In a startling proposal that may revive city-Hammock conflicts dormant since the mid 2000s, Palm Coast City Council member Theresa Pontieri on Tuesday said the city should consider annexing the county’s Malacompra Park so Palm Coast can have its own beach.
Pontieri framed the proposal as part of an attempt to relieve Flagler Beach of the crush of visitors to its beaches. But she did so with insistent language about
“My idea is simply to provide Palm Coast its beach,” Pontieri said. “We have nearly 97 residents out of 130 Flagler County residents and we don’t have a beach for our constituents. Malacompra is very close to the city.”
Pontieri illustrated her proposal with a map showing the outline of the suggested annexation. Intentionally or not, the red shape had the distinct, almost exact outline of an anvil hammering out from Palm Coast across the Intracoastal and onto the county’s beach, spreading north and south.
“The outline in red portion here is how we could annex it in,” Pontoeri said. “So the little L shape that is on the land side, not the water side of U.S. 1 here, this is connected to the C Section.” It connects through a parcel that cannot be developed, and that links to county land, across an invisible bridge over the Intracoastal: residents would still have to use the Hammock Dunes Bridge to get there. The annexed land would include the length of Malacompra Road, its sheriff’s substation, its Hammock Community Center, its half dozen or more private properties.
Annexation would give Palm Coast authority over land use, enabling it to change current, passive usages. Pontieri says the city can do a better job than the county there. “Right now we rely on the county to maintain Malacompra and they’re not doing it, to be quite frank,” she said (a contention Council member Nick Klufas disputed. The county has been investing a lot of money in the area on pickleball courts and the community center. Klufas is running for a County Commission seat, and likely cannot win without the Hammock vote. The area is proportionately wealthier and turns out to vote more than in most precincts.
None of the other council members embraced the proposal. Three of them responded with a mixture of resistance, surprise and cautions that spoke to various difficulties or contradictions in the proposal.
“I’m not so sure the residents there would like an additional tax bill,” Council member Ed Danko said. “I’m not so sure that the folks in the Hammock would like the idea of taking anything away from them. They’re very protective over there. And there really is nothing preventing users, people in Palm Coast, from using that beach.”
Danko is also running for a County Commission seat. He added: “I’d need every resident on that road to say yes, I want to be part of Palm Coast, because that’s what will happen,” Danko said.
That provoked what many a Hammock resident–if not county residents–will take as a shockingly high-handed response from Pontieri: “Well my my issue with that is, we don’t represent them,” the council member said. “We represent the city of Palm Coast. So I want to consider them and I don’t want to disregard anybody in this process. But I represent 97,000 residents in Palm Coast, and this is good for them. So I understand that there’s a very small community of the Hammock who may be vocal, and there’s five, six people on this road that might be affected, and I don’t want to exclude them. I want to consider them but I don’t represent them.”
“Small community” is a significant understatement, by historical standards. In January 2007, the so-called water wars were raging between Palm Coast and the Hammock. Palm Coast was insisting that the Hammock annex into the city if it were to receive water and sewer services. The hammock refused, and the matter was eventually resolved in the Hammock’s favor: Palm Coast would extend utility lines but not annex.
The Hammock’s antipathy for what it saw as Palm Coast’s imperiousness was expressed in a non-binding referendum in January 2007, when Hammock residents were asked if they favored annexation. The vote was 1,855 against, five for. The numbers of votes cast represented 60 percent of Hammock residents, according to Dennis Clark, a Hammock community resident and member of the Hammock Community Association, among other local groups.
There are also numerous other historical associations with Malacompra Road and the areas surrounding it, with links going back to the earlier part of the 19th century. In 2010, the Society for Historical Archeology awarded the county an Award of Merit for its “commitment to the preservation” of the Malacompra Plantation archeological site. The Florida Trust for Historical Preservation also awarded the county for the same accomplishment that year.
The proposal triggered frenzied meetings within county government, where officials were trying to get the measure of Pontieri’s proposal, which took them by surprise. “We know they’ve always lusted after the beach. They always have,” one official said, requesting not to be named.
Pontieri is well aware that her idea will not be readily welcomed: “I can almost guarantee they’re not on board yet at the county level,” she said.
Richard Hamilton, a local resident, reminded the council of that not-too-distant era. “Remember, you have agreements with the county,” Hamilton said. “They go back to the water wars, the utility wars of the early 2000s. I was here for that. There are agreements between you and the county not to use annexation as a vehicle on utility agreements. This map would create an enclave, and you’re going to discuss it tomorrow. You will get a lot of opposition if you continue to proceed.”
County and city representatives are meeting this evening for their second joint government meeting that Flagler Beach initiated, originally to discuss overcrowding in Flagler Beach. Pontieri sits on that committee, and said she had “reached out” to Hammock community members to discuss her proposal. She did not name any, other than Danielle Anderson, a director and program administrator of the Scenic A1A Pride committee. Anderson did not respond to an email this morning before this article initially appeared.
Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin favored waiting on that discussion before giving Pontieri’s proposal more room to create controversy.
“Let me put this lightly,” Reaching out to the other organizations is certainly your prerogative. What I do not want to do is, I do not want to project that the city of Palm Coast as a city council, until we should agree, is looking to annex property from another municipality or certainly from the county. Interlocal agreement sounds much more palatable to me. But I just don’t want to give the impression because the press will have a field day with that and I don’t want to project that. That that’s not a negative about the concept. I just don’t want to send a wrong message.”
Pontieri said she would also consider a joint agreement with the county (or an “interlocal agreement”) on Malacompra, but is less enthused about that. It would entail spending money, while improving the park would still be on county land. “If we’re going to improve a park and make it something that our Palm Coast residents can call its own beach,” Pontiery said, “there’s some pride that goes into that just like a lot of our other parks, that it is something that should be ours.”
