages for ALL vehicles is very surprising indeed. You just might get what you and others wish for. Nobody mentions using a garage what it is intended for and not a storage area or ‘unpermitted’ addition….
When a house goes up for sale just think how the photos on the real estate websites will look.. Come one come all – trucks, trailers, RV’s, Boats, tractors – . CURB APPEAL still number one, in my opinion, as a licensed real estate agent 42 years and Broker for 36 years. I am so very happy that I don’t have any ‘skin in this issue.
Whew! Thanks for letting me vent. Glad we bought where the rules are so strict we almost need oxygen- but it sure keeps our views beautiful and protects our precious investment and property value .
Well gotta go now – have a few new long blooming beautiful Encore azeleas to plant around our ”driveway’ to enhance our CURB APPEAL some more…
Pierre Tristam says
Jane, ideally of course garages would be used as intended, and driveways used for the purpose implied by the word, to drive into the garage. It’s a peculiar American institution that garages are used for storage, pets, second living rooms, TV rooms, pot-smoking dens (yay!), domestic violence annexes (the number of police reports that end up describing the human condition in garages would make Balzac envious)—-anything but for cars. On the other hand any doctrine that assumes garages must be garages and nothing else goes against the grain of the castle doctrine: you do with your spaces what you wish. So realistically we can’t make parking in garages an issue, leaving us with what kind of parking ends up in the driveway. No, it’s not come one, come all at all. It’s just: modest work vans and cars with lettering on them. I really don’t see the difference between that and so-called acceptable vehicles, half of which are atrocious looking to start with. But then we’re getting into matters of taste, which are not up for debate (it’s bad enough this city controls what kind of paint you can use and what kind of architecture you’re allowed, if these cardboard cutouts we live in can be called architecture). The proposed change, in other words, would be far more minor, far less noticeable, than feared. Really, to read some of these comments—not yours necessarily—makes it seem as if Palm Coast’s quarter acre lots were one Château de Cheverny after another. Come on, people. It’s a damn suburb, as aesthetically antiseptic and illusory as American Beauty. I love my house in the P Section—the Slough of Flagler County—but I wouldn’t call it god’s gift to post-Acropolis construction.
Barry says
Pierre: so brags the person who was going to contact Mr. Lord to give permission to have emergency helicopter landings in her 4 acre backyard which can ruin her flowers.
Celia M Pugliese says
Pierre we have the right to disagree with civility as we are doing you and I, but I still insist in opposing this ordinance no matter were my home is located, simply because I drive daily the beautiful city of Palm Coast in my errands and visiting my friends that do not live in my section. The potential negative effect of changing the current ordinance will affect us all no matter were our homes are located in the city, including yours. If we give some and inch they will take a yard as and extended entitlement is what I have seeing in my life experience within the 30 years different between you and I. You posted a different link than the one I posted regarding how much the adjacent neighbors properties curve appeal can affect the price of one’s homes and seems to be on the eye of the beholder, then I rather to give credit to my link posted as I lived that reality already! The type of vehicles parked on driveways also affect or not the value of a home depending of what type and in what shape. I didn’t intend to misuse any evidence is the bare reality.
trailer bob says
You mean “I look down on the working people”. “They are ruining my life because of their damn sign on the door of their trucks that advertise their business”. “It really bothers us northerners that you have the balls to let us know you actually still work”. “We’re special folks and even though we knew we were purchasing a home 48″ away from our neighbors, you have the gaul to let us know you work for a living. You just don’t get it that when our eyes see some letters from the alphabet on a door our heads explode”.
Mythoughts says
If the City of PC makes people get permission to paint their houses, won’t allow fences in front yards, you need a permit for everything in the City of PC, they nickel and dime the residents with their permit fee’s.
They are doing nothing to think about all the traffic they are causing for over building. If they allow commericial trucks in residential neighborhoods just to make their City of PC committee member happy that is what this is all about.
There should be a regulation on what kind of trucks are permitted to park in driveways, are they going to allow a semi trucks, or a pick up trucks which I have seen, or how about broken down trucks now, that is where all this will end up.
Town is going down, it has poor leadership no different from the County Commissioners their all a joke.
