The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners voted Oct. 20 to approve a fifth amendment to the Plantation Bay development-of-regional-impact (DRI) development order. The amendment extends the DRI expiration to Jan. 22, 2048, adopts an updated Map H to reflect current build-out expectations and land uses, and restores (vests) tree-protection standards from the county's prior land-development code for the project.

Adam Mangold, Flagler County growth management director, explained that legislative changes to Chapter 380 of the Florida Statutes removed certain state-level review tools for DRIs, leaving local governments to review amendments. "If your answer to those three is yes, that it's consistent with the comprehensive plan, the land development code, and furthers good planning ... then your response to that ought to be approval of this fifth amendment to the DRI development order," Mangold said.

ICI Homes representative **** Smith (first name redacted in the audio) told the board the developer is "about halfway through now" the long-running Plantation Bay project, which began in the 1980s. "We started in 1985," Smith said, and the company sought the extension because lenders have been reluctant to finance projects with a short remaining vested period. Smith said the extension gives financing certainty and that the developer intends to complete build-out before 2048.

Commissioners discussed absorption rates and development history. One commissioner observed the project's historical pace roughly averages about 100 units per year over decades and described the proposed 20-year extension as reasonable given the DRI's long timeframe.

A public comment period for the item produced no speakers. Commissioner Hansen moved to approve item 9a; Commissioner Richardson seconded. The motion carried by unanimous vote.

The amendment does not increase project density, county staff said, and includes provisions intended to keep preserve areas and existing landscaping programs intact. The board did not modify the county's comprehensive plan as part of the amendment; the action adopted the applicant's requested changes to the DRI development order under applicable local review standards.

Ending: The developer and county staff will proceed under the amended development order. The amendment establishes a new expiration date and vesting framework for tree regulations for Plantation Bay; any future project-level changes will come back to the county through established review processes.