Pontieri continued, her language getting stronger–more possessive–as she went on: “The annexation costs us nothing. But that’s the first step,” she said. “If we as a city want to have our own beach, and I think our citizens are entitled to their own beach–and I say that, I know entitled is a strong word, but we give the county so much money. And I think that this accomplishes a lot of things that can help draw traffic away from Flagler Beach and in Malacompra, which is not frequented very often.”
Klufas noted what all people familiar with the Malacompra beach know: “The beaches isn’t of great quality,” he said. “There’s a ton of rocks out there. You can’t go swimming, you can’t take kids there, you can’t just dive into the ocean or you’ll get crushed.”
Pontieri said she’s reached out to the Environmental Protection Agency: “We can actually relocate rocks and we can move rocks up to the dunes,” she said, an assertion a local ordinance that criminalizes the removal of coquina rocks contradicts.
Danko reiterated that the beach is accessible to Palm Coast residents now. He didn’t see a return on investment if the city were to annex. Pontieri said the same can be said of any of the city’s parks, while Malacompra would be a different experience from freshwater parks. And even as she said that she did not represent the property owners of Malacompra Road, she went on to speak on behalf of Flagler Beach residents: “What amenity that we don’t have in the city could we provide to our residents that would a) help the the situation that we’re currently battling at Flagler Beach,” she said, “and b) provide a really cool amenity to my residents here.”
“We’re not currently battling anything at Flagler Beach,” Danko said. “That’s Flagler Beach dealing with their beach.”
While acknowledging some resistance, Pontieri did not appear to see her proposal as that unusual. “It’s not an outlandish idea, and it’s certainly not out of left field. It is different,” Pontieri said. “This is just say, Hey, can we entertain this? This is not a ‘we want to propose an annexation right now.'”
The dude says
Add ten new users to the tax base. In return get acres of beach front prone to hurricane damage and flooding.
A tiny city, with a huge taxe rate (like Palm Coast) should be looking for ways to ease the tax burden of its residents, not ways to increase it by annexing expensive property we already pay for and have free access to.
I may have moved away, but I still own a PC home and as such am liable for this foolishness via my ginormous, bloated Palm Coast/Flagler County tax bill.
Hammock Resident says
Sit down Pontieri, you are out of your wheelhouse here. This has multiple layers of being a bad idea. First, the Hammock Community does not want to be bundled in with the cluster of Palm Coast. Second, Palm Coast can not maintain what they have and the County is doing a great job with Malacompra. Third, Palm Coast DOES NOT need its own beach, they can use the Counties and the City of Flagler Beaches, an option would be to pay into it their costs. Can Palm Coast afford Lifeguards, Beach Maintenance, etc? Pontieri needs to go back to worrying about the roads, canals, and denying development.
Thomas Hutson says
Hammock Resident,
After attending the combined County Government Workshop on September 13th, it became very obvious to all, that Flagler Beach has a real parking problem (say it’s not so} who would believe that?? Flagler Beach was looking for some positive input from fellow Governments, not happening! Flagler Beach is on its own, it is their problem!
Palm Coast’s “LIGHTENING ROD” Council’s Pontieri was given the opportunity at the workshop to relate Palm Coast’s intent to “ANNEX” Malacompra Park! Why the need to annex Malacompra Park? So, Palm Coast can have “Its own Beach” for their 97,000 residents. Besides there are only a few residents affected. Never mind the “Gerrymandering” needed in order to make it happen their {Palm Coast| residents need access to their own beach!
Hey!! Palm Coast residents already have access to the beaches; State Road 100 to A1A North or Hammock Dunes Bridge to A1A North! Say What?? But if we annex Malacompra Park we can help relieve the “Parking” problem in Flagler Beach. Really ?!? Pontieri believes that! Not so fast, Pontieri is just the “Lightening ROD” for the rest of Palm Coast Council!! Why say lightening rod for Palm Coast?
When Pontieri was making her presentation to the workshop members, County Commissioner Dance asked about the presentation being presented prior to any agreement among the entire Palm Coast Council. Good Old Mayor Alfin then came to Pontieri’s defense advising Commissioner Dance that Palm Coast Council had agreed to her speaking about “HER IDEA” of Palm Coast annexing Malacompra Park!
Come on Mayor Aflin, put on the big boy pants and admit “Pontieri’s Startling Move” was not really startling at all. However, it did allow for a “Plausible Excuse” for Palm Coast Council when the Hammock Area, and other County Residents “BLOWBACK” Occurs!! Hey it wasn’t us; it was Pontieri’s doing! Really???
Charlotte VanderJeanne says
TERRIBLE IDEA!! This would add a tax burden to the residents of Palm Coast! Keep Malacompra with Flagler COUNTY!!
Robert Riley says
Stupid Idea. Another stupid idea from the Council. Like changing who owns the beach would make a difference in the amount of people that would go there. Pontieri has lost her mind. To think I voted for her. Ha!
Mark says
“Right now we rely on the county to maintain Malacompra and they’re not doing it, to be quite frank,” she said”
Has she really been there? The County does an excellent job of maintaining Mala Compra Beach area and it’s our second choice after Jungle Hut, if Jungle Hut is full. They could do dune restoration earlier in the year than just before hurricane season though.
As for Nick’s comment ““The beaches isn’t of great quality,” he said. “There’s a ton of rocks out there. You can’t go swimming, you can’t take kids there, you can’t just dive into the ocean or you’ll get crushed.””
Again, has he really been there? When the tide is low (like the above picture) yes there is all the coquina which adds to the landscape and people are smart enough not to dive into the rocks. But when the tide is up there’s plenty of people in the water including those on boogie boards and surf boards. Even when it’s low some will cross the rocks and go swimming then.
