The Palm Coast Planning Board on Wednesday approved the master plan for Matanzas Park, a 104-house subdivision in Palm Coast’s L-Section. The subdivision will fill a 26-acre rectangle–if not almost a square–rimmed by Londonderry, London and Longfellow drives, all of which are built up, with houses abutting the subdivision’s property. Some 40 percent of the acreage in the proposed subdivision is wetlands, which will be eliminated but for a pond in the middle of the site.
The board raised some cautions about potential flooding in and around the subdivision.
The future subdivision, an active-adult, senior community, is half a mile from the intersection of Matanzas Woods Parkway and Lakeview Boulevard, parallel with one of the large Sawmill subdivisions across U.S. 1. The land is surrounded by single-family homes except for conservation and vast tracts of unbuilt land south of Matanzas Woods Parkway, land that’s part of the Palm Coast Park development of regional impact. When the city inherited the property from the county 25 years ago, the site was zoned for apartments. The City Council at the landowner’s request rezoned the land to single-family residential in 2023.
The 104 single-family homes will be built on 50-foot-wide lots. “Buffers against the residential adjacent land uses and zoning are not required,” Estelle Lens, senior planner with the city, said, but the developer “is preserving trees along the perimeter of the project, and they’ll be landscaping the entrances in the amenity area. The developer is Robert Gazzoli of Matanzas Park LLC, with the Jacksonville-based Alliant Engineering Group as the project engineer.
Alliant’s traffic study concluded that when completed and occupied, the new houses will generate 448 additional daily trips by cars on neighboring streets and roads. Road capacity is not expected to suffer.
Its 15 acres of pine flatwoods were previously used for silviculture. But since those pines were last harvested, the site has sat fallow, growing slash pines, live oaks and loblolly bay with an undergrowth of palmetto. There are some wetlands on the property. “The proposed project will directly impact approximately 11.02 acres of federally jurisdictional wetlands,” an ecological assessment of the development states.
By “impact,” the analysis means eliminate: “Due to the location, size, and geometry of [the wetland] it was determined avoidance and minimization was not possible of this wetland. The wetland is located within the center of the subject property and avoidance or minimization could not be completed given the site design requirements for ingress/egress, stormwater management structures, and infrastructure size.”
The developer will buy 5.14 wetland mitigation credits from the Fish Tail Wetland Mitigation Bank, a 5,387-acre reserve in the Pellicer Creek and Matanzas River basin, where the bank either restores or maintains wetlands in perpetuity. A credit is roughly worth $100,000. Credits are based on the quality of the wetland being mitigated. They are not a one-too-one ratio with acreage. A lower-quality wetland will lower the required credits, and therefore the cost of mitigation. A higher-quality wetland will cost more to mitigate. In this case, they are “lower quality wetland systems,” Ray Tyner, the city’s deputy chief development officer, said.
Planning board members were concerned about the tendency of London Drive to flood, and how the new development would affect water flows. “Will the developer be doing something to help alleviate that problem that currently exists?” the board’s Sandra Shank asked. Shank was also concerned about the elevation of homes on higher fill than surrounding homes, and how–or whether–that would create flooding, as has been the case with some new construction in the city’s older, or “infill” areas. An Alliance engineer said swales around the development will catch water, preventing it from going into the development. But he could not answer the question about London Drive.
Inside the subdivision, the houses will be lined with curbs and gutters, not swales. That’s the city’s requirement for all new subdivisions. “We’re done with the swale business,” Tyner said.
“What we’re hearing here,” Clint Smith, the board’s chair, said, “is make sure that you accommodate that. If there’s a problem there now, you will be blamed for it being worse, no matter whether you are to blame or not. So be careful and make sure that you have capacity in your system to accommodate that.”
Tyner said the developer will have to provide all relevant, flood-prevention calculations at the preliminary plat stage. “The city, especially with new subdivisions and abutting existing single family lots, we look at that very, very carefully,” Tyner said. “When we did have some sites where a newer subdivision where we did see some issues, where the water was kind of collecting, that field work, we are asking for any modifications that would happen during construction, even if we see something that we might not see on paper.”
