As yet more development reaches the home-construction stage, look for significantly more construction at or near the periphery of Palm Coast in coming months–the kind of development that has at least one City Council member concerned over a potential “nightmare” for existing residents contending with the activity.
The Palm Coast City Council and its planning board between them approved different steps for a trio of developments in north and south Palm Coast that will add a combined 689 single-family homes to the city’s inventory.
The approvals were for the final plat of Phase 2B of Sawmill Branch off U.S. 1, the final plat of Seminole Palms Phase 1 on the west side of Seminole Woods Boulevard, north of Grand Landings Parkway, and for the subdivision master plan of Sawmill Branch Phase 3.
Platting is the mapping and subdividing of a property that provides a scaled blueprint for infrastructure construction, including roads and utilities and where homes will be situated, before homes are built. A preliminary plat can be approximate. A final plat more precisely delineates property lines after development plans have been approved by the local government. Those are the final survey-based drawings recorded with local authorities.
The Sawmill Branch at Palm Coast Phase 2B final plat will add 252 single family homes on a development spreading west of U.S. 1., totaling almost 500 homes when the first phase is included. The new phase spreads on 125-acre west of the roundabout at Matanzas Woods Parkway and north of the Phase 2A subdivision. Infrastructure construction there began in 2021.
The development is part of the Palm Coast Park Development of Regional Impact, or DRI (a DRI is a large scale development planned at a general level, within which different developers may develop different subdivisions.) In its origins Sawmill Creek was originally designed as a 1,000-acre master-planned community ultimately to have 1,300 homes, within the 4,700-acre Palm Coast Park DRI, which runs west of U.S. 1 from Palm Coast Parkway to Matanzas Woods Parkway. The planned development was approved in 2011, and will have a total of five phases. Saw Mill Branch will add two more phases.
The city’s planning board on Wednesday recommended approval of Phase 3’s subdivision master plan. That phase will add 278 single-family homes on 143 acres on lots with minimum sizes of 6,000 square feet. (The subdivision master plan covers 488 acres.) As in other phases, internal sidewalks will serve pedestrians and bicyclists, connecting through the neighboring subdivisions (or phases) to the 10–foot wide pedestrian trail along the west side of U.S. 1.
“The entitlements have been in place for many, many years in the subdivision,” Estelle Lens, the senior planner, said. “The different developments are being built out now.” City Council member Theresa Pontieri wanted to ensure that acceleration and deceleration lanes out of the subdivision would be in place. It wasn’t clear whether they would be, but a site development manager said such lanes “would have to be approved by DOT,” the state Department of Transportation, which would decide whether the lanes are required.
Future phases will include a “spine” road that will tie the different phases of the development, the site development manager said, connecting to Old Kings Road, thus diminishing adjacent traffic flow onto U.S. 1. That spine road was part of the plans submitted to the planning board.
The subdivision master plan of Phase 3 will not go before the City Council. “With that phase, they have to show us the layout and the plans for the spine road that’s going to connect over to U.S. 1 further north,” Lens said. There will be added traffic signals funded by the transportation department when phases 4 and 5 are developed.
Seminole Palms Phase 1 will plat and subdivide 68 acres for 159 single-family homes about 1,650 feet north of Grand Landings Parkway. The entire project, all phases included, will consist of 451 single family homes.) It is bordered on the south by the future Citation Boulevard Extension. It is part of a master-planned development the City Council approved in 2021. Infrastructure construction started a year ago.
The item drew no questions from the council and no public comment, at least not immediately. At the end of the meeting, Pontieri raised a concern.
“I would like consensus from my colleagues to maybe get a presentation from staff as to what we’re looking at construction-wise for road improvements as well as developments over the next 12 months,” Pontieri said. She spoke of her recurring experience of driving through St. Johns County for work, where road and development constructions intersect often. “I see the amount of construction that’s taking place even on that area which used to be very quiet side of St. Johns County,” she said, “and it is a nightmare. If anybody’s going through St. Johns County–and there’s no disrespect to our neighboring county, but it’s a nightmare. So I want to make sure that we’re not setting ourselves up for that.”
Mayor David Alfin turned to Lauren Johnston, who had moments earlier been appointed acting city manager, to judge the feasibility of such a presentation. Johnston, with the council’s consensus, said it would be prepared for a meeting soon.
No sooner had Pontieri spoken about the potential “nightmare”–well, a few days later–than the county issued an alert about the closing of Old Kings Road at U.S. 1, to accommodate the construction of a roundabout by the developers of Sawmill Creek.
