Last October, Florida Landmark Communities sold a 34-acre tract of land in Palm Coast’s Town Center, on the west side of Town Center Boulevard and just south of Royal Palms Parkway, to an Atlanta-based data center company called DC Blox for $3.5 million. DC Blox is planning to build a massive data center at that location, though those plans remain under wraps in Palm Coast.
“It is a state-qualified economic development project we are required to keep confidential,” a city spokesperson said today of a project cheekily called Project Orchid. County officials panicked late Friday afternoon when they got word that the project would be revealed here.
Little about it is confidential anymore. The data center depends on being a landing point for up to eight undersea cables, also called submarine communications cables that would make landfall at two spots in Flagler Beach and weave their way underground to Palm Coast’s Town Center–assuming Flagler Beach were to grant the company the necessary easements.
Those submarine cables are the backbone of the internet, carrying 95 percent of all data communications in the world. They need a place to land, from where they fan into data centers that in turn fan out through different forms of communications. Flagler Beach and Palm Cast would be among just 45 such landing points on the American east coast.
But the Flagler Beach City Commission is opposed to granting one of the two easements DC Blox is seeking in the city, because it would all but make development impossible on one of its prime beachside parcels.
That’s making Palm Coast Nervous: Chief of Staff Jason deLorenzo was seen speaking about it with a Flagler Beach city commissioners at an unrelated event in Bunnell this week: Palm Coast wants its data center, and DC Blox wants its easement. But it appears that the ground wasn’t well prepared for the proposal when it came to light at a Flagler Beach city commission meeting last week. The commission is deferring its decision.
The company is looking for easements at South 6th Street, through a city-owned parking lot next to the Anchor restaurant, and on North 11th Street, where a homeowner has a vacant lot. Four undersea cables that would have been 75 to 100 feet below the sea surface and 25 to 30 feet below the beach would connect at each location with 5.5-inch diameter steel pipes going into a vault 8-by-10 feet just below each lot’s surface, 5 feet deep.
There would be a 30-by-30-inch manhole-like spot in the center of the parking lot just above the vault. The four pipes would terminate from the sea right there, then route west to the Palm Coast data center. Grounding arrays are also required: Santa Maria del Mar has granted easements for them to be installed at the edge of its parking lots.
“All you will see is what looks like a storm drain cover, all of the infrastructure underground,” Gatch said. But there is to be a manhole installed every 1,000 feet along the trajectory of the cables as they make their way to Town Center. “So some disruption, like most utility projects while we’re doing it, and then you you don’t know where they are after.”
The company would pay only a one-time fee of $100,000 for the easements for each cable landing at the site. But the parking lot property is valued at well over $1 million.
Commissioners Rick Belhumeur and Eric Cooley did not like the possibility of a cable drilling down from the 6th Street lot as it could impede future improvements on that lot. Cooley was more amenable to having the cable run down a right of way–or to move what would be the center vault on the 6th Street lot to the side of the lot. But there’s not much the company can do to preserve the 6th Street property as developable land.
“For us to effectively use that site, it would limit your ability to bid on that site, because we’re going to need a good amount of that site,” said Chris Gatch, executive vice president of DCB Orchid, the local subsidiary of DC Blox. “You should think about it as pretty significantly reserving that lot for its purpose of parking and for this easement.” He said his company was paying the city $200,000 for the easement for the first two cables.
“We’re we’re talking about a piece of property that’s worth a whole lot more than that,” Belhumeur said. “That 6th Street parking lot. It’s irreplaceable for us at this point in time, because we’re getting built out.” Cooley called it “a monster scandal” if the vault was built in the middle of the property.
Alternately, Mayor Patti King said, the easement “should reflect the value of that property into the future so you’re recouping that cost if you can’t develop it today.” King, sitting through her first meeting as mayor, was also the only one to note the strategic risks of having that infrastructure in the city: though she only alluded to it tactfully, it would become a prime and easy target for tactical attacks. The same holds true for the Palm Coast data center: it would potentially turn the city into a military target.
Gatch, of course, along with willing officials, are selling it exclusively as an economic development boon. “We’ve been working on this as an economic development initiative for some time with some of you here as well as officials at the county and the city of Palm Coast,” Gatch said.
