The Preserve at Haw Creek is asking to preserve less open space and build more homes.
Last May the Bunnell City Commission approved a proposal to amend its comprehensive plan–its blueprint for long-term growth–to accommodate a nearly 2,800-acre proposed development of some 6,000 dwellings west of the city. It would be the single-largest development in Flagler County, and would quintuple the size of Bunnell by population. (See: “Bunnell Approves Plan That Would Add 6,000 Homes, a Town Center, and Increase City’s Population Fivefold.”)
There was no doubt about the projected number of homes, because Chad Grimm of Northeast Florida Developers, the company proposing to build what’s known as The Reserve at Haw Creek, had been asked specifically by a commissioner how many would be built. “We’re anticipating between five to 6,000 homes in household–well, units,” Grimm said. “That also would include rental, attached housing and some condos as well. So five to six thousand housing units, the number of homes would be less than that.”
But according to the developer’s rezoning application, the number of units is now “6,000-8,000,” and the developer is seeking to lower the required ratio of open space from 60 percent to 50 percent. Under city code, 20 percent of the 60 percent has to be reserved for common open space, so that 20 percent would be reduced as well.
The original plan for The Reserve has not sat well with Bunnell residents. The proposal to cut open space by 10 percent drew sharp opposition when the city’s planning board heard the matter in November, as residents raised concerns about flooding, too much concrete and too many homes.
The planning board, behind the cogently and systematically argued points of Lynn Lafferty, one of the board members, unanimously rejected the developer’s application for the variance that would have allowed the decrease in open space. The rejected was a signal that the city was becoming responsive to its residents’ restiveness about the project. The unanimous rejection was a signal to the City Commission that the city administration had also noted in its analysis: there’s no justifiable reason for the variance, nor would rejecting it cause the developer harm.
The developer has appealed the decision to the Bunnell City Commission, which until now has been an ardent, uncritical supporter of the plan. The commission hears that appeal on Monday.
It will also hear from what is expected to be a large number of residents who will ask it to uphold the planning board’s unanimous vote.
The Reserve at Haw Creek is a so-called planned unit development, or PUD. A PUD grants authority to a local government overseeing the development to impose controls and conditions on the development, which must also abide by city code. The Reserve would be a master planned mixed-use community of single-family homes, condos, apartments, retail-commercial space, light industrial manufacturing, emergency support services, parks and recreation, and conservation. The community would include some affordable housing in the mix.
A Town Center-like village center is proposed in the eastern portion of The Reserve, which would also be its densest portion. That’s where the developer wants to apply the 10 percent reduction–at least in the way the proposal was submitted to the planning board. But the lower ratio would allow that entitlement throughout the development.
Included in the reduced, 50 percent open space, the developer is including the rights of way occupied by high-voltage transmission lines, along with ponds and other rights of way. That may not go with the spirit of open space: “No one’s going to walk their dog under that, I wouldn’t think. I wouldn’t want to live next to it, either, by the way,” Lafferty said. The inclusion of high-power lines’ rights of way’s as open spaces was one of the reasons Lafferty was dubious about the variance application.
The site includes 1,200 acres of wetlands, a portion of which will be impacted by the development, and mitigated–meaning that the developer will buy equivalent wetlands for preservation elsewhere, through a wetlands bank.
“A reduction of this just by 10 percent would allow that higher intensity to be more compatible with the downtown,” which would be the development’s “Town Center,” Grimm said. The intensity of the development gradually decreases as the development moves west. “Within each neighborhood, we’re still providing parks,” he said.
Without the 10 percent, he said, “it makes the application of this development a lot more challenging,” because it would reduce the development by 1,000 homes. The development will be paying for the roads, the infrastructure and the utilities. So it needs to reduce its financial burdens. He also argued that the city’s code is in conflict with itself: “Your comp plan asks for a town center and this urban growth and development and a transition to rural,” he said. But the open-space ratio “is totally contrary to all of that.”
But Lafferty had numerous concerns, not least among them stormwater issues. “This development does abut other neighborhoods, if you will, in downtown Bunnell,” she said, wondering how reducing open space “will impact drainage, runoff and storm storm water problems.”
The development will affect almost a dozen roadways, among them State Road 11, State Road 100, County Roads 302, 65 and 80, East and West Black Point Road, Deen Road and Franz Court.
“You can’t have a negative impact of post development to what exists there today,” Grimm said, noting that whet there is today in some places, as along Black Point Road, culverts are already too small, causing flooding. “We will be analyzing, not only from an engineering standpoint, this property,” he said, “but the entire watershed that drains into this, and so the drainage will actually improve through this development, compared to what exists there today.”
Lafferty does not oppose the development, “if done properly,” but she noted that the change would enable 25 percent more developed land than allowed by code, not just 10 percent. She did not buy the argument that it would create an “unnecessary hardship” for the developer to stick with the 60 percent requirement. Nor did city staff in its analysis of the application. The city has to balance the public’s benefits too, and she worried about granting the sort of variance that could set a precedent in the city.
