Flagler County Commission Special Land Use Hearing will Consider Ocean Hammock NOPC
County commissioners will make a determination Monday on Ginn Company’s Notice of Potential Change (NOPC)
Palm Coast, FL – April 2, 2010 – The Flagler County Board of Supervisors will hold a special quasi-judicial hearing April 5, 2010 at 5 P.M. The hearing will consider the Ginn Company’s request to relocate previously entitled but unused residential units within the Hammock Dunes DRI (Development of Regional Impact). Ginn, specifically Ginn-LA Marina, LTD, LLLP) has filed a Notice of Potential Change (NOPC) requesting the commission’s approval of the change without further outside review. The commission will decide Monday whether or not the NOPC is of such significance as to require state level review and approval.
The NOPC was originally proposed one year ago. It came as a surprise to both the Board of County Commissioners and to Ocean Hammock and Hammock Beach property owners who successfully delayed action at that time. Prolonged negotiations and interactive information meetings followed, resulting in a revised plan which mitigates many of the issues troubling residents.
Ginn did not propose specific development plans as part of the NOPC nor are they required to do so at this time. The hearing will simply (although the subject is not simple) determine whether the developer will have to submit a new DRI application or not. If the proposed change is deemed significant, reapplication is required. If the proposed change is found not to be significant, a DRI reapplication will not be required. Any future development will require a plan submittal (PUD application) which triggers a series county review meetings as well as public hearings.
The developer naturally desires to maintain flexibility in future development since market conditions continually change. Residents on the other hand would like to place limits on future development now.
County staff has proposed changes to the developer’s application which place additional restrictions (e.g. height limits) on future development. Staff recommends the board accept the amended application without requiring that the DRI be resubmitted.
Note: A quasi-judicial hearing requires commissioners votes be based solely on facts presented at the hearing. Further, any communications with others outside the hearing, written of verbal, must be disclosed.
Back from the Dead?
Will we never be done with Ginn and his schemes? Why even bother with a hearing. No matter how many times they get scr*wed over by Ginn, Flagler commissioners will do his bidding.