The not too simple thing to do is annex The Hammock if Palm Coast really wanted to live up to it’s name, otherwise leave the beaches to the County who are doing a very good job with them. Besides if the City has the money to go annex parcels then how about repairing roads and swales in the older sections.
On a side note about the map: If I remember correctly you just can’t use a road to annex a parcel. Settled by the Supreme Court 50 something years ago because of annexations done around the Chicago area that meandered down roads to acquire larger parcels including O’Hare which followed Touhy Avenue. Something the Lawyers can figure out.
Denali says
Someone who actually remembers ‘Hiz-Honor’ getting his hand slapped by Washington! What was more fun was watching all the newcomers to the area pitch a fit in the early 60’s because they bought a house at the end of a runway and those planes were so loud. . . . kind of like those people south of Hwy 100, just sayin’.
Escalade says
Denali: Those people??? Disgusting comment.
Denali says
You move to an area within an airports operational area and then demand that the airport cease or alter its operations? Yes, ‘those people’ are the ones who are so self-entitled that they think the world revolves around them. It is not the comment that is disgusting, it is the people.
Escalade says
Denali: You are a airport troll! Look how you turned this conversation into an airport
issue with your imaginary argument that has no basis in reality. It’s the flight schools
that are flying at very low illegal altitudes over peoples homes disrupting their quality
of life and also dropping leaded fuel thus poisoning communities and making profits
running businesses in residential communities. Stop unjustly justifying acts of
violence thsa bring harm to others, its no different than people doing
street racing claiming that people are never allowed to have peace because the
road was there first. It’s not even worth it to hold intelligent conversations with the likes
of someone like you because they always end up nasy and boring. Just look at your
other comments calling people clowns , cursing, you are the self entitled little
selfish little guy who has no compassion for other humans with your pretend
to be dem attitude who is narrow minded with an invidualistic attitude about your
quaint little community, there are developers building massive homes on A1A in
your area which are owned by corportions who rent these homes out. We
couldn’t care less about having our own beach but reading some of these comments
makes people feel that we would not even want to spend any of our hard working
money in your quaint little narrow minded town, I hope that your Mayor and council
people read some of these comments cause it sure ain’t good for buinesses to be
known as the town of HATE.
palmcoaster says
Denali we in Palm Coast are not all alone. and are uniting ..the nuisance takes place in other airports: https://www.scottsdale.org/city_news/scottsdale-airport-noisier-neighbors-complain/article_a3955c9c-96e6-11ea-ad61-739c4eccae4a.html
JOE D says
Well, that’s ONE option for relieving the pressure on the main Flagler Beach. Now, they need to cancel the toll for the north bridge access to A1A.
Of course the Hammock residents will resist the idea. There also needs to be some additional restaurants and shops to serve that area, if we want beach goers to spread NORTH from route 100!
Well at LEAST the idea is out there, even if initially the idea isn’t received well. Good example of thinking outside the box!
It was a BIG MISTAKE to allow the Palm Coast Beach area originally assigned for Palm Coast residents back when the development was new to disappear…maybe now is the time to revisit the idea!
Doug says
How do you figure this potential annex will “relieve the pressure on Flagler Beach?” The Palm Coast residents don’t need their own beach, and annexing will not help relieve pressure anywhere in the county. They can use Mala Compra, Varn Park, Bay Park, Flagler Beach, Beverly Beach, etc., etc. without taxing the residents. And you’re right, the Hammock residents will resist, me included.
Dave says
The destruction of everything that used to be good about Palm Coast. Why don’t these ” Palm Coast Residents go to Vern Park. But it sounds like to me she doesn’t seem to mind all of those Palm Coast residents paying TOLL ACCESS to get to that so called beach, if they take the Shortest way over..
Thomas Hutson says
Annex Malacompra Park
Palm Coast’s Council Pontieri’s idea of annexing Malacompra Park is the best example yet of the large elephant in the room. Wow!! Think about this, Palm Coast needs their own park, we can do a better job than Flagler County. We have our own Fire Department, Street Department, Library etc, etc, Why Not our own Beach? Pontieri see no problem with creating an “ENCLAVE” only six residents live there that might be affected and Palm Coast does not represent them, she represents 97,000, and this is good for them???
Good old Mayor David Alfin likes the idea of an “INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT” compared to annexing. Pontieri stated she would consider it, but it “WOULD ENTAIL SPENDING MONEY” but not owning the land. Palm Coast wants its own its beach! Palm Coast likes Interlocal Agreements it saves them money, look at the sheriff’s interlocal agreement, that is the best example of Palm Coast saving money by not creating their own “Palm Coast Police Department!” One that Pontieri and council could call their own.
As a candidate for Flagler County Commission District 3, I can state publicly that if elected, I will not support any annexation of Malacompra Park. I challenge any member of Palm Coast City Council running for a Flagler County Commission seat to state the same.
Marek says
The imperial ideas of Ms Pontieri are astonishing. As she was informed by the other. members of the Council ANYBODY can enjoy Malacompra beach. Unbelievable?
Laurel says
““If we’re going to improve a park and make it something that our Palm Coast residents can call its own beach,” Pontiery said, “there’s some pride that goes into that just like a lot of our other parks, that it is something that should be ours.””
Just how should it be yours?
This is a perfect example of what I call the willfully ignorant.
Palm Coast has always wanted the Hammock, and fortunately for us, they failed. This moron wants to move the rocks out of the water, and up on the beach. She has no clue that there are small fish, like Sergent Majors, that depend on those rocks. She wants her foot in the door to overtake the Hammock.
