A decade and a half ago the Palm Coast City Council approved blueprints for massive developments west of U.S. 1, called “developments of regional impact,” or DRIs, including Neoga Lakes and Old Brick Township, with entitlements for some 12,000 homes between them.
The DRIs included numerous provisions. For example, set asides for such things as parks, schools and sports complexes, requirements that developers within the DRIs build infrastructure, including roads, and specific square footage for retail, employment centers, civic uses, office and residential zones.
Palm Coast spent much of the past year crafting a new comprehensive plan, the blueprint that defines land use in the long run. The plan is completed. The Palm Coast City Council on Tuesday was to vote on whether to “transmit” it to the state for review and approval, before the city can approve it. The step involving the state is largely a formality.
Last weekend City Council member Theresa Pontieri poured over the proposed plan and the DRIs’ lengthy documents. She compared it to watching paint dry, but with ill effects.
“I was floored at what I read,” Pontieri said toward the end of a five-hour council meeting Tuesday night. “I was disgusted. I was truly sick to my stomach, because it has come to my attention that a lot of the infrastructure that the current multi-billion dollar landowner was supposed to put in for us, taxpayers are paying for. And they are paying for it in the form of state appropriations.”
The majority landowner west of U.S. 1 is Rayonier, the Jacksonville-based timber and land management company. (Rayonier places its market capitalization at $4.6 billion.) It currently owns the land, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be the developer of the land. The state appropriations Pontieri was referring to are the $105 million the Legislature appropriated in the last two years for Palm Coast’s so-called “Loop Road” or beltway connecting Matanzas Woods Parkway to the north with Palm Coast Parkway, through the 20,000 currently vacant, mostly Rayonier-owned acreage often referred to by the city as the “westward expansion.”
Pontieri referred to a specific page in the Neoga Lakes DRI referring specifically to the Palm Coast Parkway extension, including the requirement that it would be an overpass, or fly-over, the Florida East Coast rail line that parallels U.S. 1, and that in Phase Two of the development, the road be further extended. “This is the Loop Road,” Pontieri said. “We got $105 million in state appropriations, also known as tax dollars, to pay for something that in a previous DRI that was entered into in 2010, a private multi-billion dollar company should have been paying for.” Traffic calculations in the DRI placed the number of trips generated by the new development at nearly 5,000 peak-hour afternoon trips, requiring additional improvements to U.S. 1 and County Road 13, which spurs into Espanola. The DRI sprawls northwest and southeast of Espanola.
“What really just put the icing on the cake for me,” Pontieri continued, quoting from yet another page in the DRI document referring to recreation and open space, “no later than two years from issuance of the first residential building permit within the DRI, the developer shall commence construction of a public park of up to 29 upland acres,” which must include “but not be limited to a junior Olympic swimming pool, including changing rooms and restrooms, a playground and play fields. Here we are jumping through hoops to try to get a charter amendment passed in order to enter into a public-private partnership for a lease on a sports complex that I think we should look into because of the tourism dollars that can come from it, when all along, this developer, this landowner, is supposed to be paying for it. I am disturbed by this.”
The charter amendment Pontieri referred to is its own controversy. It has mired the council in dispute and division since the council in mid-July approved the wording of the proposed charter amendment, which is to be on the Nov. 5 ballot. The proposal asks voters whether they’d approve eliminating the requirement that when the city borrows more than $15 million (outside of proprietary funds like the Utility Department and stormwater), voters must first approve in a referendum. But the ballot language is more vague than that. It doesn’t say that it’s lifting a borrowing limit, or that voters could previously have a say, and it suggests that only future residents will pay the bills, all of which had led to bitter criticism from the public and now opposition even from two of the four remaining council members, Pontieri among them. Ed Danko is the other opponent.
One of the points of contention has been the motive behind the proposed referendum: to facilitate the construction of what’s billed as a $93 million sports complex. (See: “Palm Coast’s Wishful 20-Field, $93 Million Sports Complex Rests on a Far Future of Dubiously Rosy Speculation.”)
