The Flagler County Commission is ready to play hardball to protect a treasure older than the county: no at-grade crossovers on historic Old Brick Road unless Palm Coast and the developer of thousands of acres of the future “western expansion” of Palm Coast ensure wide buffers along the road.
In the meantime, the county is pulling back from a proposed joint agreement with Palm Coast and the developer until those conditions are met. (See the proposal here.)
It was a stunning, unexpected development for a commission generally friendlier to developers, if with conditions. This was more like a decree as the commission took an unequivocal stand for preservation and the county’s future vision of the red-brick road as a linear park free of motorized vehicles and a centerpiece of the county’s nature-tourism destinations.
Built during World War I, Old Brick Road is the historic remnant of what used to be the Dixie Highway that went from Detroit to Miami. It is now barely a two-lane road whose 8-mile portions in Flagler County are paved with vintage bricks. According to Flagler County Historical Society President Ed Siarkowicz, Flagler County has the road’s longest uninterrupted surviving section. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and it’s part of the Heritage Crossroads.
Old Brick Road is also threatened.
It is mostly used by logging trucks. They are damaging it. The enormous Old Brick Township development by Raydient–the Rayonier subsidiary and landowner–is set to bring 22,000 homes to the area in a cluster of “villages.” The southern portion of the road will be surrounded by the new development. The Raydient plan is getting significant pushback from the Palm Coast City Council, but for different reasons. (See: “Calling Plan ‘Garbage,’ Theresa Pontieri Vows to Block Westward Development Unless Rayonier Pays More for Infrastructure.”)
The future State Road 2209 connecting to I-4 will be contiguous to Old Brick Road, crossing it at one point, and at-grade (meaning without a bridge or a tunnel). Another road is to cross Old Brick Road elsewhere, also at grade. There are also 21 current access points for logging roads.
“When we started this, what, almost four years ago,” Commission Chair Leann Pennington said, referring to the county’s management plan for Old Brick Road, “the intention was to preserve this road. Now we’re talking about boring under it, cutting pieces of it out, all to entertain development. So it wasn’t the intention four years ago. I don’t know how we got here. Now, I’ve got a major highway running side by side it,” though she noted there’s nothing official about that beyond “rumors and renderings.”
“We own this road. We could preserve this road,” Pennington said. If it costs the future developer more money to build bridges over it, then so be it, she said.
There was no disagreement among her colleagues. “They have been slowly but surely reducing our history, over and over and over again throughout our country,” Commissioner Pam Richardson said. “This is a great opportunity for us to show the wherewithal that Flagler has, as a small county, to be willing to stand up for what’s right for our country. And I really have a problem with letting anybody destroy any more of what is part of history.” She and her colleagues see the road as integral to the county’s tourism future.
To prevent Old Brick Road’s damage or destruction, Flagler County government, Palm Coast and the future developer of the acreage surrounding it are crafting a joint agreement that would protect the road. County commissioners had their first look at that proposed agreement on Monday as it moves toward formal approvals by the two government bodies in May.
The agreement, formally called an “inter-local agreement,” or ILA, frames the road as a cultural resource that should be preserved, and as an amenity for local residents, and as a tourist destination. The developer agrees with that framing. “Everyone’s in agreement, generally speaking, as to that long term goal,” Deputy County Attorney Sean Moylan said.
The ILA calls for no more than four at-grade crossings, each at least a mile distant from the other, unless the County Commission approves additional ones or narrower spans. The choice of four crossings was an arbitrary suggestion rather than based on any scientific studies. Four county commissioners prefer limiting the crossings to two.
“It’s a public road. It’s in our jurisdiction. It’s our road,” Commissioner Leann Pennington said. “Why do we have to give them any crossings?”
“We don’t have to. You are in control of that 50-foot-wide right-of-way,” Moylan said. “Nothing beyond it. So it’s a matter of trying to balance the interests of the private owner of the land along with the interests of preserving the road. We’re doing a balancing act here and making policy. If your view is to limit it to two or two zero, whatever it is, we’ll take your direction and go.”
There would be no limits to bridges above the road, or “fly-overs.” At-grade crossings could lead to the removal of bricks in that area so the bricks may be used to repair other portions of the road. No part of the road would be used as an access point to new development. The ILA could be amended in the future, since the development will take a generation: buildout is not expected until 2056. If history is a guide, that date is a decade or two too soon.
The county wants buffers. Raydient has not committed to buffering the road, only to consider a buffer.