“It will make this area a nexus of international internet communication, of which there are only maybe five or six other locations like it on the East Coast,” Gatch said. “It may surprise you to know, there are only about 45 international subsea cables that really matter on the East Coast, that go to South America and Europe and all over the world.” The facility will “attract the largest amount of content being used by the big guys. Think of the big social media companies and cloud companies and things like that we use. So it will drive a lot of internet traffic here that will attract fiber, and it will be good for the entire area yet.”
As of last June, there were 485 undersea cables totaling 900,000 miles worldwide, with an additional 70 planned. AT&T and China Telecom are the two leading owners of those cables, with Amazon, Google and Meta among the giant owners. (See: “Undersea Cables, Backbone of the Global Internet.”)
Calling it an economic development project in the traditional sense is somewhat of a misnomer. There’s little question that undersea cables have become strategically vital to public safety, national security, education, health, business and private citizens. Since about 145 undersea cable are severed every year, redundancy is also vital. In that sense, the additional cables are part of a growing ecosystem of technological infrastructure that strengthens existing communications reliability and ensures future economic growth.
But Gatch did not make clear how it would be good for the region specifically, because he couldn’t, beyond some speculation of what a data center might bring: the cables themselves have the same net economic effect on the grounds they cross as do power lines. The lines aren’t economic drivers, only the end users of the power are–unless, say, Google or Meta were to locate operations in the county. But they are more likely to use the landing stations with their own cables–the way Google said it would at DC Blox’s Myrtle Beach facility–than have any other kind of presence.
End users of undersea cables’ data will by definition be for the most part nowhere near Flagler Beach or Palm Coast. Only the few workers in the data center will be. Put another way, data cables going through a town are no more beneficial to the town than megavoltage power lines, only they’re not as visible. The immediate benefits are a faint, negligible drizzle that may at some point translate into clusters of communication companies’ satellite operations.
Belhumeur picked up on the transience of the cables’ benefit to Flagler Beach. “So what you’re saying is there’s no opportunity for us to take advantage of this cable as it’s going through for Flagler Beach, for Flagler Beach residents?”
“My view is that’s a tide that rises all boats,” Gatch said, using another metaphor for what can also be seen as trickle-down benefits. “But it’s hard for me to say to you honestly sitting here how much of that lands in the city of Flagler Beach versus city of Palm Coast or a county benefit. But I would say to you for the area, it is a significant development.” In his memo to city officials, he described the Palm Coast data center as the hub of regional benefits: “This facility will attract various telecommunications companies and internet service providers, fostering a competitive marketplace for high-speed connectivity.”
“I’m not opposed to this,” City Commissioner Jane Mealy said, asking a few questions about the aesthetics of it, and asking that if it is to be framed as an economic development project, Palm Coast alone should not be named.
Beyond the hurdles in Flagler Beach, the FCC must grant a license to the company that’s building the cable infrastructure. The U.S. Army Corps has to permit the shore work. That will take a year. Utility permitting is required landward, and further permits are required to cross the Intracoastal, where there are two crossings: one at the State Road 100 bridge, one between two private easements, further south. There are no bridge attachments: the cables burrow beneath the Intracoastal.
The work will not interfere with the Army Corps’ plan, starting in June, to rebuild the beach north and south of the pier. That project will end by December, before DC Blox would begin its project.
But for now, and with all the questions raised at last week’s commission meeting, both commissioners and Gatch agreed that it was better to defer the decision “and see if we can find a decision before we come back,” he said. There was no objection to the north location, however.
The project “will come to city council at some point,” the Palm Coast spokesperson said, but no date has been set. It is likely the company is looking to clear the Flagler Beach hurdle before taking the next step, all the while keeping Palm Coast residents officially, ostensibly, in the dark, despite the project’s ramifications.
Loud for the Cloud says
I hope Flagler beach and the entire county know how much of an opportunity this is. Though it seems like the Flagler beach commission is short sighted and greedy, given when at the meeting they were asking if they could get free cable!?! So embarrassing…
This can mean that our economy won’t revolve around the fickle tourism industry that fills up space with hotels and restaurants.
The companies that come with this kind of infrastructure means that there will be high quality, stable jobs and taxable tech businesses.
jake says
This is a bad deal for Flagler Beach.
“But Gatch did not make clear how it would be good for the region specifically, because he couldn’t, beyond some speculation of what a data center might bring: the cables themselves have the same net economic effect on the grounds they cross as do power lines. The lines aren’t economic drivers, only the end users of the power are…”
Not sure what jobs you are referring too?