“This is corporate greed at its worst, and it has fallen on the backs of the taxpayer, and I will not stand for it,” Pontieri said. Lest anyone mistake her for Bernie Sanders, she added: “I am a staunch Republican, and this is not what our policies stand for.”
She addressed the city staff and the developers and “those representing the developer” in the same breath (last month Rayonier officials and their local land use attorney met with council members individually to discuss plans west of U.S. 1. Danko and Pontieri have referred to those closed-door meetings, but with few details.)
“You better figure out how you’re going to fix this,” Pontieri said. “When you come back to me, I don’t expect $105 million check to the residents of Florida, but I do expect quite a bit in infrastructure improvements. I expect to know what conservation is going to be set aside, what recreation is going to be set aside, what infrastructure we will get out of this? Because this is a 20,000 swath, a 20,000-acre swath of land that is the future of our city, and this developer that is going to conduct silviculture on it until they decide to build will make plenty of money.”
Yet Pontieri did not make her approval of the transmission of the city’s comprehensive plan conditional on her expectations. She didn’t want to scuttle the city’s staff’s efforts to get this far, and in any case the council has yet to approve the plan after it clears the state’s hurdle. But she is concerned about the plan’s call for replacing the DRIs with a different designation: master-planned development, or MPD, a different regulatory standard.
“Before I even contemplate voting on abandoning those DRIs and accepting an MPD, I want to see exactly what the landowner is going to do. I want to know their plans,” she said. “I want to know what this is being replaced with. I want to know what these DRIs are being replaced with. I want specifics. I want maps. I don’t want to see–Oh, well, it can all be mixed use throughout this 20,000 acres. That is not sufficient.” She hesitated to call it a “warning,” preferring the word “advisement,” and said City Council’s job as well as the administration’s job will be to hold the developers accountable.
She got the council’s support. Council member Ed Danko called Pontieri’s approach a “warning shot,” and opted to vote against approving transmittal of the comprehensive plan “t as extra leverage that we’re serious about it.” (“Everyone grab your parka because hell’s about the freeze over. I agree with Ed,” former Palm Coast Mayoral candidate Peter Johnson, perennial Hatfield to Danko’s McCoy, said.)
Pontieri herself was not willing to make the motion for transmittal. “This is not by a long shot anywhere near the finish line, but this is just the first of many steps that need to occur,” Council member Nick Klufas said, himself making the motion.
Jim says
Excellent job, Theresa Pontieri! What a breath of fresh air for someone to stand for reason, to stand up TO the big money instead of WITH it. To stand up FOR the PEOPLE instead of big money. Standing ovation, hooping and hollering. Thank you for exposing the facts, and not keeping them behind closed doors. We need more like you. No doubt it took time and smarts to read the details and understand them.
Jack Sprat says
Alfin and Klufus trying to bleed as much under the table before they depart. Pontieri has exposed Alfin’s dirty deeds, yet again.
NJ says
Stop the GREEDY Scumbag Developers from DESTROYING Flagler County!!
Backslapping Commission says
Why is Theresa Pontieri the only council person
who read this over her holiday weekend, I believe she mentioned 240 pages,
and WHY is she the only one speaking up about, why has this fallen upon deaf
ears and blind eyesight for so long! It was real eye opener of how developers and
their cronies have taken advantage along with their DARK MONEY PACS to
support the officials who they want to get elected to keep their mouths shut! We
all are quite disgusted, shame on all who knew and said nothing!
Edith Campins says
I am glad I crossed party lines to vote for her. She is intelligent and committed to what is best for Palm Coast.
Joe D says
I’m sorry, but I thought Council Members (both City and County) were elected to REPRESENT the voice of the voters…not the majority of developers…not sure I see too much of that representation recently, except for a very small few Commissioners (local AND County). I CRINGE when I think about the future financial commitments being made, that my tax dollars are going to have to support AND maintain! You cannot just say FUTURE development will pay for it all…show me HISTORICALLY where that has happened in the past in Flagler County?
