The Palm Coast Planning Board Wednesday evening recommended approval of a rezoning of 62 acres on Old Kings Road some 2.5 miles south of State Road 100 that will clear the way for up to 210 small homes, hours after the Palm Coast City Council annexed the property into the city, from the county.
The property is adjacent to Polo Club West, an upscale equestrian community where residents have been worried about the effects of a significantly different, more dense type of development rising on their horizon. Polo Club residents have been voicing their concerns to the city and the developer, and appear to have won several concessions.
The largely vacant 62-acre property had previously been permitted for up to 232 houses and 36,000 square feet of commercial use in the county’s jurisdiction. In 2008 the county had approved platting 159 houses on 50-foot-wide lots and 72 town homes. They were never built.
The city designation will lower the allowable density somewhat, but the 50-foot wide, 6,000 square foot lots remain in the future plan, with the smallest homes at 1,200 square feet. The commercial component under the county designation forbade convenience stores, gas stations or fast food restaurants. It’s not clear if that prohibition survives the annexation.
The land was acquired by by Geosam Capital US (Florida) in November 2020. The company’s principals are based in Ormond Beach and Nova Scotia, according to the state Division of Corporations. A Master Planned Development for 205 single-family homes has been submitted to the city. The plan is under review. It’ll have to go before the planning board, but not the city council. No dates have been scheduled.
The multiplicity of boards and actions can be confusing. The annexation is a separate matter entirely. The land use changes, including a comprehensive plan amendment, require reviews by the different boards, including state review, so the planning board’s recommendations from Tuesday evening have yet to be approved by the council before any development plans are even considered. But all those technicalities aside, the heart of the issue is the Polo Club residents’ concerns.
Residents there worry about the disparity between their more rustic, rural-oriented development of vastly green equestrian-community properties and what will be a more dense development of close-cropped, smaller homes, in line with the sort of developments increasingly common as incoming, older residents seek to downsize.
John Duncan, who owns property at Polo Club West, described it as “a very unique, upscale, private gated equestrian community” of 34 residents and property owners, established in 2005. He spoke to the council on behalf of the residents and the homeowners association. That community is to the east of the annexed land. Minimum lot sizes there are 5 acres and homes no smaller than 2,500 square feet, some are up to 6,000 square feet. The property owners are concerned about “two vastly different land use developments” between their community and the Geosam site, Duncan said.
“If approved, the Old Kings Village community will contain 205 houses in an extremely high density configuration immediately outside the gates of our community,” Duncan said when he addressed the council earlier this month. “The 205 homes plan for Old Kings Village will generate 717 new residents in over 500 vehicles. It is completely natural that people will want to explore into our private community. Even in the current undeveloped state, we’re faced with situations people pulling up to our gate, bypassing our gate with ATVs and mopeds and bicycles, loitering in the private woods and fishing in the private homeowners ponds. Safety of strangers attempting to pet or feed the horses is also a great concern. With unfettered access to our lands, this will quickly get out of hand. ”
Another resident said: “We decided to build in Polo Club West because it is a gated neighborhood with plenty of privacy, nice homes, great neighbors and is secure. These new development proposals have us quite worried about some of the things we are hearing about the new plans.” The main concerns had to do with the openness between the two developments.
Christine Kraus, who lives in Polo Club West, said there’s “a lot of trees coming out that weren’t supposed to in the original PUD. We’re very worried about buffers, we are very worried about how it’s going to affect our community on the backside, especially the east side that faces Secretariat lane.” She said the residents are not against the development, and recognize that the number of houses has been reduced. “But our value of our homes and our community, which are five-acre, million-plus homes, is going to go down if they don’t do the right things.”
The residents asked for a privacy wall between the Polo Club and the coming development, sound buffering and controls of “light pollution,” and to preserve the county prohibitions on certain commercial uses remain in place. Residents also wanted to ensure that their road accessing Old Kings Road would not be affected.
“We’ve been working with the residents and we will continue to work with the residents on some of their needs,” Michael Chiumento, the land-use attorney representing the developer, said. “I just wanted to remind everybody that there has been a reduction in density and intensity on the proposed use.”