BLINDSPOTTING says
Stuff em in Alfin the full of baloney salesman from up North knows that
he’s not going to get reelected so he’s moving these development agendas
quickly , he hates Palm Coast remember this at election time folks as
he lives in his 5 acre ranch bubble that is unaffected.
Kara says
Oh I hope everyone remembers this!! You are so right!
Flagler resident says
David is trying to get everyone that sent him campaign donations on the agenda before he is voted out. Dont forget that Danko, Heighter, and Klufas vote yes right along with him.
This Dias is single handedly RUINING Flagler County.
James says
It’s astonishing how similar the story of Palm Coast is with the early history of Venice Beach California… some of the concerned folks out there should really make a serious study of the history of that place to hopefully learn from past.
Annexation would seem inevitable, so perhaps building a high-speed monorail to Orlando or Jacksonville isn’t that absurd a joke after all.
Folks will need to work and they will need to commute to those jobs… because they (the jobs) probably won’t be coming here… so just build it already.
Perhaps call it the “Volkseinschienenbahn.” :-)
Just a suggestion.
Tony Mack says
Another roundabout on US 1???
Old Kings Road at U.S. 1 to close Monday for several months – plan to use Matanzas Woods Parkway detour
March 22, 2024 – Flagler County officials are alerting residents that Old Kings Road will be closed at U.S. 1 by the Florida Agricultural Museum beginning Monday for several months to accommodate road construction there. There is a marked detour at Matanzas Woods Parkway that motorists are instructed to use.
“Phase 1 of the roundabout will be put in place,” said Alliant Engineering Southeast Region Vice President Curt Wimpée. “Notification signs have been up for a couple of weeks.
Alliant Engineering designed the roundabout, which has been approved by the Florida Department of Transportation, for the developer of Sawmill Creek, D. R. Horton, according to Wimpée. The project should take about four months to complete.
Kita says
Don’t worry, we won’t forget. Vote for a guy in real estate, and that’s what you get. All this guy does is look for photo ops and stuffing a beautiful city with houses on postage stamp lots
Kara says
Agree 100%! This is just sickening!
Pogo says
@Crime does not pay?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wQr_ZnmUlTw
The hell you say.
JimboXYZ says
Alfin armed with his new city manager, it’s business as usual ? 2024 becomes a question of how much damage can Alfin inflict between now & election day before being voted out ? He will reduce & level Palm Coast to dirt for new construction. Back in Civil War history, Sherman’s March to the Sea, so we have this as Alfin’s 2050 vision & March to the Sea 2021-2024.
Ray says
This is totally unacceptable! The whole county will be a huge plot of homes ,asphalt , traffic and crime. Time to find greener pastures for me! Im done with palm coast development 24-7.
Chris says
I hear you , your right on track!! We came from down south for less traffic more space forget it now
Mark C says
Chris & Ray….yes, that’s why this area is attractive. It was attractive to you for the same reason. You added to the traffic as well. Your house cleared what was once a stand of trees. If you want less traffic and more space that stays that way, you will have to seek out an undesirable place to live. Places that don’t have beautiful beaches, fantastic weather year round, lots of public parks, and a criminally low cost of living (in comparison to other places in country or state.) I can think of many, but I won’t name them here. We’ll be sorry to see you go, but you deserve to be happy. Hopefully Chris2 & Ray2 in your new community will welcome your new house and additional car on the roads with open arms.
Cindy says
We used to live in Palm Coast for approximately 10 years. We sold out when all the buildings started. We noticed crime going up traffic, overpopulation. We sold and moved to North Georgia and never regretted it. The weather is great in Georgia low taxes, low utilities, less population, less traffic and way less crime. Palm Coast used to be a nice quiet town but from what our former neighbors tell us it is a real mess now a lot of people are heading to Georgia to join us
Emma says
Where in North Georgia, Cindy?
Hmmm says
With all respect… You moved to Palm Coast just like everyone else. Population and demand grew. If you moved to another small town, do you think the natives want you and an influx of people moving to their town? I agree with what you’re saying. Palm Coast is moving faster than it can handle. But when people find the next small town to inhabit is exactly how this happens. My family and I moved here from New York City. Like many of us. It was advertised in the tri state area. My issue isn’t the growth, its the lack of basic needs to support the growth. But i agree. If i wasnt already established, I’d be looking to move. With all the building, this place still has no character.
TR says
Hmmm, you are absolutely correct and I did the same thing (except across the river from NYC) I’m at the edge of retirement from my own business for the past 34+ yrs in PC. But I’m going to start looking for a place that is what PC use to be like when I moved here in 1989. I figure that PC really started to go down hill after the incorporation took place in 1999 and then another 10 years before the political council started to realize what they could get away with so that’s 20 years after moving here. So lets say I retire in 2 years then add 20 years to that. By the time things really get bad in the new area I move to, I will be dead and won’t have to worry about it anymore.