Stretchem says
You people make it sound like every single driveway in the entire Palm Coast proper will have some variant of a “work” car or van in it. I mean really people. Might be one on every street? As stated in the article, HALF the population of Palm Doesn’t even work anyways. Then in the half that do, you need an entrepreneur, a solo-preneur, a gig worker perhaps, that is willing to pay for the extra costs, insurance and all, or a small service worker that works for a company that doesn’t already have a facility or shop with it’s own parking. Then there are those who will choose to not park in plain site at home for security or insurance won’t allow it, or even to want their neighbors to know what they do (that would be me!) so they don’t get bugged to come solve their problems while trying to watch the game.
At the end of the day we might be talking one or two vehicles on any given street in town. Are we majoring in the minors here or what?
Buck Boomer says
Say, could you come over and ” Rotor Rooter ” my toilet ? Games don’t start until 1:00 pm. Please bring a snake.
Blerbfivefamily says
I have never lived in a community where some people take delight in reporting their neighbors for the most trivial issues. Sometimes the homeowner may be ill or caring for a sick spouse or child. Or perhaps they are working 2 jobs and just do not have the time to cut the grass in a timely manner, so step up and offer to cut the grass or see if the neighbor needs help. Some people just have nothing to do with themselves.
Concerned Citizen says
It’s a regular snitch fest sometimes.
My in-laws have elderly neighbors across the street. A neighbor down from them makes it known he is the one calling on them. When the grass gets more than 10 days without cutting.My in-laws and mysekl try to help them keep it cut but at times it gets ahead of us. Imagine if you took all that negative energy turned it around and went to see if they were OK and needed help.
Sadly there are people who get off on having percieved power.
Pissed in PC says
I have no issue if it’s a company that is 24/7 like AC, Plumbing, oxygen machine service, etc. but I disagree with a vehicle wrapped in a business that promotes their barbershop, energy drink, tattoo parlor, realty, home closing or any business that doesn’t stay on call 24/7. My neighbor had magnetic signs on his truck and took them off nightly. You knew the rules when you moved here and if you didn’t then you either bought the place over the internet, didn’t talk to anyone in the neighborhood or research the city codes. This was never an issue till a certain city council member got cited for parking his tacky looking truck wrapped in his business logos. (Yes I’ve seen his truck and it looks like sh*t).
Tom says
This editorial pushed me over to the opposing side.
City Councilman Ed Danko says
I woke up this morning and discovered that I must be living in an alternate universe – Pierre actually agrees with me on something! Now I realize how painful that must be for him, and how he avoided actually using my name while discussing his opinion on favoring changing the city code to allow work vehicles to park in driveways, but I am appreciative that he used all of my talking points from the last city council workshop to make his case. Plagiarism is the highest form of flattery!
Pierre Tristam says
Our right honorable councilman, who it seems still imagines himself DiCaprio on the bow of the Titanic, must think that because I used the English language to express a position held long before he appeared on our scene (and will hold long after he departs it), I plagiarized him. While I can’t deny reports of the occasional frozen icicle in hell as a consequence of this piece’s timing with his welcome enlightenment, he might have noticed that between my article’s odd flashes of coherence and the absence either of fabrications or compulsive-obsessive aggressions on Nick Klufas, the similarities couldn’t possibly have gone much beyond the mere coincidental. But I’m glad he still knows where to get his news.
PC Resident says
I concur. The fact that Pierre and I actually agree on something (for different reasons though) makes me want to upchuck a bit.
Pat says
We’ve been living in Palm Coast and obeying the rules forever.
It wasn’t until Councilman Balbosa got ticketed for parking his advertisement-wrapped ugly truck in his driveway and chose to be like a spoiled brat by bringing it to the Council that this issue was on anyone’s radar.
His neighbors reported him. They don’t like his ugly truck visible in his driveway.
Is he covering it up when he parks it in his driveway overnight?
Or is he sticking it to the Man and ignoring the Code? Rules that are for you AND him.
If we let him blatantly ignore the rules, shame on us. Make your voices heard.