“As we’ve been moving forward, there’s been progress on preserving and prioritizing the preservation of Old Brick Road,” County Commissioner Andy Dance said. But there’s been no progress on getting the trucks off the road, and he has “heartburn” over lacking buffers, which he insists on. His proposal: “No crossings with no buffers.” He sees the road in the future as providing not just an expanse of bricks to look at, but as “an experience” for cyclists, pedestrians and others.
In 2004 the County Commission adopted a management plan for Old Brick Road. The idea was to protect the road in a setting similar to Palm Coast’s Linear Park, the lush path that forms the dorsal fin of Palm Coast Parkway’s median.
“The number one recommendation of that management plan was to get the logging trucks off the road,” Moylan said. “We have not so far been able to do that, because there are no alternative routes to access this large part of the county. . So what we’ve been doing is we’ve been burying the bricks in sand and topsoil to help protect them as sort of a placeholder. And that’s been going on for several decades now.”
There have been thefts of bricks from the road. Now development pressures are ramping up, with the Old Brick Township Development of Regional Impact and its thousands of homes poised to be part of the so-called westward expansion of Palm Coast. Those development pressures “make the management plan now more imperative, and hopefully it presents an opportunity here to work together with Raydient and the city of Palm Coast,” Moylan said.
Land for the future State Road 2209 (it is currently called County Road 2209 and starts in St. Johns County) has not yet been deeded to the state, Moylan said, giving a letter from the County Commission to Palm Coast, urging buffers, more effective than staff-to-staff discussions. “It would really lose the feel if you’re standing on the Old Brick Road, looking at a busy four-lane highway going by,” he said. “They have so many acres, there’s got to be a way to have a buffer there.”
“I just don’t want to be making premature decisions about something that’s a generation away,” Commissioner Kim Carney said. “We’ve got to protect this to the highest level that we possibly can.”
“I encourage each of you to continue on this direction and this path that you’re taking,” Siarkowicz, the Historical Society president, told the commission, “to preserve the entirety either by circumnavigating our stretch of Dixie Highway with flyovers, so that people can continue to see this, this national treasure, national treasure that we actually have here.” The seven other people who addressed the commission, several of them from the society, spoke likewise, one of them citing a four-day-old petition that drew 1,307 signatures to protect the road.
Dance stressed the importance of presenting the county’s position “as one voice.”
Koyote says
Betcha a pre-Trump nickel that Raydient / Rayonier will go crying to Uncle Ronnie.
And a Dime says that he will give them what they want for a $$$ price , “We got an upcoming election to fix … err … finance.”
Koyote says
OK , then make it a pre-Roosevelt nickel :) lolol
TR says
Oh for crying out loud. What the heck does this story in our local county have to do with Trump? It’s sickening that there is always someone from the left who can not comment without bringing Trump’s name up. Trump will not be involved with anything this county decides in this matter. Give it a rest already.
Tom Oelsner says
And Republicans keep bringing up Biden and Obama.
TR says
Wrong, they don’t bring it up in EVERY article when it has nothing to do with them. The Republicans only bring them up to contradict some ridiculous comment from the left when comparing it to Trump. But nice try.
T says
STOP DESTROYING PALM COAST A HOLES
Roy Longo says
Why am I getting the sense that Flagler County is closing barn door after every animal on the farm has run through that door. They didn’t say a word when Palm Coast talked about western expansion. They didn’t say a word when Rainier talked about developing. Now that all these developments have been thoroughly vetted, Flagler County commissioners finally stand up to tell them no. It’s a little too late commissioners.
JimboXYZ says
That was when Alfin was leading the charge to ruin Palm Coast with all the approvals based upon growth that was just never funded, that premise that it would all magically pay for itself somehow, a Vision of 2050 that never made it to 2025 even. They all were on board the Biden train that derailed. The state Grants that were short & then cut back further. Look at your Palm Coast utility bill, all those STF’s being paid for by the growth that have a negligible taxpayer base. Welcome to Alfinville, FL Flagler Beach & Bunnell, not o be outdone by Palm Coast followed suit. Look at Marineland, the Dolphin theme park bankrupt, developers there taking their hits. Unaffordable housing at it’s finest every residential in Palm Coast is a duplex rental hell of transient population. And that’s what building on the Old Brick Road is, the same developers & HBA that’s suing Palm Coast over there in Espanola, FL. I think everyone in Flagler County with a bicycle needs to ride that at the leisure for a Saturday, be it a warmer Winter Day, a comfortable Spring or Fall day just to take in the nostalgia of what that historical period of time was like. Live it while you still can, like going to Ft Matanzas or even Old St Augustine. It’s a less traveled experience. One that I doubt many lifetime locals have done ? I miss the St Augustine Amphitheatre & the Cross & Sword State play. I do ride the bicycle thru the Tomoka Loop, the Tomoka State Park, Bulow Plantation ruins. The weather has been ideal & gorgeous for that get off your couch & go do something Saturday.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espanola,_Florida
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Highway#After_establishment_of_U.S._Highway_System
Laurel says
Oh for crying out loud. What the heck does this story in our local county have to do with Biden? It’s sickening that there is always someone from the right who can not comment without bringing Biden’s name up. Biden will not be involved with anything this county decides in this matter. Give it a rest already.