Election 2024 is coming an Alfin NEEDS to go as well as anyone realtor on the council.
Jim says
He does need to vacate. He has screwed Palm Coast.
Been there, done that says
Georgia has a very high state income tax.
I know. I lived there during the 1990s while working on a degree and then stayed another 5 years while getting credentialed.
I was north of Atlanta . . . Marietta, Canton, Kennesaw, Burnt Mountain (up 400 from Sandy Springs), Helen, etc.
It’s a nice area but even in the 1990s the northward development was getting out of hand.
Plus the state income tax really ate/eats into a paycheck. State income tax plus federal income tax.
I don’t remember the weather being “great”. No ocean breezes. Landlocked. Hot and humid as hell during the summer and all that heat gets trapped between the mountains and the hills and no breeze.
Even in the 1990s there were smog alerts on a regular basis due to the heat, humidity and auto exhaust getting trapped.
It’s not as great as you write.
Mark C says
But you should have seen north Georgia back in the good old days. When the population was real low. You know, before you moved there. At least one less car on the roads too.
Laurel says
Mark C.: I don’t think you understand as well as you think you do. My folks moved to south Florida during the depression, and eventually, moved into a small, concrete house that was built in 1950. No clear cutting there. We now live in a house that was built on the exact same foot print of the house that was built in 1965. By looking under the old house, we saw that one oak, and two palms were taken down for the original build. We, to this day, still have several oaks on our property. We did not take down a single one. No clear cutting here, either. The gopher tortoise, that lived here, was not removed. No birds lost their nests. No concrete driveway, and no paved roads, still.
When we moved here, to the Hammock, we had to think about what we said before we said it because people here knew everyone from St. Augustine to Daytona Beach. Now, it’s full of strangers packing the Publix which is happy to charge vacationers more, leaving the locals needing to cross the bridge for some sort of a break, cars parked illegally up and down A1A making it extremely dangerous to try to pull out onto the road (now, it’s three times we barely missed getting hit), strangers in “vacation, commercial houses” and strangers parked all over Flagler Beach. No more community. Cars backed up over the bridge to get here. People, people, people, all from somewhere else with no community ties.
The clear cutting and the greedy, unbridled growth is ruing the quality of life. This was NOT a slow process, the most of it has happened in three years time. So your comparison to your one more car on the road does not come close to what is happening here, and what is happening here is extremely sad.
Deborah Coffey says
Here we go again…. Where are the factories? Where is the infrastructure? Where are the good paying jobs?
Kevin says
Factories? I don’t think many move here looking for those type of jobs. Most probably work from home, or retired, and sold out of state realty. While many won’t agree, Palm Coast has a low coast of living,
The Sour Kraut says
Enough! We don’t have the infrastructure for all these new homes! Thousands of new homes are being built and our water plants are already at their limit. Not to mention they can’t maintain the roads we have now, and the additional roads we will need for all the additional traffic. And the additional law enforcement. And the additional FP&L feeds that will be millions of dollars. If you are like and have had enough, vote these clowns out of Office next election. If not, you are as much to blame as Alfin and his cronies.
Laurel says
Sour: You are correct. In an earlier article, in the comments, Mike Morris stated the water treatment plants are already at capacity. He, too, is correct. We cannot just dig wells everywhere and all will be okay. Water is not infinite. New water treatment plants will cost us all, quite a bit of change. So, why have we had to have water restrictions for 30 years, yet we continue to build for so much more population?
So, where is your tax breaks and benefits with all the wonderful growth that has been forced on you?
The current administration does not care. The real estate people don’t care, you’re just another turnover. The developers don’t care, they will be gone. The newbies won’t have a clue, and will vote these jerks back in again.
We also moved from south Florida to have more peace, green space and quality of life without horrendous traffic, but that’s all changing for the worse. At least south Florida has the Everglades to stop people from plowing down the western parts of the counties.
There has been much better planning solutions created several years ago, decades ago, where there is communities with walk to facilities, work spaces and shops, and community gathering spaces. Flagler County and its municipalities have failed to acknowledge and use these plans. So, no, they did not learn anything. Can you tell me where downtown is in Palm Coast? No, you can’t. There is none. How is that good planning?
Steve says
The sleepy FPC we learned to love in 80s n 90s with 30000 people is Long gone Sad but true
Good luck
Kevin says
That’s because the phone company ran palm Coast till 2000…. phone company did a great job
Maestro says
ITT not At&T. Holy smokes!