“End users of undersea cables’ data will by definition be for the most part nowhere near Flagler Beach or Palm Coast. Only the few workers in the data center will be. Put another way, data cables going through a town are no more beneficial to the town than megavoltage power lines, only they’re not as visible.”
Miles and miles of beach front and “this” location is the only place this cable can land, right in the heart of town. Regardless, this should be a lease arrangement, starting at $100,000 per year, and increasing every year.
c says
@Jake ,
You know, I was thinking of posting pretty much the same type of reply to ‘Loud’, but I realized … If he didn’t read the article (obvious), why would I think he would read the comments?
Jim says
This is National infrastructure and the public disclosure is extremely concerning. I worked for a major telecommunications company and we never discussed fiber routes in public and only provided details under a Non-disclosure Agreement. This is stunning that this much detail is out in the public. The company should pay fair value for the property but to discuss this so openly is outrageous. All points of presence for this type of infrastructure is open to major disruption is bad actors have ill intent. Ask Home Land Security if they think this should be discussed in the open and they will say NO!
Please understand. says
While you can’t see the forest for the trees, please be respectful of the process and patient. You’ve taken to speculating on this project and upsetting residents, when in fact, the end result will be exactly what they’ve been requesting. High paying wages, and lots of them. You’ve jumped the gun here and potentially ruined a very important thing we can never get back once it passes.
Icanseertthruya says
Didn’t you read about the ramifications??No big company does anything for the benefit of us peasants. Stop having visions of grandeur. Leave our town alone.
Melly c says
Not just that. Our little beach town will become mega-government-security fortified area, changing it forever. Are you kidding ?We become Ground Zero for “taking down the Internet”.
No thanks!
Your computer virus says
Substations are critical infrastructure, are they mega fortified? Internet cables are critical infrastructure but you can’t “mega fortify” the entire east coast.
You are completely wrong on this my friend. This will have minimal effect on your beach town other than construction in a parking lot. The parking lot will remain a parking lot at the end anyway.
Michele says
Totally agree. The first thing I thought was that we’d become a target.
I’m glad the Mayor recognized that as well.
As far as what they’re offering…ridiculous. A pittance for the what we’d lose.
Wrong says
You’re wrong on this. If you are a retiree then you know that we have no good doctors, service workers or anything of real commercial. You pay all the taxes in this town. This was the deal that changed it all! You don’t know what’s not been published. This has ruined it.
Bob J says
So a data cntr. is going to bring good doctors?
Been There says
A data center of this size employs less than ten people. It doesn’t take a lot of bodies to run a data center and many of them can be remote.
endangered species says
they will need cheap energy too way less than what you pay. By the corporations and for the corporations. Privatized profits and socialized losses. Data center will bring no benefit to flagler but will cost you millions of taxpayer dollars. Thanks again republicons.
Pogo says
@Well, that explains the recent intro to undersea cable…
It says here, “Last October, Florida Landmark Communities sold a 34-acre tract of land in Palm Coast’s Town Center, on the west side of Town Center Boulevard and just south of Royal Palms Parkway, to an Atlanta-based data center company called DC Box for $3.5 million. DC Blox is planning to build a massive data center at that location, though those plans remain under wraps in Palm Coast…”
Things of a kind:
DC Blox to develop 216MW campus outside Atlanta, Georgia
Company makes second Atlanta announcement in recent weeks
https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/dc-blox-to-develop-216mw-campus-outside-atlanta-georgia/
The senior citizen Luddites are going to lose their minds.
Related
As stated
https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/dcblox-inc
As stated
https://www.google.com/search?q=bain+capital+dc+blox
As stated
https://www.google.com/search?q=what+did+you+know+and+when+did+you+know+it
James says
Well, now I can honestly say to prospective buyers… “the high-tech jobs are coming to the region.”
Now if they can only secure all the land use rights and funding for the mag-lev monorail system to Orlando.
Bye.
palmcoaster says
Maybe they could be installed around 3840’s N Ocean Shore Blvd Palm Coast, instead of Flagler Beach. Will be tucked away and safe in N Ocean Shore Blvd and away from any congested city area and very convenient ocean front.
Pogo says
@James
Think bigger, friend — beam us up, beam us down, beam us all around the town.
“It’s impossible to live in the past, difficult to live in the present, and a waste to live in the future.”
