Editor’s Note: The following is a statement submitted to AskFlagler by Annamaria Long, Executive Officer with the Flagler Homebuilders Association. It was written by Long as a response to Palm Coast City Councilwoman Theresa Carli Pontieri’s public letter about the HBA’s stance and lobbying regarding flooding in developing lots. As with any such submission, this piece reflects the opinion of its author and not necessarily AskFlagler as a site. Read Councilwoman Pontieri’s letter here.
Chris Gollon – Managing Editor, AskFlagler
By: Annamaria Long, Flagler Homebuilders Association Executive Officer
Following the January 2nd meeting of the Palm Coast City Council, on January 10th, the Flagler Home Builders Association began an email campaign to all members of City Council as follows:
“As a member of the Flagler Home Builders Association, I am contacting you today to urge you to vote NO on the Infill Lot New Construction Moratorium proposed by Councilwoman Theresa Pontieri at the January 2, 2024 Council Meeting.This proposal would cause an immediate and direct effect on more than 9,000 lots in our city and will have a detrimental and resounding impact on the home building industry in our region. This moratorium banishes and impoverishes the people most capable of finding solutions for this issue: the builders.While we understand Councilwoman Pontieri’s concerns with storm water drainage on each lot, holding new home construction as ransom is not the appropriate means to alleviate the need for the updates to be completed on the Storm Water Technical Manual.Issuing this moratorium will not simply delay construction. This ill-conceived measure will impact the private sector, city employees with multiple jobs lost and future commercial development.As our City Council Members I know that you are dedicated to making decisions that benefit our community as a whole, and I hope that you will be moved to do the right thing when this proposal comes before you.”
We then received a response from Councilwoman Pontieri. We will not be issuing a formal response, but would like to ask that you make an editor’s note correcting the following facts and how they relate to the local economy:
In regards to the number that was used, 64, according to the City of Palm Coast, in the past 90 days, permits were issued for 357 SFR (single family residential) homes, the majority of those being infill lots.
Historically, the average permits issued per quarter higher than this, 429 in 2023 and 492 in 2022.
For ease, we will utilize the most recent data – 357 single family residential units for the sake of the following calculations: According to The National Association of Home Builders Local Impact Report, those 357 homes will generate $72.5 million in local income, including local business owner revenues of $21.5 million, support 1210 jobs, and $51 million in local wages and salaries. Those 357 homes will also generate the collection of $13.3 million in local taxes and fees.
In regards to the Technical Manual, the Flagler HBA has collaborated with The Stormwater Department multiple times over the last 6 months:
- May 23rd – Construction Forum at City Hall, at the request of the Flagler HBA
- September 19th – Stormwater Roundtable at Stormwater Department at the request of the Flagler HBA
- November 8th – Review of proposed Technical Manual changes during HBA Government Affairs meeting
- December 21st – Review of Draft Technical Manual Changes
At the meetings pertaining to the Technical Manual, we provided The Stormwater Department with our verbal feedback and input and were told it would all be taken into consideration.
