The Palm Coast Planning Board on Wednesday unanimously approved the construction plan for phase one of the city’s own Maintenance Operations Center on U.S. 1, a project a decade in the works that will consolidate public works, stormwater and the Utility Department’s administrative offices on the same grounds i what, over the next half century, will prove to be the new center of the city as it expands west. It’s not as if the board was in a position to object.
The city runs its public works operations from a site further south on U.S. 1–a site that the administration has since 2016 told the City Council it has outgrown. The council agreed then that a better, larger grounds were essential. The city planned the new facility on a 31-acre site is north of Peavy Grade, some 500 feet west of U.S. 1.
When Phase 2 is completed, it will almost border the Sawmill Creek subdivision, though with landscape buffers (20 feet on the north side, 35 feet on the east side, 25 feet on the south side, and 15 feet on the west). The Florida East Coast Railroad tracks border it from north to south to the west. But it’ll be some 100 feet away from any structure to the north.
“It’s going to be a great operation center and a very, very good key investment for supporting our high level of service for our citizens for the future,” Ray Tyner, the city’s chief development officer, said. “But just like any other project, we are the city and they went through our technical review process to make sure that the the operation and the facility meets our land development code.”
Phase one will result in a fleet-maintenance building of 50,000 square feet (triggering Planning Board review, since it’s over 40,000 square feet), a 6,600 square foot fueling canopy for the city’s fleet, and a $15,000 square foot washing facility. Phase two will include construction of the administration building and a connection from the plant to Matanzas Woods Parkway.
The City Council approved a $2 million contract with Pond and Company in May 2020 to design the facility, which was later amended to $2.4 million for additional services, including geotechnical work, a space needs analysis for the Utility Department and environmental data. In October, the City Council approved a $12 million construction appropriation from its capital improvement fund with contractor Gilbane Building Company to build phase one. The project’s initial phase, completed last year, included clearing the grounds and trucking in of 240,000 cubic yards of fill.
The site is part of the Palm Coast Park development of regional impact. The proposed use is allowed by right, so the city is not seeking–nor would it need–a special exception to site the facility there. The location will provide “ample opportunity for potential western expansion as far as fleet vehicles to respond to developing needs as the city expands westward and minimize things like fuel costs,” Hanson said. “This is absolutely the opposite of any kind of conflict with the public interest. The entire intent is to serve the public and the need for our city.”
polysci says
Of course. They approve everything>
Pig Farmer says
So let me get this straight, we are in desperate need of water and waste processing plants. So much so, that the state is mandating action. What we are getting are offices instead? Sounds about right for Palm Coast.
John Stove says
What they are not telling us is that while the initial Phase I construction is being paid for by a Capital Projects Fund….other Departments have to contribute out of their funds based on a “how much space will you be using basis”.
The Stormwater Division will be contributing over $10 Million dollars for their piece of the pie (its in their budget documents).
So…when the City cried and cried about having failing culverts, over grown vegetation in canals and dredging needs they jacked up our storm water fees over 100% for THOSE NEEDS while never mentioning that they were going to siphon off over $10 million for a new building.
Not to mention that the city has a festering issue with salt water canals, sea walls and water quality in these canals.
They have “outgrown” the existing building? Too bad….make do like we have to with our tax dollars until such a time that you can afford it.
This is why the city loves “fees” no voter approval required and they can come up with any Bulls**t to justify them and do whatever they want as they don’t have to answer for it.
Flim Flam….dont pay attention to the man behind the curtain….
Adam Frank says
I would be interested to know if the City of Palm Coast would be bidding on water utility service to the proposed 6500-8000 new home development in Bunnell, and at an equal-to-Palm Coast resident rate, or an elevated one ( which is the norm, (except for JEA in ST John’s County).
Doug says
Great! So the suits at utility and public works will have new digs while the plants still can’t provide enough drinking water or treat the wastewater for the unfettered development.
That’s just fine prioritization, if you ask me!
celia pugliese says
What about we slow down this project and use the 12 millions as part of the 240 millions estimated to cost in our utilities fees raising given the mandate by FL EPA/DEP to be spent and finished by 2028? What about to stop all expansions of service of our bruised utility until 2028 when our Plant 1 will have the needed capacity for these expansions? Also the water wells land were they seat west of Rte 1 will have correctly ceded or transferred to the city of Palm Coast from what is probably Rayioneer ownership now?
Palm Coast needs to document the land ownership of those well that provide water to our city…otherwise our water utility is in very shaky grounds as confirmed in Ms. Amanda’s Reese letter: https://flaglerlive.com/wp-content/uploads/amanda-rees-letter.pdf “The wells that we determined would be the quickest way for Palm Coast to secure
more water capacity are on Rayonier property but listed as an asset of the City on the sale of the Utility
paperwork” Page 2 of p of Ms. Reese’s letter above.
