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Palm Coast council to review Ralph Carter Park lighting and parking after resident complaints
Summary
Council members agreed to schedule a workshop to address neighborhood complaints about lighting, parking and field use at Ralph Carter Park and to consider operational and mitigation options.
Palm Coast City Council members agreed to direct staff to prepare a workshop item addressing lighting, parking and neighborhood impacts at Ralph Carter Park after a series of resident complaints and council requests.
Council members described persistent concerns about field lights shining into nearby yards, congested street parking on Rimfire Drive during weekend games, and safety risks with parents and children crossing busy roadways to reach parked cars. Council members said the city has taken interim steps — limiting permitted hours at the park, installing visors on some lights and asking permit holders to use on‑site parking — but that the measures have not fully resolved resident concerns.
Council discussion noted these points: - The city installed visors and reduced permitted field hours; staff reported spending roughly $12,000 on visors as a partial mitigation measure. - League organizers were told they must require parents and teams to use available parking areas or risk permit restrictions; the league reported plans to move game play schedules for some teams to an alternate facility later in the season. - Council members asked staff to return with a fuller analysis of lighting height and shielding, parking enforcement options, potential permit‑condition changes and any legal limits on operating hours or field placement.
City staff said they will prepare a workshop item that compiles resident complaints, the park permit history, technical details about existing lighting equipment and suggested mitigation measures for council consideration. Staff also said they would examine parking alternatives and enforcement options, and meet with league organizers to ensure permit terms are enforced.
Ending: Council members asked for a short, focused workshop to examine practical fixes — lower or shielded fixtures, parking reconfiguration or enforcement, and permit conditions that require use of designated parking — and to identify longer‑range needs for additional sports fields or a dedicated sports complex to reduce conflicts with residential neighborhoods.