There was also some insistence on preserving commercial acreage. Chiumento pointed out that some 2 million square feet of retail and commercial uses was previously approved across the street further south. “So we do not believe and did not believe and still don’t believe that commercial on this section of old Kings Road would be viable,” Chiumento said. “However, at the request of city council members asking that we do retain some opportunity for commercial such as a daycare or just your neighborhood commercial type uses, we agreed to retain the 2 acres.”
The ordinance setting out the terms of the voluntary annexation does not include conditional language. But it doesn’t preclude it by other means. “One of the vehicles or tools that could be used to accomplish what we’re talking about is sometimes referred to as a voluntary commitment agreement,” City Attorney Bill Reischmann said. That commitment agreement would be parallel to the ordinance. City Council member Theresa Pontieri earlier this month asked Chiumento directly whether the developer was willing to submit just such an agreement.
Chiumento said the developer would, and submitted that agreement on Sept. 18. (See it here.) The agreement commits to a 6-foot privacy fence on the proposed development’s eastern boundary, adjacent to the Polo Club West, and to “take no action to adversely affect the Polo Club West’s access to Old Kings Road.” The agreement notes that “This Commitment is a voluntary commitment by Developer, and not an exaction by the City.”
Pontieri was insistent on ensuring that the property values of Polo Club West residents be preserved. “If I’m ready to move forward on this annexation within my discretion, I do want to make sure that the neighborhood is being considered and that their property values are not negatively affected by this new development,” Pontieri said at Tuesday’s council meeting. She also acknowledged the developer’s willingness to work with the city and the residents.
It did not appear that the commitment agreement had been shared with the residents. “That’d be great if we could review that, especially if that’s been put forward as a reason to annex today,” Bob Atack, a resident at Polo Club West, said. But he was still concerned about the development ahead, lacking information about what buffers will look like, for example. “We all invested in this community with its Old Kings Village PUD, which has been in place for 16 years,” he said of the previous plan. “People are investing their life savings into the community of their dreams, which is Polo Club West.” The new plan is “completely wiping that off what was already agreed to, and changing it forever.” He proposed slowing down the annexation process for more deliberations.
The council felt there had been enough deliberations by then, and voted 5-0 to approve the annexation.
Bee says
Now you see why the money went into building a phantom bike bridge over SR 100. Between the development featured in this article along with the projected development on John Anderson if the economy permits, it’s about to get more development than ever. Keep your eyes on the Westside of US1 North. Since the flopping of our commercial Town Center that should have rivaled St Johns Town Center in JVille, sights are being set on basically developing another commercial Palm Coast of all things we’re lacking like a real City Center location.
Pam says
I most often observe the lack of planning on any construction, the contracted work for FLP, especially road construction and the we must build without the infrastructure to support it. I’m an educated person, not in the things I’ve mentioned but I do have eyes and I can see.
Palm Coast has a level of greed that I thought would never exist. “Never Say Never” The wild life has nowhere to go, the lushness of trees and vegetation are dwindling away and the locals have a hard time enjoying the paradise that once was.
Big M says
You can surely tell how deep this city is in the developer’s pockets!
Atwp says
More plans to build homes. What about lights on streets for the cyclists? More homes, more people, bad roads = pending disaster. Look at the past 3 months in this city and county. Just saying because I’m concerned about people getting killed on our roads.
BLINDSPOTTING says
Well just goes to show how money talks down here, these wealthy homeowners are
are not only getting a reduction in the amount of homes built near them but also
buffers, a 6 foot wall, Chuimento agrees to take another look at the commercial area,
unlike the the approval on the Cascades development where they are doubling the
development with their “Hook” inclusion. so if a residents home is not in the millions
we get pooped upon???
jeffery c. seib says
This is not even a bad joke. What do we have a Planning Board for? All they are is a rubber stamp for the city staff who have worked with developers on these projects for months sometimes, at taxpayer expense, and this is what they come up with. Iam getting very concerned about the future of our community. This particular development doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Literally thousands of other apartments, mini-lot homes, and regular homes have been shoved through the cracks and now we are headed down a dead-end street. This needs to stop now. The only way that will happen is if we inundate the council with our disapproval of these projects. Otherwise, get ready for the next one, and next one, and next one…..
