Flagler’s ESL purchase means Linear Park will have room to expand

Published on October 21, 2025

Flagler County closed last Tuesday (October 14) on its fourth Environmentally Sensitive Land (ESL) purchase within a year. This latest purchase is a 5.15-acre parcel to the west of the Hammock Dunes Bridge.

The next step is to convey the property to the City of Palm Coast, a process expected to go smoothly. The city will then have room to expand its Linear Park to the north.

“The thought has long been that this is a perfect fit for Palm Coast,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito. “Some of the Linear Park amenities, like parking, are already there.”

It was a yearlong process to see the purchase through fruition. The county’s legal office – specifically Assistant County Attorney Sarah Spector – put together a joint property agreement that allows the property to be used for public park and recreation facilities and, importantly, saw to it the prohibition against dogs has been deleted.

“This is a big win for Flagler County,” said Commission Chair Andy Dance. “These ESL purchases are a key to ensuring we have plenty of green spaces and outdoor amenities for our residents into the future.”

Other recent purchases include:

• 25 acres adjacent to Princess Place Preserve, which closed for $700,000 (more than half from ESL funds) in March 2024.
• 27.5 acres at Bull Creek to expand conservation and recreation, which closed for about $1.15 million on March 31, 2025.
• 307 acres in Pringle Forest along Pellicer Creek was purchased for $3 million on June 9, 2025. It was funded by state appropriation to protect critical wetlands and wildlife habitat.

More than half the money spent since 1988 within Flagler County on environmentally sensitive lands has been spent within the municipalities, or within state parks. Within the City of Palm Coast, ESL funds contributed to the purchase of Linear Park, Long’s Landing, and Mulberry Branch.

Spector credited Growth Management Director Adam Mengel and Flagler County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller’s office with “helping to get this across the finish line.”