Call Code Enforcement, City Hall, Mayor Alvin and let them know you don’t want that ugly truck in anyone’s driveway!!!
trailer bob says
It’s not YOUR driveway, and you don’t own the land it is on. Must be terrible having to see a truck with a sign on it…Maybe you should live out in the country instead of a neighborhood where you have no land and your neighbors are right on your ass. My God…a sign on a door…
Gigi says
I thought the Liberal mantra for 4 years was “No one is above the law.” Rules are there to be followed. If you don’t like the rules, get your guy elected and pass your rules.. Such hypocrites…..and whiners.
Patricia Colosimo says
Seems to me that this is a Palm Coast permit opportunity waiting to happen. Use the revenues for much needed infrastructure. Collect the permit fee, slap a sticker on the truck and move on!
Mike says
Very eloquent….wrong perspective
Brian says
This is how neighborhoods start going downhill. We don’t want to see ugly trucks parked permanently next door. We don’t want some neighbor parking in front of our property or leaving trailers on the street and any of a million things that someone like this author would do to lessen our property values and lessen our quality of life. The rules are the rules. Keep them in place! You knew the rules before you moved here. If you don’t like the rules then move back to Bunnel!
trailer bob says
And the arrogant again knock Bunnell. This is NOT New York or New Jersey…you left there for a reason…remember? Wd don’t need your type to try and make this just like New York, but with a better climate.
Palmcoaster says
Totally agree with your Brian! Do nit make a dump of Palm Coast and have our homes loose 30 % of more of their value for your laziness and lack of good standards. No to changing our good ordinances and furthermore enforce them as they should be enforced!
Mike Cellu says
I think commercial vehicles are a bad idea most driveways in Palm Coast ars small and when you add another vehicle people will start parking in the street or on the grass or blocking the sidewalks.
We live in a family neighborhood not a business district let’s keep it that way.
Edith_Campins says
Someone spending $500,000 for a house does not want to see a commercial vehicle on the driveway next to them.
Work from home means just that, you work from your home “office”. It does not require a commercial vehicle in your driveway.
Approximately 90% of the homes in PC have garages. If people choose to use them as storage instead of parking their vehicles in them, they’s their problem.
Yes, property values will go down in the long run. Prospective buyers will buy elsewhere if they see the boat trailer, the gaudy pizza delivery vehicle, the pool service pickup truck, etc. parked next door.
I lived in a neighborhood that went trough this. Once this is allowed people will push the envelope. We will not have enough code enforcement officers to ensure the new rules are followed. What happened in my neighborhood is that gradually in turned into a free for all. The retirees and families moved out fearing their property values would go down and they wouldn’t find anyone to buy their homes. The lawsuits claiming discrimination were costly. The constant refrain was “if you allow that, why can’t I have this.”
The end result is that today the neighborhood looks like a low rent slum. There are large commercial trucks, cars on blocks, boats, RVs parked all over. The authorities gave up on any type of enforcement.
You are kidding yourselves if you think it iwon’t happen here. Go and take a look around the Mondex, the Hammock, some of the areas in Bunnell.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
To Barry: I contacted Jonathan Lord on July 28 and Chief Tucker to offer our .95 acre back yard for emergency helicopter landings and for access to our 18,000 gallon open pool for water. The chief pilot just came out today, 2 months later , and said he didn’t need our back yard. We have no flowers in our back yard – just the front and the sides of our home. Our offer to the county still stands.
Barry says
Jane Loud: WOW .95 acres, 18,000,00 gallon pool, good for you. Find it funny that the chief pilot just got back to you today after my comment. Jane do you ever think about the poor hardworking blue collar people who need to have their trucks on hand parked in their driveways like plumbers, electricians, etc. in the event of an emergency for someone? Again it’s all about you, you, you and how happy you are because you bought your home in a rich gated community, and speaking of panties like you initially mentioned I didn’t mean to gets your in a uproar.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Barry – my husband drives his KIA with over 300,000 miles over 71 miles each way to work so we can maintain and upgrade our home we bought over 19 years ago for $275,000. Our home was in deplorable shape when we bought it and we have poured ( and still pour) almost every dime into making it our ‘palace’.