The development is a three-step process. First the subdivision master plan goes before the planning board for approval (or rejection) based on the city’s land-development code. The application then maps out the preliminary play–the site’s infrastructure–then onto the final plat. The last step goes before the City Council. Wednesday’s step was the initial one. “This is only a conceptual approval of the overall project,” Lens said. “Technical requirements related to environmental engineering standards, storm water drainage, utility infrastructure and other site-specific considerations will be further reviewed and addressed during the preliminary plat approval process.” The preliminary plat step is administrative only, so neither the planning board nor the council will be involved.
The proposal drew just one comment from the public–a question about traffic–before the board unanimously approved the Matanzas Park master plan, 7-0.
RK says
Here we go again. Traffic, Water, Sewage problems. Just keep on building with no plan for overcrowding.
JimboXYZ says
Don’t forget the crime increase.
The dude says
Good point.
Since it’s a retirement community, all the new retirees will be incessantly targeted by the local grifters and shysters.
FLF says
In the world of todays software advancements, would it be possible to predict potential stormwater flow based on the planned development, elevations, water collection, wetland buffers, etc. Maybe developers should be required to conduct, at their expense; pay for the studies,present them to planning boards and surrounding property owners that everyone completely understands where the water is going to go, including 100 year flood events and if it doesn’t work, they pay to fix it, not taxpayers! I understand PC wanting to get out of the swale business so if all this water goes down the drain, where does it wind up? Sewage treatment plant? Out to the ICW? Where?
Celia Pugliese says
Out to the ICW via the North London Water Way Canal being dredged along the building of the several acres lake there in the L section…at 10 millions cost to the taxpayers always if no change orders (increases) in the middle of the work.
Laurel says
FLF: Have you seen the ICW lately?
To answer your question about software, yes, there are modeling programs. The problem is, Palm Coast is the proverbial swampland in Florida. Storm water would need to be channeled to pump stations that discharge to the ICW. That needs permitting, and will require treatment.
Richey says
It must be the goal of Palm Coast to build on every inch of land possible Stackem on top of each other, swamplands, mud holes, sink holes, it doesn’t matter wherever they can squeeze a property in they do. When all the problems start with the flooding , traffic , overpopulation, crime Palm Coast will have zero accountability. Screw this town, im heading west asap!
BOB says
I agree Richey. I am looking to do the same.
Land of no turn signals says says
Only 104 houses? Come on they can easily squeeze 200 + with zero lot lines and super small lots.Alfin has the connections to get it done.
Mzkita says
I’m so glad that money monger bum is out of office. I’m putting my cake order in Publix soon for my f u bum cake.
Joanne C says
Love the sarcasm. But true. Alfin is out, but what could the new real estate candidates in the County Commission and City Council dream up next? I pray that the next Mayoral candidate truly has the interests of the most Palm Coasters in mind.
Dennis C Rathsam says
I sold my home in the W section to move away from the the rif raft. Bought a smaller home on the lake, lots of proterty. When we moved in we really were in the woods. Panther,s deer, rabbits were scattered about. We werent in a flood zone. Now the woods are disappearing, the panthers are gone. Houses poping up like mushrooms in the rain, & guess what, now Im in a flood zone! The deer are running out of land, I feed them, they hang out, such beautifull animals, smart to. I bought the lot next door so theyd have a place to hide. Id rather have them then people. Traffic is a mess up here now, with everyone heading to the high school or the motorway. We cant get out of our street in the morning, the line of cars goes all the way down to Belle Ter. Now your gonna add 200 plus more cars to add to this clusterfuck. The 3 STOOGES strike again!
Belaruse says
And thermal say this development will have no foreseeable impact in traffic?!
Wtf?!
Celia Pugliese says
This project should be a no! Also when someone buys a golf course like Matanzas Golf Course or any other, is to remain a golf course and if the buyer made the wrong purchase needs to take the loss and donated it to the local city/county government if can’t run it for a profit and should become public green acreage /public park.
We all make bad businesses sometime in our lives and the taxpayer should not be loosing the value of their homes over it! We should protect all our existing golf courses even if the just break even as is the value of the thousands of homes around it purchased for higher value in a golf course community! Look what they are doing to the Matanzas Golf Course now and how affects the surrounding homeowners with higher builds causing flooded yards, lanais and even rooms!
Laurel says
Dennis: I agree with you. I also think it is really nice for you to buy the lot next door to you for the animals. I hope you intend to keep it that way. I wish we could have done the same thing but the lots already had houses on them. The good news is, our area is older and was never clear cut, the lots are large and covered with Live Oaks. Nearly all homes were built by the owners, not developers. The new ones, however, tend to be crammed together with barely any yard at all.
