Developer strategies for 110-property community off Old Dixie Highway

A developer hopes to location up to 110 properties on a 48.83-acre parcel of land off South Old Dixie Highway at Mayberry Street, about a mile east of Old Dixie’s intersection with U.S. 1 in southern Flagler County.

“We’re really hoping to transfer forward shortly,” mentioned Jessica Gow, a Cobb Cole law company attorney representing RJN Style and Advancement, at a Jan. 12 Flagler County Organizing and Land Growth Board meeting. “… Once we get the utilities settled there, we’re completely ready to move ahead.”

The 110-property proposal itself isn’t really new, but utility things to consider have so considerably delayed its building. 

“We’re really hoping to transfer ahead soon.”

— JESSICA GOW, lawyer representing RJN Layout and Advancement

The proposed “prepared unit growth,” or PUD, was initial accepted by the Flagler County Commission in 2011 with a provision that an initial plat application for 30 residences be submitted in just 5 several years until the developer sought an added 5-year extension. The developer sought the extension in 2016, in section mainly because of a issue about how drinking water and sewer service would be presented to the likely neighborhood.

The closest utility company was the Plantation Bay utility, for years a supply of normal complaints from its prospects. The Flagler County and Bunnell governments jointly purchased it for $5.5 million in 2013 in get to enhance the drinking water high-quality. It was transferred to the county’s sole management in 2015. The county has considering that turned it in excess of to the quasi-governmental Florida Governmental Utility Authority, or FGUA.

Now, RJN Layout and Enhancement expects to go ahead with the planning of 30 original plots for platting — but not automatically prior to the recent 5-yr-extension expires in Oct, so the developer arrived before the scheduling board to look for yet another extension that would continue through 2026.

“There is no improvements to the true development plan,” Gow explained. “There is just previous uncertainty with the utility provisions of the agreement, and then at this time the uncertainty with the pandemic, so we’re inquiring for a small little bit of overall flexibility.”

Answering issues from board associates, Flagler County Setting up Director Adam Mengel reported he believed the developer would be equipped to start the demanded first phase of the task within the proposed new 5-12 months extension.

“There’s some dialogue occurring among the proprietor and FGUA,” Mengel mentioned. “We’e all probably cautiously optimistic coming out of COVID 19 … this may be the time for this to happen. But it will only take place by the extension of people utilities, and that dialogue is now underway involving FGUA and this proprietor.”

The 5-year time limit, he additional, “is a day for the submittal of an initial move — 30 plenty within just the growth for platting — so its a very low bar to make. I’m pretty assured that they are going to make it.” 

If the developer won’t satisfy the 30-plat software need in just 5 years and is just not granted yet another extension, the land would shed its PUD zoning designation.

The recent PUD settlement would enable for the proposed homes to be solitary-spouse and children residential, estate homes, hooked up zero lot line residences, patio residences or clustered household units, in accordance to a arranging board assembly backup document.

Many area inhabitants spoke at the assembly to say they ended up worried about whether or not the development could hurt region wildlife or trigger drainage problems for the adjacent qualities. 

Mengel described that environmental experiments are conducted to avoid important wildlife impacts, and that the developer will not be authorized to make in a fashion that floods neighboring homes. Gow explained she’d relay the problems about drainage to her consumer. 

“The fears that you all have are extremely valid and want to be tackled in the web page system method,” board member Mark Langello told the citizens. “… If we grant this tonight, that just gives them a small bit far more time to consider to get the utilities straightened out. … There’s nevertheless in essence a scarcity of housing in Florida and in the place … there is basically a serious require for it.”

The board voted 4- to suggest that the Flagler County Commission — which will have the remaining say — grant the 5-year extension. Board associates Michael Boyd and Timothy Connor were being absent.