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Hammock residents press Flagler County after Hammock Harbor settlement; urge stronger land‑use protections
Summary
Several Hammock Community Association members told commissioners the recent Hammock Harbor settlement permits an oversized development that conflicts with the A1A scenic overlay and established neighborhood expectations; they urged training, code changes and codifying scenic overlay recommendations.
Dozens of Hammock residents used the county’s public‑comment period on March 2 to criticize the settlement resolving Hammock Harbor, calling the outcome a precedent that enables an oversized warehouse‑style development in a residential/light‑commercial neighborhood.
Ed White, a Hammock Community Association board member, said residents were "depressed, dejected, discouraged" by the settlement and vowed continued opposition. Laura Stillman, HCA president, told the commission she and neighbors believed the development would be incompatible with the A1A scenic overlay and the land development code, and she urged the county to "please follow the rules." Pam Rosen described the proposed structure as "nearly as large as the Flagler County Sheriff's Operations Center" and estimated it at about 50,000 square feet, arguing it would overwhelm nearby yards with industrial noise and visual impacts.
Speakers pressed the board to take several specific steps: implement an after‑action review of the application and settlement, strengthen and clarify code language so it cannot be easily circumvented, codify Scenic A1A advisory recommendations within permitting, and provide more training for new staff and planning‑board members to ensure consistent enforcement of overlays.
Commission discussion acknowledged the community’s anger and the complexity of the legal path that produced the settlement. County leaders said parts of the outcome flowed from judicial rulings and legal limitations, and they invited the Hammock Community Association to submit written suggestions and proposals for code changes and training needs. Several commissioners said they would consider workshops or planning‑board training to strengthen enforcement and to revisit land‑development code rewrite efforts once state restrictions permit.
Ending: commissioners instructed staff to accept proposed communications from the Hammock Community Association outlining potential code or procedure changes; the board pledged to examine training and LDC updates in future workshops.