Kat says
Annexed and within hours-new development approved, gee what a surprise! Oh, boy, there’s another surprise, Chiumento is the attorney representing the developer!
Let this be another big fat, glaring sign to those of us in the Hammock regarding Palm Coast’s aspirations.
T says
We need to come together people more people they get they going raise everything taxes fees etc cons
Celia M Pugliese says
They wanted to annex to be approved for higher density by city council. Sure those owners of Polo West very expensive properties are concerned and I have all my sympathy for them because is very sad that you invested so high in your dream equestrian homes for your landowner next door request city annexation to increase density that will totally affect your properties and quality of life. As council lady Pointieri says they can say NO to rezoning for increased units per acre. Just NO, because will take away the very essence of the quality of life of the adjacent residents at Polo West equestrian acreages! They bought with an original comp plan and zoning that protected also their property rights and should not be changed! Is time that council votes 5 NO and NOT, 4 to 1 yes. If request of rezoning’s are presented is to be approved or disapproved then vote with the residents pleas on mind, just like Pointieri said in the 9/19 meeting and over and over before! By those yesser’s voters to rezoning in city council I ask them; only vacant landowners have owners rights? What about the current residents also landowners rights next to them? Are we consider children of a lesser God or what?
DAve says
The destruction of Flagler County continues. Traffic no problem, overcrowding no problem, all for the money and hell with people that live around there or anywhere ridiculous growth is taking place. These planners and commissioners or councilmen and women are just stooges for their ego and pay check. They just don’t care. It’s all about the taxes growth brings.
Wow says
Things are changing rapidly in Flagler County and the old familiar way of life is going. Even Polo Club residents are going to face it. Might as well get used to it.
My husband showed me a picture taken 20 years ago at the Flagler Beach Farmers Market when it was worthwhile. How sad that change comes but no one can stop it.
Kris says
Like i said from beginning, the so call bike bridge over 100 was to ajoin neighborhoods, not trails! That will all be housing areas and that bridge will be a drug trafficking area!
Erica says
Look at Jacksonville Orlando Tampa, that is the result of rubber stamping development. A shame that flagler county choose that path too follow.
Laurel says
“As council lady Pointieri says they can say NO to rezoning for increased units per acre. Just NO, because will take away the very essence of the quality of life of the adjacent residents at Polo West equestrian acreages! They bought with an original comp plan and zoning that protected also their property rights and should not be changed!”
But you and Pontiari are good with the annexing of county beaches, in the Hammock, into Palm Coast, right?
Which way did they go?
Which way DO they go?
..) (..
Kath says
Planning Boards in Florida need to stop ,and breathe…you have new people that have moved here. Have you got out there and talked to them? Some people move here, because of a sleepy little surf town. Not high rises and new hotels . One minute you have a problem with drainage , parking,so let’s build more? Anything shovel in ground complete. If its on paper hold off for a year. See what the in pack is ….There are empty houses ,older people die new people move in.Do you really need more housing? With down turn in economy, alot of people buying are going to lose these houses. They lose there jobs , or can not get insurance, bye-bye house….then you have a bunch of empty house for the homeless to move in to…you need to wake up!!! People coming here are looking for slower pace…
Dave says
Spot on. Connect the dots as they say. Just wait !
Celia M Pugliese says
Pointieri or any Palmcoasters including Celia do not care ,want or look to annex your property we just want the beach front land only that was taken away from us in the mid nineties! We the over 98,000 city residents want these not only one but two sad access to beaches left to us, to become parks with lifeguards on it as we deserve to have also lifeguarded beaches for Palmcoasters given the 44% county 24% city split of our ad valorem taxes. We need it and you can keep your county district home…we couldn’t care less about it! And yes I take a stand for those equestrian residents of Polo West because all of us in Palm Coast affluent or not so, us, are affected by the often wrong decisions of council and even county commissioners as well. Pointieri is right on point!
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
Exactly, just like stuffing a hospital between two neighborhoods on a small plot of land. Looks like a circus set up there at night.