Looks like my Social Security COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) will go up approximately 2.5-2.6% ( translates to about $88/ month more). However, Retires on Medicare got a “discount” for 2024 ($166/ month payment) part “B” coverage due to the “overcharging” from 2023. So for 2025, you’re going to get the “regular” monthly charge returned PLUS whatever increase there will be for 2025…we can PROBABLY expect that the NEW Medicare part B will be $186 or $190+/month. With my anticipated property tax proposed increase of approximately $20/ month…that leaves me ($88-$24-$20) with a grand total income increase of $44 (which will probably be taken by any increase in my homeowners property insurance)!
Ms. Pontieri makes an EXCELLENT point. These future development plans are WAY TOO GENERAL…and it involves quite a bit of taxpayer money, to be committed to a WESTERN EXPANSION, instead of upgrading the overloaded/outdated infrastructure we already HAVE! Although I understand that these PARTICULAR State (taxpayer) funds are earmarked for a specific plan.
Voters (taxpayers) need to examine what candidates for office are DOING, not just what they are SAYING /PROMISING….I generally considered myself “comfortable,” in retirement, but by no means living a “lavish/luxury “ lifestyle…I am quickly recalculating my outlook…and NOT for the better.
Dennis C Rathsam says
At least we know ws have 1 good council member!
The Sour Kraut says
Been saying this for a while. Rich landowner wants the public to pick up his tab. Unless we stand firm and keep a watchful eye on this, the S.O.B. Will get away with it. Theresa Pontieri is one of (the few) good ones. We need more like her. God bless her.
Backslapping Commission says
Jack Sprat: And Klufas was not present he was on a telephone conference with
them.
Mike says
Wildlife just added two more deadly snakes in Palm Coast-Alfin and Klufas!
Mike says
Wildlife has listed two more deadly snakes in Palm Coast-Alfin & Klufas!
Callmeishmael says
Who was the city attorney when this document was originally drafted? Have any city attorney’s since then ever read the document details Councilwoman Pontieri revealed on the dais? How about a city manager or two? Why was this and previous councils not kept informed of these developer requirements so they could be included in long-term planning? Did Alfin know? Klufus? The Planning Department?
Thank you, Councilwoman Pontieri for your due diligence. In your short tenure in city politics, you’ve run rings around every attorney who’s ever been paid to represent the Council and us Palm Coast citizens since I moved here 12 years ago. I hope one day you take your leadership skills to the state level, but only after you help fix the mess that is Palm Coast.
Justice for all says
Ask why STAFF recommended approval.
KMedley says
Within the next few weeks, an appointment for Councilwoman Heighter’s seat will be made by a City Council comprised of three lame ducks funded by big development. Councilwoman Pontieri cannot stem the tide by herself.
We still face runoff elections for Mayor, Manfre vs. Norris; and District 1 Council, Miller vs. Seib, and District 3 Council, Stevens vs. Werner. I urge voters to look at the campaign contributions for all of these candidates as we won’t have that opportunity with the one to be appointed. Who’s contributing to their campaigns?
If you drove past Seagate Homes, across from Walmart, you would have noticed signed for No Show Danko, Clueless Klufus, and No Miller Time. In fact, Miller has seemingly gone out of his way to plant his signs alongside those of Danko. Since Danko has now officially lost, has he picked up his signs? Of the big development three, Miller is still a viable candidate. Did you know Seagate Homes, along with Intracoastal Construction, SG Flagler Holdings, M&M Development of Flagler, S.E. Cline Construction, Quantum Electrical and Quantum A/C have donated to his campaign? We just got rid of Danko! Why replace him with Miller? His opponent, Jeffery Seib is mostly self-funded and has taken in smaller contribution amounts from residents, not developers. Of note, Mr. Seib has consistently attended council meetings and has offered concise and well-researched commentary on issues facing our city.
