The Flagler County Commission on Monday unanimously approved a key step toward construction of the first large-scale shopping center in Hunter’s Ridge, the sprawling, so far largely residential development at the south end of the county and across the border into Ormond Beach.
Primrose at Hunter’s Ridge is to be in the northwest corner of the intersection of Hunter’s Ridge and Airport Road. The area is considered to be the commercial hub of Hunters Ridge. It’s also referred to as Town Center in some of the Hunter’s Ridge documentation. The plan submitted on Monday is Phase 1. “It’s a very hypothetical layout,” County Planning Director Adam Mengel said. “But it’s likely subject to change based on the needs of a future tenant.”
The 27-acre site is zoned for mixed-use, low-intensity Planned Unit Development. “There are areas here that are yet to come that will have different housing mix,” Mengel said. “I think there are some areas that at least would be intended for potentially apartments or townhomes. That’s not part of this request.”
Hunters Ridge is a Development of Regional Impact, or DRI, a very large-scale development that typically includes several subdivisions and commercial areas, and that, because of its size, undergoes a particular regulatory process. Developments within the DRI must meet certain criteria. Primrose is one such development. It was identified within the DRI as its commercial component with a maximum permitted use of 240,000 square feet for mixed retail, office and commercial services, with building heights topping off at 45 feet, with 960 parking spaces required.
The initial phase of the development the County Commission considered will total 76,600 square feet in two buildings. There are currently no tenants, no stores, lined up for whatever is built.
The proposal drew few questions or objections, except for Andy Dance, who chairs the commission and who studies plans for their balance between primary purpose and people-centered amenities. The sketches of the project showed pedestrian access only along the main road. A future road showed no pedestrian access to the site.
“I want to make sure that we address additional pedestrian accesses off the future road,” Dance told Jared Trent, the Chiumento Law attorney representing the applicant. But Mengel said the sidewalk on the road would be within the right of way, which is not part of the submitted site plan.
“But we have to connect, you need to have appropriate pedestrian connectivity to future sidewalks,” Dance said. “I just want to make sure that we provide access into the site in the future, for the future road by others.”
As long as connectivity was internal to the development, that would be fine, Mengel said. But if it’s not planned for, Dance said, “it won’t happen.” The project engineer explained the plans, but Dance wasn’t convinced. “I’m not going to beat it. We just should be a lot more friendly to our pedestrians.” Dance has frequently made the point that in the regulatory process, unless matters are specified at certain steps, such as the PUD (or planned unit development) step when it is before local boards, then nothing holds a developer to ensure that those conditions are met.
He was trying to write in some of those assurances, with limited success. But it was an instructive illustration of local government prerogative–when a local government representative assumes that responsibility. Officials often do not, even though they have the authority to do so.
The front of the buildings also appeared to lack green space. “It’s rare that we find commercial centers without something breaking up the facade or providing some shade for pedestrians along the front of the buildings,” Dance said, looking to know whether that green space will be built in.
“As currently proposed, it doesn’t show any,” Mark Dowst, the project engineer, said. “We do have more landscaping in the parking lot than what’s required by the minimum standard. Typically what happens when we get to the architectural level, there’ll probably be columns that come in and out of that building, and at that point, we can evaluate what’s can be used for landscaping. Normally, the building wouldn’t be constructed, say, flat across the front, as this depicts.”
“So you can add language in the PUD that says they’ll be landscape and and trees in the front?” Dance asked.
Dowst hesitated. “I mean, we could, but we don’t know what the buildings are gong to look like in the front.”
“I just know if it’s not in the language, it’s not going to get put in,” Dance said. “So it’s your call.” Dowst obviously could not simply reject the commissioner’s implication outright.
“We could accept the condition that says that we will endeavor to place additional landscaping in the front sidewalk, the amount to be determined once the architectural design is completed,” Dowst said. “We would not have an objection to something like that. I mean, our goal is to produce a very attractive looking center, right?”
Dance rested, and some further discussion about parking aside, the commission approved the proposal.
The Sour Kraut says
Hold their feet to the fire Dance. Don’t let them get away with short changing the neighborhood.
Man with a master plan says
The question about access should be pretty easy: Build a 6 mile long one lane road (on lane for both directions of traffic) and install a traffic light halfway down that road. The intersecting road should also be one lane, for both directions. On the corner, build a dollar store and a huge high density apartment complex for 650 residents. Do not install any sidewalks or paths but clear trees down enough for a highway to be installed. Done the PC way.
Dennis C Rathsam says
Don’t follow the Palm Coast way, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hands doing!
Gaild says
Thank you for bringing up one of the major complaints the voters have for these recent developments and building projects, Andy.
Built in Buffer zones with landscaping around major developments, thoughtful planning would keep some of the natural beauty that we love in Flagler County. We moved here from Volusia County because of its natural beauty!