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BUSINESS OBSERVER Development, real estate + business news

County creates new ‘affordable development’ zoning designation

JONATHAN SIMMONS

NEWS EDITOR

Many people who work in Flagler County — including earlycareer first responders, teachers and other professionals — are priced out of living here.

But the Flagler County Commission is trying to change that, voting 5-0 on June 21 to pass an ordinance creating a new zoning designation that would let developers build “tiny homes,” “micro-apartments,” pocket neighborhoods, mobile home parks and townhomes.

The zoning designation, called a called a “planned affordable development,” or PAD, would give developers leeway from the typical regulations on home size, lot size and other factors if they meet a set of parameters — including sale and rent caps — to make the homes affordable.

On the advice of county planning board members, the county added a provision that would let developers seek to have those caps waived in exceptional circumstances.

County planning staff will review developers’ applications on a case-by-case basis.

Commissioner Andy Dance called the ordinance a “first step” to making housing in Flagler County more affordable.

The Flagler County Commission had approved the first iteration of the ordinance on June 7, then brought it to the county planning board and Affordable Housing Advisory Committee for suggestions and tweaking before the second County Commission vote on June 21.

The county will review the ordinance after one year, and then again at the five-year mark.

“We’ve, I think, thoroughly vetted this with our Affordable Housing Task Force, with the planning board and staff, and the public,” County Commission Chairman Donald O’Brien said. “... It’s not been taken lightly, and I think we’ve gotten good feedback and made some good changes.”

Jan Reeger, a former Bunnell city commissioner, said that one of her children and one of her grandchildren have left Florida for other states where housing is more affordable.

“I made a prediction in 2008 that my grandchildren would have problems when they tried to find a home, and I was right,” she said.

She supported the ordinance.

Resident Daisy Henry said she also supported the ordinance.

“It’s got some little kinks, but it’s a start,” Henry said.

Student to represent FPC in national challenge

Local student Hailey Tucker of Flagler Palm Coast High School recently participated in the annual nonprofit Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship Southeast Youth Entrepreneurship Finals. During the competition, she pitched her business idea, Custom F.C., a shoe business guaranteeing the perfect fit, function and performance through custom designed cleats.

Tucker competed against seven other students from the Southeast and placed as runner-up in the regional competition. She will be representing Flagler Palm Coast High School in the NFTE National Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge in October.

“I wanted to create a way for soccer players to be able to easily and quickly find their next pair of soccer cleats that would fit them perfectly, have the colors they wanted, and the style that they wanted,” Tucker said. “I decided to use this business idea as a possible pitch for my entrepreneurship class.”

NFTE is a global nonprofit that activates the entrepreneurial mindset and builds startup skills in young people from under-resourced communities.

Courtesy photo Hailey Tucker - NFTE Pitch.

Flagler County lawyer launches his own firm

Ronald “Ron” Allan Hertel, Jr. announced that he has recently launched his own law firm, Hertel Legal PLLC. The firm is located at 140 S. Atlantic Ave., Suite 201, Ormond Beach, in the former five-story Security First Insurance building.

Hertel graduated from the Florida International University College of Law in 2006, launching his legal career in downtown Miami by litigating complex cases such as cruise line dissolution, multimillion dollar probate/trust litigation, and international shipping disputes.

In 2009, he returned to his hometown of Flagler County along with his wife and first child to live closer to his aging parents while serving the local community as it evolved and grew. He soon rose to the level of managing partner of the civil litigation department of the largest law firm in Flagler County.

“We officially opened in midMarch and have been busy,” Hertel said. “... We are pleased that we can offer a convenient location to our clients to meet and serve their legal needs.”

Hertel Legal is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 238-9899, or visit www.hertellegal.com/

Eye-Style Optical opens second location

Owners of Eye-Style Optical Jeremy and Jade Jackson have announced that, after operating Eye-Style Optical for over three decades in Flagler County, they have opened a second location in St. Augustine. The family celebrated with a grand opening and trunk show on June 19 at their new office located at 1815 U.S. 1 S. in St. Augustine

Eye-Style Optical is a familyowned business started by Jade Jackson’s family in Palm Coast in 1989. Jade is a licensed optician that has been helping the Palm Coast community for over 30 years. The Palm Coast office is located at 1240 Palm Coast Parkway SW. Call 446-4210, or visit eye-styleoptical.com.

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