The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners held a workshop on Monday, May 18, 2026, tackling two major issues: the long-troubled question of development and road maintenance in the remote Flagler Estates area, and a new funding agreement with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. The commission also received an enforcement update from the Sheriff’s Office on illegal activity in Flagler Estates.
Flagler Estates: No New Development
Flagler Estates sits in the extreme northwest corner of Flagler County, bordering St. Johns County to the north and Putnam County to the west. The area contains roughly 2,700 acres and 1,792 parcels in the Flagler County portion alone. It is accessed only through St. Johns County, and roads in the area have gone unmaintained by Flagler County for at least 20 years.
Interim County Administrator Adam Mingle walked commissioners through the area’s complicated history, including unanswered questions about who legally owns the roads, which were transferred through a series of quit-claim deeds from a developer to a water control district and eventually to Flagler County, but were never formally accepted by the county.
The condition of the roads was described as poor to impassable in many areas, particularly in the southern portions of the two units. Commissioners were told that an estimated $630,000 per year could potentially be raised through a Municipal Services Benefit Unit (MSBU) — a special assessment on property owners — to fund maintenance if the county chose to move forward.
One private landowner, identified as Mr. Tilton, offered $200,000 in seed money to begin mowing roadways as a first step. The county had also approached the Flagler Estates Road and Water Control District about a long-term maintenance contract, but that overture was rejected at a recent district meeting. The district then presented the county with a bill for $132,000, claiming it had maintained Division Street for more than 20 years — a claim commissioners disputed.
After extended discussion, commissioners reached consensus that the county would not pursue new development in Flagler Estates at this time and would not move forward with an MSBU or MSTU. The legal question surrounding the $132,000 bill was left to the county attorney’s office to address. Commissioners directed staff to return with updates after attending the district’s June meeting.
ATV Enforcement Update
FCSO Commander Ryan Emery provided commissioners with an enforcement update on illegal ATV use and trespassing in Flagler Estates. He reported significant progress since the last discussion, including shutting down informal truck and food truck events that had been drawing crowds to the area.
“We’ve been doing weekly details,” Emery said, noting that Potatoville Road — a county-maintained road — now has zero tolerance for unregistered vehicles. On county-owned property, including power line easements, deputies have been actively enforcing no-trespassing rules. He noted that one challenge is enforcing rules on privately owned parcels, where deputies need individual trespass authorizations from each property owner.
One farming operation, L&M Farms, reportedly called to praise the effect enforcement has had on ATV traffic near their property.
Commissioners directed staff to pursue no-trespassing signage on county-owned parcels and to consider whether fencing would be necessary at specific locations.
Sheriff’s Office Capital Reserve Agreement
The commission also reviewed a new interlocal agreement with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office that would allow unexpended annual budget funds to roll into a dedicated capital reserve for the sheriff, rather than reverting to the county’s general fund.
Under the agreement, funds in the capital reserve can be used for capital projects — such as building a substation or a training facility — with spending subject to the sheriff’s request and board approval. The county made clear that the reserve cannot be used to reduce its existing obligations to fund the sheriff’s reasonable operating expenses.
The agreement runs for an initial three-year term, with two automatic one-year renewals for a total of five years. Any funds remaining in the reserve when the agreement ends will remain available until spent.
Chief of Staff Mark Strobridge represented the Sheriff’s Office during the workshop. Commissioners discussed the possibility of using the reserve to help fund a Hammock-area substation and to support a potential training center on county property, though commissioners noted uncertainty about the state’s handling of that project.
Mingle noted that the agreement was the product of productive negotiations. “We did reach consensus on the terms of the interlocal agreement,” he said, adding that it “encourages efforts to identify outside funding sources on the part of the sheriff.”
The item was expected to appear on the commission’s 5:00 p.m. business meeting agenda the same evening.
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