Coquina Shores, the 750-home development planned as a 505-acre gated community in a north-south rectangle north of State road 100 and east of Old Kings Road in Palm Coast, will be built with $65 million in infrastructure and run as its own community development district, or CDD, like Grand Haven and Hammock Dunes.
The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday approved both the establishment of a CDD and the rezoning of Coquina Shores, what will be one of the city’s larger developments as it moves ahead to its next planning steps. Further details of the proposed development emerged in the latest–but not last–step before the council on Tuesday.
For all its size and its future impact on the area, the proposal drew no direct opposition or even public comments in a council chamber that had by then emptied of angry residents who had turned out to oppose a different initiative earlier in the meeting (the creation of a new fee on utility bills).
Nevertheless, during those earlier portions of the meeting, the city’s development boom drew a few rebukes that echoed a common theme whenever big new developments are proposed. “Our Planning and Community Development Department are overworked with hundreds of hours, with all these project for the developer,” one resident said. “I have this funny feeling. The developers, our engineering, our planning department, they run the city, they don’t hear us, they only hear the quote unquote, stakeholders.”
Hours after Celia Pugliese made that comment, Council member Theresa Pontieri picked it up: “I do want to respond to some of the concerns, a lot of the concerns from people here today with regards to new development,” Pontieri said. “Things like this, like the CDD, these are roads and infrastructure that will be paid for, they’re almost their own kind of self sufficient community. So we will not be paying for this development.”
“It’s not just the installation of the infrastructure, but it’s the ongoing maintenance and repair, so it goes on in perpetuity for the CDD.” Mayor David Alfin said.
The demand on services will be different with Coquina Shores, at least in some regards.
A Community development district allows the developer to obtain low cost financing by issuing tax exempt bonds. The city would not be a party to the financing and would not incur obligations for the infrastructure debt. Nor would it be responsible for building that infrastructure.
In essence, all the roads, drainage, sidewalks and other infrastructure in the development would be built and maintained by the CDD, and remain privately owned. (Neighborhood streets will be built on 50-foot-wide rights of way with a minimum of 22-foot-wide travel lanes). But the community will still rely on county fire and police services and schools, so property owners will not be exempt from any of the usual county and city taxes on their bills. They will, however, be exempt from the stormwater fee most residents and businesses pay, since Coquina Shores will have its own stormwater system.
Water and wastewater services will be provided by Palm Coast, and applicable impact fees will still apply.
Once the development is completed, it’s to be maintained and managed by an elected five-member board of supervisors–residents in the CDD. Debt payments are made through assessments on residents’ tax bills, to the county tax collector. All residents buying property within the CDD become obligated to assuming their share of that assessment.
Each single-family home will have a two-car garage. Common areas will be spread throughout the development, including open spaces, landscaped areas, active and passive recreation areas recreation, an amenity center, pocket parks, and sales centers. Pedestrian and bike paths, including a new, off-site trail for public benefit, will connect all internal pocket parks and community amenities with Palm Coast’s and Flagler County’s nearby trails, including the Lehigh Trail adjacent to the northern boundary–and the infamous psychedelic bridge to the south–along with State Road 100 sidewalks.
These will not be big houses. In keeping with recent years’ trends of older residents looking for downsized properties, lots will have a minimum width of 40 feet and be 4,800 square feet. Houses will have a minimum of 1,200 square feet, with front setbacks of 20 feet, back setbacks of 10, and side setbacks of just 5 feet. The houses will be concentrated on the east side of the rectangular acreage, along a half doen roads yet to be named, and toward the north, nearer the Lehigh Trail, with much of the land between Old Kings Road and the house clusters remaining in conservation.
There will be two access points on State Road 100, one of them for emergency vehicles only. The other will be gated. A concrete or masonry screening wall of up to 6 feet high will line the development’s frontage on 100.
An additional general access point on Old Kings Road will be completed at the end of Phase 2 (with emergency access permitted during Phase 2). The development will be built in three phases.
The development will provide the city the necessary right of way to include an aligned entrance on Old Kings Road where the city is also working on upgrading the interchange at Town center Boulevard and Old Kings Road.
