Link to original article: https://www.flaglercounty.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/9032
Written by:
Julie Murphy, PIO, MPIO
Flagler County
Communications Coordinator
(386) 313-4039
Email jmurphy@flaglercounty.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Flagler County to receive more than $89 million (total countywide) in state appropriations
June 22, 2023 – Between the $24.76 million Flagler County will receive from the Legislative Priorities list to support four projects and another $64.42 million combined that the cities will receive, the State of Florida will be allocating nearly $89.18 million countywide as the result of the Legislative Session and the budget recently approved by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“We are very fortunate to have Senator Travis Hutson and House Speaker Paul Renner as our Legislative Delegation,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito. “We have always enjoyed a good working relationship with them, and there is no question that they are committed to representing Flagler County’s interests in Tallahassee.”
The $24.76 million includes:
- $10 million for a combined Fire Administration and Fire Station
- $10 million for an integrated stabilization unit and Men’s Substance Abuse Treatment Facility
- $4.26 million for Wildlife Corridor Tract acquisitions
- $500,000 construction grant for the South Library
“These are all very important projects for Flagler County that will help us better serve the needs of our residents,” said Chief of Special Projects and Library Director Holly Albanese, who is also the legislative liaison. “Three of the four coming to the Flagler County governmental body are somewhat self-evident as to their benefit to the community. The Wildlife Corridor Tract acquisitions are a little more obscure.”
Flagler County has identified 5 properties that have potential to provide protection for drinking water quality, wildlife habitat, and floodplain management for local citizens. All five are identified within the Florida Wildlife Corridor “Opportunity Area.”
Those five properties are:
- Pringle Forest, in the northeast of the County, is an 8,000-acre tract of land that surrounds the City of Palm Coast’s well fields and is the location of the headwaters for Pellicer Creek
- Townsend Lake Disston tract is a 2,400-acre tract that provides a significant wetland buffer to Lake Disston Lake, which is in the flow way of the St. Johns River and provides significant clean water input as the river meanders north
- Townsend Haw Creek tract is a connector piece between the Haw Creek Preserve State Park and the county’s Russell Landing/Haw Creek Preserve
- Townsend Dead Lake tract would provide a conservation and floodplain buffer and connect the county’s Haw Creek Preserve to the lake’s edge
- Melvin tract, more than 900 acres, would provide protection to one mile’s length of Middle Haw Creek in central Flagler County
The municipalities of Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, and Bunnell have also been allocated funding:
Palm Coast
- $5 million – Fire Station 26
- $1.25 million – Weir replacement
- $4.5 million – Belle Terre Parkway Safety
- $25 million – Matanzas Woods Parkway Extension West
- $18.3 million – North Old Kings Road Widening Phase 2
- $500,000 – South Old Kings Road Phase 2 Study
Flagler Beach
- $4.5 million – Pier Removal and Replacement
Bunnell
- $4.5 million – Water Treatment Plant and Distribution System Projects
- $870,000 – Remediation of the Historic Coquina Bunnell City Hall
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