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Flagler Beach board backs water facilities plan amid questions on capacity for planned developments
Summary
The Planning and Architectural Review Board recommended approval of the city's water facilities plan after extended discussion about projected demand, developer obligations tied to Veranda Bay, reclaimed-water commitments and data-quality concerns.
The Flagler Beach Planning and Architectural Review Board on May 6, 2025, voted to recommend approval of the city's water facilities plan, approving the comprehensive-plan amendment after staff and board members discussed water-supply projections, developer obligations related to Veranda Bay and the need to confirm underlying data.
Board members flagged several data and capacity issues that they said require verification before the city submits the plan to state reviewers. Board member Barbara questioned the population and service-area projections on multiple pages of the draft plan and asked whether the analysis accounted for existing platted lots and projects already under agreement with the city.
Drew (staff member) told the board the plan incorporates methodology required by regional and state reviewers and that the city had modeled phased growth tied to a 20-year buildout. Board members and staff noted the plan shows an anticipated 728 growth units in 10 years and discussed a larger development referenced in the plan with an overall 20-year projection of about 3,100 units.
Board members also discussed where potable supply wells are located and how infrastructure costs will be funded. Panelists said most of the city's wells are outside city limits (near Grand Landing) and that developers may fund elements such as reclaimed-water facilities, with offsets against impact fees negotiated under existing agreements.
Public commenter Sally Arnoff urged the board to recall a circuit-court stipulation relating to the long-running "Water Wars" litigation between the city and the Gardens/Veranda Bay project, and she said that stipulation included a developer obligation to build a reclaimed-water facility intended to reduce discharge to the Intracoastal Waterway. Arnoff urged clarity on which party is responsible for constructing and funding reuse infrastructure.
City staff and board members said St. Johns (the regional reviewer) and Florida Department of Environmental Protection review the plan and will comment on methodology and numbers. Staff offered to quality-control (QC) the numeric tables and revise the plan before final submission.
The board's action was a recommendation to adopt the water facilities plan as part of the comprehensive-plan amendments; a motion to recommend approval was made and approved by roll call.