The Hammock will fight you again. You are “entitled” to nothing. In fact, Palm Coast should dump Pontieri, and the county will not want her either. Too stupid, in my opinion.
Doug says
Well said, Laurel. Leave the Hammock alone.
Ace says
Amen!
Laurel says
I have to apologize to Ms. Pontieri for calling her a moron. That was uncalled for, and I feel bad for doing it.
I have not changed my mind about the ruse to annex the Hammock, which I completely believe, and question the integrity of all involved.
Ed says
Don’t think it can pass the second 2023 Florida statute requirement of compactness and not creating enclaves or fingers.
Map says it all
Mark says
GO POUND SAND! LEAVE ME AND MY FAMILY ALONE!
I love the county and the people do a GREAT JOB!
Ever hear the expression don’t make me come over the bridge? THERE IS A REASON…. PEOPLE LIKE YOU!
Ball deeper than possible..... says
Not even in more than a year and it looks like she Pontieri, is with Danko and Alfin with the developers.
The big law firm down by City Hall must be balls deep in this group.
Sad, I thought she had promise.
I won’t vote for any of them again…..
DaleL says
Pontieri said: “We can actually relocate rocks and we can move rocks up to the dunes,”. I have read a lot of stupid things in my life, but this one is just about the dumbest yet.
Coquina underlays the entire beach and coast. The exposed coquina helps to reduce beach erosion. As the rock erodes, it becomes sand.
In addition, I believe that Palm Coast residents are also residents of Flagler County. They have just as much ability to utilize Malacompra County Park and beach as with any other county park. Flagler County just recently added the Bay Drive Park, which is just north of Sea Colony.
It is apparent that Pontieri wants a swimming beach with lifeguards. Whereas, I just want a beach to walk on and dunes to protect my home here in the Hammock.
Janet Sullivan says
I watched the video. Startling hardly begins to describe it. Surely there’s something else at play behind the curtain because so much of what she said was non-sensical. I look forward to Act II.
Carmella Carson says
Does this councilman really think that the number of people visiting a beach changes with who owns the property? No!
What also makes her think that removing the “natural” rocks from a beach area is a hood idea for the environment?
peter wentworth says
Considering what a fantastic job the City of Palm Coast did in managing Splash Pad, I can’t imagine what could possibly go wrong were they to take over Mala Compra park!
Shark says
It’s time to get rid of the circus act ruining my town !!!!!
Eric Williams says
This girl must be bored and should go back to making her racist “White Noise” videos that got her fired from the Sheriffs office.
You can see she really doesn’t have too much common sense.
I’m dumbfounded that she really thinks that Palm Coast is “entitled” to a beach, sounds like a millennial.
We don’t want to spend any tax dollars moving natural rocks that protect the dune to create a swimming beach.
Does she have any brain cells?
Thank goodness this council women does not represent the County or my City. Stay in Palm Coast and keep ruining that municipality.
Skibum says
The small splash pad experiment with poorly enticed “experts” didn’t go well enough, so now some in the city govt are looking at bringing nature’s enormous splash pad into the city limits? LOL, the high and mighty go off the deep end one more time.
James Fiske says
If Palm Coast grabs this, the last portion of a World War II historical site will be destroyed. Bobby Ginn and his devolvement has destroyed the vast amount of what was once the “Coast Guard Road”.
What was the Coast Guard Road? Coast Guard Road, as several other roads in Flagler County, was included in a 1941 legislative act which established the number of state roads in each county for the purpose of gasoline allocations. The road was used to watch the desolate section of beach during World War II. Today, it is a sand track along the dunes. (NOTE: One of the many projects the Flagler County Historical Society is currently working on is getting a National Register of Historical Places designation on the Coast Guard Road).
Janet Sullivan says
Thank you, Mr. Fiske.
Denali says
No one really needs to wonder what the reasons are behind this asinine proposal. As others have stated Pontieri is in the pocket of some developer who has grand plans on taking control of all the land fronting Malacompra Road and turning it into more mega-mansions for the tourist industry. I am sure they will throw in a few boutique shops and restaurants for the tourists to spend their money. Hell, they might even allow backyard chickens. All this Trunp-ette sees is a piggy bank waiting to be broken open with the contents sucked up by her and her keepers. She has no concept of the natural value of the existing beach or why many of us have enjoyed it for years despite all its short-comings.
And then she wants to move the coquina? Does she not realize that area grows coquina? Overlooking the law, sure, you can move some today but after the next storm there will be a whole new crop with which to deal. I have spent many a day on that beach for for the last 15 years and know all too well that the ‘rocks’ move, grow and shrink with the seasons and storms. Then there is that storm thing – before Mathew there were a bunch of nice palm trees and a respectable dune at the park. ‘Nuff said there.
Her comment about how the annexation will not cost the city anything is a bold faced lie. I do not know what the county appropriates annually for the park, road, drainage and building maintenance but I am sure it is more than “nothing”. If the voters of this city do nothing else properly in the next few years, send this clown packing to Mara Lago.
Wow says
If Flagler Beach truly has a “beach over-crowding” issue why on earth add a huge hotel right at the beach? Makes zero sense.
Karen must go says
Palm Coast has a beach. It’s called Jungle Hut. GTFO of here with you stupid ideas. Don’t lay a hand on this sacred ground or it’s world renowned bike trails. Sick woman.
Denali says
WTF ? ? ? The public access area known as “Jungle Hut” is owned by the county. The beach to the south is owned by Hammock Dunes Owners and that to the north is owned by Ocean Hammock Property. Research is a dangerous tool.
