The Palm Coast City Council voted on several ordinances, filled two boards, heard a state legislative update, and more during a lengthy business meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026. All four council members were present except Council Member Miller.
Proclamations
The council began the meeting with three proclamations. Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 is designated Hispanic Heritage Month; the council proclaimed in recognition of the Hispanic American Cultural Society. The society’s representative thanked the city and quoted President Ronald Reagan: “One of our nation’s greatest strengths is the rich cultural diversity of our people.” The council also proclaimed Stormwater Awareness Week and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
For the breast cancer proclamation, leaders with AdventHealth and its Pink Army encouraged the 15th annual Pink Army run on Oct. 4. Breast navigator Rosa Somsky, who recently completed her own radiation treatment, said the group’s donations go toward recovery bras and gowns. “No patient at AdventHealth should walk alone with cancer,” she said. Several council members shared anecdotes, including one who lost his grandmother, mother, two sisters and wife to cancer.
State legislative update
Lobbyist Laura Beamer of the Southern Group summarized the state legislative session, which she said was particularly slow, with just 12.5 percent of bills passing, “one of the lowest in history,” and three special sessions, including one that placed property-tax reform (Amendment 3) on the November ballot. She said the city was successful in getting funding for an animal shelter and water projects, although the governor vetoed one water project. She suggested the city establish its priorities by around November.
Much of the discussion focused on about $124 million the state had allocated for a “loop road” linked to the Westward Expansion, whose developer has pulled its application. Vice Mayor Pontieri urged staff to look into redirecting the money to more pressing needs such as State Road 100. The funds “were appropriations to us, to our residents for what was supposed to be road infrastructure that is now just sitting there and not being utilized,” she said. Beamer explained that only the Legislature has the authority to move the money and cautioned that another area could take it. Such big decisions would go to the next council, Mayor Norris said.
Board appointments
The council filled two advisory boards for the coming fiscal year. It added four members and one alternate to the Planning and Land Development Regulation Board and five members and two alternates to the Code Enforcement Board from a large pool of applicants. Members thanked everyone who applied, including military veterans, and said it was important to have representation from all districts.
Four ordinances move forward
The council gave first-reading approval to four ordinances, all of which come back for a final vote.
Land Development Code. The council unanimously approved updates to the city’s Unified Land Development Code, completing changes tied to its new comprehensive plan. Staff highlighted new language calling for a 15-foot buffer at any new subdivision built next to older “infill” lots at a higher elevation. Residents and Council Candidates, Jeanie Duarte and Tony Amaral, raised concerns during public comment, asking about charter transparency and technical details such as flood elevation, historic survey requirements, coastal building height, and air conditioner screening. Council members invited residents to email their concerns before the second reading. Mayor Norris cautioned about future exceptions: “Be careful when we make exceptions.”
Fire department. The council unanimously approved an ordinance that requires any transfer or consolidation of the Palm Coast Fire Rescue Department to go before voters. Kyle Berryhill and City Attorney Marcus Duffy said it was straightforward. Members thanked staff for the protection.
‘Toilet to tap’ ban. The council unanimously approved an ordinance banning “direct potable reuse,” the use of treated wastewater to create drinking water. Utility Director Brian Roche said the city diverts 99 percent of its treated water to reclaimed use for irrigation and is pursuing brackish water as its future supply, not water reuse research. Residents wondered whether the word “direct” created a loophole for “indirect” reuse. Council members replied that “direct potable reuse is a technical term. It is not a play on words.”
Lakeview Estates. By two 3-1 votes with Mayor Norris dissenting, the council gave first-reading approval to a land use change and master plan amendment for the former Lakeview Estates golf course. The plan moves 39 remaining home sites to larger lots and allows limited commercial space, and donates approximately 100 acres to the city. Vice Mayor Pontieri pushed for stronger protections, calling for the tree-buffer “view protection zone” in front of homes to remain 150 feet on one tract rather than shrinking to 100. “I can’t do it to the residents there,” she said. She also required deep soil boring tests for arsenic, and remediation if necessary, prior to a future park being transferred to the city.
During public comment, Duarte called the vote “shameful” and urged the council to table it. Resident Sylvia Gortz, who lives near a different tract, said she felt her emails had been ignored: “It’s like it never happened.” Pontieri apologized for mistakenly saying the council hadn’t heard from those residents. The ordinances returns for a final vote, scheduled for Oct. 6.
Council comments
In closing, members thanked the community for 9/11 remembrance events and encouraged residents to participate in the annual Waterway Cleanup on Sept. 19. Council Member Gambaro brought up discussion about reinvigorating tabled economic development projects known as Project Magellan and Synergy Sports after their developer, Radiant, pulled its application. Pontieri said she would listen to the company, but was hesitant to give it a fast-tracked process, noting, “They withdrew. Nobody forced them to withdraw,” and that the company had “operated behind closed doors.” The city manager reported that the Cascades developer behind the tabled Seminole Woods Trace project is poised to return before the council.