“I’m not opposed to growth,” Lafferty said. “Growth is here. We’re in Flagler County. There’s a tremendous amount of growth, and we can’t deny it that that’s happening. Bunnell has the opportunity, though, to have smart growth. I think that every single municipality right now has developers wanting to take away and reduce green spaces. It’s happening in Palm Coast over and over. It’s happening in Flagler Beach right now. There’s a lot of arguing about it. Bunnell is known for being the western part of the county, for being the beautiful part the farmland, gorgeous landscape, etc. This is our identity here, and I feel like the preservation of that is important, and we have the opportunity for growing smart.”
Lafferty did not see why the variance would have to apply to the entirety of the 2,700 acres, as opposed to the one segment where the developer said the variance was especially needed–its most intense, eastern part.
The residents who addressed the planning board–a preview of what the City Commission will hear Monday evening–were largely opposed to granting the variance. Some expressed concerns with the brevity of the time they had to learn of the matter and participate. Larry Rogers said the variance is contrary to the public interest as demonstrated “by all of us here this evening, by all the controversy that’s going on about this development,” and how the 10 percent is “chipping away” at what residents are concerned about. There were also concerns about flooding, and repeated references to “the cart before the horse,” meaning that the state and the county have yet to complete their review of Bunnell’s comprehensive plan amendment–the amendment filed in May.
“I want these guys to be successful. I want them to develop their project,” Rogers said. “I just wanted to be smart. Let’s use the catch phrase that we’re all using smart sustainable development, right? And this 10 percent variance does not take us anywhere closer to smarter sustainable development.”
BullHorn says
Pretty sure Lynn Lafferty is a Johnston “Johnston Brothers Farm”. They sell out the “west” and then cry when developers do what they do.
Bullhorns daddy says
Your information is only half true and you clearly know nothing on which you speak.
BullHorn says
Gee, struck a nerve didn’t I??? Kind of interesting how most of the heirs of the country folk (good ole boy) network are imbedded in strategic positions within the county. And the ITT (Palm Coast Holdings) heirs and off-spring are somehow imbedded in the City or a combination of the two. Like I said, one big freak’in Yellowstone the TV show! BTW the ‘h’ in my tag BullHorn is a capital, and with this schooling and history lesson you just got that makes ME your Mommy and your Daddy. LOL!
Bob says
Wow! All of flagler will be a laughing stock of cookie cutter homes, crime, traffic, asphalt. Looking like jacksonville!
Mike says
Tell this developer to get lost! His greedy idea is purely ridiculous!
Local says
So the City’s beloved mayor is enamored by Alvin Jackson, a South Florida huckster who loves growth and doesn’t know how to make a nickel to pay for bunnell’s issues but knows how to spend them. After all, he wanted a new building and is getting it while their water continues to fail on multiple levels. She’s a loon for buying his BS. Someone talk some sense into her or better yet run against her! She needs some competition. Nice isn’t a reason to keep elections her anymore.
Pete Young loves growth – he brags like Rick Belhumer of Flagler Beach how he’s pro landowner rights. Mainly cause he too can’t figure out how to fix their issues without revenue and he’s a believer in the residential housing Ponzi scheme. Build them and they will pay enough to fix our water and potholes. Not true! Pete, don’t be so damn lazy at your job.
Tonya and Tina and are clueless. They should have never been elected. Tonya, you’re a local, do us a favor and don’t sell us out on your way out the door.
And to John Rodgers, seriously?! What’s your problem. You know better than to do this.
Keep electing schmucks who can’t stop spending and think outside the box to raise a nickel to fix their issues.
Wake up Flagler Beach and Bunnell the county and state governments are telling you to stop with these projects. You don’t have what it takes to implement it and you’re only creating a tsunami for the existing residents.
Bunnell and Flagler Beach, it’s election time. Run some new folks against them. Won old timer locals who will stop this horse shit.
Kat says
GREED
The dude says
Trying to turn this area into the Villages East.
At least The Villages was a planned community, what goes on around here for “planning” is haphazard at best.
Mel says
I hope they truly plan this well with proper infrastructure, but I’m sure the builders will cheap out or take advantage of some obscure loophole to get out of expanding roads, building proper drainage, building public parks, helping to fund new schools that will be needed to accommodate the thousands of people who will be moving there, etc. As it stands, Bunnell doesn’t even have a grocery store and definitely doesn’t have enough roads to accommodate 10,000+ more cars on the road.
Mischa Gee says
I completely agree. Just look at what has been happening in Palm Coast. They have added more retail along Rt 100 without enough setback from the current road to add a complete third “travel” lane. They’ve added right hand turning lanes that begin and end abruptly. If your not careful you’ll probably wind up in a ditch.