Karla Kitchen says
Stay on your side of the river. Keep your crime ridden sections in order and stay the hell out of the Hammock. It’s peaceful here and there is a handful of beaches over the bridge. Why not take over Varn Park and designate that as Palm Coast’s beach? What an idiotic idea. It’s a land grab that will never happen.
palmcoaster says
Hey Karla are you talking about Palm Coast crime riddle with this type of crime selective of f A1A beach front trendy location?”https://flaglerlive.com/hammock-child-neglect/#gsc.tab=0.
Flapharmtech says
Palatka is doing a much better job at managing all things. Can we Palm Coasters/Hammocks consult them? Seriously.
Randy Bentwick says
Why are Palm Coast residents “ENTITLED” to their own beach?
Laurel says
Randy: What most local news, local magazines, advertisements, companies and the City of Palm Coast doesn’t tell anyone is that the Hammock is NOT in Palm Coast. Palm Coast has no coast. They have been trying to confiscate it from the locals more than once, and they will continue to try.
Doug says
There’s a reason why some Hammock residents have a sticker that reads, “Please Don’t Make Me Cross That Bridge.” The same stands true for Palm Coast politics infringing on our beaches. Flagler County has 18 miles of beach available to anyone, including Palm Coast residents. You don’t need to incorporate a beach for Palm Coast residents, as I see nothing wrong with how Flagler County has maintained the coastline over the decades. If they want a “private beach,” move back to New York or the “Jersey Shore,” not here. This is nothing more than a potential start to a power grab, higher taxes, and more unnecessary growth that the beachside doesn’t need. Keep your stupidity on the other side of “Yank Bridge.”
Doug says
97 out of 130 Palm Coast residents don’t have their own beach. Does Orlando have their own beach? East Palatka? When does the madness end? Did your Palm Coast residents not do their due diligence before they moved here to see if Palm “Coast” was beachfront property? If they had, they would have known it was built on a swamp and appropriately and should’ve been named Palm Swamp. Pontieri has/is a disgrace to Palm Coast and has the audacity to propose annexing Mala Compra Beach? This is nothing more than a power grab that, if they succeed, won’t end with just Mala Compra. 18 miles of Flagler County beaches are readily available to anyone who lives or visits our area. Palm Coast DOESN’T need its own beach in the Hammock. There’s a reason why some Hammock residents have a sticker on their vehicle that reads, “PLEASE DON’T MAKE ME CROSS THAT BRIDGE.” The same goes for you Pontieri. Stay out of the Hammock.
Tired says
For the past year or so Palm Coast and Flagler County paid for a parks master plan to be developed by a consultant. That consultant (which tax payers paid dearly for), reached out to all of the stakeholders including residents for input. So, they’ve concluded their expensive plan and NOW this flake has decided to contribute this ridiculous idea?!?! ENTITLED, therein lies the issue with the majority of our issues throughout our country at this time.
Maureen Hutson says
NO NEED! Already have access just go north on A1A just like the rest of Flagler County Residents!!
This is a “land Grab” disguised!!
Jeez, enough already!
DaleL says
It is doubtful that this will go anywhere. Pontieri seems to want a swimming beach with lifeguards, similar to that at Flagler Beach. However, the exposed coquina rocks are part of the underlying rock formation and it is illegal to remove them.
Even if Malacompra Park is annexed into Palm Coast, it will remain a County park. Ownership of property does not change with annexation. Palm Coast would gain no tax revenue from the park and would not be able to control the operation of the park.
Florida law allows annexation to be done with “contiguous, compact, unincorporated territory”. The annexation proposed by Ms. Pontieri is anything except compact. Rather it would be a “shoestring annexation”. Finally, it is highly unlikely that any voters living in the proposed annexation will vote for it. https://www.lawserver.com/law/state/florida/statutes/florida_statutes_171-0413
Celia M Pugliese says
I am sorry that will expose myself to all these arrows in my direction now, but at least will take some away from council lady Pointieri’s totally justified request as is the right time to do it. Taking in consideration that most posting here without their real identities, as some of us do it at times, but not always and that most of you probably reside in the Hammock and some like very vocal at the end of the September 7 meeting against Pointieri’s proposal, Mr. Hamilton’s, residence in a gated HOA’s that have their own ocean front beach of course and all in the Hammock do not want annexation, I still believe is the right request..
City of Palm Coast that placed Flagler County in the map and is the big 800 lbs. gorilla of Flagler County’s Revenue Ad Valorem split 44% county, only 24% city, needs its own Palm Coast beach front as has none and yes call it pride if you want. Is also a need as our city parks look very good in general and PC beach front will be a tool to engage more tourist revenue generating for our city. Also will deflect some multitudes of visitors away from overcrowded and complaining Flagler Beach. How many times I read or hear Flagler Beacher’s complaining/ blaming too many Palm Coaster’s crowding their ocean front while ignoring the financial benefit of it?
Yes Palmcoasters need their own beach front, “back” and not only Malacompra also Jungle Hut (is better no rocks on beach) sad public access to ocean, that was like a bone throw to us, when in the mid 90’s after ITT left us the Flagler County Board of County Commission with Jim Darby chair took away our public several blocks of ocean front an exchanged to Bobby Ginn for his incoming O. Hammock ocean front golf course/condos, for few hundred acres in the swampy boondocks and a $200 check for the ocean front public park. When the FCBOCC did that they took away in the exchange, the ITT Sunsport Resort ocean front pool, cabanas and tennis court provided to all Palmcoaster’s at an affordable membership fee! The county took away and destroyed forever, the community event gathering place ocean front were we held our then good Little League Lei Hawaiian fund raising events and the access to that wonderful pool and cabanas in “our beach”. So we have to get it back and Council Lady Pointieri is right on point…don’t we have any pride left? ITT-Levitt Palm Coast put this county and its small cities on the map and is still the big county revenue. Now is the right moment to ask, as we are financially and with the infrastructure providing the vital sewer all along A1A from the Hammock Bridge to Marineland to those residents and all those businesses that will have more land to expand their seating, gaining land now used for their sewer individual tanks drainage fields! I don’t know for sure, as I am not a Land Use and Development attorney, that annexation may or not be the right way given Florida laws, but there should be a way that Palmcoasters get back their own beach like when we had it with ITT and the SunsPort Resort ocean front pool, cabanas and tennis courts, if possible and taken away in the late 90’s.