Ty Miller Contributions List: https://www.flaglerelections.com/Election-Info/Local-Candidates-Committees
Jeffery Seib Contributions List: https://www.flaglerelections.com/Election-Info/Local-Candidates-Committees
What about Werner and Stevens? While Stevens is essentially self-funding his campaign, neither are raking in big money from big developers, but that could change. Here are there lists:
Werner’s Contribution List: https://www.flaglerelections.com/Election-Info/Local-Candidates-Committees
Steven’s Contribution List: https://www.flaglerelections.com/Election-Info/Local-Candidates-Committees
As for the mayoral race, at least Manfre showed up at the last city council meeting to advocate for removing Charter Amendment 1 from the November ballot and I hope she continues to show up.
Norris, who pledged this past July to, “to put as much money for my campaign as I possibly can to campaign against it”, has been relatively silent and absent. (Source: https://flaglerlive.com/palm-coast-borrowing/) Not surprising. He failed to address the flooding issues in Palm Coast until it became an issue for his campaign. I have other concerns regarding Norris, specifically his temperament as demonstrated in a video captured during Early Voting at the library and summarized by FlaglerLive in August. (Source: https://flaglerlive.com/final-day-of-otherwise-calm-election-marred-by-accusations-of-insults-from-one-mayoral-candidate-to-another/) Further, as far as I am aware, he never denounced the despicable cat story which unfolded against then candidate Peter Johnson. (Source: https://flaglerlive.com/peter-johnson-smear-pt/).
Again, we are getting rid of Danko and Alfin. We don’t need another quick tempered minion as mayor.
From what was announced at the September 3rd City Council meeting, the Flagler Tiger Bay Club will be hosting a candidate forum on September 25, 2024 at the Palm Coast Community Center from 5-8 pm. It’s open to the public and for those who cannot attend, it will be broadcast on WNZF.
Here is a link to the event for more information: https://flaglertigerbayclub.com/event-5855994
These DRIs were approved in 2010. The City Council at the time was Frank Meeker, Holsey Moorman, Bill Lewis, Mary DiStefano and Jon Netts. They knew what was expected of the landowner. How many city councils have come and gone? The current City of Palm Coast Chief of Staff, Jason DeLorenzo was a former city councilman and would have known of the DRI provisions, too. According to FlaglerLive, “For home-builders and developers, the appointment is a long-coveted victory that brings their interests inside the city’s gates.” Source: (https://flaglerlive.com/jason-delorenzo-development-chief/)
City Council is trying to Scrap the Cap on the contracting authority which prevents them from entering into unfunded contraqcts exceeding $15,000,000.00 and require longer than 36 months to repay WITHOUT voter approval through a referendum election. There’s no need for this as the landowners of these DRIs are already obligated to pay for the infrastructure. Why are they wanting to use taxpayer dollars for the westward expansion?
Not only must we STOP THE STEAL by voting NO on Amendment 1, we must be MORE vigilant with our up coming elections and the scheduled meetings for the candidates seeking appointment to District 4. A lot of damage can be done in 2 years!
Citizen Dan Llc says
When repulicons place their stranglehold on local politics. You get ignorance, greed and corruption at epic scales. Yet old people are the number 1 target for disinformation networks (big gop supporters and donors) and are the least likely group to admit they have been duped and lied to by a convict who thinks he is the second coming of Jesus for the racists
Denali says
Your additional $88 per month puts you well ahead of most receiving Social Security. Based on an average check of $1909 per month the average COLA for 2025 will be $49.06. These folks will barely break even with respect to Medicare when you include the increases for a supplement plan.
Kenneth Davis says
Can we all take a minute a recognize that democrats want to waste tax dollars on programs that are ineffective and Republicans just want to give our tax dollars to their rich buddies.
Jack Sprat says
This is why we need a forensic audit to expose how deep the corruption lies.
