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For the law to change, a new ordinance would have to be approved twice in public meetings.
Palm Coast neighborhoods could one day become much more colorful.
The City Council heard a staff presentation Jan. 14 — six months in the making — suggesting that the palette for painting the exterior of houses could be broadened slightly from the pastels, beiges and grays of today, to include "light Bermuda" colors. The Beautification and Environmental Advisory Committee, as well as the Planning and Land Development Regulation Board, recommended approval of the slightly more vibrant pastel palette.
Instead, the City Council formed a consensus to not just broaden the palette slightly, but to throw it out the proverbial window.
“I say we get rid of it altogether,” said Mayor Mike Norris, who has professional experience painting houses. “Paint your house whatever color you want.”
After the mostly empty council chamber room took a second to let that sink in, Councilmen Ty Miller and Charles Gambaro, who, like Norris, took their seats on the council within the past few months, agreed to the color freedom almost immediately.
“No restrictions other than the banned colors,” Gambaro said, referring to the staff presentation that recommended fuschia, magenta, purple and orange remain forbidden.
After the city staff showed what other cities are doing — Bunnell, for example, has no restrictions — Miller said, “Go with Bunnell.”
Councilman Ray Stevens, who is also brand new, having been elected in November, was more wary. At first, he said, “I think we should just leave it as it is,” reasoning that if more people come to the City Council to voice concerns, “We’re going to be back to square one.”
But as his fellow City Council members continued to move toward removing the restrictions, Stevens said he read it over again and decided to remain silent for the time being. Staff was given direction to come up with an ordinance for future review (it will require two formal votes), with no color restrictions other than the four banned colors.
'IT'S MY HOUSE!'
Robert MacDonald, a citizen who regularly speaks up during public comment, may have had an impact in the direction of the meeting. He said the City Council should be ashamed for even considering restricting the rights of someone to paint his or her house.
A house on his cul-de-sac is going to sell for about $400,000, he told the City Council. Putting himself in that homeowner’s shoes, he said, “‘So I’m going to spend $400,000 and buy a brand new house, and some committee is going to tell me what color I can paint my house? It’s my house!’ Are they going to have an ordinance to say what car you have in your driveway? Or what color car you can have in your driveway? … What difference does it make? How dare you tell me that I can’t paint it the color I want!”
Another resident who was pleased with the direction the council appears to be taking is Mindy Melendez, broker/owner at Eaz Realty, in Palm Coast. In 2023, she painted her house navy blue, which is not currently allowed in the city. She is bound to repaint it a lighter color unless the City Council changes the code. When former City Councilwoman Cathy Heighter heard of her situation, she proposed in June 2024 that the city consider allowing more colors, which is what got this whole process started.
After the meeting, Melendez said she favors an unrestricted palette. “It’s your house,” she said.
WHAT ABOUT POLKA DOTS?
But after the meeting, Stevens suggested that he would be in favor of some restrictions, at least on pattern and design, because if the possible impact on home values.
“If I were a real estate agent, I would have concerns about that,” he said. “If you have to drive down a street every day with a house with black and pink polka dots, it would make it more difficult to sell a house.”
City Councilwoman Theresa Pontieri was absent from the Jan. 14 workshop.
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