Flagler commissioners approve Seminal Woods land-use change despite residents�outcry over density, traffic and buffers

A divided Flagler County Board of County Commissioners voted on June 15 to approve a future land-use amendment and advance a companion planned-unit development for a 119-acre Seminal Woods mixed-use project, despite outspoken opposition from nearby residents.

Planner Simone Kenny told the board the request would change roughly 119 acres from agriculture/timberlands and commercial low intensity to mixed-use high intensity, with a parcel-specific limiting policy to cap residential density at an average of seven units per acre. Kenny said staff performed a worst-case analysis under the higher intensity allowance, estimating roughly 382 additional housing units, about 685,000 square feet of commercial space, about 4,800 net daily vehicle trips and a modest increase in student generation.

"This plan is accompanied by a parcel-specific limiting policy that would limit the density to an average of seven units per acre," Simone Kenny said during the staff presentation, describing the policy the applicant proposed to address compatibility concerns.

Michael Shimento, representing applicant MTC Lots LLC, said the project responds to long-standing planning expectations for the corridor and that the applicant reduced commercial intensity and added buffers after county and city reviews.

"Wehave reduced the residential intensity and the commercial intensity down to equal that of what your comp plan calls for low intensity," Shimento said. He described changes made since early reviews, including a drop in the floor-area ratio for commercial uses from 0.4 to 0.2 and a commitment to at least 25% open space.

Residents from the adjacent Grand Landings and Seminal Woods neighborhoods packed the hearing and urged the board to deny or delay the change. Repeated concerns focused on traffic math, loss of tree cover and wildlife habitat, and what residents characterized as inadequate buffers and unclear assurances about future uses.

"High-intensity mixed use introduces traffic, noise, lighting, and density incompatibility with surrounding agriculture and low-density single-family residents," said Darlene Shelley, who said she represented hundreds of concerned Palm Coast residents. She questioned the maps and documentation in the packet and urged a postponement pending up-to-date surveys and environmental review.

Speakers asked for larger vegetated buffers, more detail on stormwater and wildlife protections, and stronger, recorded limits tied to the land-use amendment and the PUD development agreement.

Commissioners discussed options ranging from denial to conditional approval. Several commissioners praised the applicantfor voluntary concessions but said stricter, enforceable language was needed to protect view corridors and adjacent homes. Commissioner Andy Dance said he was troubled by the intensity and voted against the land-use change.

On a roll-call vote following deliberations, the board approved the future land-use amendment 4 to 1 (Carney, Hansen, Richardson and Pennington in favor; Dance opposed). The companion PUD rezoning was also approved on first reading by the same margin; staff said the PUD and any site plans would return with specific development-agreement language and state agency review before final approvals.

Next steps include public and intergovernmental review tied to statutory notice periods, red-lined development-agreement language addressing buffers and viewsheds and a second-reading vote before the land-use change and rezoning would become effective.