This reminds me, gopher tortoises are coming out onto the roads now, which is really unusual. They may be coming out because of the rain saturated land, as they like it dry. Usually, they cross the roads in May, looking for a mate. So please, drivers, keep an eye out.
Joanne C says
Laurel, I always enjoy your well-thought out responses. Thanks. I have to believe that the crazy building allowed by our Council and Commission will stop; I feel so bad for the displaced animals, with nowhere to go.
Dennis Rathsam says
My lot will stay woods, til the day I die! Cant tell you how many calls I get to sell. Nothing but greedy builders, Its worth a lot more than I paid for it, but I promised my 3 deer friends { a momma & her 2 fawns} Theyed be safe. Ive asked god to protect them, Im sure he will. PS…They love the food I put out, & the babies are growing taller every day.
Denali says
You do realize that it is against the law in Florida to feed wild animals. AND, it appears that you have just admitted and bragged about a violation. But do not fret, it is only a civil infraction, unless you continue to violate the statute.
If you think that mama is keeping to your quarter acre lot you are sadly mistaken, she needs several acres to raise her kids. Feeding her and her offspring will only entice them to stay near a known food source. Mama needs to make her escape to greener pastures, and teach her kids to fend for themselves. You are only trapping her into becoming a nuisance animal or roadkill and then, where will that leave her kids?
Laurel says
Denali: What you wrote is true, it is illegal to feed wildlife, but give Dennis credit for trying to help and caring. So many people do not care. It’s a shame what is happening here, especially when we could have learned from development farther south.
Mike says
There is nothing sacred or preserved land under this administration. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see this. No consideration on what this will do to this area. Money under the table is worth a lot more!
doug says
Wow, a beautiful piece of land. Let build 14 story apartment buildings. Cluster them up together. Big beautifully designed. Maybe get some European companies to design it.
Then let’s go buy new firetrucks because now we can’t service the building, let’s build car parking lots several stories tall.
Then build a Dollar store right in the middle just because we can.
Yes sir, the fantastic life of living in Palm Coast.
Where is that sleazy lawyer when you need him…….
Cindy says
Wait your missing the roundabout! Now they need a roundabout to get around the roundabout otherwise they won’t be able to get out of the square! lololololol
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
Looking at the picture which house, or houses, get torn down to make an Entrance/Exit besides looking up the definition of flooding in Websters. Current Council would be better squashing this or punting to next Council that would stop this.
Steve Buscemi’s Tube Sock says
Glad to see you only made it to the picture before running to the comments. The sooner you accept land zoned for residential will eventually all become houses, the sooner you all can find peace. ✌🏼
Joanne C says
Steve would not condone your sentiments, Tube.
Laurel says
Tube sock: The county, and it’s cities, could require land set aside ( not silly little strings of land that will be changed later) for the wildlife. That would not only be good for the wildlife, but for the humans as well. That would be a cost to the developers, so it doesn’t happen.
There are plenty of models for ecological, sustainable, considerate development, but it is not applied here.
JimboXYZ says
Same problems, rinse & repeat, inadequate infrastructure for Alfin’s Vision of 2050. Wait until the Westward expansion happens West of US-1. Everything Matanzas Woods West of I-95 will become a lower quality of life. And it all started with Biden-Harris & eventually trickling down to a city level. The price of progress ? From that aerial photo, some of the few existing lots will need to become street infrastructure, only to end up bottle necking traffic for gridlock on the peripheral roads that already exist. We already know that 104 additional dwelling will have at least 2 more cars, and we all know the neighbors that have 3 & 4 cars parked in the driveways. Simple math 104, that properly utilized is 208 more motor vehicles. And the reality is it’s going to become 312-416 more for gridlock traffic increases. Connecting the dots ? Read the Dylan Osborne story. What a mess.
Laurel says
Wow! Jimbo! I didn’t know that Biden and Harris were on the local commissions! Thanks for the heads up.
Denali says
That area was platted with the rest of the L Section years ago. Streets and lots are shown on the county plat map. There are no less than five streets cutting through that ‘ring’ of houses. The rectangle is platted for about 80 houses on the typical Palm Coast quarter acre lot. No existing lots will become streets for entry to this area – STOP WITH THE LIES. You obviously did not take the time to research this before shooting off your mouth. Typical of all your comments. Biden and Harris, Lordy.
