The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners held a workshop and a regular meeting on Monday, July 13, 2026, covering a wide range of topics, from a one-year ban on data centers to a long-running dispute over a mobile home park near Bunnell. The board also held a separate workshop earlier in the day on the county administrator search and a proposed beach maintenance funding program.
County Administrator Search
Human Resources Director Charlie Pecano and a review committee from the Florida Association of County Managers presented commissioners with a shortlist of candidates to replace the county’s current interim administrator. Of 118 applicants, 30 met minimum qualifications. The committee, led by Alachua County Manager Michelle Lieberman, recommended five candidates in a “tier one” group and four in “tier two,” though commissioners were told the tiers are advisory only. Commissioners discussed several candidates individually and agreed to add two additional names, Thomas Hutka of Broward County and Aaron Van Cleek of Volusia County, along with tier-two candidate Tracy Miller, bringing the total under consideration to eight. Commissioners said they preferred in-person interviews over video conferencing and are expected to narrow the list further at the board’s August 3 meeting.
Beach Maintenance Funding Workshop
County staff and consultants from Taylor Engineering presented a proposed Municipal Service Benefit Unit (MSBU) that would charge property owners on the unincorporated barrier island for beach maintenance, separate from any future beach reconstruction costs. Under the proposal, ocean-facing properties would cover 70% of maintenance costs and inland properties 30%, based on an analysis of relative benefits such as erosion control, flood protection, and property values.
Several commissioners and members of the public raised concerns about how the cost split was calculated and whether the underlying 2023 beach management plan is still accurate. Commissioner Kim Carney said she does not believe the current plan reflects current conditions. “I am not convinced that that beach management plan from 2023 is accurate. I would like it reviewed and updated before I make any decisions on MSBUs,” she said.
Multiple residents who spoke during public comment questioned why only barrier island property owners would be assessed when the beach benefits the broader county through tourism, and some pointed out inconsistencies between different cost figures presented in the documents. Commissioner Andy Dance suggested holding off on establishing the assessment until after the outcome of a November ballot measure on property taxes is known, saying current funding structures are in flux. The board reached a consensus to set the assessment at zero for the coming year, meaning it would be revisited at a later date, with maintenance costs in the meantime coming from the county’s general fund.
Proclamations
At the regular meeting, commissioners proclaimed the week of July 19-25, 2026, as Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week, recognizing the county’s pretrial services program, which began in 2014 and reported a 99% court appearance rate among supervised individuals in 2025.
Commissioners also proclaimed July 21, 2026, as Jules Kwiatkowski Day, honoring the late East Flagler Mosquito Control District commissioner, who served the district for 17 years and was recognized as one of the longest-serving commissioners in the state.
Oyster Habitat Presentation
Representatives from the grassroots group Oysters for My Neighborhood thanked the board for allowing the installation of 186 “vertical oyster garden” habitats on county fishing piers, which use old oyster shells to attract young oysters that help filter water. The group said it has also installed 54 additional habitats on private docks along the Intracoastal Waterway and has run out of inventory due to demand. A community build event is planned for August 1 at Betty Steflick Park.
Public Comment: Bikemen of Flagler County
Several residents spoke in support of the Bikemen of Flagler County, a volunteer nonprofit that repairs and donates bicycles, wheelchairs, and other mobility equipment at no cost. The group’s founder, Joe Golan, said the organization is being forced out of its current leased space and needs a new location within two to three months or will be forced to disband. County Administrator Adam Mengel said a proposed site at 1000 Belle Terre Boulevard carries a deed restriction limiting its use to senior services, and that other county-owned buildings identified as possibilities were either too remote for the group’s walk-in clientele or already designated for other uses. Commissioners did not identify an available location during the meeting but encouraged Golan to continue working with staff.
Public Comment: Cell Tower Opposition
Several residents spoke against two proposed cell tower projects near Airport Road, both of which were continued to the board’s August 17 meeting. Speakers argued existing coverage in the area is already adequate and urged the county to consider smaller “microcell” technology instead of a large tower, along with developing a broader telecommunications planning strategy for the county.