Pliny The Welder says
Here’s the simple fact. When one party has a stranglehold on an area you get corruption and mismanagement. This isn’t a partisan effect. Single party rule from the left creates corruption and waste. The same is true of from the right. You end up with people who all believe the same priors and have the same ideological blind spots.
If you want better local government don’t let one party get comfortable.
Joanne C says
K, thank you for gathering all the information in one place for us, excellent letter!
James says
Werner is taking a lot of heat for a few small donations that he received from PAC money. He is falsely being lumped in with the developers and Alfin, Klufas, Miller, et al. I know him and can assure you that he is not bought and paid for and will do what is best for the citizens of Palm Coast and future generations. Pontieri who everybody loves (and I think is doing a good job) took $10K of donations. The real question is who is the best candidate? There are a lot of technical matters that the new council must decide on. How old is Ray Stevens and what are his good ideas? Has he read up on the city’s strategic plan yet that he was totally unaware of? His answers are vague and he is so underwhelming a candidate, it’s hard to articulate what he actually stands for. Maybe he needs to take off the Joe Biden aviator sunglasses lol. He has to resort to dirty tactics to try and get himself elected.
Disgusted says
The candidates running for PC City Council and Flagler County have a lot to be desired. Is this the best that you’ve got to choose from, Palm Coast?
James says
I tend towards Stevens and Seib at this point… but that could change.
Seib seems in favor of doing something on the canal dredging issue… at an estimated 25+ million dollars cost that “something” is worrying. But I’m willing to give he the benefit of doubt on that issue.
It is in my opinion one of those possible “long-term contractual obligations” for which that spending cap through borrowing was instituted.
Canal dredging should not be contracted out, it should be performed by the water department.
Just my opinion.
Wow says
Talk about corporate welfare!!
(It should be “pored over”, not “poured over”.) That gave me a funny mental picture. As my terrifying 8th grade English teacher would yell “Spelling, people!!!!”
RORO says
It is concerning to be reading about these land issues, which to me, sounds as though the land developer’s are the one’s that will benefit. When this city was younger, it sounds as though the city/county had people that were not looking out for the welfare of the citizens. From what I read these companies own the land and we the citizens are going to develop the land for them while making them richer. POOR BUSINESS PRACTICES USED! Hope now the City Council has more sense than to go along with these ‘good oh boy’ deals.
Celia Pugliese says
She said she read over 250 pages….and this greedy developers want to change the DRI and not doing like ITT that paid for all Palm Coast infrastructure and gave us all sports complexes, pools and amenities. That is why that original DRI was the fair one and these greedy ones now refuse it and want us to pay for them to become richer.
We need Ray Stevens and Jeffery Seib in the council to vote for us with Theresa as they are not backed by PACS or developers. City administrators didn’t see that..?
Celia Pugliese says
Look at Werner contributions from PACS you missed that: More good information in E=Ray Stevens opponent: Developers, Realtors and PACs Contributing to Mr. Werner’s Campaign.
Campaign Treasurer’s Report – Itemized Contributions. Public record.
1. Florida Realtors Political Action Committee 7025 Augusta National Drive, Orlando Florida $1000.00
2. Realtors Political Advocacy Committee, 7025 Augusta National Drive, Orlando Florida $1000.00
3.Florida First Forever PO Bx 11192 Tallahassee Florida, PAC $1000.00
4. Florida First Forever PO BX 11192 Tallahassee Florida, PAC $1000.00
5. Libertatum 115 East Park Ave, Suite 1, Tallahassee Florida, PAC $1000.00
6. Perspective 1722 Northwest 80th Blvd, Gainesville Florida, PAC $1000.00
7. Value Floridians for Conservative, 1103Hays St, Tallahassee Florida, PAC $1000.00
8. Florida Values 115 East Park Ave Suite 1 Tallahassee Florida, PAC Two Glossy 9×12 Mailings estimated at $30,000 total.
