During the September 3 City Council meeting, concerns were raised about a land development agreement (DRI) in the “Imagine 2050” Comp Plan involving a major developer and the impact on local infrastructure. Councilwoman Pontieri expressed frustration over the fact that taxpayers are funding infrastructure projects that were supposed to be covered by the developer. The article below constitutes what Pontieri had to say during that evening business meeting on September 3rd. Here you can view all of the documents in full, that Pontieri referenced in her rant on the City Council Dais.

During her statements below, you can see her reference a landowner, Rayonier, a multi-billion dollar global corporation. To read about the Neoga Lakes Development, and the current DRI, Neoga Lakes DRI Development Order – Adopted. The second DRI for the same area of expansion can be found here, 09-14-2010 – OLD BRICK ROAD TOWNSHIP DRI – 22-10-29-0000-01010-0000 – DEVE.   The final document we found that dealt with the westward expansion was an additional MPD document for the Neoga Lakes Development, which you can see here: MPD-Development Agreement.

Read below for Pontieri’s statement on these DRI’s and MPD’s, and how those documents which have been ignored are impacting the City of Palm Coast today.

“I was floored at what I read. I was disgusted. I was, uh, truly sick to my stomach because it has come to my attention that a lot of the infrastructure that the current multi-billion dollar landowner was supposed to put in for us taxpayers is paying for. They are paying for in the form of state appropriations. Let me be more clear. On page 42, it says Palm Coast Parkway Extension, not later than the issuance of building permits which generate 1400 external pm peak hour trips within the DRI, the developers shall cause to be constructed and dedicated to the city an extension of Palm Coast Parkway from US1 to Hargrove Grade, this is to be called the Palm Coast Parkway Extension. It goes into detail as to what exactly that road has to look like. It says this improvement shall include an above-grade overpass at the intersection of the FECRailroad and a new mass arm signal at the intersection of US1 in the Palm Coast Parkway Extension.

It then goes on to further explain what exactly will be required for Palm Coast Extension. This is the loop road we got 105 million dollars in state appropriations, also known as tax dollars, to pay for something that in a previous DRI that was entered into in 2010 a private multi-billion dollar company should have been paying for. If we go on to page 44, it says Palm Coast Parkway Extension phase two, not later than the issuance of building permits, which generate 4754 external pm peak hour trips within the DRI, the developers shall cause to be constructed and dedicated to this city a further extension of the Palm Coast Parkway from the project entrance at Hargrove Gray Blaine to the DRI Village Center,” Pontieri stated.

She explained, “What just put the icing on the cake for me. If we go to page 61, Recreation and Open Space. No later than two years from the issuance of the first residential building permit within the DRI, the developer shall commence construction of a public park of up to 29 upland acres, generally located in the area depicted on a map that it describes. It says that the improvements to be constructed or caused to be constructed by the developer within the public park shall include, but not be limited to a junior Olympic swimming pool, including changing rooms and restrooms, a playground, and play fields.

Here we are jumping through hoops to try to get a charter amendment passed to enter into a public-private partnership for a lease on a sports complex that I think we should look into because of the tourism dollars that can come from it. When all along this developer, this landowner, is supposed to be paying for it, I am disturbed by this. This is corporate greed at its worst, and it has fallen on the backs of the taxpayers. And I will not stand for it. I am a staunch Republican, and this is not what our policies stand for. So here’s what I will state to staff, to the developer, to those representing the developer. You better figure out how you’re gonna fix this.

When you come back to me, I don’t expect a $105 million check to the residents of Florida, but I do expect quite a bit in infrastructure improvements. I expect to know what conservation is going to be set aside, what recreation is gonna be set aside, and what infrastructure we will get out of this because this is a 20,000-acre swath of land that is the future of our city. And this developer that is going to conduct silviculture on it until they decide to build will make plenty of money. They need to know, I need to know what they’re gonna do for our residents. So I don’t wanna hold up the comp plan, because I respect too much the work that you all have done.

I respect too much the hours that have been put into this up here and back there. I respect too much what the residents have done to provide their 85,000 comments or whatever it was. I respect this process too much to put off the entire comp plan transmittal. What I will say is when it comes back from the state before I even contemplate voting on abandoning those DRIs and accepting an MPD, I want to see exactly what the landowner is going to do. I want to know their plans. I want to know what this is being replaced with. I want to know what these DRIs are being replaced with. I want specifics. I want maps. I don’t want to see, ‘Oh well, it can all be mixed-use throughout this 20,000 acres.’ That is not sufficient. Where are the industrial parks? Because in the DRIs there are requirements for industrial parks. In the DRI there’s requirements that certain workforce housing be constructed before the rest of the housing.

All of the things that we’ve said are so important to all of us up here, they’re in the current DRIs. When I ask the landowner why do you guys want to abandon these they tell me, ‘Oh, they’re not workable.’ Of course, they’re not workable for you. They’re workable for us and I don’t work for the developer. I work for the residents. So my, I don’t want to call it a warning, but my advice is this. I want to transmit to the state because I think this is an overall good comp plan, but please, please hold them accountable.

Our job as city council and your job as staff is to hold them accountable to this because this is the future of our city. So as we look at, and I am asking my council, trust me, reading these on my Saturday on the holiday weekend was worse than watching paint dry, okay? But please, please, please take some time and look at these. And let’s make sure that the new MPDs, the new development orders that come before us, measure up to what we are supposed to be getting out of these DRIs.” According to the DRI, the developer was responsible for constructing extensions and improvements to Palm Coast Parkway and other infrastructure, including a public park with amenities. However, state funds were used for these projects instead, which the council member criticized as a case of corporate greed.”

Pontieri emphasized the need for accountability and transparency from the developer regarding their obligations. She questioned the adequacy of the proposed changes to the development plan and demanded detailed information about how the new plans would address the requirements set by the DRI. The council debated whether to transmit the current plan to the state or delay it to ensure the developer meets their commitments. In a 3-1 vote, the City Council moved to send the Comprehensive plan to the state for transmittal, with Pontieri expressing that there will be heavy scrutiny from her when that plan comes back from the state.

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