Too bad you attack without knowing any facts- one of the most important reasons we chose our home is the RESTRICTIONS in our community which just about ‘guarantee’ we will not lose property value like we did in Miami. Stop by and we can show you photos of all our work – especially the back yard which had 37 pine trees at the time in the back yard. Had we not taken 27 down we would not be able to offer our back yard to the county for emergency helicopter use….
By the way – the county pilot did thank my hubby and said yes, we have enough space.
Our offer to the county cost us over $10,000 which we paid to remove the huge pine trees which now create that open space. We are far from rich financially; the richness is in our generous hearts unlike yours.
Barry says
Jane: Many people have put their heart and souls into their homes not just YOU, just like people who do not live in gated communities like the blue collar workers who need their vehicles parked conveniently in their driveways in the event of an emergency. 275,000.00 twenty years ago was a lot of money and still a lot of money to young people today who are trying to make a life for themselves and their families who may never afford to be able to live in a gated community especially today with inflated prices of homes. You do not speak from your heart, if you did you would understand the need for people who also travel probably even more than your husband since they do not have this convenience for them. Talk is cheap Jane, emergency does not need to land in your backyard believe me they have other plans than Jane Youd’s backyard.
Celia M Pugliese says
Barry, Jane is correct and after all why are you singling her out here with such a destructive passion? She has the right to oppose the changing of a good ordinance like I do too. No to parking commercial vehicles in residential driveways…
Foresee says
What’s all the boo-hoo about hard working contractors? Often the prices they get for 10 minutes work feels more like a ransom payment. And what about the other hard working people who have to commute 20, 30, 40 or miles each day to their jobs? Maybe Palm Coast should reimburse them for their commuting expenses. No to commercial parking in residential areas. It’s like contractors want to belong to a special elite class.
Pierre Tristam says
Foresee’s eyes could use a check-up. No one is arguing for giving contractors or other commercial-vehicle users special privileges. To the contrary. What we’re arguing for is to end the way they’re discriminated against. Foresee’s reductive analogy is neither applicable nor, in its fudging of the issue with “commuters,” honest.
Foresee says
Boo-hoo. They’re discriminated against. Get over yourself. They probably drive a better car/truck than you do.
Foresee says
By the way, Pierre, I’m not “honest”? I think you don’t get it. If contractors can shift the cost of paying for commercial parking space off their books and onto the public they get a financial benefit unavailable to commuters. In that case it is those who commute long distances to work every day and receive no comparable financial benefit who are discriminated against if commercial parking is allowed in residential areas. Be an advocate for all workers, not just contractors and business owners. Rather than my eyes needing a check up, your view is myopic.
Ramone says
Contractors still have to commute to their offices, supply houses, and individual jobs. Your analogy is ridiculous. I feel less intelligent since I’ve read it.
Ray W. says
Wow! 90 comments and counting.
I am reminded of a 1996 candidates forum in St. Augustine. A very young candidate vying for a district seat on St. Johns County’s mosquito control commission spoke to the assembled crowd. The district seat was non-paying, yet it involved allocation of significant sums of money. He and his wife were dressed in their Sunday best, but each looked nervous in front of the crowd.
An attendee asked the candidate what he planned to do about a World War II Corps of Engineers dredging project. The questioner complained that the project was scouring sand from the beach in front of his oceanfront home, affecting his property values.
I asked the person seated next to me what this was all about, as I didn’t connect mosquito control with oceanfront sand scouring. He told me that during the early years of the war German submarines had been hiding during daylight hours on the seafloor off Matanzas Inlet, where the outflowing fresh water clouded by tannins obscured the submarines from aerial view. The Corps of Engineers dredged a new channel that redirected the outflowing fresh water along the southern St. Augustine Beach coastline instead of directly out to sea. No more hiding places for German submarines. Even 25 years ago, wealthy homeowners were blaming government for a then 50-plus year old action, saying it affected their property values. If elected, just what was that young man planning to do about it?
All politics are local.
Concerned Citizen, well-meaning as he is on this subject-matter, has been caught up in the crossfire of an emotional argument for which there is no answer that will satisfy everyone. His credentials, worthy of respect, carry little weight in this dispute. Sometimes, the only thing one can do is stand back and watch as people drown in their own spit.