The housing developments that are there have roads that are barely two lanes wide, with not even a street parking lane on one side, nor sidewalks for pedestrians. Instead your guests can park their car sideways in a swale, and if it’s been raining maybe get stuck in the mud while digging a trench that the resident is told to fix.
That city has now approved shrunken lots, little houses, less driveway parking space and again, no street parking for residents. Do they think each little house will only have one resident with one car? It’s not just a lack of foresight, it’s obviously greed and payoffs creating this nightmare.
Next, because of crowding in more homes and people without proper drainage, neighborhoods which never experienced flooding are now seeing the streets flooding after a few inches of rain, the swales not draining and mosquitos breeding like mad.
They also have both a water supply and wastewater problem. People have been complaining that they have little water pressure for their freshwater for years, and it’s getting worse. The city has been told by the state they must build and restore their overworked sewer system. Again this summer, the people with Pep tanks experienced sewerage backing up in their homes or into their yards during hurricane season.
The city is deeply in debt from building the wrong things, like a $7 million dollar plus, failed splash park and pickleball courts without regard for what has actually been needed.
You know the next thing that will happen is you’ll be charged a fee to use the splash park. No pool in site to teach your children to swim, just a place where they can slip, fall and break a leg for a few!
No neighborhood has a “pocket park for neighbors to meet provide trees for cleaning the air and shade, or community parking areas to compensate for no street parking. If you want to go to a park, you must get in your car and drive there.
There are not enough through roads to handle all the additional vehicles that building multiple unit housing is bringing to the city. The area they say is the “town center” is poorly designed. The streets aren’t wide enough to handle the traffic. Again, the buildings aren’t setback far enough for road expansion. Most of us now avoid driving there, between the silent police bumps, the angle parking which isn’t deep enough to drive past some larger vehicles without drifting into the lane of oncoming traffic and no space to widen the roads.
This city had a chance to do things slowly, sanely and thoughtfully. Instead, greed and the need for tax dollars to cover their mistakes is helping them make even more.
Take a lesson from Palm Coast and if you do anything, reduce the number of residences, make sure your streets will be wide enough for at least one side parking, set buildings back far enough for road expansion in commercial districts, and make sure you don’t fill in wetlands. Also make sure the developer includes waster water plants and fresh water facilities, too.
Otherwise, just say no if they say no to you.
Billy says
That many homes is basically like building another city! Can you imagine the traffic on route 1 and route 100? Flagler residence will be stuck with a mess while the developer laughs all the way to the bank!
Cindy says
They don’t have a Walmart either. Palm Coast Walmart will be booming, they will probably go back to 24/7 and probably have to hire more front door employees to make sure they check every receipt from their customers.
Land of no turn signals says says
It’s a good thing Pack them in Alfin is not on the board he would approve 12.000 homes and laugh all the way to the bank.
Dennis C Rathsam says
Geeeeeze, You cant bend over now without getting a housing project shoved up our ass!
Save our wetlands says
Is there a plan to build more schools?
billy says
these developers and builders , if you want to call them builders , suck. it is Greed . pack the crappy shitty built homes in built by apex carpenters . 20 years in this area and it’s getting like where i left . 3 deer killed on old kings road in two months sad . wildlife has decreased since i have been here , first chance, $$$$ right , i am out of hereBilly
Crusty Old Salt says
Wonder if anyone has looked at Bunnell Comprehensive Plan? This property is out in the middle of nowhere for a housing development of this significant size. Sounds like a classic case of urban sprawl.
Are there water and sewer services available from the City of Bunnell? Are there Emergency services such as Police and Fire protection provided by the City? If the property is that low, (potential wetlands) are septic tanks going to be allowed and will function properly? Will a two lane Hwy#100 handle the increase in traffic?
Just a lot of unanswered questions. However, as mentioned above, the first thing that needs to be addressed is Bunnell’s Comprehensive plan to see if this development meet’s the plan. May be another “black hole” like the City of Flagler Beach found themselves in.
P R Loggins says
I might have missed this, but, what is the time frame for building this, call it what it is, new town? Where are all these people going to be coming from? Jobs or is the supposition most everyone will be retired? Will it be developed area by area or a big hodge podge mess like Palm Coast was? Will new roads be added crossing the train tracks? Another thought – where are all these people going to get Homeowners’ Insurance? So many companies have left the state and the ones left are charging huge premiums, are these developers going to assure that insurance is available?
Ocala, where we now live, is going through over development, but, some of the developers are large Canadian companies. Large expensive apartment complexes are popping all up all over without the infrastructure to support them. There is a new development similar to The Reserve. It is too much, people are complaining because these developments are rammed through without much input from the citizens allowed. The schools are already overcrowded and traffic is getting worse and worse. The questions raised are the same ones people in Flagler are raising. Who is benefiting from all this development that many citizens don’t want?
Paul says
You have to wonder why politicians are pro development what is in it for them why are they so adamant about killing off all the wildlife for a development they probably won’t even live in could it be a payoff or a kickback or a bribe I believe so