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Residents raise PFAS and aircraft noise concerns; council directs staff to prepare memos and schedule workshop
Summary
During public comment, residents urged the council to investigate PFAS/forever chemicals and complained about flight‑training noise; the city manager said staff are testing for PFAS, will compile a memo, and the council directed the city attorney to place airport noise on a future workshop agenda.
Two public comments during the meeting focused on environmental contamination and aircraft noise.
A speaker identified as "Ms. Shanks" asked the council to investigate PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), saying there is active litigation and maps showing contaminated sites in the state. The transcript records Ms. Shanks urging the council and public to research "forever chemicals, PFAS." No specific site within Palm Coast was identified during her remarks.
Another resident, Darlene Shelly of Palm Coast, asked the council to amend the city municipal code (section 35) and remove the ordinance exemption that currently excludes "normal operation of aircraft" from the city’s noise prohibitions. Shelly said training flights are conducting "over 500 daily touch‑and‑go operations" and flying repeatedly over populated sections of Palm Coast; she argued those operations exceed allowable sound levels and are not part of “normal” aircraft operations for a general‑aviation public‑use executive airport. "The residents of Palm Coast and Flagler County should not suffer the constant pollution, lead, and nuisance noise," Shelly said, and she urged the council to look into the aircraft operations and applicable Federal Aviation Regulation guidance she referenced.
City Manager (unnamed) responded to the commenters. The city manager said staff are conducting PFAS testing and that the city is aware of a settlement that may be relevant; the manager asked Mr. Roussel (a staff member) to compile a memo summarizing where testing stands and the settlement information. The manager added the utility department will hold a community "lunch and learn" in May about forever chemicals and the city will provide details to residents.
On airport noise, the city manager said the council had previously directed the city attorney to schedule a future workshop on the airport and airport noise; staff are working with "Mr. Duffy and his office" to place that workshop on a forthcoming agenda.
Outcome: Council staff were directed to (1) compile a memo on PFAS testing and potential settlement information for council review, (2) support the utility department’s planned public educational lunch‑and‑learn in May, and (3) schedule a workshop on airport noise in coordination with the city attorney. No ordinance change was adopted at the meeting; Ms. Shelly’s request to amend municipal code section 35 will be considered in the workshop process.
