- May 17, 2024
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After over three months of meetings, applications for the Old Kings Village development that abuts the Flagler Beach Polo Club West property has been approved by the Palm Coast City Council.
The 62-acre development was annexed into Palm Coast in September from Flagler County. Since then, applications to adjust the property’s land use and zoning designations to city designations have been delayed because of continued disagreements between the applicant, Geosam Capital US, and the residents of Polo Club West.
The City Council repeatedly delayed the final vote on the applications until the two parties could come to an agreement. Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin said he was glad the parties were able to work out their differences.
“We took a little risk at the [Jan. 2] last meeting and I appreciate your ability and the applicant's ability to get together and work as a community,” Alfin said told a Polo Club West homeowners association representative.
The applications came before the City Council at the Oct. 17, Dec. 5, Jan. 2 and, lastly, the Jan. 16 business meetings.
The council unanimously approved the applications at the Jan. 16 meeting after attorney Michael Chiumento, representing the applicant, told the council that both Geosam and Polo Club West’s HOA signed an agreement between themselves resolving the differences.
Residents at Polo Club West, which borders the development’s east side, had concerns about the privacy and property values of their homes if the 210-unit development is approved. Not only is the development planned for a greater density — the Polo Club West homes are on five-acre lots — but residents requested a 25-foot vegetative buffer between the properties as well.
Polo Club West’s HOA hired lawyer Dennis Bayer to represent Polo Club in negotiating an agreement with Geosam and Chiumento.
With the council’s approval the Old Kings Village development now has a low-density residential and commercial land use and a single-family residential and general commercial one zoning. The southwest corner of the property, totaling 30,000 square feet, will be the commercial area.
The remaining 60 acres will have 210 units, according to the meeting documents. The development was approved for 232 residential units and 36,000 square feet of commercial land, based on city density standards.
County Deputy Attorney Sean Moylan showed up on behalf of the county to express some concerns about the property’s north border.
The northern border runs along a county-owned dirt road the will one day serve as the entrance to a county park, Moylan said. He said the county wanted to ensure that the stormwater and drainage would be appropriately dealt with, so as not to cause damage on the road.
As well, along Old Kings Road, Moylan said the county had spoken with Geosam and Chiumento to include a 10-foot-wide dedication for a future sidewalk and a 25-foot-wide natural, vegetative buffer between the property and the sidewalk.
“Many of these will come up at the planning or site plan phase, but I do want to state them on the record here today so that we know exactly what our concerns are,” Moylan said.
Chiumento assured Moylan the concerns he listed would be addressed later on in the approval and design process.
