Hotel & 3 Restaurants Planned for Cobblestone Village – New CVS Approved
Developer has to mitigate 150 acres in trade for 6 acres of quality wetland to make room for hotel.
Palm Coast, FL – October 7, 2009 – The Palm Coast City Council voted to approve two commercial projects in the city. They approved upon second reading, re-zoning of the southeast corner of Palm Coast Parkway and Old Kings Road (where the Blue Roof sales office is presently located). CVS is planning a new pharmacy there. The other action leads the way for a hotel and three restaurants in Cobblestone Village which is already anchored by Belks and Lowe’s. Both votes were unanimous.
When Cobblestone Village was originally platted, one out-parcel turned out to be problematic. The size, shape, and road access were not suited for a planned bank. In February ’08, the developer proposed a Discount Tire store for the parcel, but city council turned them down.
Last night, the developer brought back a new plan that increased the size of the lot by taking over 6 acres of high quality wetland. They obtained St. Johns Water Management District approval only after agreeing to mitigate 150 acres of property in a wetland mitigation bank.
The new larger parcel will be on the right side of the entry road past Wal-mart. The developer plans to market the property for a hotel and three restaurants.
Hotel/Restaurant Site Plan
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Do we really need all this?
Once again the City Council has sided with greedy developers in giving them everything they want so they can force their massive concrete city upon us. Mitigation should be outlawed. If the land is not available, the developer should be denied. At no time should precious wetlands be swapped out. Wetlands serve a purpose, they give wildlife a home and keep areas from flooding. This is precisely why we need Florida Hometown Democracy.
What 150 acres?
Where is the 150 acres mitigated to offset the 6 acres rezoned? The original proposal was 100 acres in St. John’s County, 20 acres adjacent to Graham Swamp, and 57 acres bordering Putter Drive in Palm Coast. What has changed? Tom De Marco, 117 Putter Drive, Palm Coast
Reply to Glo/Toby
Do we really need all this? Yes and much more. You need industry in PC to provide good paying jobs. This will attract young families who will buy new homes and support local stores,shops and restaurants. New taxs will be generated to help the city. Then home values will rise. A growing city creates new interest, people will visit filling up those new hotels.Right now PC is a want-to-be city with little hope of ever becoming a great city.
Reply to Glo
I feel obligated to post your reply since it is void of objectionable language and personal attacks. However, I do not agree with you. The lake, which is being filled, did not exist years ago. It was created by development. Wetland mitigation allows us to set aside land which was once wetland but was disturbed, usually by agriculture or timbering – not development. That land is allowed to eventually return to its more natural state. I think this is a good thing.
I am for Home Towns and for Democracy. Unfortunately, Amendment 4 has nothing to do with either. The supposed Home Town Democracy Amendment is a blatant move to stop ALL development. The experience of St. Pete Beach proves this. They passed a local version of Home Town Democracy. The result is a track record of shamefully anti-democratic litigation by a fringe minority proving that those supporting Florida Hometown Democracy are not for democracy. They are simply against growth—even when voters approve it.