Flagler County Council Expected to Approve National Guard Lease Tonight
Ground will be broken for new armory near Flagler Airport by 2013.
Palm Coast, FL – November 16, 2009 – There’s more news on the Flagler County economic development front. A lease agreement has been reached, pending Flagler County Council’s approval tonight, with the Florida Department of Military Affairs on behalf of the Florida Army National Guard for the construction of an 80,000+ square foot Armed Forces Reserve Center on county-owned land near the airport. Council’s approval is expected.The Reserve Center will be constructed on approximately 27 acres of a 55-acre parcel south of the airport on the east side of Belle Terre Pkwy. Construction is set to begin no later than 2013 with completion by 2015.
The Reserve Center construction costs are estimated to be approximately $20 million. Once completed, the facility will employ over 30 permanent Army Reserve/Florida Army National Guard personnel and over 400 Guardsmen of the 1-265th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, along with equipment comprised of approximately 96 trucks and 46 trailers. The unit is currently located in Volusia County.
The lease agreement stipulates rent at $10.00 per year, but the county will get a new road, water, and sewer services to the airport from Belle Terre. Additionally, any buildings or other improvements will convey to the county at the end of the lease period.
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Guard Lease and impact on Palm Coast
Do you see this positively and/or negatively impacting Palm Coast and how?.
National Guard Lease
How long is the lease and what are the renewal options. Whay not simply sell the land with the same infrastructure requirements as part of the sale. In either case there is no tax benefit to the County. The County Officals are too dumb toneogiate anything , look at the other screw-ups at the Airport, Ginn, Training School, Junk Yard, all big loosers for the County.
Military presents positive for county
The National Guard will help unite the youth of the area. Many see serving the country, as a way to get stronger, and educated on the federal dime. This is a positive for the area.
National Guard parade participation
With their presents we should include them in all Parades they would like to be present in. The military needs all of us supporting them, especially their new home town.
Reply to John Boy
Thelease is for 40 years. There is a renewal option for one additional period of ten years.
Reply to Debi
I think the National Guard center will be a positive thing for Flagler County. It will add stable jobs but is not too large. Some people think we should recruit big companies, hoping to hit a home run. I think we should try to hit a lot of singles. That strategy is more realistic and does not expose the area to dependence on one major employer.