We keep giving to the county like Hollands administration gave $150.000 I recall. was for the construction of the Marineland marina and is time we get something in return. Kudos to council lady Pointieri for the asking! Lets give credit and support where due. Palm Coast can also get grants for ocean front park improvements to attract tourism: Fed, State and County Tourism Development (TDC) that our Palm Coast hospitality industry (hotel bed tax) forcibly by FL law contributes too. So please 97,000 Palmcoasters lets get on board with Pointieri visionary common sense. request!.
Laurel says
Too bad. Y’all made a mess of Palm Coast, and now you want to ruin the Hammock. You want to destroy our oaks by paving our streets, destroying our unique maritime habitat, our natural beach, bringing in the sewer to build, build, build claiming septic tanks are the problem. No, Palm Coast runoff is the problem and it is growing. The runoff is disgusting now.
We would be paying our county tax and the city tax too. We don’t want that. You want more tourists, more apartments, more hotels, more, more, more. Never enough. Then you claim you are trying to relieve Flagler Beach of over crowding! What a joke! Who do you think you are fooling?
We don’t give a damn that you once had cabanas, our chairs and umbrellas are just fine. Bring your chair and umbrella, or stay over the bridge in the mess you already made. Leave us alone. We don’t want Palm Coast’s ridiculous rules.
palmcoaster says
Laurel you had always a mess of old leaking septic tanks and its fields of A1A contaminating all land around and wildlife in the Hammock. The same mess caused in Palm Coast is being caused by over development off your Scenic Highway by the county are you kidding yourself while bad mouthing Palm Coast? Now you even have to fight the county plans to permit car washes on it! What did you do when they sold for peanuts the original Marineland beautiful historic oceanarium to Jacoby LLC, to see what they have now? How come you were not raising cane when many blocks of yours and ours ocean front beach were traded to Bobby Ginn to build HOA’s , condos and golf course beach front? I sure didn’t see you in the mid 90’s meeting complaining against the county commission like you are doing now against the city council lady Pointieri! Where were you and all, then when they took all of yours and our beach leaving us only two access among the millionaires new properties? Do not blame Palm Coast but the county instead. We Palmcoasters want our ITT beach back in exchange at least, for discarding your waste.
Laurel says
My husband and I were living and working in South Florida in the 90’s so whatever deals were made, that’s not to your or Miss Puglies’s liking, are on you and Miss Pugliese. The deals were done on your watch, so what’s done is done. You are “entitled” to nothing more.
Palm Coast is basically low land, with freshwater canals. The canals’ maintenance is debatable. Flagler County is a Phase II MS4, which means they are responsible for the quality of runoff to U.S. waters. It is clear that the county and the city are doing very little in that regard. It is also clear that they are doing bumpkis regarding the required public education. What is not clear is the nasty runoff to the ICW from a population of over 102K, and growing.
Yes, one of the goals of a MS4 is to remove septic tanks, but you cannot compare the Hammock’s population, a significant part of is using the Dunes CDD treatment plant, to Palm Coast’s population. So your comment about cleaning up our mess is nonsense.
Celia M Pugliese says
Your Hammock population is growing non stop as well, courtesy of your county commission, no exceptions they are not better than the majority of our city council on greedy growth! They all come up with the same excuse….the rights of the absentee landowner, so then ,what are we the residents landowners chopped liver? Palmcoasters needs what was taken away from us in mid nineties given to Bobby Ginn, our beach. Please be aware we do not care to annex your homes as you love the county and can keep it!
Laurel says
Celia: The hotel was purchased, and developed. It was not “taken away” nor was it “given to Bobby Ginn.” It was a financial, legal transaction. Yet, that’s just what you want to do: take Malacompra and Jungle Hut away. And more?
Believe me, I am no fan of Hammock Dunes. The hotel there is a monstrosity, an ugly addition to the Hammock, which was developed over fossils that the construction workers were told to keep quiet about. They built over beach habitat that includes endangered species, and I’m sure palms were grease on that fiasco.
As it is now, you cannot believe how many tourists are here. As the other article about the child abuse shows, crime is going up. We felt safe here before all these strangers came in. People are crawling all over the little Publix, people are parking illegally at Bronx Pizza and Bartlett’s, Captain’s BBQ tried to take over Bing’s Landing (and I believe they aren’t done), the traffic is crazy and the bridge sometimes gets backed up west of the light. It’s almost impossible to park at Salt Park at any given time. Bing’s Landing is packed with boat trailers all the way out to the road, and the Inlet has cars parked up and down A1A, both sides, for an exasperating, jaw dropping distance.
But, for some, that’s not enough. They want more. More, more, more.
If you don’t realize that this is a ruse to annex the Hammock, then you are truly naive. This is something that Palm Coast government and developers have been drooling over for years, as you know quite well with the water war. The sewer ruse is another way to get the foot in the door and open it up to our fearless leader’s develop and real estate and vacation rental friends.
No one is stopping your from coming to the beach. To put a sign up that reads Palm Coast Beach, is a poor excuse to let the greedy in. I would think you would want to keep something sacred, and natural, here.
