Crews began clearing land on nearly 200 acres for the future Sabal Preserve subdivision, a development of 333 relatively affordable single-family homes at the northeast intersections of Royal Palms Parkway, Town Center Boulevard and I-95 to the east in Palm Coast.
Sabal Preserve is one of the city’s larger developments not to get much attention before groundbreaking. The application went before the Palm Coast planning board in April 2023 under a different owner. It did not go before the City Council, as the size of the development did not trigger that form of review. The development is considered part of Town Center even though geographically, cohesively, it is part of the P-Section.
The development will consist of one and two-story homes, in an area where heights can be as high as 80 feet, had the area been used for taller apartment buildings. The minimum lot size for the single-family homes will be 4,400 square feet, with a minimum width of 40 feet, and up to 60 fet. According to the preliminary plat, a couple of the lots are 8,500 square feet, about a dozen lots are just over 7,000 square feet. The rest are between 4,400 and 7,000 square feet. (Regulations call for a minimum lot size of 2,500 square feet and a width of 25 feet.)
The land forms a triangle, stretching south to north, along I-95 to the east and canals to the west and south, where FPL power lines also parallel the development’s boundary. Those power lines veer east, across the development, toward its north end, in a zone that will not include homes.
The land boundaries narrow to a point as they go north. The northernmost part of the development parallels the weigh station on I-95. About two third of the houses will be built in the southern tier of the acreage, with the rest to be built along a road that will parallel I-95, making the homes nearly adjacent to the highway. That would be no different than the homes along Pilgrim Drive and Pickering Drive just north of the development. Much of the land to the west will remain as unbuilt wetlands. A large borrow pit turned lake sits in the center of the southern tier.
Sabal Preserve is one of two of the most significant ongoing developments in the (contiguous) P-Section. Not far to the west, between Point Pleasant Drive and Ponce DeLeon Drive, crews are clearing 35 acres for a 74-home subdivision is
“This project,” a staff analysis found, “will warrant two east bound left turn lanes on Royal Palms Parkway to enter the project, which should prevent traffic from backing up on the road and impacting the existing neighborhoods.” Those left turn lanes have not been built yet. There are existing west bound right turn lanes into the project that had long ended at the tree line.
Sabal Preserve will rise near the most overburdened intersection of Royal Palms Parkway and Town Center Boulevard, where the absence of a traffic light can back up eastbound traffic from Royal Palms quite a distance during rush periods. It is also rising near one of the most poorly engineered intersections in the city–Town Center Boulevard and Old Kings Road, an intersection the city is planning to re-engineer as Old Kings Road develops.
Most of the infrastructure necessary for the development is part of the Town Center build. “Essentially,” the staff report states, “this project will assist in getting some use of this public infrastructure. Construction of this project will assist in providing for numerous construction jobs over the next two years or so and the additional rooftops will encourage commercial services in the Town Center area.”
The proposed master planned development drew no questions from planning board members last year and no public comment, and was swiftly approved by a unanimous board.
Florida Landmark Communities, formerly known as Palm Coast Holdings, sold the land in December 2022 for $5.8 million to MG Palm Coast 2 LLC of Beaufotr, S.C. It was MG Palm Coast that submitted the application for the master planned development there. That company in turn sold the land to Starlight Homs Florida of Alpharetta, Ga., last Dec. 27, for $9.96 million.
Starlight Homes markets itself as a developer and seller of affordable homes (“We believe everyone deserves the chance to make their dreams of home ownership a reality”) with developments in six states, including more than half a dozen in the Orlando area and some in Tampa. Sabel Palms would be its first on Florida’s east coast.
Joe D says
Dare I ask, what do the developers consider a “reasonably priced…affordable price?”
Hopefully they will be in the $250,000-300,000 range. If we have any chance of filling clerical, sales force, service jobs, and local shop employees vacancies, we need to support expansion of the businesses needed to support these new properties
Atwp says
Expected price of the homes please.
Carol B. says
Sabal Preserve, the name is an affront to the sensibilities of the people of this county and Florida. What is being preserved other than developers bank accounts. Our air, water, infrastruction, and quality of life is being compromised each and every day. Florida is fast becoming the wasteland of intelligent thought and planning. This is truly a sad state of affairs.
endangered species says
guess thats kinda par for the course when one political party thinks climate change is a hoax. Enjoy the hot garbage dump called Florida.
Brad says
Im so sick of the building in this county. It’s out of control. Palm Coast will soon turn into Daytona. Right now I have three homes being built on my culdesac at the same time. Let’s not do they are about to put a massive retirement community in the r section soon.
Laurel says
They call it “Sabal Preserve” while they mow sabals down. Try to find a deer in Deerfield Beach, or a pheasant in Pheasant Walk. Developers are so full of it.