Mark says
I keep waiting for the city to announce a new large shopping center, or even a new major employer, for all these new residents. All we hear is crickets….
BLINDSPOTTING says
Mark: The planning and development circus board could have put something
like what you are talking about where they put that unsitely ugly carnival of
a storage warehouse on SR100 across from Planet Fitmess for thoussnds of
us who pass it everyday to see a cluster of c**p. Whoever decided and
approved that should be fired immediately, one big eyesore!
No light Tim says
No to street lights , it’s coast too much and light pollution as well. I like looking up and seeing stars
Christine Kraus says
Let’s get something straight. My husband and I have worked our butts off for everything we have!! And still do to this day ! Came here with nothing and just trying to preserve what we rightly deserve! And we chose this location because of its privacy, exclusivity, and safety ! This has nothing to do with money but pushing and emailing almost every day, and communicating with as many people possible to protect our beautiful neighborhood! This comes with being respectful but assertive . No disrespect but your comment is unwarranted.
BLINDSPOTTING says
Christine Kraus: AND so have others who struggle everyday to pay for their
homes no matter what the price of their homes are, why do you think you
are the only self entitled community asking for WALLS and BUFFERS,
you are another NIMBY who could not care less for other communities.
And your comment is very disrespectful to say that mine is unwarrented
I have my opinion just like your have yours so get off your high horse and
also respect other peoples perspective. My point is that every persons home
no matter what it cost is their castle and should be treated equally when
zoning and more development occurs and it’s apparent here it’s not, the
truth hurts.
that straight!
Denali says
What are you talking about? You keep on about how beach property was taken from you in the mid-90’s. Palm Coast did not exist until 1999. The deal made with Ginn was with the county for county property. Move on to something factual. Palm Coast has no right or entitlement to any beach front property claim.
Further, seeing as how Palm Coast cannot take care of what they already own, they should never be trusted with the responsibility to care for a sensitive ecosystem like the beach area.
TR says
Just one small factual fact. PC did exist way before 1999 because I moved here in 1989 and I also have met people through my business over the years that have been here since 1970’s. It wasn’t until 1999 when the now city of Palm Coast was incorporated.
Christine Kraus says
I don’t just care about my community I have went to several meetings for other unwanted developments and and spoke on their behalf I’m sorry if it bothers you that I’m a little more invested in what effects ours . So to call me a NIMBY is incorrect. And I hope we can agree The bottom line is we all don’t want our beautiful county to be over taken by development but unfortunately it’s what’s happening . All we can do is continue to speak our minds and hopefully get better outcomes.
Dennis C Rathsam says
Look folks we all agree… The mayor and his band of fools ask you to bend over one more time ! This is shit for the birds! Lets get togeather & demand a stop to all this madness. Yesterday it took me ten minutes from the Flagler beach exit, to get into Target. 10 minutes. NO SOUP FOR ALVIN!
BLINDSPOTTING says
Christine Kraus: I appreciate the clarification, I also have gone to meetings
and even contributed to other communities in their fight for their rights, I also
appreciate that you do speak out for the best of your community’s interest which
is exactly what I do. I believe that we need to join forces and come together, there
is power in numbers especially at the voting box, we need to get rid of these
money hungry officials in office who are getting kickbacks from loads of
issues that are affecting our communities negatively. What they seek to do is
divide and conquer they get scared when their power is threatened. Do you
really think that they care for your community despite a small reduction
in their planning or Chiumento looking into the commercial areas, they are
just pacifying for now, don’t trust them.
Laurel says
TR: You just contradicted yourself. If it was county, it was not city. The beaches are county still.
Laurel says
Dennis: I’m sure he wants an Alfin Avenue.
Denali says
Your small factual fact is in actuality a contradiction. As you state, the City of Palm Coast did not exist prior to 1999. The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners in 1975 created the Palm Coast Service District. No matter what it was called, prior to 1999 the land area was an unincorporated area of Flagler County and its residents were citizens of the county.
Land of no turn signals says says
The million dollar question is;Is the city or the developer Geosam acknowledging the 12 plus Gopher Tortoise nests or we going to just bury they alive?