- October 11, 2024
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Flagler County and Palm Coast's joint parks master plan will focus on adding indoor recreation space and upgrading current facilities, among other identified goals.
Some of those other items include monitoring ADA access to parks and beaches, exploring opportunities to add walking and biking trails and expanding open spaces. BerryDunn consultant Art Thatcher said during the Flagler County Commission and the Palm Coast City Council meetings on Aug. 7 and 8 that the next step is drafting a final plan.
“All of our recommendations through this process are evidence-based and data-driven,” Thatcher said.
The county and city began planning a joint master plan for the local parks in December, when they approved a service agreement with BerryDunn.
Thatcher said the firm divided goals for the master plan between four sections: investing in current infrastructure and address aging facilities; improving and enhancing programming and outreach; improve organizational operations, which includes reexamining department policies and procedures; and increasing financial opportunities.
Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin asked Thatcher about identifying a budget and costs that could be shared between the city and county.
Thatcher said BerryDunn has not worked on a joint city-county master plan before, so that breakdown is a new step for the firm.
BerryDunn will identify which action items are specific to the county or to the city, and which involve both governments, Thatcher said at the City Council meeting. During those final steps, the team can also schedule a city-county work session to determine the budget, he said.
Alfin said he didn’t want to dampen the spirit of collaboration, but felt that expectations about who will pay for what should be determined early on.
“If we don't set the expectation, it's going to be a surprise,” Alfin said, “and none of us are looking for a surprise down the road.”
