Overriding a decision by its Planning Board, the Palm Coast City Council today granted a special zoning exception to allow construction of a 100,000-square-foot storage facility on 6.8 acres off Pine Lakes Parkway, halfway between Belle Terre and Palm Coast Parkway.
The Planning board, in an unusual decision, voted 4-2 to deny the special exception, saying there were enough self-storage facilities as it is: social media pages are rife with screeds about a surfeit of storage facilities.
The developer appealed to the City Council. Council members found the planning board’s decision to have been based on personal opinions rather than “competent, substantial evidence,” as required by law, and reversed in a 4-0 vote. Mayor Mile Norris was on vacation. The meeting was chaired by Vice Mayor Theresa Pontieri.
The conceptual plan for Hillpointe Way Self-Storage would be a two-level facility with 850 storage units and space for 26 recreational vehicles or boats. It is adjacent to the Pointe Grand and Pine Lakes apartment complexes.
It has been marketed for commercial use since 2003, according to land use attorney Michael Chiumento, who represents the land owner but not the self-storage developer. Cobb Cole attorney Robert Merrell represents the developer, Johnson Development Associates of Spartanburg, S.C., a privately-held company that builds apartments, hotels and 80 self-storage facilities in Florida and other states.
With the council’s reversal, the developer will next move to a more detailed site plan, which must be approved by the planning board. (The facility is actually just shy of 100,000 square feet, so it doesn’t trip the threshold for City Council review outside of an appeal.)
The planning board focused on a part of the land development code that calls for commercial zoning to reflect a mix of retail, service, business, and employment opportunities. It found the storage facility to add not so much to a mix of uses as to a pile-up of storage facilities.
“There’s no criteria that we have in our land development code that allows us to make a recommendation based on the existence of other self-storage sites,” City Planner Michael Hanson said.
The planning board was also skeptical of the need for yet one more storage facility, questioning whether the applicant had conducted a market analysis.
Johnson Development emailed its own estimate–based on the number of homes and an industry formula that projects the need for storage per house–that the facility is in an area that is providing only half the needed capacity for storage facilities.
The validity of the formula was not verified. “Without seeing a full report where I could independently read through the entire report and see the scientific data,” Hanson said, “I can’t make a determination whether or not that report or the statement is accurate or not.”
But nor is it a requirement for applicants to submit market analyses. For example, BJ’s did not submit a market analysis to the county when it was proposing to build its store on State Road 100.
Other than a map showing the various locations of existing self-storage facilities in town, there was no evidence the planning board provided or could rely on to validate its claim that there are enough storage facilities already, Hanson said.
Natalie Smith, a senior real estate manager in the self-storage division of Johnson Development Associates, determined the market need for the facility. “We use proprietary databases that are solely focused on storage supply in a variety of markets across the country,” she told the council. “Our trade areas are three to five mile radiuses. Here we’ve determined it’s a three-mile radius around the site. The square footage per person is 3.9 square feet. The national average is eight square feet per person. It’s an industry standard that’s considered market equilibrium. So that’s where we feel that we’re at 50 percent capacity, so to speak, for market equilibrium.”
Council member Theresa Pontieri asked why use the three-mile radius rather than five (since five would of course encompass several more storage facilities, and change Smith’s “equilibrium”). “It’s based on population density in the area and just how we feel that customers will travel within a given area and market,” Smith said. At 5 miles, the ratio falls to 3.4 square feet per person, she said.
Facilities in the area are operating at 90 percent occupancy, Smith said.
Merrell said the property tax revenue the facility will generate is “ somewhere between 130 and $200,000 a year.” The newly built climate-controlled storage facility on South Old Kings Road, a 90,000-square-foot facility, generated $129,000 in property taxes in 2024, $28,400 of it for Palm Coast.
The city’s planning staff found the proposal in compliance with all city regulations and land development criteria, including serving the public interest. “We noted that there’s existing multi-family on two fronts,” Hanson said, using planners’ term for apartments. “There’s already an existing self-storage site a third of a mile from this particular project, and it’s located on a collector road with Pine Lakes Parkway.”
Self-storage facilities generate much less traffic than, say, strip malls. Hill Pointe storage would generate 144 daily trips, 15 of them at peak hours. A shopping center filling the 100,000 square feet would generate 5,400 daily trips, according to the city’s calculations, “which would significantly inundate the area as far as traffic concerns,” Hanson said. The business would also add significantly less demand on the city’s water and sewer infrastructure–about 611 gallons a day against nearly 10,000 gallons a day if it were a shopping center.
