PALM COAST, Fla. – In a surprising turn of events, Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris is now siding with residents who oppose a proposed fuel terminal. This comes after he was initially one of the biggest supporters of the project.
Mayor Norris said he has listened to the concerns of the community and is now advocating for their position. This leaves most of the city council still in favor of the project, which has raised concerns among local residents.
In a letter to the city manager, Mayor Norris recommended discussing the matter with the rest of the council and withdrawing the city from the project.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
“Mayor Norris is just one step. The county commissioners have until 2026 to put this fuel farm through in our county, so we’re going to stay persistent,” said resident Vicky Haley.
The proposed fuel terminal would be built on land off Peavey Grade, near one of Palm Coast’s water treatment facilities. Many residents live just a few miles away from this site.
“It’s important to me to have the fuel farm moved away to a location where there aren’t children, schools, people, and our water source around,” Haley added.
The company behind the project wants to build a terminal that would hold over 300,000 barrels of gas and diesel. This fight follows a year-and-a-half-long battle in Ormond Beach, where the company originally planned to build.
“We’re not being fooled by a week or two of activity and feeling like ‘okay this is done.’ We definitely still worry and want confirmation. We want something in writing,” said resident Narina Speaks.
For the project to move forward, the city’s land code requires a majority vote from the city council to approve the zoning.
The company argues that the terminal would bring over $800,000 in taxes to the community and create high-paying jobs.
In a statement, they said:
“We believe that Belvedere provides a safe, reliable, and lower-cost way to bring a critical resource to the community. We have tried to work closely with all elected officials at the city and county level. The recent statement from Mayor Norris comes as a surprise to all of us following months of work. We will look to continue a dialogue with the city to see if there are possible avenues to explore with respect to Belvedere developing its site in Palm Coast. We remain confident that the proposed facility is an extremely safe and reliable way to bring vital economic growth to the city and look forward to continuing to answer any and all questions.”
City council members were not available for comment until after Tuesday’s council meeting where they are expected to discuss it.