TR says
Maestro, What? Who you commenting too? I can not find where your comment would correct another person’s comment.
James says
Eh, yeah… actually ITT was once one of the largest telephone equipment manufacturers in the world, and did run/maintain two or three telephone companies overseas… way, way back in the early part of the last century… way before Palm Coast (or helping to overthrow a few South American governments apparently).
Check Wikipedia for the details.
Dennis C Rathsam says
Never enough….STUFF EM IN ALFIN strikes again 689 new homes, with at least 2 cars per family, some many more. To hell with the residence, & the tax payer, ” LET THEM WAIT IN TRAFFIC”! ” LET THEM WAIT MONTH FOR A DR APPONITMENT” Show this realator from hell, & all the others up for ellection…..Dont let the door hit you on the way out!!!!! Fight for your city, stop the corruption, stop the back room deals. Pay them all back at the ballot box.
Pogo says
@Same old, same old — bitching by, mostly, people…
…who wouldn’t have done a damn thing differently had they been in charge.
James says
You’re probably right Pogo, that’s why it’s time to “drop the mike” and give it up.
One can probably go back to the most earliest of days in FlaglerLive’s history and pull up posted comments that are pretty much the same whiny sounding responses to the same issues… utility rates, over development, etc, etc, etc.
Just the names have changed… at least many of them have (I’m assuming because the people behind them have moved on or died, more likely the latter)… but the issues haven’t and probably never will here in Palm Coast.
I think most people out there are familiar with that famous quote by Einstein on what he felt the definition of crazy should be, so I won’t bother to reiterate it…. I’ll just add that I don’t consider myself a masochist either.
Life is too short and time too precious to bother.
Peace.
Pogo says
@You first
My cat makes me do this, so I don’t over eat. What’s your excuse?
James says
Because I know one more person sleeping on a cardboard box on top of a subway grate in NYC isn’t going mean anything to anyone there (a “destiny” I was born to apparently, despite my efforts to the contrary)… just as it doesn’t here.
Which is why I can’t be too critical of the folks here in Palm Coast on that point, although it is somewhat disappointing.
The town without pity that is now a city.
But you’re right Pogo, you’ve been here all your life (70 years, apparently), and you’ve seen and been through much. And you’re a veteran as well.
So I’m not going to bother you with my story, everyone has one… and there’s always one worse than one’s own.
You have my empathy. Please don’t “bring me back to the microphone,” I’ve thrown enough stones on here already.
And I certainly don’t want to throw any at you.
That’s Palm Coast for you folks… I feel dirty just saying the name.
You simply try to find out why your water bill is so high… and you can’t not help opening a can of worms in doing so… and you end up public enemy number one.
Goodbye.
Pogo says
@Resignation Not Accepted
A teacher once told me (not an exact quote), there’s no such thing as too many lawyers, editors, art critics, ditch diggers or other useful human beings — there will never be enough good ones.
Get to work — if you please.
Regards,
Pogo
James says
“Hiho, hiho, it’s off to work I go…”
But they haven’t built it yet.
Although homeless people are a valuable commodity these days … as long as they remain that way.
The rich man says (while buying a newspaper from the poor man, while looking at the homeless man): “The poor will always be with us.
The poor man says (as the rich man walks away up the street): “The rich will always be with us.
The homeless man then replies (looking up at the newspaper seller): “Yes, but no one said anything about the middle class.”
Peace.
Nancy says
INSURANCE COST is going to severely SLOW people buying homes in FLORIDA.
SAD, but true.
Pogo says
@Don’t underestimate the curative powers…
…of this coming years’ months (that’s right, the plural tense) of consecutive days of temps in the 100s; air quality from fires that’s worthy of The Inferno (Google Alighieri); having a Category 5 gale take its time as it brushes the state, and then stalls — waiting for the king tide.
Okay, enough, of imitating Joyce answering how are you.
When Tom looks into the camera to tell people their home isn’t being taken, he always forgets this:
Duh fine print
https://www.google.com/search?q=insurance+requirement+reverse+mortgage
And so on, and so forth.
Billy says
I can see a ton of foreclosures,then all the riff raff take over
Steve Matteson says
When will the planning commission and city council include the capability of our road systems in Palm Coast before they just keep building more homes. I’ve lived here for the years, and visited regularly before I moved, but the traffic on our roads has become worse every year.
We just keep adding more huge subdivisions, and businesses too. I can’t wait to see how much worse traffic will be on FL-100 and the other surrounding roads when the new BJ’s and it’s satellite business’s open.
