- December 15, 2025
Also, home-based food businesses will have another chance to make their case to the City Council.
After a year-long process, the city of Palm Coast voted to limit the hours of operation, regulate location and dictate security measures on Internet cafés. The City Council approved new regulations Tuesday morning with a 4-1 vote.
The city enacted a moratorium last year. That moratorium expires May 4.
According to changes to the Land Development Code, Internet cafés won’t be allowed within 1,000 feet of a church, school or park. Seven of the nine open cafés would be nonconforming under the proposed regulations, but they will be grandfathered in.
The Planning and Land Development Regulation Board will vote April 18 on the zoning changes.
Along with location regulation, Internet cafés can be open 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week; windows must be transparent for law enforcement purposes; and there must be a security guard (licensed by the Department of Agriculture) onsite from 6 p.m. to close.
A representative of Neptune Internet Sweepstakes, which is located off Palm Coast Parkway, questioned the window and security regulations. Neptune Internet Sweepstakes opened June 1, 2007.
He said he has drop safes, a silent alarm and several security cameras.
“I’m retired law enforcement ... of 32 years,” he said. “Everyone who works at my store has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.”
The representative did, however, commend the city, adding: “We’ve been crying for regulation for a long time,” he said.
Adam Regar, an attorney representing Allied Veterans of the World, said it would be ideal if Allied Veterans could remain open 24 hours.
“If that’s not possible, we would also ask the City Council that the hours of 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. be opened up,” he said.
City Manager Jim Landon said that although an owner or other employees have permits to carry a concealed weapon, that doesn’t exclude them from the requirement of licensed security guards.
City Councilman Bill McGuire, who was the lone member not in favor of regulation, said Tuesday that a lot of work was done to address a problem that he isn’t sure exists.
“I think we’re killing an ant with a sledgehammer here,” McGuire said. “And I haven’t seen anything to change my mind.”
City staff will present final ordinances at the April 24 workshop. Then, the City Council will take its second and final vote at its May 1 regular meeting.
Cottage food to be revisited
The Palm Coast City Council will revisit the idea of allowing home-based food businesses to operate in town.
At its April 10 workshop, the City Council reached consensus to delay aligning its regulations on the cottage food industry with the new state legislation, which was signed into law last year.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Palm Coast residents Rick de Yampert and Cheryl Sheppard asked the City Council to revisit the idea.
“We respectfully say to the council that Cheryl and I should have the opportunity to make our quite compelling arguments to the council,” de Yampert said Tuesday.
City Councilman Jason DeLorenzo told the City Council that he would like to see a presentation from Sheppard and de Yampert, as well as any other residents, at an upcoming workshop.
Email Andrew O’Brien at [email protected].