Phew! That was fun!
John Bloomfield says
That’s contrary to what I know. Historical preservation for Hewitt Mill, Fort Fulton, just to sound off. Preston Zepp and Ed Siarkowicz and many others have been the lifeline bringing awareness to the public:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPdarqN83EI
Let’s not homogenize every unique corridor; the linear park concept sounds like it would pencil in well with the Trail Town Program many of us were led to believe would happen here:
https://floridadep.gov/parks/ogt/content/trail-town-program
What happened to that?
JimboXYZ says
I’m all for protecting the historical of the original US-1, I’ve ridden the road on my ATB/MTB bicycle from time to time. I think they need to keep anyone off that road that is pedaling their own bicycle. I guess maybe an ebike. But anything more than that & you’re probably getting the wrong type of person out there. The brick thieves the history & nature vandal. So yeah, by all means protect the historical of the county.
https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/trails/us/florida/old-brick-road
https://flaglercountyhistoricalsociety.com/driving-the-old-brick-road/
JimboXYZ says
“I think they need to keep anyone off that road that is pedaling their own bicycle.”
Amend that to read:
I think they need to keep anyone off that road that ISN’T pedaling their own bicycle.
Hammock Huck says
Screw Palm Coast and their expansion. How much more of Flagler County does Palm Coast need to destroy? They’re turning Flagler County into another over-priced, large metropolitan, crime-ridden, traffic-congested coastal cesspool. Does New York City sound familiar? Stop the growth, take in the history, and enjoy what you already have within the tri-county area.
Lois says
Tax greed will never stop this expansion. Build and tax till there is no land lefy to build on. Then Palm Cosst will be totally destroyed.
Alyce patrick says
We must speak our minds today, though it contradicts all we have said before. [said Ben Franklin] This stretch of land is our precious jewel. Who would we be if we let them rape and plunder this verdant brick passage?
our town in a nutshell says
Cut it all down. Give the developers luxury cruises and they are to pay zero fees. Pass all costs along to residents. Houses 5 feet apart. Build ALL roads with one lane and thin crap assfault. Time all traffic lights so you get every red light. Connect all new plumbing to water treatment plant #1. Build dollar stores and storage facilities along every road. Toss in a round-a-bout for good measure. Now, that’s the PC way. Am I wrong people???
Mona says
No, you are not wrong.
Really Annoyed says
Screw the developers!
You people are funny says
C’’mon People do you really think Flagler County is going to stand in the way of more development ? This is just election year (for some) posturing to make it look good.
Vox Populi says
I’m heartened to see local officials suddenly realizing residents are fed up with unrestricted development. Let’s hope it’s not just election year posturing and that they’re still standing up for taxpayers in January.
Gail says
Get those logging trucks off the brick road. No cars, no trucks, bikes and e-bikes traffic only. Save our history, Palm Coast, get on board!
Laurel says
Did the article really state “22,000 homes”? So what now? The only wildlife left will be cockroaches, and the only plants will be invasives, and tropicals that can’t survive here? Y’all don’t have enough traffic yet? Not enough storage facilities and car washes?
This is what you get when you put the greedy and selfish in charge.
hjc says
Might as well let everyone go out there and get a few bricks now. The bulldozers are on the way. Greed will prevail and politicians will get their kickbacks. I see the developer having a yard sale and selling the bricks 5 for $10 get ready folks.
Tetris says
It’s an old brick road. Who on here really cares? Of all the commenters, who has actually been on this brick road? I mean WTF does it really matter?! We’re not talking about some ancient pyramid, or a three hundred year old fort or military encampment or cemetary. It’s nothing more than a road paved with bricks a hundred years ago that’s long overdue to be gone. And when its gone, guarantee you no one still alive will miss it.
Toss a monument or two here and there, maybe even a roundabout built out of some bricks from it, and lets all move along as a society and stop making a big-ass deal out of some rotten, friggin bricks. Bricks!
Also find it laughable that some think that TOURISM occurs here to see this decrepid road only 20 minutes to the nation’s oldest city inundated with brick roads hundreds of years older. Gimme a break!