Traffic impacts drive discussion as Palm Coast approves Flagler Landings Walmart

The Palm Coast City Council unanimously approved the Flagler Landings technical site plan on Sept. 1, clearing the way for a new Walmart development along State Road 100 while also approving an agreement addressing the project's transportation impacts. Flagler Landings is planned on 38.81 acres on the south side of State Road 100, about a half-mile west of Seminole Woods Boulevard. The approved site plan covers a 186,276-square-foot large-box anchor tenant, discussed during the meeting as a Walmart, along with shared infrastructure and parking. The revised application removed a previously proposed 55,172-square-foot future retail tenant and 1,618-square-foot fuel station from the current approval. City staff said the fuel station, future retail tenant and outparcels along State Road 100 will come back through separate applications. Attorney Jay Livingston, representing applicant Flagler Venture, identified the anchor as a Super Walmart during his presentation. He said stores of similar size typically create more than 200 jobs, in addition to construction jobs generated during development. The property is owned by Flagler Pines Properties, LLC, according to city documents. The city's agenda packet identifies Flagler Venture, LLC, as the applicant. The Planning and Land Development Regulation Board voted unanimously on June 17 to recommend approval. Transportation was a major part of the council's discussion. Planning Manager Phong Nguyen said the city had not needed this type of proportionate-share agreement in more than 25 years because its roadways had sufficient capacity. Flagler Landings requires one because the project's traffic would push the State Road 100 segment between Bulldog Drive and Seminole Woods Boulevard beyond the city's adopted level-of-service capacity. Under the agreement, the project's proportionate share of transportation improvements is approximately $4.1 million. Nguyen explained that state law allows an applicant to satisfy transportation concurrency requirements by paying for or constructing its proportionate share of required improvements. Once that obligation is met, the project is considered to have mitigated its transportation impact. The agreement calculates the proportionate-share transportation impact-fee credit at about $2.69 million after a statutory reduction. The transportation analysis covers the overall commercial development contemplated for Flagler Landings, not solely the Walmart. Livingston said the $4.1 million proportionate share represents the project's portion of the roughly $9 million in improvements determined to be necessary to maintain the required level of service. Mayor Mike Norris acknowledged that the development has faced opposition from some residents but said its potential to create jobs was important. 'A lot of the community was not accepting of this project. We got some blowback from it,' Norris said. 'But my biggest concern is the jobs, jobs, just bringing in jobs.' Norris also acknowledged existing congestion along the State Road 100 corridor between Bulldog Drive and the BJ's Wholesale Club area. Council Member Ty Miller praised the applicant's approach, pointing to the money the development will contribute toward infrastructure and the abandonment of residential entitlements previously associated with the property. 'I think you guys have done it the right way by us in terms of infrastructure and paying your way,' Miller said, adding that he would like to see more commercial and industrial development take a similar approach. Council Member David Sullivan agreed. 'I agree with that and I think this is a well thought out project,' Sullivan said. Sullivan asked whether anything being approved would make it more difficult to eventually widen State Road 100 to six lanes. Nguyen said the proportionate-share funding would instead help advance the widening, with project-related money potentially being used to leverage Florida Department of Transportation funding. The council ultimately unanimously approved both the Flagler Landings Technical Site Plan Tier 3 and the separate proportionate-share and impact-fee credit agreement with Flagler Pines Properties, LLC.