The project had previously been approved as Development of Regional Impact, when it was entitled to build up to 2,400 homes and apartments, 50,000 square feet of retail use and 30,000 square feet of office use, plus a 150-room hotel. All that was set aside for the master-planned community that the council approved on second reading on Tuesday, limiting maximum development to 750 homes and discarding the retail and office uses. “There’s a reducing density of development here,” Senior Planner Jose Papa said.
The future land use map amendment the council approved “actually increases the conservation area that currently exists by about 10 acres,” or slightly more, Jay Livingston, the attorney representing the developer, said.
State and regional agencies reviewed the development plans. The city did not receive any comments from the reviewing agencies, resulting in no changes from the proposal the council approved on first reading a few weeks ago.
Cid says
And who will buy these new expensive homes with all their CDD and hoa fees? Apparently people do have money around hete.
Linda H Murray says
Just ride down A!A toward SR40 and you will see how much money people have around here. $$$$$$$
cgm says
sad! we need open space without humans.
Karen Schure says
Yes we do
Laurel says
…and the wildlife goes where? You know the only deer that Deerfield Beach has is made of concrete. Y’all have no intention of stopping, do you?
Hollow people.
Linda Morgan says
I have a question. What happens if the developer doesn’t finish the project, or later the company declares bankruptcy, who maintains the property and infrastructure? It has happened before all over Florida.
Richard Petrillo says
As a former resident of Palm Coast, I am shocked to hear of all of the city planning council’s approvals of another large community such as this one. History has illustrated throughout Florida that number of the developers that propose these large community developments have not been successful at delivering and maintaining what they proclaim. In addition, I believe that the Palm Coast city infrastructure support system is unable to absorb the increased workload in terms of depth and scope with another new 750 house community. I truly enjoyed living in Palm Coast but unfortunately have less than positive remarks concerning the current leadership’s ability and expertise to govern. I wish the very best for the residents of Palm Coast and I hope that the leadership can focus on improving and maintaining what the city has instead of focusing on unrealistic and unsustainable growth!
jim lang says
Richard were doom here. Glad you got out, I’m got one year and I’m out of here.
Linda H Murray says
Just ride down A!A toward SR40 and you will see how much money people have around here. $$$$$$$
[email protected] says
I Got out 10 years ago,and I saw all this coming.
Linda H Murray says
I got out of Jacksonville 16 years ago because I was sick of having to plan my life around traffic, as well as being broken into during daylight AGAIN. I don’t know where I will go from here when I have had enough!
Deborah Coffey says
Hasn’t the Council pretty much declared itself broke…unable to do the needed road improvements now? It’s all very nice that the people living in the CDD pay for lots of their own “stuff” but, they will use our roads (namely, Old Kings) and our stores and our restaurants, etc. Without proper infrastructure, all this new building has just got to stop!
Dennis C Rathsam says
Stuff EM In Alvin, strikes again! Can anyone say impeachment. 2 cars per home = 1500 more cars….. on streets designed in the infancy of P/C. How is it that the tax payers can see it but the ellected officials dont….Or dont want too! Somebody getting awful rich, or being wined & dined, and enjoying some nice vacations. Im just sayin, theres something rotten some where in this town.
Karen Schure says
They have no intentions of stopping. Too much money to be Madeira agree
Land of no turn signals says says
A signal lane both sides of Town Center sucks now can’t wait until this Queens like development is finished.
The Sour Kraut says
Uncontrolled growth until there are only people left. No trees, no wildlife, no thank you.
jnlocal says
Absolutely shameful, I agree, Sour. So much for a “Planning Commission”. Planning to line their own pockets. I feel ill when I see the terrified, displaced animals scattering as the bulldozers move in. Beautiful Palm Coast is being mowed down to end up as one giant strip mall.
Ed says
What about all the employment this project will provide? What about all the revenue that will be generated for materials? Minimal cost to city since developer pays for infrastructure-$65,000,000
A gated, 1200-2000 square foot home with hoa/cdd fees will skew toward older families probably with adult children, thus lessening the impact on schools. Think of the real estate tax revenues that will be derived. Even if a new owner moves their homestead exemption over, the taxes will be at appraised value. It’s a win.
If we can’t attract industry, then this is as close to that formula as possible. What’s wrong with attracting a more upscale/wealthy neighbor?
