No matter where you drive locally in late 2023, it’s indisputable: Flagler County is changing. With so many highly visible construction projects occurring in similar time frames, residents and business owners alike have taken note. Below is a list (and some pictures) of the most recent projects that are changing the face of Flagler County:
- The entire coast of Flagler County. Dune repair from the 2022 hurricane season has changed the look and feel of some local beaches (with more to come).
- AdventHealth Palm Coast opens 2nd Flagler County hospital.
- Katz & Green officially demolished on Palm Coast Parkway (welcome WaWa #2, pictured above).
- BJ’s Wholesale construction project on SR 100 near Seminole Woods (with many “outparcels, pictured below”).
- 2nd half of shopping center being built on SR 100 near Bulldog Drive/Flagler Executive Airport.
- Speaking of the Flagler Executive Airport, get ready for big improvements and construction projects in the near future.
- Across the street, next to the “O.G.” Palm Coast WaWa, a large storage facility is nearly done with construction.
- Travel down SR 100 toward Flagler Beach, and the new pedestrian overpass is completed (sans glare).
- New Tennis/Pickleball Community Center on Belle Terre Parkway (behind the fire station).
- Western Expansion: US-1 North Palm Coast where many housing developments are being constructed.
- Coming Soon: Flagler Beach Pier Reconstruction
- Coming Soon: Flagler Beach “Margaritaville” Hotel
The Palm Coast Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce expects this change, and more. The Chamber has not been fighting against “change” because the data is clear: Flagler County’s population is going to grow for the foreseeable future. Taking a position of “preventing growth and development” is turning a blind eye to Constitutional private property rights and economic development opportunities that can help improve our community. What we do have control over is the vision we (current residents and job creators) would like to see become our future reality.
What we know about Flagler County in 2023 is:
- Local government is overwhelmingly funded by single-family home taxes, as opposed to commercial property taxes from businesses. This is a bad, especially for resident taxpayers.
- We need more businesses and commercial development to correct the above.
- We need to prepare for as many as 200,000 Flagler County residents by the year 2040 (according to University of Florida BEBR estimates).
- We value our environment, open space, trails and parks.
- We have a lack of housing diversity and affordability (few multi-family units and affordable places for local workers to live).
After considering the above, and working with our partners in local government, the Chamber believes we can unite to plan the future of Flagler County. It is possible for the existing and future changes to address our larger, community-wide concerns. But, it takes planning and participation.
Enter both Flagler County Government’s Comprehensive Plan Process and the City of Palm Coast’s Comprehensive Plan Process. Both local governments are undergoing a community visioning (of sorts), by revising these plans, which direct the future growth of our community. The only question is, what do our plans say should happen?
In the near future, the Chamber will encourage our local job creators and their resident employees to get involved in shaping the vision of the Future of Flagler County. Chamber members will be provided with the details of these meetings.
Thanks to the support of Chamber members, we are able to track and engage in important community-wide conversations that have a big impact on our neighborhoods and businesses. Get involved by joining the Chamber today.