Like
Celia Pugliese says
Mr. Werner has no experience in Palm Coast as just moved here short of 2 years ago while his opponent my supported Ray Stevens lived in Palm Coast over 20 years and really knows what is going on, just like myself in PC since 1991 and we know what’s cooking. Werner lived in his young life in a dozen different states including Hawaii and takes time to really know the history of a place to have a realistic informed opinion about what the problems are and how to resolve them. Councilwoman Pontieri is an exception to that and probably given the fact that is a lawyer, but and honest one. Your derogative /ageism description of candidate Ray Steven (and probably Seib as well) is of a sick minded and prejudice individual that hide behind an alias …but I suspect who you really are, maybe retired VIP residing in a millionaire mansion. ocean front? Coward Narrow Minded individual that do not have the courage to use your real name so punches and hides!
Celia Pugliese says
Werner got a $40,000 boost in PAC mailers to our mailboxes that did not include thousands he was given directly! Why would PACS back a two year resident with a nomadic past spending forty thousands on mailers? James are you that gullible or are you part of the Palm Coast Walsh/Chiu Con? Please have the courage to use your real ID ? TY
Kelly says
I guess you have a strong sense that your candidate, Werner is losing if you have to resort to personal attacks
Celia Pugliese says
Werner got a $40,000 boost in PAC mailers to our mailboxes that did not include thousands he was given directly! These are not “small donations” Why would PACS back a two year resident with a nomadic past spending forty thousands on mailers? James are you that gullible or are you part of the Palm Coast Walsh/Chiu Con? Please have the courage to use your real ID ? TY
Backslapping Commission says
RORO: You hit the nail on the head. This was all planned out for the
developers while they lured people down here boasting about what a great
place this s with the intent of the residents footing the bill to grow and to
build PC, growth is good but not at the expense of irresponsible growth
which does not account for the right infrastructure and at the cost of
the demise of out flora and fauna, it’s all a land/money grab and most of the
past and present city/county officials where in on it with whatever perks they
too got out of it and now the residents are suffering with flooded homes,
dangerous roads, no amenities for seniors and our youths our most vulnerable
populations, no green spaces left for our wildlife to survive ,overcrowded schools,
it goes on and on which is why we need too get the right people on both city
and county, vote Jeffrey Sieb and Ray Stevens for city council in November,
they know and understand the problems, the only reason why the guy above wants
Werner is because he is most likely tied to developers and or the old boys club officials
and Werner will be the deciding vote for more of this chaos, and if so this will be
the determining factor as to which way PC is going to go, so think about it do
you want MORE OF THIS INSANITY or do you want to PRESERVE WHAT LITTLE
IS LEFT IN PC FOR A DECENT QUALITY OF LIFE, REMEMBER YOU GET
WHAT AND WHO YOU VOTE FOR! ANYONE WHO DEMEANS AND HAS TO MAKE
DEROGATORY COMMENTS ABOUT SENIORS BOTTOM LINE IS DISRESPECTFUL
AND DOWNRIGHT ARROGANT we all know where JAMES LOYALTY LIES AND IT’S
NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF PC HE MOST LIKELY DOESN’T EVEN LIVE IN PC
SO BUHBUY JAMES THANKS FOR SHOWING US YOUR TRUE COLORS THEY CAME
SHINING THROUGH!
Karen says
ABSOLUTELY AGREE!
Shame indeed!!!
Karen says
So happy Alfin was voted out!!
GREED at it’s worst!
Karen says
Yes WHY INDEED?
Is she the only one that cares to do her job?
Karen says
AMEN! And well said
Backslapping Commission says
Celia, let us add TOXIC and WEIRD to this James guy, as well as AGEIST!
A.G. Eiseman says
Is this allowed? Shouldn’t he be present in order to vote???????
BillR says
I’m really confused. If the voters already said NO, why is this being considered at all!!??
I suggest, the County change the zoning so that land CAN NOT BE USED FOR ANYTHING!
Then, do a full investigation into how this developer got any approval!