— Frank Herbert
https://www.google.com/search?q=Frank+Herbert
James says
Oh, Pogo. I’m not one of those old Luddites of which you speak… just a realist. Like many here have already expressed, I doubt that many high wage positions will be gained here in Palm Coast. Data hubs like these are highly reliant on software for their management, and physical maintenance is usually minimal… it is also one area of tech where AI will increasing be utilized… an industry that has recently lost thousands of jobs no less. Beyond the initial build out of the project, Palm Coast will be lucky to get even half the jobs it lost back from when “Palm Coast Data” left a few years ago. Although I’m sure the few permanent ones gained will indeed pay well.
As for all the rest of the promised benefits? Only time will indeed tell… could be decades, if ever.
Btw, a mag-lev high-speed monorail system isn’t an easy thing to build and maintain. Any country that can get it right truly has a bright future ahead… from the fundamental physics research of high temperature superconductors, precision electromagnetics and electromagnetic control systems (with the potential offshoot uses in fusion reactors)… not to mention the mundane, but precise rigor required in it’s construction and upkeep.
Yes, any country that can pull that all together on a massive scale… even if only from Tallahassee to Key West… would be “great” indeed.
Just an opinion.
Joe D says
Actually, along with Mayor Patty King’s concerns about this MAJOR international Communications Hub making Flagler Beach a TERRORIST TARGET was the FIRST thing I thought of when the project was explained! Disrupting the cable junction boxes would be a BENEFIT for BAD ACTORS ( as they say, “both foreign and domestic”) to be able to damage the cable system (think: physical attack, enemy explosives, enemy rockets, and not the most unthinkable threat of a nuclear hit). It’s probably not the PRIMARY concern, but as a Flagler beach homeowner, I would want to know what type of safeguards and security would be provided once the CABLE system was in place? Before I bought in Flagler Beach, I was well aware that my prior home was within 50 miles away from 3 (yes 3) nuclear power plants (and 70 miles from THREE MILE ISLAND…remember THAT)? I was also surrounded by no less than 3 military bases, and less than 50 miles from Washington DC. Believe me that was not an INSIGNIFICANT concern.
Is this cable junction going to bring thousands (or even hundreds of jobs for Palm Coast…and hopefully Brunnel and Flagler Beach)? The developers are already saying something like “No, not many employees, Not DIRECTLY, but it MIGHT [see the himing and hawing in their answer], encourage OTHER technology companies to locate near by.” MAYBE/POSSIBLY/ COULD BE..,.all situations that show this project REALLY Isn’t going to Benefit Flagler Beach (or even Brunnel or Palm Coast Citizens ) very much at all beyond the original land owners, and those BROKERING the deal…..SOUND FAMILIAR Flagler County Citizens?!?
$100,000 for a $1,000,000 property which essentially can’t be developed for any other use after the cable junction equipment is in place? Even using Eminent domain, you can’t expect to
gain control over a parcel of land for 10% of it’s appraised valve?!? It’s not
like they want to sink a utility pole in the back part of our property… once in place, the property cannot be used for anything else (no City use, no commercial development, no housing development…..NOTHING!
Aside from the “lowball”offer for the EASEMENT …which although is technically correct, it’s an easement that STOPS any further use by the City.
All for $100,000!?!
And there are the environmental questions, I know ( and possibly many others) have. Does it affect ocean ecosystems? Does it affect fish migration patterns and fishing? How has its placement affected other areas? I personally would like to see how a similar project turned out (Myrtle Beach)? And not just a glossy sales presentation by the developers, I would like to hear DIRECTLY from independent groups in the Myrtle Beach area, as to how their project affected THEM and the area. All of that could have been done at earlier stages of the planning process…had this project not been so “secret.” Not sure WHY the need for such SECRECY, unless the developers and the Brokers thought they could just slide this project in without the “country bumpkins” finding out until it’s too late to stop it.
We are not MAYBERRY, and our Sheriff’s name isn’t Andy Taylor! Flagler Beach citizens KNOW the blessings (yes “blessings”) of living in THIS small town, and the TREASURE we have in our beach and local waterways…and our TOURIST ECONOMY. We should not be signing away control forever of these easements for a few hundred thousand dollars. We should KNOW what we are signing up for…the GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY…
Right now, we really don’t know WHAT we’re signing for!