Foresee says
The Sabal Palm is Florida’s State Tree. Knock them all down, pile them up then burn them. Go check out the site to see the unmitigated destruction. Change their name to the Florida Napalm Tree. It burns so good. Our slick two-faced mayor basks in the afterglow of the sacrifice of Sabal Palms to his holy realtor sales pitch with a contented smile. Marshmallows anyone?
Deborah Coffey says
Here we go again. How many red lights will we need to get on Old Kings Rd. and Town Center Blvd. when all this is developed? Not a plan in sight for the needed infrastructure. Vote this mayor out!
Tina Olive says
Election cannot come soon enough……
TR says
I’m going to in Nov. Unfortunately he has (and can still) do a lot of damage before he’s shown the door. Then the next Mayor better live up to the oath and do for ALL the residence of PC and not a personal agenda. It will take a lot of hard work to fix the mess this canary swallowing smiling mayor has done. Get ready folks for the answer for the repair. Higher Taxes and utility bills.
Deborah Coffey says
Higher taxes and utility bills would be okay if “we the people” actually get something for them! Right now, the only person getting the benefits is Mayor Alfin and his cronies! First we make it all STOP; then, we fix it.
Janice N says
Amen he needs to go!!!!
Brad says
I absolutely agree.
Biff says
I understand there is going to be residential growth but these guys are taking it to a whole different level. I remember back in 1990 when I finally moved here, a 17 years-old at that. All the talk was the eventual Town Center we were going to get! It was going to be the stepping stone to drawing one business and corporation after the other. I guess in their minds when you have retirees and boomers with pensions, inheritances, savings and proceeds from house sales moving here, keeping the city and county afloat the rest of us don’t matter, and the career jobs and infrastructure is just going to have to wait for the future generations down the road.
Bill says
I’m so glad I moved from there last year. That whole town will be nothing but homes that is unbelievable how they were on the Woodlands. That place will be a huge slum one day if it isn’t already.
TR says
Congrats on the move. I will be out of here soon as well. 34 yrs here and seeing the destroying of a great place is sickening.
Bill Williamson says
Good news. This many new homes all assessed at higher values then the existing homesteaded houses, should help the city keep any future tax increases to a minimum. I know new homes cause some additional congestion issues, but without the new construction piece of assessed vales our existing homes tax rates would skyrocket, so I am thankful for the building.
The city does need to focus on attracting new business to the area (warehouses, light industrial, office complexes) to offset the tax rates but our community does really have the right workforce to interest these types of business.
Tired of it. says
The right work force? Really? How exactly did you come to that conclusion? Please provice some actual facts.
Laurel says
So there you are: Growth keeps your taxes low! This is what you are told, over and over again.
No, growth never keeps your taxes low. In fact, it does just the opposite. Don’t try to fool these residents, they are feeling the pain of growth and higher taxes now. They were just fine before all this wonderful growth. They had a better quality of life, there was more wildlife and greenery, the cost of going out to eat and have a cocktail was a lot lower here than it was down south. With this growth, the cost of recreation has caught up with south Florida. Traffic is catching up too.
Yeah, no. It’s not better.
The Sour Kraut says
Can someone explain why they have to completely clear the land to build? Why can’t ANY trees that are not in the future footprint of a house or road be spared?
TR says
Because it’s easier and the developers aren’t smart enough to figure out on how to build around some of the trees.
RCH says
Thanks for asking that. Full speed ahead in PC for the deforestation of the planet. And ignoring the uniqueness of this landscape.
Joe D says
Because it’s EASIER and CHEAPER for the developers to “Clear cut” the land and start from scratch, rather than try to plan the lots individually around existing trees and vegetation.
It’s ALL ABOUT the MONEY!
FORGET the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS!
Again…still wondering the sales price range anticipated for this reasonably priced “affordable” housing?
Laurel says
SK: It’s much easier and cheaper.
TREEMAN says
STOP! STOP! Stop and use Common Sense! Before any building permit is issued; there MUST be improvements at the intersection of (1) Royal Palm and Town Center, (2) Town Center and Old Kings Hwy, (3) Old Kings Hwy must become a 4 lane divided Hwy North of Town Center intersection!! More Traffic in this unplanned city!! We need Leadership that uses Common Sense BEFORE New Housing Developments are approved! Will the Impact Fees from the 400+ new houses cover the COST of the NEEDED road improvements? When I lived in my former state, I was a member of a Planning Commission and I would NEVER have approved Developments like above unless road improvements were included and PAID (with Impact Fees) by the Developer!! Carpetbagger Developers are DESTROYING Palm Coast!! What about the $4,000,000+ Profit that one Carpetbagger earned by selling the approved Development to another Carpetbagger! We have to ask who in Palm Coast/Flagler County got “SHARE” of the $4,000.000???