Gina Weiss says
Hi Ray W: Look at it this way people are agreeing with people they couldn’t even stay in the same room with but then again others are disagreeing with those who they always agree with, it’s whatever benefits ones agenda.
Throckmorton says
I’m a healthcare worker that drives a commercial vehicle for work. While I’m not considered a “1st responder”, I often am THE 1st responder, when granny falls, gets hurt, or is having chest pains, and is short of breath. I work 10+ hour shifts and respond to calls 24 hours a day if and when need be. I’ve gotten many of these notices and it upsets me every time of how heartless this code is, and the people who maintain it. My office is 45 minutes away. I can park my van there, miss even more time with my family then I already do, but worse then my personal inconvenience, the travel time also delays my response time, and therefore delays in, often critical, treatment for someones sick loved one, when every second counts. A well maintained commercial vehicle, in my opinion, is a sign to neighbors, new, incoming and existing, that there are hard working dedicated, caring, individuals in that community who are putting the people, their customers, first not the appearance of their driveways. You don’t like it, don’t look, turn your eyes elsewhere. Just pray it isn’t you one day, waiting for me to show up (so you can avoid the hospital), to help find out if you have to get granny emergency medical attention, or pray it’s not your pipe that burst and the water will continue to flood your house for an extra hour because the on-call guy (or gal) from Fred’s Plumbing, has to go 30 minutes away and another 30 minutes back to you, just to get their equipment. Get over it Palm Coast, I’m not going anywhere and neither is my work van. I’ll put my patients/clients first always.
Gina Weiss says
Throckmorton: May God Bless You and always be with you as you are an asset to our county and its people as many other needed workers and services are.
Bill C says
Hi Throckmorton. I’m guessing you’re an LPN. I agree there should be a carveout for medical professionals. But a non-existent “Fred’s Plumbing”? In my estimation, the days of the one man shop are virtually extinct. Now its LLP’s, where contractors hire workers. As Pierre Tristam phrases it “offensive discrimination against workers” conflates workers rights with corporate interests. For instance, in my neighborhood, in the past year, about a dozen houses have been built. Virtually every one of them it is spanish speaking immigrant Mexican laborers doing the grunt work (I speak spanish). I have even applauded them after a team of six lifted an impossibly heavy concrete lintel to span the garage opening. I can tell who the contractor is because he’s the one standing next to his truck with his arms folded or talking on the phone.
Throckmorton says
Bill, no I am not an LPN, however I appreciate your support.
However, you lost me in a few places.
First, “Fred’s Plumbing” was just a fictional example, not to be taken literally as a 1 man show. Next, imo Fred’s Plumbing could very well be as important to someone who need my services. It’s all perspective. I was merely just trying to express support to others in the same sitch as myself. See, what aggravates me more than anything about all of this is, I’ve seen MANY of commercial vehicles in driveways for YEARS and, after having spoke to some of them, I learned, they do NOT get violated because of who they know or who they spoke to about their individual situations, and this were granted some unspoken immunity to the rule, for that. THAT’S where the issue lies for me. Goose=Gander
Throckmorton says
Bill, also, you did a “for instance” and then went off on a tangent, never really getting to your point. Or did I miss it?
Bill C says
Hi Throckmorton. I did say “non-existent” re: Fred’s Plumbing. I told the story to illustrate how “workers” are not one homogeneous group but belong to categories, usually in a vertical hierarchy where those at the bottom are paid least and are most discriminated against. IMO simply lumping “workers” into a single group leads to fallacious thinking and false conclusions. Whether some deserve the descriptive “hard working” more than others, which was the point of my story, I left that up to the reader to decide.
Good luck and be well.
Bill C says
ps personally the idea of a magnetic sign is acceptable, or even small lettering with the company name and phone number, but the problem arises when a vehicle becomes a billboard which doesn’t belong in a residential area.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Who are you Barry in real life?
I don’t know anyone named Barry and find it amazing that you are given repeated continual space on FlaglerLive to spit your slander , defamation, and vicious allegations against any reader personally – none of which have anything to do with the subject of the article.
I am SHOCKED that FlaglerLive continues to print your venom and doesn’t insist you use your real name. I find this beyond disgraceful and in fact an abuse of editorial privilege more than anything else.
