- July 26, 2024
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City Manager Jim Landon said being part of the planning organization brings more competion.
Last week, the Volusia County Transportation Planning Organization agreed to include Palm Coast roads — a requirement because of the growth in the city.
“Because it is the Palm Coast-Daytona Beach-Port Orange urbanized area, the requirement by the state and federal agencies is that the entire urbanized area be included in the TPO,” City Manager Jim Landon said last week.
County Administrator Craig Coffey appeared before the Volusia County Transportation Organization last week. He expressed his concerns about unincorporated Flagler County not being included.
“The county is actively working the issue and (we) will have more discussions with (the County Commission) in the near future about this,” Coffey wrote via email June 28.
Landon said he wasn’t sure what the immediate benefits would be for the city, though.
“There is a question as to whether or not there is a benefit,” Landon said. There’s more weight for the city, but Landon said there will also be more competition for the dollars.
“For us, it’s not a choice — we are required,” he said.
Also, because Palm Coast is now a member of the TPO, it no longer will have to submit its priorities list through the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners — the process that has been in place since the city’s inception.
Palm Coast to buy F-section lot
The City Council on June 26 unanimously agreed to spend $27,125 (plus 6% commission to the seller) to purchase the lot at 90 Forest Grove as part of the Palm Harbor Parkway extension project.
The City Council has stated that the Palm Harbor Parkway extension project is necessary before the state constructs the Interstate 95 interchange at Matanzas Woods Parkway.
City Councilman Frank Meeker said he thought the price was high.
“It is high, and I’m not going to in any way, shape or form try to tell you otherwise,” Landon said.
Landon said the city has been working with the owners for nearly two years. If an agreement wasn’t reached, the city would have to take the property owners to eminent domain, a process Landon called “very lengthy and unattractive.”
There is one parcel remaining for the city to purchase for the project, Landon said.
The City Council was scheduled to approve this item at its July 3 regular meeting.
