- December 13, 2025
The Flagler Beach City Commission is set to cast its final vote on the sale of the Ocean Palm Golf Course at its Nov. 13 meeting.
The golf course is being sold to the current lease holder, Ocean Palm Golf Club, LLC for the proposed purchase price of $801,333. The Nov. 13 meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. at Flagler Beach's City Hall, and the commission will also be considering the annexation of the Veranda Bay development and presenting the evaluation of City Manager Dale Martin, among other items.
The commission last reviewed the sale proposal at its Oct. 9 meeting. It voted 3-2 to sell the golf course, with Commission Chair James Sherman and Commissioner James Cunningham opposing the sale.
The opposing side held fears of the golf course developing into eventual housing. Commissioners Rick Belhumeur, Eric Cooley and Scott Spradley voted in favor of selling the course.
“I am a firm believer in government should not be in business, that the private sector should be in," Cooley said. “Our citizens should be running businesses, our government should not be running bait shops, our government should not be running golf courses or bowling alleys or any of that stuff. That's big government, we don't want that.”
At the meeting, City Attorney Drew Smith introduced a sales agreement revolving around the sale and redevelopment of Ocean Palm Golf Club.
The city purchased the course in two transactions, one in 2013 and the second in 2022, and the course has faced extreme weather and deterioration since.
In 2015, the city of Flagler Beach leased the course to Flagler Golf Management, with that lease later being transferred to Ocean Palm Golf Club LLC. Following the transfer, Ocean Palm Golf Club expressed interest in purchasing, redeveloping the property. The City Commission made clear that the property must be restricted to golf course operations. City staff obtained three appraisals reflecting the value under the restrictions, each estimating the property at around $800,000.
According to the staff report, the appraisers noted the restricted-use condition significantly limited the appraised value by excluding residential or commercial development potential.
On July 10, the City Commission authorized the Martin to sign a non-binding Letter of Intent outlining proposed sale terms. Ocean Palms Golf Club LLC has since submitted a formal Purchase and Sale Agreement. In addition, an Intent to Purchase/Lease was submitted on Oct. 2 by Trinity Restoration and Contracting (TRC), and is also under consideration.
According to the staff report, both proposals offer a purchase price of $801,333, which would be directed to the city’s General Fund if accepted.
The main concern that residents and the City Commission had was how the city could ensure that the course remains a golf course and is not developed into housing.
Jay Livingston, the lawyer representing the current lease holder and owner of Ocean Palm Golf Club, Jeff Ryan, explained how a new declaration was added to the purchases agreement to assure that the city would retain the easements needed for any potential drainage problems, and that the course would remain a golf course in the future.
A title company, Coast Title, will solely be responsible for the closing of the property if approved. Additionally, an assignability clause was not put into the agreement, because it wasn’t deemed necessary by applicants.
As Ryan, operator of the golf course, took the podium, he explained how his team settled on a timeline for renovation, and ensuring all turf is in place prior to opening the golf course. A permit that took nine months to obtain will be utilized for earth work and planting.
“At the end of the day, I’d like to think of this as a very positive opportunity for the city,” Ryan said. “I know these meetings get a little hairy, but this is actually a good project and beneficial for the citizens, visitors and residents of the town.”
Ryan and his team have been dealing with maintaining the overgrowth of Brazilian peppers, an invasive species, which have overtaken the golf course. The plan is to redevelop the course and existing turf, in order to be more coast-tolerant. With approval, Ryan estimates the project will take about seven months, and will act as a “phase by phase” project.
Citizens have voiced some concern regarding the golf course being transformed into housing, but Spradley explained how highly unlikely that would be, since at least five commissioners are required to be in support of potential housing opportunities.
The Flagler Beach City Commission was split, because some commissioners wished to sell the golf course in hopes of preventing any more financial losses. Others in the commission were against the sale out of concerns the land would lose its public or recreational use in the future.
Spradley said he is hounded by comments surrounding the potential sale of the golf course.
“Dear Commissioner Spradley, please don’t sell the golf course," he said. "Commissioner Spradley, please sell the golf course. It’s one after another, after another.”
Spradley was the swing vote. His vote created the 3-2 majority in favor of selling the golf course.
Smith explained the sale is not complete yet, remains in the due diligence period, and is required by the city charter to be adopted as an ordinance by two votes of the commission in the future.
