Flagler Beach planning board recommends denial of Veranda Bay and Summertown annexations, citing lack of review time and unresolved impacts

The Flagler Beach Planning and Architectural Review Board voted on Oct. 7 to recommend denial to the City Commission for six related ordinances tied to the Veranda Bay and Summertown annexation, future land-use and master planned development agreement (MPDA) requests.

The board’s recommendations followed hours of public comment and lengthy presentations from the developer and city staff. Board member Barbara Revels moved for denial after multiple board members and numerous members of the public said they had not had adequate time to review the roughly 300–400 pages of project documents. "The production of these documents was way behind the schedule that we needed to review this properly," Revels said during the meeting.

Why it matters: The two proposals would annex large tracts of county land into Flagler Beach, change future land-use designations and adopt MPDAs that would allow planned neighborhoods, a marina village and other commercial uses. Supporters argued the projects would extend city services, fund infrastructure and provide reuse water to reduce treated effluent discharged to the Intracoastal; opponents urged postponement, cited environmental risks near Beulah Creek and asked for a fuller fiscal and traffic analysis before a recommendation goes to the commission.

What the board heard and debated - Notice and review time: Multiple residents and civic groups said they received limited notice and that late changes to the application materials left insufficient time for review. John Tanner, attorney for nonprofit Preserve Flyover Beach and Beulah Creek Inc., told the board the project "is in effect a whole new city" and that citizens needed more time and opportunity for input. - Environmental buffers and wetlands: Members of the public and at least one county representative urged larger buffers along Beulah Creek and questioned permit-level wetlands and buffer language that allows averaged setbacks (a minimum average of 25 feet in some areas, with minimums as small as 15 feet in constrained areas). Board members pressed the developer and staff on where development would come closest to the creek and on the adequacy of the proposed buffer language in the MPDAs. - Wastewater, reuse and flooding: City staff and the developer said the city’s wastewater treatment plant is being expanded to 1.5 million gallons per day with an ultimate potential up to 2.0 mgd and that the projects are intended to use reuse water for irrigation. The developer told the board it had already invested in purple-pipe reuse plumbing on the property (developer statements cited roughly $2.0–2.5 million invested to date). Board members sought clearer, itemized analyses showing how buildout and other area growth would affect capacity and rates. - Traffic and roads: Traffic engineers said required traffic studies were prepared and coordinated with state and regional agencies; opponents and board members said the projects, plus related development outside the annexation boundary, could significantly increase trips on John Anderson Highway and asked for clearer, consolidated trip caps and Spine Road timing to ensure promised interconnectivity is provided before impacts occur. - Fiscal impacts: Board members noted that the packet included developer-facing revenue projections but said the board lacked an independent net fiscal-impact analysis showing city costs (police, fire, schools, staffing and capital) compared with long-term revenue streams. The city planner said an economic impact study done during the earlier review exists and staff would provide it to the board and commission.

Votes at a glance (board recommendations to City Commission) - Ordinance 2025-21 (Veranda Bay annexation, ~211 acres): PARB motioned and approved a recommendation that the City Commission deny the annexation. Vote (recommend denial): Paul McKitka — yes; Scott Chavis — yes; Barbara Revels — yes; Joanne Soman — yes; Chair Johnston — no (tally: 4–1 in favor of recommending denial). - Ordinance 2025-23 (Comp plan map/text & related limits for Veranda Bay): PARB voted to recommend denial. Vote: Paul McKitka — yes; Scott Chavis — yes; Barbara Revels — yes; Joanne Soman — yes; Chair Johnston — no. - Ordinance 2025-24 (Veranda Bay master plan development agreement / MPDA): PARB voted to recommend denial. Vote: Paul McKitka — yes; Scott Chavis — yes; Barbara Revels — yes; Joanne Soman — yes; Chair Johnston — no. - Ordinance 2025-22 (Summertown annexation): PARB voted to recommend denial. Vote: Paul McKitka — yes; Scott Chavis — yes; Barbara Revels — yes; Joanne Soman — yes; Chair Johnston — yes/abstained with reservations (board recorded a recommendation to deny). - Ordinance 2025-25 (Summertown comp plan map/text): PARB voted to recommend denial. Vote: Paul McKitka — yes; Scott Chavis — yes; Barbara Revels — yes; Joanne Soman — yes; Chair Johnston — yes. - Ordinance 2025-26 (Summertown MPDA / master planned development agreement): PARB voted to recommend denial. Vote: Paul McKitka — yes; Scott Chavis — yes; Barbara Revels — yes; Joanne Soman — yes; Chair Johnston — yes.

Developer and staff positions Developer representatives said the two projects had been under review for more than a year, that a substantial portion of the land adjacent to Beulah Creek was already conveyed to the county for conservation, and that the Veranda Bay plan limits buildout on the annexed parcels (Veranda Bay’s submitted cap: 377 residential units, 6,200 square feet of commercial and up to 150 marina berths). The developer and project team emphasized commitments in the draft MPDAs that they described as voluntary protections: no private wells, commitments to preserve distinct trees where feasible, a 100-foot average buffer along John Anderson in most places and a conveyance of a two-acre park parcel with direct John Anderson access.

Public comment and next steps Public comment at the hearing was extensive and sharply divided. Supporters emphasized job and infrastructure investment; opponents cited environmental risks to Beulah Creek, traffic and demand for more time and independent fiscal/traffic analysis. Several public speakers urged the board to delay recommendations until the City Commission could see more analysis and more explicit conservation commitments.

The PARB’s recommendations are advisory; the City Commission will make the final decisions. The commission is scheduled to take up the items as separate ordinances; city staff said they would provide additional fiscal, traffic and utility capacity analyses before the commission hearings. The developer told the board it will continue to work with county and city staff to respond to concerns raised at the hearing.

Key details (as stated in meeting materials and presentations) - Veranda Bay: developer-stated cap of 377 residential units; 6,200 sq. ft. of commercial; up to 150 marina berths; approximately 211 acres proposed for voluntary annexation to the city; minimum 40% open space in the MPDA. - Summertown: larger, separately owned tract (materials cited roughly 1,640 residential units across that project at prior buildout levels before revisions). - Wastewater/reuse: City staff said the wastewater treatment plant is being expanded to 1.5 mgd, with potential expansion to 2.0 mgd; developer said it has invested in purple-pipe reuse infrastructure (developer cited roughly $2.0–2.5 million in reuse plumbing to date). - Parkland: developer has committed to convey a two-acre parcel with direct John Anderson access to the city; separate parcels were previously conveyed to Flagler County for conservation and a future boat-launch area.

What board members asked the commission to require Board members who voted to recommend denial said they wanted more time for the public to review late changes, clearer and independently verified fiscal and capacity analyses (water, wastewater, police/fire and schools), and stronger, explicit environmental protections and buffer language — particularly where the projects come closest to Beulah/Beeluh Creek.

The board’s recommendations will be included in the record for the City Commission. The commission may accept, modify or reject the PARB recommendations when it considers each ordinance in its own hearing.