By the way a home our family owns in very hot and dry AZ and that has a pool that I do not have in PC, has a utility bill of only $48 a month in winter and $68 a month in summer for water sewer, storm water and garbage combined. Here the same service and with less gallons consumed (no pool) cost us so far $140 a month for a house with only 2 retirees on it. This is the reality but we are planning a 12 millions capital project after spending 10.5 millions in a retention lake ion North Palm Coast to prevent flooding after the Matanzas Golf Course 279 acres sponge plugged for development rezoning to satisfy greed and 10.5 millions in expansion of utility in OKR south of Rte 100 to benefit we all know who… Fellows ,we are still in the wrong track in Palm Coast when it comes fees increases and lack of services to benefit the few if council do nit make administration changes asap.
celia pugliese says
Palmcoasters need to think about it…Just the projects of 8,000 housing in Bunnell adjacent to the Sheriff Justice center and the Veranda Bat off John Anderson mount to 10.400 units. If we multiply the connection cost of each of these new homes to the PC utility cost of about $8,000 each only 64 millions would be collected…and we need 240 millions Plant 1 improvement by 2028 to serve that growth…Now we need to get FOIA from City Chief of staff Mr. Delorenzo to tell us how many more thousand units have been approved by city lately for connection fee to add to the cost needed to complete the 240 millions cost of plant 1 expansion to absorb growth…Because city engineering keeps digging in our utility sustained fee rates for a man made 13 acres lake off the north PC Leeway canal 10.5 millions, 10.5 millions to go serve OKR Radiance south of Rte 100 OKR and now 12 millions for capital project…
Ed Danko, former Vice-Mayor, PC says
Some of you might remember I wanted to delay this project at least a year so we could do the full millage rollback rate and not raise property taxes, but Alfin, Klufas & “Tax & Spend Theresa” were dead set on a tax increase and voted against me. They could have cared less about the economic pain you suffered under Bidenomics! Right now this facility is a waste of taxpayer money at a time when we have much more urgent needs.
Better Leadership Needed says
Well since many homes here now act as rentals, better raise the property taxes on those homes to offset the cost. While we’re at it, everyone that “works” in Palm Coast government should take pay cuts because of the stress on taxpayers for funding this crisis we are now in due to neglect and bad leadership over the last couple decades.
Stop voting for Republicans that do nothing but pay themselves on the back. What have they been doing except wasting funds and wasting time on senseless drivel that helps no one!
celia pugliese says
Better Leadership you are correct in all else you posted except your suggested tax increase in rental homes…A rental house because is not homesteaded pay almost 3 times the taxes we “homesteaded owners with tax exemption in the one home we reside in,” . Go to the Flaglerpa.com and entre the address of any rental home you know that is about the same square footage of your house and look at their tax bill compare with your, then you will see and realize the astronomical taxes they pay…the problem here are not the rental homes but what city and county administrators convince our elected (councilmen, mayor or commissioners) to spend in what they “want” and not in what the residents “need”. We have plenty tax revenue here. problem is that is used in frivolous ways to benefit the few, like some stake holders and overpaid too many staff and not in the services we need.
Emma says
So, are that many homes going to be built in Bunnell (Daytona North)? Have daily phone calls from all over the country wanting to buy our lot there?
Barondog says
Palm Coast needs to be improving our existing neighborhoods not competing for the first place blue ribbons for urban sprawl. Palm Coast needs curbs, sidewalks and drains (Palm Coast has a really bad drainage problem.) and building in the existing neighborhood lots. New Growth should mean business not government ivory towers and 10,000 wood frame homes duplexes and apartments that will create fodder for hurricanes. Sure these homes will make realtors $100,000s and may likely provide certain council members with $10 000s.
But the substantial impact costs will destroy Palm Coast as we know it. I thought we would put a different group of honest people in office. The current projected policy will mean not proritizing “affordable homes” which are a bad idea anyway. Palm Coast needs slow responsible growth that we can afford to absorb. But I am afraid our development policy is similar to the open border policy. Such a policy will result in our middle and upper class residents leaving or attempting to break up the city and county to avoid unsustainable impact fees.
We must not fail to build in all impact fees into the price developers want to charge and hold them firmly to our green space and ecosystem standards for the 10,000s of homes they want to build. Not leave them as a conundrum we may never solve.
Palm Coast needs to remain a beautiful planned community that will attract new affluent residents that will want to move here in sustainable numbers. Let us not forget our unique dedication to green space and a sustainable natural ecosystem that is currently being clear cut. These are the things that make Palm Coast special.
In the here and now Palm Coast can change course to remain a beautiful planned community that is a desirable location. But the current course of bad policy decisions will create an unmitigated disaster.
Truth says
Ed Danko is a sad, pathetic sychophant. He’s clings to that Vice Mayor title like Harry and Megan cling to their Duke and Dutchess titles….Irrelevant people who are constantly trying to clean up their image. Ed, do us a favor and find another town to torture.
Stop The Insanity says
Due to over development the sewer infrastructure will be inadequate to handle the future capacity. They kicked the can down the road by not addressing infrastructure issues along with development. Plan for Palm Coast water bills to rise by at least $30.00 a month. But hey, let’s build a $12 million public works department because they don’t care how they spend other people’s money.