I lived in the Northwest part of metro Detroit (Oakland County) for most of my life, and the roads there never kept up with the urban sprawl. Palm Coast is following the same development pattern that has plagued so many other growing areas – not building adequate infrastructure to keep up with so many new people and the cars and tricks they bring with them.
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
Grocery stores or any other consumer based business’s going in over there or are they all going to continue to clog up Palm Coast Parkway. It’s gotten so bad on the Parkway that they could use a stoplight by the hospital (which should not have gone there) now so people can get out of Bridgehaven which has 5 or more cars backed up at any time in either direction. As for another roundabout they don’t even enforce traffic laws at Mantanzas and US 1, people not slowing down, not yielding, no signals. Now add hundreds of more cars and your begging for accidents, take the circle out and put in good old fashioned traffic lights or slow that traffic down more before the circle. If people can’t wait 1 minute for the light to change then stay home.
John D says
The city fired our city manager Denise Bevan because she was an environmentalist and concerned over all the building and trees being removed. Alfin is so greasy and shady and he didn’t like the fact she wasn’t on board for developing every inch of land in this city, so he got rid of her! He needs to be voted out and so does Danko, he’s no better! They have destroyed this place and these roads can no longer handle over 100000 people!
wallowisdom says
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone?
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
Denise says
I Believe It’s Time For Me To Fly!!! Yes foreclosures in the near future here in PC. And while we live 5 miles or so from the beach…. It’s going to take 30 minutes to get there.
dave says
Just the facts man !. The county’s 126,705 residents as of April 1, 2022, was a 4.8% jump from the same time in 2021. It also shows Flagler has grown by 11,322 people since the 2020 Census. Compare that to Flagler County’s 1970 population: 4,454.
According to the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research, Bunnell, the county seat, was the fastest-growing city at 14.5% between the 2020 Census and April 1, 2022. It outpaced Palm Coast (8.6%) and the county (7.6), based on UF’s estimate.
Flagler Cty:
2010 POPULATION
96,065
2022 POPULATION
126,705
POPULATION CHANGE
+ 31.9 %
And one good bit of fact is the age group. The share of the population that is 65 and older increased from 24.6% in 2010 to 31.4% in 2022.
Age 50 -64 : that age group is actually staying about the same at 22.4%
And just think back in early 1970 when Palm Coast was ‘born’ all of Flagler Counties population was somewhere close to 4,454.
And I read in an older Flagler Live the estimate by 2050, Flagler County could be at 233,000.
People can complain about growth, but unless you were born here, everyone living in Flagler Cty is from out of town :) .
Crystal Lang says
I don’t know why we have to wait for election time to vote this guy out. From what I understand a mayor is suppose to represent the interest and concerns of citizens not build houses and communities so he can become richer. What else does this guy do other than sign his name on every proposal to build houses I honestly can’t think of one good thing he has done. He is not a leader he does not care about any citizen who pays his salary heck he does not even care about Palm Coast. He is not a mayor and above all he is NOT a nice person I can’t even stand to look at him. He is rude and arrogant he does not care about anything but himself and his bank account. He should be ashamed of himself and the fact that he gave himself a raise the first week in office how sick is that!!!!! We should do a recall and get him out now before it’s too late! Wait, what am I talking about it is already too late. And what is the purpose of another round about? Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t street lights a lot cheaper and safer than a roundabout. You don’t need a roundabout to get to the other side of the road a traffic light would do just fine you have to stop at a red light most people ignore the roundabout signs and just keep on going.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
My heart goes out to everyone who lives and pays taxes in Palm Coast. The traffic now is horrendous, just as bad as when we left Miami-Dade but what makes it worse is that there is zero infrastructure supporting the continual increasing of density without considering the NEEDS, jobs, our failing school system, (including lack of enough qualified medical doctors ) as well as the total lack of respect for the health, welfare and safety of those living near the dangerous, uncontrolled, very poorly run airport!
As a Flagler County resident for close to 22 years I am beyond disgusted with the insane zoning deals – which are NOT the fault of every single Realtor! As a proud Realtor I would vote NO NO NO to any increase in density until all the needs of the current residents are taken care of – and that includes fixing the FLOODED homes caused by jackasses who approve higher lots adjacent to these ‘older’ homes.
Malfeasance, corruption and total disrespect for the people ,( the taxpayers and residents who pay their salaries )seem to replaced the real responsibilities and duties of public officials. A few, very few exceptions -Theresa is one of the few who care.
Real Shame – pitiful – hope the Palm Coast voters can take back their city this election. My prayers are with them.
Jackson Gallagher says
It’s a city full of HOMES until this idiot gets elected, now we are building projects??!?!
If I became mayor, I’d burn them down and replant the trees.
Atwp says
Wow, the lawyers would love that!