A special exception is a land use “evaluated to be compatible with that zoning district, but subject to additional conditions to make it fit in that particular area,” Hanson said. Hanson’s phrasing made it sound as if a local government is required to approve a special exception. That is not necessarily the case. A special exception is by definition an exception to a use that would be prohibited absent certain conditions that make the use compatible with its surroundings. The local government is not required to grant it.
“Take it case by case,” City Attorney Marcus Duffy said. “Not everyone that asks for a special exception is automatically [granted] that special exception.”
The developer and the city planners agreed to nine conditions, including an eight-foot decorative wall with visual screening “to soften and break up the appearance of the wall on the street side adjacent to Pine Lakes Parkway,” and to screen the RV and boat-storage area from view from beyond the property. Hours of operation will be limited to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Larger vehicles from dump trucks to buses or containers will not be allowed. On-site repair or maintenance is limited to minor functions like washing, tire changing and the like.
JimboXYZ says
The economics of storing clutter ? Unaffordable (smaller) Housing, the accumulation of clutter to be stored, what a successful economic model for a parasitic cycle of businesses. Throw in a little financial hardship and storage units become resale lot bins for ebay preowned investors of the rarely/never used market(s) for those unfortunate folks that default into their own version of a rental storage unit foreclosure of sorts.
polysci says
Abolish the Planning Board if the City Council overrules them. I had hopes for at least one of the Council members to do the right thing. Silly me.
Mike says
Can never have enough storage unit, now why not build another gas station right next to it. Why we’re at it why not some low income apartments behind it.
Ray says
WOW ….so many experts on this city council it is amazing. They should run for president of the USA.
There is no way in hell Palm Coast needs this!
JD says
Ray, you put the nail in the coffin! I couldn’t agree more. Ppl Ned to stand up and let their voices heard. Unfortunately everyone talks but no one ever commits.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Palm Coast is Florida’s city to run away from before it’s totally destroyed in my opinion. Sickening. Shame on the entire council for approving the biggest eyesore possible which eyesore will pay minimal property tax.
Shame on all of you.
louis says
More high paying jobs thanks to Pontieri and her cohorts !!!! Who voted for these clowns??????????
Atwp says
More people, more houses, need storage, we love to shop and use very little. Having a storage unit is a great business plan. I need to get in the storage business.
Greg says
I guess the city needs the tax money is the only reason to build another storage complex. I wonder how many more are needed? A total joke. It’s sad.
Cindy Jameson says
This is from one of the paragraphs in the article: The conceptual plan for Hillpointe Way Self-Storage would be a two-level facility with 850 storage units and space for 26 recreational vehicles or boats.
This is from another paragraph in the article: Larger vehicles from dump trucks to buses or containers will not be allowed. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong is an RV a BUS? I like watching Extreme RV’s and they are BUSES..
This may be the last storage facility that accommodates boats and RV’s. Once the work truck lift goes into effect not too far behind you will be able to park your boat and RV (BUS) in your very own driveway and store all your business needs in your garage for FREE!!!!! And comparing the amount of traffic between a Strip Mall and a Storage Facility is pure BS, it makes me think that a Strip Mall was trying to secretly get approved.
DMFinFlorida says
Does anyone have ANY statistical analysis of the occupancy rate (or vacancy rate) of the ‘seemingly’ hundreds of existing storage units? It appears that we have them on every corner but I never hear or read if they are all at capacity or sitting half-empty. Seems like that would be something to address before they add any more! I’m sick of seeing them decimate large parcels of nature just so some OCD possession crazy new resident can keep all the stuff they may not really need even though their house and garage are not adequate.
TCP says
I understand many are upset about this decision, however, please understand the following reasons this decision was made:
1. That land was most recently being looked at for a live local project, which would have been more residential that we would not have been able to disapprove due to state preemption law. They would have also been subject to tax breaks, which would have hurt the city.
2. Right now, that land earns us $5500 in yearly taxes, and it’s been on the market for over twenty years. With the storage facility there, it will earn between $130,000 and $200,000 in taxes, as well as garner us $130,000 in impact fees.