Paradise Lost says
Since when is it okay for wetlands to be destroyed? Where I come from, wetlands are protected for a variety of reasons. This project was approved knowing full well that the surrounding neighborhood could flood. As I’ve seen living here for only a few years, flooding inevitable and getting worse. But hey, that’s the homeowners problem, right?
Jack Howell says
Who in their right mind would want to build on former wetlands? And, you know the infrastructure of the city will have major issues supporting these new homes.
Skibum says
Jack, when my father-in-law and his wife first came down here from NY in the late 80s to look at property to buy, they were shown around by an ITT company real estate seller, and initially put a deposit down on some property near our local airport. Fortunately for them, they had friends from NY who had already moved down here, and when the friends heard where they had decided on a lot, they told my father-in-law “Oh no, you don’t want to be down there! That land was all swamp that ITT developed!” The friends took them around other areas in Palm Coast and showed them other properties for sale that were not owned by ITT, and they decided to buy 3 adjacent lots in the F Section where they built their retirement home – just a street or two away from you actually. Anyway, they built their home in 1993 and have been there ever since. One day when I had my father-in-law in the car with me and we were driving around Palm Coast, he pointed out where ITT tried to get him to buy a lot, and he said he is so glad his friends talked him out of it and showed him a much better area where there weren’t wetland issues to deal with!
Laurel says
Jack Howelll: Developers will build wherever they can. They don’t care, and neither do the admins who let them do it.
There is a subdivision in south Florida that did not de-muck the land they were developing. Actually, it shouldn’t have been built up at all. I videoed it before a construction company was to come in for repairs. You should have seen the roads and driveways! Up and down and cracked all over. Homes were settling and cracked. It was an awful mess, and these were upscale homes off A1A. Trust your own research.
Dennis C Rathsam says
My father bought some land back in the early 60,s . His goal was to retire to Fl. He bought it site unseen, not a good idea, but it was cheap. On my honeymoon my wife & I traveled here, & my dad gave me the address of his property. Well we had a hard time finding it. There were 3 homes, in the early stages of being built. But there were marsh lands & water covering 1/2 the other side of the of this new city. My Pops land, was pretty much under water. That night I call my parents up & told them the bad news. Fast forward today…. Theres a big home sitting thier on land that was once under water. Imajine that!!!! My Pop sold the lot to a builder, he made a few bucks, but I wouldnt want to live in it.
Brad W says
As stated in the article, this parcel has been platted and zoned going back decades. It was multi-family zoning after incorporation. Thankfully the City worked with the owner to rezone to single family. Been here 20 years and that land being developed for homes has never been a secret or a surprise now. London’s stormwater problems today are not a problem with the number of homes. It is a problem with several homes that have culvert and property issues. In any event Stormwater handling has improved a ton on that street with improvements over the years. It was really bad 20 years ago.
London Dr says
Brad is 100% correct. My house I’ve lived in for the past twenty years backs right up against. If my memory serves me right, Brad l believe you used to live in the area as well? Hate to see the wildlife go but we knew your years this was coming. Better than apartments.
Celia Pugliese says
Biggest distortion yours. I was in the Matanzas Woods in the 90’s and along the L section never flooded in big hurricanes and just because the Matanzas Golf Course 279 acres were the huge sponge to the L section! Until this happened and our city refused to buy out the 279 acres at a bargain price for $200,000 and preserve it as the giant sponge it was /green acres and park for North Palm Coast: https://www.gotoby.com/only-remnants-of-the-matanzas-golf-course-remain/. Neighbors fought : https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/local/flagler/2020/02/23/neighbors-decry-development-plans-for-abandoned-palm-coast-golf-course/1653803007/, but not as hard and organized as we did fight for our Palm Harbor Golf Course standing still today. While we are looking into “why not breaking even at least” while bursting at the seems with players and ending last year financial report in the red.? We will find out and will straighten it out! We can’t afford to loose any golf course in Palm Coast as thousands of homes around them will loose its value and the attraction in the surrounding areas. Same way we can’t afford to loose any park that do not get any paid revenue like golf and racket generate and still cost the same amount of millions or more to maintain. Just look at Holland Park being just one of many. All our courses and park amenities are the very essence , of the founding of Palm Coast and only the proper management not achieved until now, can keep them for us all and Palm Coast image. If Palm Coast was to loose its parks, tennis, golf, swim, kayaks, boats what will become…? Just take a wild guest…This is why we want at the ballot box those candidates that will also look in preserving our amenities by proper management and hands off the cookie jar: https://flaglerlive.com/palm-harbor-golf-club-tim-spangler/#google_vignette
Doug says
We don’t have the infrastructure to handle the wastewater we have now, after 15 minutes of rain. But go ahead, just keep building and building and ignoring the problem ;(
Good luck selling houses in a few years when there’s nowhere to send the sewer.