Doug says
Stop your foolish rhetoric, Celia. Palm Coast is a cesspool caused by their own politicians over the years. Most of us who grew up here, as I did, could care less if Palm Coast ever existed. They have destroyed a quaint little beach town with the overbuilding, bringing traffic congestion and crime to Flagler County. So, with that, your “Palm Coast has put Flagler County on the map” comment is laughable. Flagler County would’ve been further ahead had ITT bought a landfill in New York and built Palm Coast there.
James says
“… had ITT bought a landfill in New York and built Palm Coast there.”
Eh… yeah… someone beat them to it… they call it Staten Island.
Which is what Palm Coast is turning into with all the development.
Miami North says
NEWSFLASH TO THE HAMMOCK RESIDENTS…
THE PEOPLE ARE COMING!
WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!
Thousands of homes approved for development in PC, you really think people won’t find their way north of SR100 you are kidding yourselves.
Your plan of cramming everyone to Flagler Beach, will fail. Good luck
Laurel says
Miami North: You should know better. The Hammock has no plans of “cramming everyone to Flagler Beach…” That was done by those who want more development, particularly, Palm Coast. Greed has no boundaries.
No one is kidding themselves over here, we see what destruction out of control growth does, and we don’t want it. Already, we have an island with a new population of strangers who don’t know about this unique, maritime hammock habitat, and it’s history, and damn well don’t care as long as they can junk it up and walk away.
Laurel says
Somehow, and we’ll figure it out, Pontieri thinks Palm Coast residents need a beach park of “it’s own”, for pride’s sake. Yes, pride is the reason, right? It’s the citizens of Palm Coast who are “entitled” to this pride, right? Okay. Let’s think this out. Here’s what I think:
So, if Malacompra is annexed into Palm Coast, what does that mean to the rest of us, especially in the Hammock? Both Palm Coast and the Hammock will pay more tax. There will be more, congested traffic. More backup over the bridge. More uncontrolled growth (though Pontieri claims to be dealing with Flagler Beach’s strain from Palm Coast’s growth). What happens to our Community Center, and it’s tennis and pickle ball courts, all of which are already available to those who want to use it?
Right now, the citizens of Palm Coast are not being kept from the beach. They do not have to pay for parking. There are enough beach parks. The county is already maintaining these parks, and doing a good job. Are the roads in Palm Coast being ignored again? Are the swales being maintained the way citizens want? Are their commissioners and mayor listening to constituents’ current needs? Will more taxes to maintain the beach be added to their already growing tax bill? Is anything being done about the out of control growth? Is anything being done to spare wildlife?
So is what Pontieri (the other commissioners are playing the game too) proposing really for the benefit of Palm Coast or Hammock residents? It doesn’t make much sense, does it? In fact, the “pride” thing doesn’t make sense at all. There can be only be two reasons for this, and it’s development and land grab. This is not about pride, this is a ruse to bring in your government’s developer friends to develop the Hammock. Develop the dunes. Develop over wildlife. Develop over the native, coastal habitat. We can always relocate more turtles to Never Never Turtle Land. We can let them destroy the very lands that protect our Hammock, and protect Palm Coast’s mainland, just to line their pockets. Maybe the developers have convinced Pontieri that the beach should be called Pontieri Pride Park. Sound good?
The property to be annexed is Flagler County property just north of, and abuts, The Sanctuary. This property touches the city, giving the city the legal right to annex in this property. This hops over the ICW, which is legal, right next to Bing’s Landing and Captain’s BBQ, which will make it easier to bring in sewer, and open up the Hammock to more development. Do you want your Bing’s Landing to be touching the newly annexed city property? This will open up the possibility to annex in Bing’s Landing. It also opens the possibility to annex the Hammock. We will be a part of Palm Coast and its rules and taxes. Look at the proposed annexed territory for yourselves and study the area to be annexed, don’t just consider the beach prospect meant to distract you.
I completely believe this is not Potieri’s idea, but she is happy to make it her baby. Who else is involved? This is not about pride, it’s about a land grab of our Hammock for development, putting us under Palm Coast rules for development.
So let’s take it down a notch. Maybe instead of annexing the county beach into the city, how about an inter-local agreement? Why would we need an inter-local agreement to go to the beach? Only two reasons: development and the foot in the door for annexation. This is what Pontieri, and her buddies, want for your “pride.” You know, her beloved constituents with the decaying, over stuffed roads.
Pave paradise. It’s up to you and how you want your pride to shine, folks. What is your legacy? A beautiful, maritime hammock, coastal habitat for your children and your children’s children to enjoy, or just another margueritaville for others to cash in on?
Doug says
Laurel, I’m a longtime Hammock resident and we’ve disagreed in the past, but you’re “point-on” with this comment. I would like to meet with you someday. Kudos.
Skibum says
Agree 100%. I live in Palm Coast, and I am one of the many who love the beach. I can get to more than a few beaches in our area by taking a short drive anytime I feel the need, and don’t feel isolated or restricted simply because Palm Coast doesn’t have a city owned, annexed piece of land adjacent to the ocean. We need our tax dollars spent on many more high priority, quality of life improvements like the deteriorating roads and infrastructure that we currently have, NOT annexing beachfront property or building ridiculous roads out to the west going nowhere just so rich investors and realtors can enrich themselves. The city sanctioned multiple citizen surveys over the past several years. I’m going out on a limb here, but I am willing to bet that not one citizen in any of the past surveys spoke about the horrors of our city not having its own oceanfront beach.
JoB says
Much of the land to the west of the Intracoastal between the C section and Bings was purchased by Flagler County with ESL funds. It should remain in the hands of the county. Palm Coast would need that land to connect the city to the Malacompra Beach.
Flagler County purchased much of that land from a developer. I would not want Palm Coast to own that undeveloped land, even though the councilor said it could not be developed.