Read says
It’s $800k. A $100k per line. Read.
Melly c says
Still ridiculous low balling. Think!
Joe D says
I stand PARTIALLY CORRECTED..
The $200,000 is for the North Flagler Beach cabling ( not in question by Flagler Beach), only the $100,000 PER South 6th Street cable x 4 cables at that site) = $400,000 for the Southern Flagler Beach cable junctions are in question.
SEE, I CAN READ….not sure YOU CAN though?
Not sure where YOU are getting $800,000? It MIGHT be from payments to Palm Coast or others, but those payments don’t concern me. $100,000 each for 4 cables at the South 6 Street site (essentially preventing ANY future use) for the CURRENTLY assessed land value of 1 million dollars, STILL doesn’t seem to be a “good deal” for Flagler Beach. It CLEARLY isn’t any GUARANTEED significant job increases (beyond a few data center jobs), while SUGGESTING that other data companies MIGHT want to relocate near Palm Coast, who MIGHT POSSIBLY add jobs. I would REALLY like to see if that occurred in Myrtle Beach after their junction cable center was installed.
I think MUCH more information needs to be explored (especially from Myrtle Beach’s SIMILAR project)…citizen groups, business and environmental leaders, not just from the CABLE company.
Maybe this is a good idea for Flagler Beach…maybe it’s a bad idea.
There are just too many unknown variables at THIS JUNCTION (pardon the PUN), to make a permanent decision.
FlaglerLive says
There is understandable and unresolved confusion as to how much the company will pay for easements. The written documentation has it at $200,000. The company vice president in his presentation to the city said each cable landing at the two sites would result in a one-time, $100,000 payment. The capacity is for up to four cables at each site. If the company lands eight cables total, that would net the city $800,000, at least under that scenario. The figures remain fluid.
The Sour Kraut says
Typical. Always whining about not being able to bring in businesses into FPC, and when they DO have one that is nearly invisible, high tech, and able to pay significant taxes, they try to kill the deal. Oh my! We might not be able to develop a parking lot that we desperately need…as a parking lot! Short sighted twits!
Joe D says
“TWITT” here….
…responding to the Sour Kraut:
Do we KNOW what the financial DEAL is with the County?
Many deals with local jurisdictions have been no (or lowered) taxes for a specified number of years.. as much as 10-20 years of no County tax revenue. Do we know for sure that such a SECRET DEAL has NOT been struck with these developers? We need to have MORE factual information, because these are not renewable “leasing” or temporary contract agreements…they are FOREVER!
As all the legal warnings state, “KNOW BEFORE YOU SIGN.”
WAY too many QUESTIONS about the TOTAL EFFECTS of this deal. They need to be answered… I applaud the Flagler Beach Commission’s decision to table a final decision on this project, more information is obtained.
This project might be the best thing that has happened to Flagler Beach, “since sliced bread,” as the old saying goes…or it might not be a benefit.
Steve V says
What a great draw for more and better quality commercial development and jobs in our area, which we need much more than residential gated communities. I hope the council can get over themselves on the short term loss of a lot to see the long term gain to the community as a whole!
Ignorant retiree says
Woah woah woah there, this is Flagler, we can’t have any long lasting plans to be anything but a tourist trap.
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
The first two commenters mention “stable jobs” and “high paying wages”, how many full-time employees would this create? We don’t know, all we know is cables and a box building will come ashore yet there is no guarantee that this will create jobs other than speculation companies may set up shop here down the road. Right now it looks like Palm Coast and the County would like to keep Flagler Beach in the dark and just use them as a stepping stone. If DC Blox were to build their building nearer Flagler Beach then it might not seem as much of a secret project.
Darling says
It’s going to create 100’s of major corporate positions paying over 100k each. Be patient! We will be a Mecca for good, corporate jobs. Jobs like this draw better doctors, nurses and other workers because it offers an opportunity for jobs for their spouses and grown children. Don’t be stupid this one we can’t pass on.
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
Any facts for what you say Darling? Or is it just plain speculation and an old set of tarot cards?
Robdaslob says
Darling. Most data centers employ 5 to 30 employees. Avg salary of about 130k. Inherently they are intended to be discrete and not attract a lot of attention for security purposes. The upfront cost will drive some expenditures. Flagler is doing the right thing and making them justify their existence.
