- December 11, 2024
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On Dec. 12, the Flagler Beach Commission is preparing to cast its final vote on annexing the 899-acre Veranda Bay development into the city.
The Veranda Bay developer is simultaneously applying to annex the 899 acres into Flagler Beach as well as to change the acreage to an appropriate land use and zoning application. Each application requires two majority votes from the commission.
The commissioners approved the first of two votes on the annexation and the development’s future land use application at the city’s Sept. 17 meeting, though the first zoning application was not voted on until the city’s Oct. 17 meeting, where it was also approved by the commission.
The final votes will be held during the Flagler Beach City Commission meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 12 inside City Commission Chambers at 105 S. Second St.
Originally, the Veranda Bay was planned to be over 2,700 residential units — a mix of single-family home, townhomes, apartments and condos — and 472,000 square feet of commercial space.
At the most recent workshop meeting, on Nov. 14, developer Ken Belshe agreed to increase the amount of commercial to 600,000 square feet and reduce the number of residential units to a maximum of 2,400 units.
If the applications are approved, Belshe said, the plan is to begin with building commercial spaces. In a September meeting, he said the vision is for Veranda Bay to have a mix of upscale dining, shopping entertainment and residential areas.
The development is on the west side of the State Road 100 bridge and brackets either side of John Anderson Highway, on the south side of 100.
Though Flagler Beach commissioners courted Veranda Bay and Belshe to apply for annexation to the beach-side city, vocal Flagler Beach residents have been against the annexation.
In a first review of the development’s potential impact to Flagler Beach, Veranda Bay is expected to be completely built and filled by 2044, with a projected population of around 5,000. With Veranda Bay and accounting for a 2.7% annual growth rate, by 2044, Flagler Beach could have a population of over 13,000.
Some of the major concerns from residents have been the impact such a large development could have on city resources. In an previous meeting, city attorney Drew Smith said the agreement “specifically says that if utilities and infrastructure are not available at the time you want to do them, you’re going to have to hold” development until they are available.
Residents have also been concerned about how such a large development will change the city of Flagler Beach.
“We’re not growing Flagler Beach,” resident Steve Dalley said at the Nov. 14 meeting. Dalley compared the development to being a different city. “… It’s going to look way different. It’s going to feel way different. It’s not going to be Flagler Beach anymore.”