Barondog says
I really do not understand the explosive rate of growth being approved. Yes these areas may be zoned residential in the master plan, but certainly it was met to approved responsible rate. By a responsible rate I mean growth that our infrastructure can accommodate. Also if we “through with the swale business” why is the council and community development division not looking for ways to put in curbs and drainage in the existing residential areas. It is difficult but possible to do (impact fees, grants, MINOR tax assessments) I fear the only thing our local government is doing is lowering the quality of life in the entire county.
My Opinion says
Alliant’s traffic study concluded that when completed and occupied, the new houses will generate 448 additional daily trips by cars on neighboring streets and roads. Road capacity is not expected to suffer.
I’m wondering if they forgot to factor in the development that is in progress right now off of Lakeview Dr.?
Even though the article says 448 additional daily trips by car that number can change 55+ developments are 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms 3 adults could easily live in one home increasing the 448 number.
This of course is only my opinion.
Laurel says
My Opinion: None of this accounts for the vacation renters, which both the county and cities feel could be 10 persons, per unit, per night, instead of the normal 2.5 average occupancy per household.
Yeah, where’s the data for that?
Celia Pugliese says
Find out who hires those traffic study consultants and then you will realize their reasons for their unrealistic results! Is a case of asking the fox to design the chicken coop!
My Opinion says
Laurel: I was looking at the map from the Appraisers Office and it looks like the entrance/exit is between homes that are already there. I’m sorry but this does not sound good to me. Between the Lakeview Blvd development and this development being within walking distance (I know cause I walk it) the folks in the L section are SCREWED. I also forgot about the Vacationers, Snowbirds and whatever else we have going on here!
Billy says
They are building homes in lake beds in the s section! Wetlands, it’s crazy. They throw pile sand in and start framing! The home starts to crack and crumble in 5 years! This has got to stop!
Phil says
This is getting ridiculous. Quit Building.
Adam says
Well. One, where is the entrance going to be?
Two. That is Sawmill Branch in top left, not Sawmill Creek.
Three. I fully understand development and land zoned residential will eventually be…residential. however, this square seems like it would be perfectly suited to keep a green space with its location.
Four. Everyone who is concerned about development here or there needs to go to council meetings to voice concern. If no one goes, which none of you do, voices will not be heard and nothing will change.
Five. One of the things I think we need to do is replace aged infrastructure alongside new development such as: we don’t do swales anymore? Fine. Then impact fees need to be raised, funds placed in an account and when enough is gained (sooner rather than later) our swales need to be replaced with stormwater drains, curbs, repave, replant grass, the whole nine yards. Every section possible. Likely not possible in EVERY area, but I know many it can be and many will take that runoff right into canals, etc. Plus, plant capacity. Sorry developers make enough in these subdivisions. You want to take over entire strips of the city, you can help reinforce and repair it. Fair deal? Maybe Norris will follow thru to make some of that happen. We certainly have the population and tax revenue to do so, but we waste it and developers aren’t developing responsibly.
Denali says
One – Look at the plat map, there are no less than five streets shown entering/exiting this already platted area.
Two – Okay?
Three – Your opinion. The area is already platted for 80-some houses. the only reason it has not been developed is that the city has not provided the streets and utilities.
Four – Very true. Unless we speak out our voices will never be heard and the politicians will carry on with their slash and burn policies.
Five – Impact fees cannot be used to build new curb & gutter in existing areas. Impact fees are as they say, to cover the direct costs to the city incurred by the new development. Fire services, schools, sewage treatment, water supply, not patching a road 5 miles from the development which never saw construction traffic.
Laurel says
When developers are given the green light by the local admin, like here, the locals are screwed. The same is happening in Charleston, where developers are filling in grass estuaries, that the area is known for, and building.