The glass is half full on this one, not half empty.
Louise says
Ed you sound like a politician! Are you on the city council?
Laurel says
Louise: He sounds like a developer. He doesn’t mention how this *district* will tap into PC’s older water and sewer systems, and roads, which PC (you) will have to upgrade.
The more growth, the more you will pay. Check out South Florida if you want to really know what happens.
I’m also tired of hearing about new industry is needed. If you want an area high in industry, high in growth and high in jobs, move where that already is!
I’ll keep asking: Why have we had to have water restrictions in Florida since 1991, yet more and more development is allowed to continue? Anyone got an answer?
Ed says
Nope, just using common sense.
I couldn’t garner enough votes to be dog catcher…an appointed position.
Marek says
It’s NOT a WIN Ed !
Celia Pugliese says
You are just right…simply because when ED mentions the benefit of all the ad valorem taxes the city will receive…Ed forgets that the county will keep double of what city gets at a rate of county 44%, Palm Coast meager 24% and schools the rest. With the miserable 24 percent of the ad valorem the city gets is supposed to maintain all the hundreds of roads we have! So new housing specially multifamily housing is not that great deal for the current residents services taxes that are forced split and/or raised to sustain growth. Example the additional tear and wear of our roads and the need for increased services that actually should be paid by those impact fees. When new homes pay in the ad valorem taxes 44% to county and only 24% to the city then the county should be contributing at least with the additional need of its cities road repairs for tear and wear and services fire and law enforcement at least….not only in the county but on the cities as well. But this is just my personal view. https://flaglerlive.com/impact-fees-faq/ By the way when I mention multifamily housing is with total absence of prejudice, as I am fully aware of the services workers that need less costly housing (which actually once built do noit really offer affordable leases). My mention is just given the reality of approved up to 22 units per acre versus originally 5 or 8 units per acre, then the need for more road maintenance and services becomes an unsustainable reality for the city! Up to 22 units per acre was not the original zoning approved by ITT…This is what our city administrators imposes on us.
jim lang says
People were wasting our time here. Palm Coast Council will green light anything. They don’t care what residents have to say. Just to enjoy living here but not anymore. It’s a shame..
Diane Ramirez says
Day by day you are ruining one of the last few quiet and peaceful coastal towns. Do the residents want all of this development and increasing population? All you have to do is read the comments and see that they do not. I agree, it smells of corruption. The residents are not being heard and the only ones benefitting from all of this building are the greedy land owners and developers. It’s disgusting and the council and Planning board/Development board should be ashamed, and then hauled off in handcuffs.
Laurel says
Dianne: Vote them, and all who are not listening, out! They will take all that they can before they go. They don’t give a damn, and they care less about those who threaten to leave. We need to do what they do: get ’em out as soon as we can.
jnlocal says
I am itching to get at that voting machine!
Jim says
City greed has taken over our quiet town.
I have ten years to retirement. I wanted to retire here but in ten years’ time this city will be just another sh17 hole
Daytona jr
It’s infuriating.
Realist says
They are intent on destroying what was once a wonderful place to live.. As far as the city council goes, you have to ask why do people fight for a job that pays onl6 9600.00 per year. the answer is obvious.
jeffery c. seib says
The numbers and sizes of the new developments are truly mind-numbing. The developers tell their buddies in the so-called planning department what they want to do and staff working at taxpayer expense makes it all come true for them to the detriment of the rest of us, those left holding the bag as residents. How about this: for each housing unit, whether apartment or single-family home, the city be required to plant one tree per unit, and the cost is charged to the developer. Or, instead of the planning department draining and filling in for the developer every wetland on a property site, they be required to produce a contingency plan for the city council to vote on with the wetland preserved. We must be able to present alternative plans to the city council before it’s too late.
Sandy Beach says
Totally agree. Residents are totally shut out of the initial planning and development process until after the Project Developer finds the “work arounds” necessary to increase his ROI and placate the elected officials and planning department. Those developer/planning relationships are developed for many months…before the planners throw it out to the residents for “review”. It is already a done deal and rarely does resident input change things. Many of these residential developments will be instant slums in 20 years…it is a shame.