PALM COAST, Fla. — The City of Palm Coast City Council voted unanimously Oct. 21 to adopt a future land use map (FLUM) amendment and a companion zoning map amendment for about 38.8 acres located roughly a half‑mile west of Seminole Woods Boulevard along State Road 100. The changes convert a mix of Flagler County commercial high intensity (about 10.5 acres) and residential high density (about 28.3 acres) to the city’s mixed‑use FLUM designation and to the city’s COM‑2 (general commercial) zoning.

City planning staff said the companion zoning amendment and an assumed maximum floor‑area ratio (FAR) of 0.4 were used to calculate theoretical development potential. At that FAR, the gross site could allow up to about 676,000 square feet of built space compared with roughly 182,000 square feet of nonresidential development under the county designations as presented — a theoretical net increase approaching half a million square feet depending on final site plans. Under the county’s residential high‑density designation the parcel would have retained an entitlement of up to approximately 255 multifamily units.

Jose Papa, senior planner with the Community Development Department, summarized the change and the review history: the annexation petition was presented earlier this year, the applicant held a neighborhood meeting with no attendees, and the Planning and Land Development Regulation Board recommended approval on Sept. 17. The council voted to adopt the FLUM amendment and the zoning amendment at first reading; the items are scheduled to return with second readings and the annexation on Nov. 4.

Traffic and concurrency dominated the council’s questions. Vice Mayor Pontieri said, “My one concern about this project is the traffic that it will create,” and pressed staff and the applicant for clear mitigation. Planning staff and the applicant told the council they had submitted traffic analyses; staff and the applicant described different trip estimates in parts of the record and said they would continue coordinating with Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the city’s newly hired traffic engineer.

Applicant Jay Livingston, speaking for Flagler Pines Properties LLC, said the applicant had submitted traffic materials supporting the FLUM and rezoning: “we submitted one for both the flume and for the rezoning,” he said, and noted the project team had refined FAR and methodology in response to staff questions. Staff said the project’s TIA methodology had been approved and that a coordination plan with FDOT for the SR‑100 corridor is expected in December; any proportionate‑share mitigation required to address concurrency deficiencies would be negotiated during site plan review.

Council members and staff identified several potential mitigation measures: longer right‑turn lanes and additional signal coordination on SR‑100, creation of a southern parallel corridor (extension of Airport Commons/drive aisle south of SR‑100), and proportionate‑share payments for roadway improvements. Planning staff cautioned that DOT has final say over changes on SR‑100 and that the city must evaluate mitigation and concurrency at the time of site plan review.

Motions and votes: Council member Gambaro moved to approve the FLUM amendment for the 38.8‑acre site; Council member Miller seconded. Vote: Vice Mayor Pontieri — yes; Council member Gambarro — yes; Council member Miller — yes; Council member Sullivan — yes; Mayor Michael Norris — yes. The zoning map amendment (rezone to COM‑2) was approved by the same 5–0 vote. Both items were advertised as required and recommended by the PLDRB.

What council asked for next: council members asked staff and the applicant to provide: (1) any supplemental Traffic Impact Analysis and methodology used; (2) a clearer accounting of projected peak‑hour trips and proposed mitigation strategies; and (3) economic figures including impact‑fee estimates and anticipated ad‑valorem tax impacts as part of the forthcoming site‑plan and second‑reading materials.

Ending — Council members said they support commercial development along the SR‑100 corridor but repeatedly emphasized that traffic, safety and capacity must be addressed in the project’s site‑plan stage and that DOT coordination and any required proportionate‑share mitigation be resolved before major vertical permits are issued.