Joe D says
Well, it’s CLEAR this company is not talking about “hundreds” of jobs, and there is no promises of High paying positions either ( if you READ what the company is actually SAYING). They are SUGGESTING that other telecommunications companies, “MIGHT” be drawn to the area…did it happen with a similar cable junction project
in Myrtle Beach? That SHOULD be easy to check out DIRECTLY with Myrtle Beach …not from the developers, who seem to be the only ones standing to gain a big payday.
This might be a good financial decision for Flagler Beach, and it might not be… without more SPECIFIC information, this is ALL just SPECULATION!
Mary Fusco says
You only need so many chiefs. The rest will be indians making barely minimum wage. Remember Palm Coast Data.
Loud for the cloud says
Some of these people can barely use their smartphone it’s not shocking that they can’t comprehend that infrastructure like this creates a hub that data centers and huge companies will want to place their businesses.
Seriously wish that Flagler beach wasn’t full of such shortsighted boomers. These are the kind of people to fire IT staff and then be shocked shit doesn’t work. Just because you don’t how things work under the hood doesn’t mean that there’s nothing under the hood.
Some people need to have some humility for goodness sake!
RobdaSlob says
Loud – just because a company wants to use the data center doesn’t mean they locate near the data center. I work for a tech firm, we use a data center in Atlanta for storage of massive amounts of data that we use on a daily basis and we are located well over 500 miles away. While the data centers spin it as a “clustering effect” to local leaders because customers will be relocating to avoid a “latency effect” I can assure you they spin it to their customers as no need to relocate. The center we work with in Atlanta runs with less than 15 people. There is job creation to build the infrastructure but that is a one time, non-recurring benefit.
And to your point on firing IT departments – our company hired the data center and found they could reduce the IT (the “sh” is silent) department. So not sure what you meant by boomers would fire IT staff when data centers are in essence outsourcing tasks formally done by those IT staff members.
Ken says
Dont need this here! Will look like Orlando!
C'mon Man says
Oh my gawd people stop it with the jobs, terrorism, the squirrels, bla bla bla. It’s a buried utility cable ya fools! They’re literally EVERYWHERE. These just happen to be coming onshore. There are hundreds up and down the east coast, and quite frankly I challenge anyone to show any report of any negative local impacts. Terrorism?! A “target”? These things will be severed with a pair of bolt cutters or ship anchor way out in the Atlantic ocean long before anyone munching on their shrimp platter at the Funky Pelican decides to crawl down a manhole in the parking lot on the way back to their car. I mean c’mon. Do understand there are already dozens if not hundreds of copper and fiber optic cables running up and down A1A, I95, US1 in those manholes you drive over every day. $100k is a gift! Take it or leave it. Hell, give me a $100k and bury your precious cables 25 feet under my house. I’ll take it!!
Joe D says
Well…there is a public counter offer Flagler Beach!
Not sure if your Flagler Beach property is Oceanside, or how large your property is, but given what the company is suggesting, it’s NOT like burying TV or phone cables…there is a good chance they would have to tear down your house to drop the cabling box, and create a 30” x30” accessible hatch for the underground cable servicing access. You didn’t see the answer to the Commission’s question about, “Could they position the underground junction box to the edge of the property, and the City still use or develop the remaining portion?” The Company’s answer was essentially, “ No,” once the underground box is placed, and the underground cable access and exit areas are completed there would be NO usable ground left….
Still want to VOLUNTEER to have the cable run through your property for $100-$400k for four cables in a steal pipe?
Cincin says
DC Blox is a multi-million dollar corporation. Surely they can afford to pay more than $100k
Patti King says
I would like to be sure that appropriate credit is given to the proper person, I had these thoughts however I did not voice my thoughts. If you check your notes I believe you’ll find that resident Heather Hodovance brought up the risks that MAYBE associated with this type of a project. Thank you,
FlaglerLive says
Thank you mayor for clarifying what we missed. It was Ms. Hodovance who had in fact said, “we know just recently some undersea cables were attacked. So I’m wondering if that opens the city up for different types of activity that maybe we’re not used to?” Th company vice president responded, saying he was not aware of cables getting cut along the American coast, though there’s been such reports elsewhere in the world. The security at the data center would be 24 hours, he said.
Patti King says
Thank you for the correction 😎
Jane Gentile-Youd says
NO! NO! and NO!
