The Palm Coast City Council held a business workshop Tuesday morning, covering several important topics including the sheriff’s department budget, new e-bike safety rules, and storm water management plans.
Sheriff Presents Department Budget and E-Bike Concerns
Sheriff Rick Staley gave a detailed presentation about his department’s work and budget needs. The sheriff’s office serves as the main police force for Palm Coast and other areas in Flagler County.
“We made 3,323 arrests last year. We handled almost 112,000 calls for service,” Staley said. “We conducted a little over 21,500 traffic stops.”
The sheriff reported that crime continues to drop in the area. Traffic deaths also went down in 2024 to 15 deaths, compared to 25 in 2023.
“Traffic fatalities were down in 2024. Thankfully, they were down to 15, which is still 15 too many,” Staley explained.
The sheriff asked for funding for nine new deputies in the upcoming budget. He said the city is still catching up from years when no new deputies were added, even as the population grew.
E-Bike Safety Becomes Major Issue
Sheriff Staley spent significant time discussing problems with electric bikes, or e-bikes. He said his office gets many complaints about reckless e-bike riding.
“Everywhere I go lately in the community, I have people come up to me, ‘What are you going to do about the e-bikes?’” Staley said. “Because they’re walking, they’re jogging, these things are quiet, and they zoom by and startle people.”
The sheriff showed body camera video of deputies chasing teenagers on e-bikes who were riding dangerously. He said Florida law changed two years ago, making e-bikes follow bicycle rules instead of motorcycle rules.
“So they’re classified as a bicycle now, which means they’re supposed to follow the bike laws, but they’re not,” Staley explained.
The sheriff is working with city lawyers to create new rules for e-bikes. The proposed rules would require helmets and allow police to take away bikes from people who ride recklessly.
Traffic Enforcement Remains Priority
Several council members asked about traffic enforcement, which is a top complaint from residents. Vice Mayor Paneeri said traffic is the number one issue she hears about.
“The complaint that I hear the most is certainly not safety. My residents feel safe, it’s the traffic enforcement,” Paneeri said.
Sheriff Staley explained that his deputies use their judgment on whether to give tickets or warnings. He said Florida law prevents officers from stopping drivers until they’re going at least five miles over the speed limit.
“Florida law says I can’t stop you until you’re at least five over the speed limit,” Staley said. “So in effect, when they passed that law probably a decade ago, they raised a speed limit on every road in Florida by five miles.”
Storm Water Projects and Flooding Studies
The council heard from two presentations about water management and flooding protection.
Storm Water Department Changes
Carl Cote, director of storm water engineering, explained changes to his department. Six staff members moved to other city departments to work more closely with building permits and inspections.
“The inspectors from the operation division were reassigned to the building department as residential site inspectors,” Cote said.
The department is asking for five new employees to create crews that fix concrete and asphalt after pipe repairs. They also want to expand their crew that maintains the grass ditches (called swales) that help drain stormwater.
County Flooding Study Shows Increased Risk
Andrew Popiac from the Northeast Florida Regional Council presented a new study about flooding risks in Flagler County. The study shows that when multiple types of flooding happen at the same time, the damage could be much worse than expected.
“The analysis showed that there’s a flood depth difference of almost five feet in some areas against certain scenarios,” Popiac explained.
The study will help the city apply for grants to fix flooding problems and protect important buildings like water treatment plants and fire stations.
Council Member Miller asked if the city could buy empty lots that flood easily to keep them as natural drainage areas instead of letting people build houses on them.
“We know, and you mentioned it, more concrete, fewer trees equals more flooding,” Miller said.
Budget Discussions for City Services
The council reviewed budgets for several city departments:
Water and Sewer Services
The water and sewer department is adding one new employee and moving some workers between different plants. Rates will go up as planned from a study done earlier this year.
Building Permits
The building permit department will end its 10% discount on fees. The department has been giving this discount for over a year, but officials say they need the full fees to cover their costs.
Budget Manager Helena said they will do a study to make sure permit fees are set correctly.
Garbage Collection
Garbage collection rates will go up by about 3% due to increased costs. The monthly rate will go from $33.30 to $34.37.
Public Comments and Concerns
Several residents spoke during public comment periods. One resident questioned a $6 million water project and complained about inconsistent voting by council members. Another resident was upset about getting multiple notices for having his boat on his property for just four days while cleaning it.
An 81-year-old resident defended e-bikes as important transportation for seniors and people who can’t afford cars. “There are people in this community who cannot afford a second car. They cannot even afford a first car,” the resident said. Another speaker asked about e-bike rules and supported reducing speed limits in neighborhoods.
Other Council Business
The council also approved a plan for using federal community development block grant money for housing assistance and public services. They saw a demonstration of a new online dashboard that tracks the city’s strategic goals. The council also discussed concerns about a new state law (SB 180) that limits local control over development.
The council agreed that any changes needed because of the new state law should come before the full council for discussion rather than being made by staff alone.
One council member said, “I have grave concerns over the implications of Senate Bill 180. I do not think it’s in its final form.”
Looking Ahead
The council will continue budget discussions in August and hold public hearings in September before adopting the final budget. Vice Mayor Pontieri announced she will hold a town hall meeting Thursday at 5 PM at the Southern Recreation Center for residents to ask questions about city issues.
The next regular council meeting will include a vote on the community development grant plan and continued budget discussions.
The post Palm Coast City Council Discusses Sheriff’s Budget, E-Bike Safety, and Storm Water Plans first appeared on Flagler County Buzz.
