- November 21, 2024
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Flagler County's planning board, skeptical of a new plan for a proposed condo community of 90 units in the Hammock Dunes development, opted not to approve it during a board meeting on April 12.
Instead of voting for or against the developer's proposal, the planning board instead voted to continue the proposal to an unspecified future date, urging the developer to address neighbors' objections and then return to the planning board later.
"We're not against developing this. I very much want to see it developed, but in a manner that's compatible with the character of Hammock Dunes."
— STEVE DAVIS
Although the details of the proposal before the board on April 12 were new, the land has long been slated for a condo community.
The county, in 2006, approved a plan for 128 units spread over two buildings that were to be called "Arezzo" and "Murano," with 64 units per building, on that parcel.
But with the recession, those plans stalled, County Growth Management Director Adam Mengel told Planning and Land Development Board members at the April 12 board meeting.
Now owner WCI Communities wants to build 90 units spread over three four-story buildings, 30 units per building, on the 6.81-acre plot of land instead.
The units would be small — a maximum of 1,400 square feet.
Mengel suggested that the planning board recommend some adjustments to the developer's proposal, such as requiring that the developer set aside a certain amount of open space on the land, add a beach walkover, and have setbacks of at least 20 feet between buildings.
But locals from the neighboring Tuscany development opposed the condo proposal, saying it's incompatible with the surrounding neighborhood. Some planning board members agreed.
"The residents are depending on the county to administer orderly development," said Steve Davis, representing a group of Tuscany residents. "And we understand that the county can allow changes to the 2005 final plat and 2006 plat only if it does not adversely affect orderly development. ... We don't think you can make that finding."
Parking that initially was going to be under the condo buildings, Davis said, "is now squirted out all over the lot, and consumed the entire parcel," while the new proposal has less open space than originally planned, smaller units and no beach access.
"The big problem is that there's there's no open space," Davis said. " ... The original development had large two-, three- and four-bedroom units. The new development has very small two- and three- bedroom units; 80% of them are two-bedroom units. I don't think this is orderly development. I think it in fact precludes orderly development."
Mike Bowles, representing the developer, said the developer would be willing to work on the site plan and add a dune walkover.
Board member Mark Langello said the lack of open space concerned him.
"Why did you abandon the original concept and go to this?" he asked.
Representatives of the developer said that the changes were made to bring down construction costs and make the units easier to sell.
"So because of costs, you will be sacrificing an existing community — that's what I'm hearing," board member Fernando Melendez said.
But, he added, "You're not that far apart. ... All they're asking is for some green space."
Other board members agreed that they'd like to see the developer address some of the neighbors' concerns.
"I don't think that this is in harmony in harmony with the rest of the development, the way it has been presented tonight," Langello said.
He proposed continuing the proposal to a date uncertain, rather than voting up or down on the proposal as it had been presented. Other board members agreed.