Good for Flagler Beach for not giving away your precious land for other’s use, not yours, and for just pennies on the dollar. NO No and NO!
Lance Alred says
We have a company bringing high paying jobs to the county and we’re going to kill the deal because Flagler Beach wishes to exploit the company for more money?
What are the complaints we constantly hear: irresponsible over-development, no high paying jobs.
To miss this opportunity would be a grave mistake and a slap in the face to those who worked to bring it here.
Michael John Lalikos says
Hello, 73 year non-luddite citizen of Flagler Beach.
I posed the question to Google’s Gemini regarding a lien allowing the install, what are pluses and minis’. Pretty good answer. Up to our local elected officials to strive for what’s best for Flagler Beach citizens now and in the future. ☮️
Response:
*********
There are several pluses and minuses to consider when a company requests an easement for overseas cable lines in your town:
Pluses
* Increased internet connectivity and data transfer speeds for the town. This could benefit residents, businesses, and institutions.
* Potential for attracting new businesses and industries that rely on high-speed data. This could lead to economic growth and job creation.
* Job creation during the construction and maintenance of the cable lines.
* Revenue for the town through property taxes or lease payments for the easement. This could help fund important services or infrastructure projects.
* Improved communication and collaboration with other countries. This could benefit businesses, educational institutions, and cultural organizations.
Minuses
* Potential disruption to residents and businesses during construction. This could include noise, traffic delays, and damage to property.
* Environmental impact from the construction process. This could include damage to soil and vegetation, as well as disruption to wildlife.
* Security concerns about the data traveling through the cables. You may want to consider what type of data is being transferred and the security measures in place to protect it.
* Loss of control over the use of the easement in the future. The easement agreement should clearly specify how the cable company can use the easement and what rights the town retains.
* Potential for damage to property or infrastructure from the cable lines. The cable company should be responsible for any repairs needed to property or infrastructure that is damaged during construction or maintenance of the cable lines.
Here are some additional things to consider:
* The specific location of the easement. This will affect the potential impact on residents and businesses, as well as the environment.
* The terms of the easement agreement. The agreement should be carefully reviewed by an attorney to ensure that it protects the interests of the town.
* The public’s opinion on the project. The town council should hold public hearings to get input from residents and businesses before making a decision on the easement.
By carefully considering all of the pluses and minuses, the town council can make an informed decision about whether or not to grant the easement.
Pogo says
@FWIW (and tip of the hat to Joe D)
A better than usual showing by the shills (one time only “burner” IDs) flacking this deal.
Where and when will the incentive packages, cost transfers, and other “trivial details” emerge, e g.: FPL, how many megawatts of capacity is just lying around?
Time will tell.
Algernon says
SOSUS -“Sound Surveillance System was the original name for a submarine detection system based on passive sonar developed by the United States Navy to track Soviet submarines. The system’s true nature was classified with the name and acronym SOSUS classified as well. Wikipedia”
Underwater internet cables in Red Sea reportedly damaged
The damage to a Baltic undersea cable was ‘purposeful,’ …
Estonia focuses on Chinese vessel in investigation into underwater cable damage
The Escalating Global Risk Environment for Submarine Cables
Cables used to be secret. Now they’re all over, some for business use, some for military, some just for internet communications. Worries about sabatoge and intentional damage are often real, but accidents happen too, as when glacier chunks bottom out and become icebergs which then break cables on the sea floor. Watchfulness is necessary as is caution, but the sheer number of cables somehow mitigates and spreads the risks.
jeffery cortland seib says
This deal could be a boom for our area or a boondoggle. These cables intersect points are mostly run by AI after the initial set up. Very few humans with jobs are needed. I am not a fan of secret deals either. The real estate community thinks they are great, like Disney secretly buying up Orlando more than fifty years ago. After it’s a done deal the whole thing is dumped on the unsuspecting public with the caveat that all is well. What’s the next secret deal, anybody know?
James says
Another “election year” news story… I suppose leaked to put all the actual (negative) events that have occurred out of the public’s mind.
Just say’n.
Sorry Alf, still not voting for ya.
MITCH says
Does anyone know how it will affect St Augustine’s Fishing Industry? Will the damage to the environment during installation recover quickly, how quick? Has (St Augustine / Daytona Beach) leaders been invited to the discussions?
How do undersea cables affect the environment?
