Restoring the Citizen's Vote
For many years, Flagler Beach had a safeguard in place: when large annexations were proposed and approved by commissioners, the final decision rested with the voters. Earlier this year, that safeguard was removed by our city commission, leaving residents without a direct say in decisions that could double our population and reshape the future of our community. 

At the same time, changes at the state level have reduced our city's ability to set its own rules. That makes it even more important that citizens remain at the center of the process. 

I believe Flagler Beach should return this right to the residents. My goal is to restore the "citizen referendum" so when large annexations are on the table, it's the people of Flagler Beach, not outside interests, who make the final call.

Growth, Infrastructure & Accountability
Growth is not inherently bad, but how we grow matters.

I believe Flagler Beach should grow responsibly, in a way that protects existing residents from higher taxes, rising utility bills, and long-term infrastructure debt. That starts with one core principle: growth should pay for growth.

When new development is approved, the cost of expanded water, wastewater, roads, and public safety should not be shifted onto current residents. Developers must be held accountable to enforceable agreements and required to contribute their fair share toward the infrastructure their projects demand.

Infrastructure Must Come First.
The City has recently approved construction of a 1 million gallon per day (MGD) wastewater treatment facility, with the ability to expand to 2 MGD in the future. That investment is significant and necessary.

However, at full buildout, the combined development associated with recent annexations is projected to require more than 2 MGD of wastewater capacity. That raises a serious planning question: what happens when demand exceeds capacity?

Without clear, enforceable planning up front, this could mean:

• expensive upgrades sooner than anticipated, or
• the need for an entirely new treatment facility,
• with residents left to shoulder much of the financial burden.

This is exactly why I believe infrastructure planning must come before density increases, not after. Development should only move forward when there is a realistic, transparent plan for how utilities will be funded, built, and expanded, and when developers are contributing their appropriate share.

The Water Wars Agreement Matters
Flagler Beach is not operating in a vacuum. The court-approved Water Wars settlement governs how utilities and development proceed in this area. Under that agreement, lands east and west of John Anderson Highway cannot simply be annexed by Palm Coast or another jurisdiction without coordination and approval among all involved parties, including Flagler Beach and the County.

This matters because residents should not be told that rapid annexation was the only option or that Flagler Beach had to act out of fear of losing control. The agreement already provides a framework for intergovernmental coordination, utility planning, and responsible growth management.

Ignoring or downplaying these agreements weakens our negotiating position and increases the risk that existing residents end up paying for infrastructure costs that should have been addressed as part of development approvals.

Protecting Bulow Creek & Our Natural Resources
Bulow Creek is one of Flagler Beach’s most important natural assets. The lands surrounding its headwaters include floodplains, wetlands, and aquifer recharge areas that play a critical role in flood protection, water quality, and the long-term health of our community.

Development decisions near Bulow Creek must be made carefully and based on real, enforceable protections, not assumptions or promises.

Recent proposals have increased allowable density on land that was previously designated for agricultural or conservation uses. That shift raises legitimate concerns about flooding, water quality, and downstream impacts that affect not just future development, but existing neighborhoods.

I believe protecting Bulow Creek requires:

• Permanent protection of floodplain and environmentally sensitive lands
• Enforceable conservation measures, not voluntary commitments
• Coordination with the County and State to pursue acquisition or preservation where appropriate
• Development decisions that reduce flood risk rather than shift it onto residents

Protecting Bulow Creek isn’t about stopping all growth, it’s about making sure growth does not come at the expense of our environment, our infrastructure, or our homes.

Flagler Beach can plan responsibly while preserving the natural systems that protect us. Once these lands are developed, the impacts are permanent — and so are the consequences.

My Approach to Growth
I support:

• Enforcing existing agreements and settlements
• Requiring clear infrastructure commitments before increasing density
• Protecting floodplains, aquifer recharge areas, and environmentally sensitive land
• Making growth decisions based on facts, transparency, and long-term impacts, not pressure or fear

Flagler Beach should not grow at any cost. We can plan responsibly, protect what makes our city special, and still prepare for the future, without shifting the burden onto residents who already live here.

Protecting the Golf Course & Open Space
Our city-owned golf course fell into disrepair because the terms of its lease were not properly enforced. I did not believe the answer was to sell it off.

From the beginning, I supported keeping the property as a golf course while also exploring its potential for resiliency and flood-mitigation projects that could benefit the broader community. Selling the land while keeping medium-density residential zoning in place would have created a real risk of overdevelopment.

After weeks of public input, the City Commission changed course. The property is now being rezoned from Medium Density Residential to Recreation, and a Charter Amendment will be placed on the August ballot requiring voter approval if the land is ever proposed for a different use in the future.

That combination — recreational zoning and a voter-approved Charter Amendment — provides the strongest possible protections for the golf course and ensures residents, not politics, decide its long-term future.

Parking & Supporting Local Businesses
Parking remains a real challenge, especially downtown. While visitors and residents struggle to find spaces, the City has shown little interest in short-term, practical solutions - such as leasing available vacant lots to expand parking during peak times. 

At the same time, the pier reconstruction projected moved forward without requiring the project to secure adequate parking, resulting in the loss of existing spaces along A1A. Construction crews have also routinely occupied parking in front of local businesses. 

A simple, common sense solution would be to temporarily lease nearby empty lots to make it easier for visitors to park and support our local shops and restaurants. Our family-owned businesses are the heart of Flagler Beach. Protecting them should be a priority. 

Looking Ahead
I would love to discuss other issues we are facing such as infrastructure, flooding, responsible budgeting, and increasing transparency. Please reach out by email or phone. I look forward to the conversation.