3. It will have a much lesser impact on our infrastructure, generating the tiniest fraction in traffic counts compared to other commercial uses, and will only use 6% of the water and sewage other commercial uses would use.
4. This property is on a collector road, not an arterial road, therefore it’s simply not attractive to retailers, etc. All retailers who have looked at it previously, have passed on it, because there are not enough trips or rooftops per their market research to support bringing their business to that location. This brings us full circle to why it’s an attractive piece for live local, which again, would be additional residential that state law preempts us from saying NO to. I DO NOT want to take the chance in additional residential that we have zero say on and that we will not receive the full tax benefits from.
These are the main reasons, and while there are other reasons as well, I feel the above sufficiently justifies this decision.
Jay Tomm says
LOL!!!!!!!
So much for listening to your voter base…Please remember this next election cycle. Vote them all out & start over, if that doesn’t work repeat.
Susan says
The Planning Board is destroying the City of PC and the City Council. Why do we need another storage shed? You are over building PC and not doing one thing about the traffic, the sewer system, the water system just build, build, build.
c says
Between :
1) “Reversing a recommendation by its planning board and significant public opposition neighboring the proposed development, the Bunnell City Commission unanimously approved the final site plan for Phoenix Crossings”
and
2) “Overriding a decision by its Planning Board, the Palm Coast City Council today granted a special zoning exception to allow construction of a 100,000-square-foot storage facility on 6.8 acres off Pine Lakes Parkway, halfway between Belle Terre and Palm Coast Parkway. ”
*both quotes are from local news sources.*
Anyone else see a leaning towards the local governments ignoring their own internal boards and constituents – and, surprisingly enough (but not really), enriching property developers?
And, as I seem to be asking sooooo many times anymore – SO WHAT? What happens when the local council/commission/mayor/governor/president ignore the advice/recommendation/THE LAW and get away with it – even bragging about it (remember JD)?
I have come to the conclusion that todays’ laws are whatever those with the power to enforce them want them to be, and, disagreeing with those in power is automatically illegal.
Fortunately, I won’t be around much longer to see the pinnacle of the Great American Folly, nor the disastrous aftermath to recover.
Y’all have fun cleaning up the mess, y’hear?
JustBeNice says
Really? Another storage facility? As I’ve said too many times-can’t fix stupid! City council that is.
Dakota (with eyes on future) says
Initially, I thought another storage unit was a bad idea—there are already so many. But a few things changed my mind: it doesn’t use much water, it doesn’t generate much traffic, and it does bring in tax revenue.
Construction will create a little short-term work, and once it’s open, it might add about four jobs. That should knock our unemployment rate down by a solid 0.002%.
Progress!
Laurel says
If Palm Coast residents did not use these oversized, tree clearing, concrete flood enhancers, they would not be built. More impervious areas; more heat producers, less greenery and less wildlife. Why do you need these, Palm Coasters? These developers would not invest in these buildings if people did not use them.
When you store furniture, and goods you don’t really need and tend to forget about, in the time you pay for it you could buy brand new stuff instead. Here’s a novel idea: get rid of your junk! Give it to thrift shops and charities. Let someone else enjoy it.
Land of no turn signals says says
What the hell what’s one more storage unit? Well maybe 2 or 3 or 6 more .
Keep Flagler Beautiful says
Palm Coast City Council is slipping. Couldn’t they have insisted that this storage monstrosity be dropped smack into the middle of a nice residential neighborhood? That would be consistent with the low-wattage brain power in that group. It will generate $130K-$200K in tax revenue per year? That should cover 1 to 1-1/2 government salaries. What a deal. Flagler County was once known for its beaches, trees and relaxed lifestyle. Now it’s a dumping ground for any sort of construction, the uglier and more inappropriate to its surroundings, the better. And residents have to be nervous and on their toes constantly because of the lack of transparency and cozy relationships between developers, elected officials and lawyers — one firm in particular. No other county in Florida has worse people running the various government agencies than this one. The colossal errors in judgment just keep on coming. Yet few counties in Florida lavish the sorts of outrageous benefits and retirement packages on their paper-pushers as does Flagler County. Is there no oversight, ever?
The dude says
Who are any of you to tell people what they can and cannot keep, and where they can keep it?
Also, none of you seem to have even the most basic level of understanding of Floriduh property laws.
A couple of you here should know better.