Placing power cables on the ocean floor could cause temporarily increased turbidity, noise, disturbance, habitat loss, habitat damage, and, in some instances, “”long-term habitat change due to the introduction of artificial substrate””.
What are the effects of underwater power cables?
Beyond localized habitat damage or loss, submarine power and communication cables may temporarily or permanently impact the marine environment through heat, turbidity (during cable burial), risk of entanglement and the introduction of artificial substrates.
What are 3 threats to underwater cables?
Fishing activities: Fishing trawlers and other equipment used in commercial fishing can accidentally snag and damage underwater cables. This is particularly common in areas with heavy fishing traffic. Natural disasters: Earthquakes, hurricanes, underwater landslides, and tsunamis can potentially damage or sever underwater cables.
Lots of unknowns that could disrupt or destroy fishing communities (jobs / lively hoods).
marisa lauman says
I feel this is a mistake bad feeling about this the hell with Aflin and his buddies leave our small little town alone no benefit from this
jake says
“End users of undersea cables’ data will by definition be for the most part nowhere near Flagler Beach or Palm Coast. Only the few workers in the data center will be. Put another way, data cables going through a town are no more beneficial to the town than megavoltage power lines, only they’re not as visible.”
Let me be more specific, “Only the few workers in the data center will be.” And, “…data cables going through a town are no more beneficial to the town than megavoltage power lines, only they’re not as visible.”
Everyone keeps talking about all the jobs this will bring, the article specifically states, only a few people locally will benefit from jobs, and they will be outsiders.
Deborah Coffey says
Well, there’s this posted on Yahoo from The Washington Post:
“Amid explosive demand, America is running out of power”
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/amid-explosive-demand-america-running-152219813.html
Pogo says
@Bingo
OPM (other people’s money) is everyone’s money (everyone’s electric utility bill) — paying to build the power generation required while the profits go where, and to whom?
Very much related
As stated
https://www.google.com/search?q=high+pressure+selling
Been There says
Data centers produce barely any jobs. People getting so excited talking about how they can tell their real estate clients that the “high wage technical jobs are coming” are ill-informed. A data center of this size will employ less than ten people. Not the employment opportunity driver that Flagler County needs. Maybe if the decision makers understood economic development better, they wouldn’t have rezoned what little industrial land we had and actually worked on attracting industry that employs and develops skilled labor instead of building more residential, service/retail, storage facilities, and ALFs. The tax base in Flagler County and cities will always be sickly unbalanced with the current limited sited leadership in place.
James says
Hey, I’m not in real estate, but I’m sure going to bring it up if asked about jobs in the area by anyone interested… of course always prefaced by “possible” or “possibly.”
And like you, I’d also welcome new ideas and people that would promote sensible growth and bring some industry to the region. As you say, ones that would attract less ALFs.
Many folks would agree… we don’t need any more ALFs.
The die was cast long ago.
Just too bad they gave up on the cement plant years ago… they even had their own rail spur out that way. Well, who would have thought of using basalt or zeolite instead of limestone in the concrete production process? Not that it matters… not much basalt here and probably very little zeolite.
Just say’n.
joy Massie McGrew says
in my opinion, this is a “hood-wink” by Palm Coast and the county.
NOTHING ABOUT THIS IDEA/PROJECT has ANY POSITIVE affect on flagler beach government, environment, and RESIDENTS.
NO AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THIS PROJECT WILL BETTER OUR QUILITY OF LIFE!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell your commission and mayor to vote NO on this greedy project.
Jey says
China telecom considered a national security threat by the FCC. Data center wants to pay scraps for high value land on the premise that we may benefit with more internet service providers. What a joke. What’s the true underlining reason? And no benefits can be offered or explained because none exist. It’s a corrupt endeavor, for the corrupt to profit, and a deal that may only be completed by corrupted or weak naive souls. But hey maybe I’ll get a discount on my WiFi service.
Stop The Insanity says
Has anyone asked Mr Gatch how many megawatts the Palm Coast data center will require? DC Blox is building a data center in Conyers, Georgia which will use 215 MW of power. Enough to supply electricity to over 160,000 homes. With the increased population and new homes in Palm Coast, will we have enough power to go around? In case no one noticed, over 16,000 people moved into the Palm Coast area over the last two years and it doesn’t seem like there’s going to be any slowdown of new construction any time soon. Let’s hope the representatives will give this data center some serious thought before causing more destruction.