Consent Agenda and Administrative Items
Commissioners approved most items on their consent agenda but pulled several for separate discussion, including the county’s proposed 2027 meeting schedule and 2027 holiday schedule. After debate over whether the county should meet twice in months affected by holidays, the board opted to bring the meeting schedule back for further review at the August 3 meeting. On the holiday schedule, Commissioner Carney raised concerns that the proposed 14 paid holidays exceed state and national averages, but a motion to keep the schedule unchanged passed. Commissioners also voted to remove a sidewalk project along John Anderson Highway from the county’s unfunded transportation project list at the request of area residents.
Property and Development Items
The board approved a resolution vacating a small portion of a rear drainage easement in the Plantation Bay subdivision to resolve a minor encroachment by a homeowner’s pool deck.
Commissioners also approved the enlargement of the Ormond Station Community Development District boundaries to include two additional subdivisions, and approved a 46-unit single-family home subdivision called the Cove, located near the Intracoastal Waterway, after hearing from the project engineer about a new stormwater drainage design intended to address longstanding flooding issues affecting an adjacent, older neighborhood.
Data Center Moratorium
The board unanimously adopted a one-year moratorium on the siting of data centers in unincorporated Flagler County. County officials said the pause will allow staff time to develop zoning and land use standards for the emerging industry, which increasingly targets rural areas with large available land tracts. A resident, Raymond Royer, urged the county to consider a longer moratorium and to develop a master plan addressing decommissioning of future facilities and their distance from schools, hospitals, and residential areas.
Comprehensive Plan Update
Commissioners voted to re-transmit an updated version of the county’s long-range comprehensive plan to the state, extending its planning horizon from 2035 to 2050. The plan includes updates to housing, transportation, conservation, and coastal management policies. One provision, which would require the lowest-intensity zoning for properties between State Road A1A and the Atlantic Ocean in the Hammock area, drew concern from a local land use attorney, who said it could be considered overly restrictive under a state law limiting local land use regulations.
Holiday Travel Park Rezoning
In the meeting’s longest discussion, commissioners approved a rezoning of the Holiday Travel Park, a longtime RV co-op community near Old Dixie Highway, from commercial and agricultural zoning to a Planned Unit Development (PUD). County staff said the community has had a decades-long history of code violations dating back to 1981, including unauthorized permanent structures attached to RVs. Several residents, some of whom have lived in the park for decades, said they had been repeatedly denied building permits for basic repairs.
The new zoning designation is intended to bring the community into compliance with state fire and life-safety codes while allowing residents a legal pathway to obtain permits for existing improvements. The agreement gives residents up to three years to come into compliance and includes a $150-per-space credit toward building permit fees during the first year, funded through the county’s general fund. Commissioners also agreed to waive certain non-building permit fees, such as zoning and engineering review fees, to further ease the compliance process.
County Administrator’s Report
County Administrator Adam Mengel discussed the future of the county-owned Belle Terre building, previously operated as an adult daycare facility, which is set to close on September 30. After receiving two competing proposals from private operators to take over the facility, commissioners reached a consensus to instead solicit a formal request for proposals (RFP) for general senior services at the site, rather than negotiating exclusively with either applicant or committing county funds to subsidize a single operator’s startup costs.
Mengel also updated the board on continuing communication issues, including an unanswered public records request sent to the state Chief Financial Officer’s office and the Governor’s office, which he said remains outstanding after more than 30 days.
Commission Reports
Commissioner Dance reported being named chair of the Agricultural and Rural Affairs Committee for the Florida Association of Counties. Commissioner Carney said she and Commissioner Pam Richardson attended a cybersecurity presentation at a recent conference and raised concerns about the county’s exposure to cyberattacks. Commissioners also discussed continuing deterioration of the historic Old Brick Road, with staff noting it is currently in the worst condition observed to date, and said they would bring options, including creating a linear park or a countywide transportation impact fee, back for discussion at the August 3 meeting.