In a few years, the sewer line will run down Malacompra Road from A1A to the beach. Palm Coast could then develop the park into a moneymaker. (Palm Coast sees the Hammock as a moneymaker as witnessed by comments made by its council when discussing the sewer going from the bridge to Marineland.)
blerbfamilyfive says
Palm Coast does not own the library. It is the Flagler County Public Library, just happens to be located within the city limits but is maintained by the county.
Concerned voter says
What a CON!!! This is the start of annexation of the Hammock, yet again! PC is salivating to get the expensive assets in its tax base!!
Tired says
Just a few more points for clarification. First, the extension of the sewer line north on A1a is being funded by Flagler County’s ARPA grant monies. Palm Coast will financially benefit by consumption billing so it’s a win-win so the county can get rid of the septic tanks that are leaching into the aquifer. Second, no one that has commented was intimately involved with ITT and their business plan so how can anyone confidently state that having a beach was part of ITT’s intention? Palm Coast did not incorporate as a city until ITT was out of the picture. Third, why do we want MORE tourists? Fourth, if Palm Coast has money to throw around then how about they finally invest in the infrastructure to attract industry. This county is putting the majority of the tax burden on residential parcels and it’s squeezing everyone’s finances. Palm Coast City Council needs to focus on the big picture! What Pontieri wants to do to Mala Compra will change the entire vibe of the Hammock. The residents of the Hammock wouldn’t even let a marina/boat storage facility come in why would they be interested in exploiting one of their quaint beaches? Fifth, not only is Pontieri merely a puppet, most of your elected officials and upper management in local government are too. I already know who your next Tax Collector, Property Appraiser and Clerk of Courts will be and they aren’t even near the next election cycle. Pay attention, the real puppet masters are not concerned about you, this community or the beaches. It’s all about them, their bank account and their big head.
Laurel says
Tired: I’m actually not against a sewer system, I’m against the real reasons behind it which is development, annexation and greed. I was disappointed when I found out that Dune wasn’t interested in the Hammock connecting to their system. Palm Coast will put in grinders that only work with power, and having outages and overflows are not the answer to the situation. They will charge us mercilessly. Also, I’m not convinced abut the “leaky septic systems.” They are not as bad as Palm Coast’s runoff, which is not monitored, and growing with the uncontrolled growth. More connections, more runoff to the ICW. No public education.
Other than that, my response to what you wrote is: BINGO!
Laurel says
Oh, and I forgot to mention, laterals need to connect to larger pipes. That means paving, and that means oaks in the way.
Laurel says
Tired: By the way, the Floridan aquifer under Flagler County is about 1,000′ underground. More significant to U.S. waters is Palm Coast’s pep tanks that overflow raw sewage after a good rain storm or power outage.
Hawthorne says
Denali: let’s call it what it is since YOU brought it up, the
Flagler Executive Airport is nothing EXECUTIVE about it, it’s
a FLIGHT TRAINING FIELD AIRPORT, that’s what the county
commissioners turned it into, the same ones who sold out PC
years ago and it’s residents to special interest groups. 90% of the
flights that come out of that SMALL COUNTY AIRPORT are
conducted by flight school student pilots. Your argument is in “bad
faith” the aiport/residents are not the problem, the problem is the ABUSE
OF PRIVILEGES by the FLIGHT SCHOOLS.
palmcoaster says
I totally agree with Hawthorne! the Flagler Executive Airport is nothing EXECUTIVE about it, it’s
a FLIGHT TRAINING FIELD AIRPORT, that’s what the county commissioners turned it into, the same ones who sold out PC
years ago and it’s residents to special interest groups. Lead from their Piston Driven engines using leaded avgas is falling allover Palm Coast besides the nuisance noise allover us and worst in those houses in Quail Hollow and Seminole Woods built close to airport way before these nuisance worldwide pilots schools invited here in mid 2000’s. There is no USA pilots shortage maybe just of cheap paid one’s only, as per the APA. That is the excuse invented while our taxes paid as airport fees sustain also that business if we follow the money trail ending up in millions FAA grants to those touch and go’s highest numbers airports like Flagler.
Today at 6.30 am while trying to enjoy the morning birds signing while tasting my morning coffee was interrupted once more by the rattling low flying drooping lead noise of one of those winged training nuisances. Welcome to the crown jewel of northeast FL were that rattling and contamination overhead never stops!
Hawthorne says
Karla Kitchen: So you bake cookies but not everything that comes out of
your mouth is golden! Where do you come off trashing the residents of
PalKm Coast? “Stay on your side of the river”, equivlant to saying stay
on your side of the railroad tracks like the poor side of town with our crime,
I will say this, here are some of the things that Palm Coast has that your
lily white strip of land does not, we have class, diversity, better restaurants
and nicer people so we will stay gladly stay on our side of the river and
keep our money here and boycott your handful of businesses. Your area
is sterile , empty and boring with no soul like you. And any of your people
who are running for county seats we will be sure to NOT VOTE FOR THEM.
Celia M Pugliese says
Correct Hawthorne myself and friends in Palm Coast will not vote for any candidate opposed to Palm Coast have is own lifeguarded ocean front park or either permanence or expansion of the current situation created by these rattling, contaminating and dangerous worldwide pilots training schools in the center of Palm Coast! I will only ask 3 questions from them. The last one will be what do you think about moratorium on development ,mostly based on rezoning?
Sherry says
Again. . . as I suggested before, this is yet another reason for Flagler Beach to put a toll on their bridge. . . of course with an exception for actual residents. FB would then “even out the cost” of beach access while spreading out the tourism along the coast.
Palm Coast residents are most certainly NOT ENTITLED to their own beach, and since they can enjoy any beach they desire, why would they want to the extra pay taxes that would be involved?
The Hammock residents should be completely against this terrible idea!