The City of Palm Coast Council held a morning workshop meeting Tuesday August 8th, 2023 that lasted over 7 hours in length. The meeting started off with public participation, as all meetings do.
Residents got up to speak on issues such as having a forensic audit done. Last meeting residents requested that the City have a forensic audit done, however at this morning workshop two residents stated they felt a forensic audit was not a good idea at this time. Other residents brought up the issue of the rising utility bills, poor road conditions and an apparent lack of concern regarding safety. Other residents brought up issues of speeding on major roads like Florida Park Dr, the issue of the Belle Terre Bridge that is still not completed, and back to school safety concerns.
Commander Reynolds from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office updated the public and the council on the FCSO’s commitment to safety in Palm Coast. The Council moved on to discuss the issue of a forensic audit and stated that they would need more information about a forensic audit such as scope and cost before they could make a decision. The council stated that there is a need for transparency and discussed other ways they could provide transparency to the public regarding the City budget.
Upon completion of the public participation the Palm Coast City Staff made a presentation regarding the canal and waterway dredging. Staff stated that the canals were built in the 60s and 70s and that there were no records found for construction or dredging. Staff stated that the next step is establishing permissible depth by way of pre-application meetings with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Seawall damage and erosion was also discussed in the presentation regarding canals and waterways. Among the details discussed was depth of dredging, sediment removal, damages to seawalls and docks, etc. The project is estimated to cost in the range of $10 million to $20 million dollars. Staff recommended engaging with the regulatory authorities, evaluating canal areas based on usage and necessity and determining what ways will be most cost-effective. Council discussed varying potential issues such as the lack of public access to the canals, and whether there would be liability issues when dredging near private docks and seawalls. The discussion also talked about ways to determine the areas needing attention soonest, such as having surveys available. Education of the residents who live on the canals was also discussed as a way to help residents understand what they should be doing to maintain their immediate area of the canal system. City Council discussed moving a study forward on the issue of dredging the canals. The Council agreed to move forward with the permitting process so that cost could be calculated.
The City then heard a presentation regarding the goals and objectives of improving the Recreation department. The discussion included improving non-traditional sports, improved communication efforts, partnering with other service providers, and gathering feedback to improve the programs. The Council also discussed the balance between City and County when it comes to managing recreational facilities as well as concepts like cooling stations for the residents during our summer heat.
City Council also heard about transportation projects and funding requests which included the plan to begin construction on the Matanzas Woods flyover. The widening of Old Kings Road as well as submitting priority projects to the Northeast Florida Regional Council. There were talks of possibly trying to get state funding. Other issues like flood mitigation and improving stormwater were also discussed in the meeting. There was discussion on a two-fold project that would improve stormwater flow in the Woodlands section of Palm Coast and would help alleviate storm issues as well as help protect homes in the old B Section. The discussion then moved on to discuss the preservation of the City’s Tree canopy. The City Council then moved on to discuss the possibility of acquiring the Bulow Creek Relic Dune and Burial Mound. This is a significant cultural and historical site in Flagler County and the Council wishes to acquire the site.
The discussion turned to the issue of an YMCA facility in Palm Coast. There was discussions with possibly partnering with the Volusia Flagler Regional YMCA to help secure funding for a potential YMCA in Town Center of Palm Coast.
The Council also discussed the law enforcement contract and services provided by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO). The City Council is having to renew their contract with the FCSO, which will start on October 1st and end on September 30th. There was discussion regarding an increase in the contract amount, which sparked discussion on whether to suggest possible reductions in the contract to lower taxes or not. During the discussion it was mentioned that there is a need for an increased visibility of law enforcement regarding public concerns. The Council also talked about a survey that was sent to city employees to determine different factors that could affect job satisfaction such as commute distance, age, education level, wages, department, proper resources, etc. There was also talks of improving retention rates by enhancing career development for employees with things like mentorship programs, coaching, and career advancing roadmaps.
The Council then heard a presentation on the budget. The Council made the decision in previous meetings to reduce the millage rate. This has caused the City to trim budgets for the departments. The City Manager, Denise Bevin, did state that with the reduction in the budgets, that could affect the services provided to residents. Code enforcement’s budget was reduced by $40,000; the business tax budget was reduced by $4,000; the fire department budget was reduced by $159,000; Street maintenance was reduced by $279,000, Parks and Recreation’s budget was reduced by $162,000; the Aquatic Center’s budget was reduced by $44,000; and the Southern Recreational Center, the Palm Harbor Golf Club, parks maintenance, and non-departmental budgets were also reduced. The Council discussed looking for alternative ways to bring in revenue to the city. There was much discussion about potentially reallocating funds for road improvements.
There was discussion at the meeting regarding how to handle the idea of commercial growth on SR-100. Some of the council believed the City should be selling plots for development to generate revenue for the City, while others had concerns on the impact to Town Center. The Council then moved on to the discussion of a backyard chicken pilot program. The requirements of this pilot program would be: a $50 permit fee, limited permits, restrictions on property type and number of chickens allowed. There would also be requirements on residents needing to complete two courses on chicken care and raising, as well as certificates for agricultural extension and manure management. There would also be setback and height requirements for the size and location of chicken coops. The council appeared to be split on the idea of this backyard chicken pilot program, with some members supporting the program, others who support the idea but believe it should be on the ballot and some who were not supportive of the idea due to the potential for a decrease in home values. Due to the inability of council to agree on how to proceed the decision was made to not move forward on the pilot program at this time, although the council did agree to conduct a survey to determine public opinion before attempting to move forward again.
The Council ultimately closed after final comments and the meeting was adjourned.