T says
This needs to stop destroying palm coast for kickbacks people in office don’t care
Concerned says
Is the city even thinking about road widening? All I’m seeing is land continuing to be cleared to build residential structures which means roadways that are already too busy are just going to have more traffic to deal with….
TR says
That’s because the mayor, council members and people in planning and zoning don’t care about anything that has to do with infrastructure. They only care about getting the money from new developing projects because they are realtors. Their mind set is build as many homes as possible before our terms are up and let the next mayor and council figure out the rest. I’ll bet their solution will be raise taxes.
Celia Pugliese says
No Parcel Burning within city limits to satisfy greed while contaminating our lungs and scorching our wild life!
Edith Campins says
“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”.
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
“The minimum lot size for the single-family homes will be 4,400 square feet, with a minimum width of 40 feet, and up to 60 fet. According to the preliminary plat, a couple of the lots are 8,500 square feet, about a dozen lots are just over 7,000 square feet. The rest are between 4,400 and 7,000 square feet. (Regulations call for a minimum lot size of 2,500 square feet and a width of 25 feet.)”
Not one 1/4 acre lot to be had, taking stuff ’em in Alfin to a new level.
Salvatore bloke says
Old kings rd should be 4 lanes wide each way and royal palms dose too they need to widen it and then if be on board
Hodler pedactor says
I second this idea the entire intersection is unsafe and should include better pedestrian and bicycle safety than is currently provided for people crossing the canal bridge to the north east of the intersection. 4 lanes and a pedestrian crossing should be a no brainer considering the future growth is not slowing and we should not have to risk our lives to access the bike trails that the city is so enthusiastically carving though the rest of the natural terrain left be the builders
Deborah Coffey says
I third it!
Jim says
The new construction of more homes brings up a few concerns.
1. Why do we need over 300 more cars on the ?
2. Who’s paying for the upgrades on the water, Sewage and the rest of the increase in infant structure. If it’s the people of Palm Coast, that’s not right.
3. With all the construction going on in Palm Coast, we’re gonna need more schools – was going to pay for it.
4. I didn’t hear of the town people having a vote on building so many homes who’s in charge here the people or the elected officials who are not allowing us to vote.
5. The traffic has significantly increased in the last eight years since I’ve been here we don’t need more people in Palm Coast.
6. Towns have the right to pay theirs bills, but has anyone noticed, palm coast gas prices are much higher then daytona, anyone think it may be to help pay , indirectly for the expansion programs.
7. palm coast will become a nightmare to drive, there will be many at the beaches, people will leave, the town will collapse, we will loose the appeal to live here.
8. Most of the properties are being built from out of state companies.
Your decisions are destroying palm coast. We need to make a change,.
Jimmy says
One giant traffic mess is on the way. Actually, it’s already here there is way too much building. These people in the counter are crazy. Every inch of land must be destroyed for a house. There is zero trees left in my neighborhood. I didn’t retire to move to a community that is 24 seven construction for the next 20 years, all I get now is big trucks and chainsaws and construction noise. I told wife let’s get the hell out of here!
Brad says
I’m right there with you. In the past year they have built five houses on my cul-de-sac taking every empty lot that was left. I warned everybody I knew not to vote in alpin a businessman like Trump might be good for our country but a realtor for your small town is just going to build and and not care what the people think
Nicole says
I am so disappointed with this town. Yep, just keep tearing out all the woods and building more homes and apartments. You call PC, tree city and monarch city….you’re going have to call it something else now because those names dont apply anymore so take those signs down! We don’t need more people moving in unless they are moving in to a previously owned home. This town government has ruined Palm Coast!
PC citizen says
I wish that somehow all the friends here who’s complaining (including me) could somehow get together at the right time and place to protect and protest the future developments. This is unfortunately too late. Sad to drive by the dead trees….and more green lost.
Anyone have any ideas how to gather us people who are against all this overdevelopment and make some difference?
palmcoaster says
Vote in 2024 those candidates that feel as we do with all this growth without proper infrastructure in place. Old Kings Road overdue total widening 20 years and Royal Palm now should be a cross over I-95 and widen before any further approvals.
Brad says
I don’t think it matters what the people of this county say. They’re going to build and build and build until there’s nowhere left. Then they’re going to start moving into bunell and back towards Crescent City. I think this is one issue the conservatives and the liberals can come together on in this county. They are destroying everything
James Irvine says
The writing is on the wall! we need to really get behind our Sheriff Staley or we will end up like so many other ruined citizens.
Stop the Insanity says
The Mayor and others on the City Council use the Bert Harris Act as an excuse to let developers come in and destroy Palm Coast and it’s surrounding areas. Is there a lawyer in the house? That law doesn’t hold water if the Mayor and City Council changes the zoning to allow the high rise apartments and the tiny homes on a tiny parcel. What a joke!