- October 29, 2024
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by: Rose Keirnan
Flagler County, Public Information Office
Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday, June 2, signed the state budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Within the approved Florida budget are allocations for two projects significant to Flagler County: the Septic to Sewer conversion for the barrier island and the SR100 by-pass, the future extension of Flagler Central Commerce Parkway.
“We live in the greatest county, and I believe we have some of the greatest representation. I cannot thank Gov. DeSantis, Sen. Hutson, and Rep. Renner enough for their work and commitment to the needs of Flagler County’s residents,” said County Commission Chair Joe Mullins. “It is especially gratifying to see that these long-awaited infrastructure improvements will be funded, because they are so perfectly aligned with our community’s priorities: protecting our natural resources, making smart decisions for the growth we’re experiencing, and laying the groundwork to attract clean, robust economic development to our area.”
The Flagler County “Septic to Sewer Conversion on the Barrier Island” Appropriations has been funded in the amount of $8 million, which is $1.6 million more than requested and has allowed the county to expand the original scope of work. Addressing water that drains to the Matanzas inlet, and which impacts Class II shell fishing waters in both Flagler and St. Johns counties, this project is a big step towards the elimination of septic tank pollution on the barrier island. It will provide a layer of “storm hardening” for residents in the area to help protect them from future weather events.
The Septic to Sewer Conversion includes construction of a wastewater force main extension along State Road A1A to MalaCompra Road, Hammock Community Center, and ultimately Marineland. This backbone will allow residential neighborhoods and businesses to connect to the system, making the conversion complete.
The “Flagler Central Commerce Parkway” Appropriations has been funded in the amount of $6.8 million. The 1.7-mile expansion of this roadway will connect State Road 100 and U.S. 1 to unlock more than 1,000 acres of property for industrial, residential, and governmental development. The extended Parkway has the potential to foster economic growth in the city of Bunnell, create accessible areas for the development of multifamily affordable housing, and it will provide another emergency evacuation route for those in the county. Design work for this $11.8 million roadway project has been completed and the permits obtained for construction.
“We look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with our partners at the city of Bunnell, and we’ll be working closely with them to identify the local funding for this vital roadway,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito. “It’s quite exciting that these two infrastructure projects — aligned as they are with the community priorities that residents identified during our Strategic Planning public meetings — have also received such strong support from our elected officials, and are now approved by Governor DeSantis in the Freedom First Budget.”