Celia M Pugliese says
I totally agree with you Jane. Who is this nameless Barry attacking you viciously from the shadows of his anonymity invented alias and with county acquired data? Someone from county administration? I had one last year attacking me with racial tones and hopefully is no longer in the payroll that my taxes sustain. Why do they speak on city of Palm Coast issues from their unincorporated administration seats, “if so”? Very conflictive to say the least.
Flatsflyer says
Kind of strange that we now have a dozen storage lots open fore business and at least 4 more under permit or construction. Guess these become the next victim of relaxed regulation by the Trump supporters. As far as not having Code Enforcement until 2008, that is simply a lie. Barbara Grosssman never lost a day of work, she worked for the Service District and then the City of Palm Coast. When I built my first home in 2000 she was on the job. How do I know, my contractors got multiple violations from Code Enforcement. The issue that’s being overlooked is how many vehicles can be housed” in a driveway. So many garages are filled with everything but vehicles and driveways already have fore cars in them, the only place left are the streets or swales. Go to some of the storage lots, look at the junk people are paying to store their trash there. This trash will be moved to driveways so people can save storage fees. All this because one fool got elected to the city council, his only claim to fame is a “Man Cave” barber shop that I would never use because of the issue he created. Maybe a the answer is to boycott the Cave.
Pat says
Have you seen that ugly black truck of his all wrapped in a gaudy design?
That’s what this is all about. One man’s ego driven attempt to avoid violation tickets from Code Enforcement.
I can’t imagine why anyone would want that truck in their driveway let alone drive it on PC streets. UGH!
That’s what we have to look forward too if our City Council members decide to let the little ego guy have his way. Who’s gonna stand up to him and say NO????
Barry says
Jane Youd: My comments have all to do with the article, I am for the blue collar workers some of whom need to have their vehicles parked in their driveways in the event of an emergency, I mean one would think you of all people would understand that since it’s ok with you to have helicopters land in your back yard in the event of an emergency! .
Celia M Pugliese says
I also totally agree that law enforcement and fire department vehicles should be the only exception to be allowed to park in pour residential driveways and the reasons are obvious. For all else our city ordinance should remain as is! No parking commercial vehicles on driveways, please, as the majority residents voted in the survey!
PCvoter says
I have lots to say, but will try keep this brief. Keep the restrictions as they are. Your lawn with 10 inches of grass that has gone to seed will definitely affect my lawn with your weeds, especially since I do not use chemicals on my lawn because that affects our drinking water and my health.
Your little pickup truck is not an eyesore until you paste a big sign on it with, not with your business name, but with nasty messages. Okay, so we rewrite the code, not that I want that to happen, but here goes. Commercial vehicles are allowed, BUT, not over say 1 ton; not with oversized tires, not with messages other than the business name, not with political messages, not with over or side attachments, say like a glass truck. and on and on. What is code enforcement supposed to do? Waste his/her time trying to figure out if there is a truck code violation or just keep on going looking for unkept lawns?
There is also the little discussed here factor of what happens if your code violation was not a code violation when you violated it. Nothing, until you try to sell and your buyer has to correct the violation.
If you want changes to the code restrictions, how about letting me keep four hens for fresh eggs or keep a miniature horse that is smaller than my legal dog. How about allowing my trash cans to sit at the curb before legally allowed or not getting them hidden away after legally allowed. If Palm Coast opens the flood gates, the demands will would likely go on endlessly. I bought my house knowing that there were code restrictions. All of you who want to change the code should have known.
I guess this wasn’t very brief. Keep the code as is.
Celia M Pugliese says
I am shockingly happy and deeply appreciating our new Mayor Alvin, Councilmen Branquinho and Klufas and all that attended today’s meeting and lobbied our elected officials against changing our good ordinance or any other ordinance that our beautiful city of Palm Coast has that is what keeps our city as appealing and valued as is!
Timothy Patrick Welch says
Would you rather not have commercial advertising on your tv?
Would you rather not have your music listening experience interrupted with advertising?
Would rather live in a relaxing community free from constant bombardment from advertising?
Perhaps no commercial advertising should be allowed on any vehicles.