Palm Coast presses for new traffic signal at Matanzas Woods interchange

Palm Coast Observer
News

Palm Coast city staff is pressing the Florida Department of Transportation to add a traffic signal at the off ramp at the Matanzas Woods Parkway/Interstate 95 intersection.

"I don’t think we're close to getting out of the woods by any means."

— MILISSA HOLLAND, mayor, warning of the potential reach of COVID-19's financial impact

FDOT has made some improvements to the intersection since the interchange was built, but not as many as city leaders would like.

"I still find that incredibly dangerous, and I’m not sure what it’s going to take for them to put a light over there," Mayor Milissa Holland said. "It’s really heavily traveled, too. ... I just would hate to see something happen in that intersection."

"We’ll continue to push to get them to evaluate it and justify the need for a signal," Cote said.

CITY DESIGNS BUDGET IN FACE OF REVENUE UNCERTAINTIES

The still-undetermined extent of COVID-19's impact on state revenue is adding a measure of uncertainty for city of Palm Coast staff members tasked with developing a city budget that relies in part on money from state funds.

FLORIDA PARK DRIVE WORK PLANNED

A program to discourage speeding and reduce traffic noise on Florida Park Drive will begin this coming fiscal year.

The city government, spurred to action by complaints from residents, is designing a program that would help residents on the street install landscaping that would serve as a noise barrier.

The next time the street is resurfaced, the city will also use a restriping pattern designed to make the road's lanes appear narrower, which has been shown to reduce speeding.

Carl Cote, the city's Stormwater and Engineering director, said the grant-funded program will be first-come, first-served for residents: It won't be linear, and there will be gaps in the project length.

The landscaping itself will come from a set of templates designed by a landscape architect, who will then help tailor those options for individual homes in coordination with the residents.

"I’d be interested to see what sort of buy-in the residents have demonstrated," Mayor Mlissa Holland said. "... I just think we want to be very thoughtful on this approach, and not haphazard."

The city of Palm Coast is considering adopting a millage rate of 4.6989 cents per $1,000 of taxable value, which is the same as last year's rate but is expected to bring in about an additional $1.7 million in revenue due to rising property values, for a total of $26.3 million. Meanwhile, the city is also trying to cut expenses, eliminating staff raises and scaling back its fleet replacement schedule, among other measures.

Big projects such as a planned new public works facility remain in the budget, but with an understanding that details or scheduling may be altered.

City Manager Matt Morton told City Council members during an Aug. 25 council budget workshop that there are still "many unknowns" about the financial impact of COVID-19. He found it likely that the Florida Legislature will hold a special session to adjust the state budget.

"We do have contingencies built into this budget to hopefully handle the fluctuations," Morton said.

So far, city staff told council members, half-cent sales tax money distributed to the city from the state has been 21% lower than the previous year, pushing the city to be conservative in its plans for the coming fiscal year.

Mayor Milissa Holland noted that evictions and foreclosures are just starting, and it's not yet clear to what extent they'll impact the wider economy.

"I don’t think we're close to getting out of the woods by any means," Holland said. "I just think we have to be mindful about that."

The city will hold its first public hearing on the budget and millage rate on Sept. 10, and will vote on a final budget and millage rate on Sept. 23.

Councilman Jon Netts noted that he'd been on the council during the 2008 recession.

"This is like deja vu all over again," he said. Now, as then, staff is doing a good job, he said. "It may get better, it may get worse, but I’m confident that we’ll handle it," Netts said.