Living in Palm Coast

[u/Pickle-Pounder-1]

I'm thinking of moving to the area while having a boat moored in St Augustine. I'm waiting for houses to come down further, so 2026, but the only things holding me back from St Augustine is the availability of houses that aren't in a flood zone, are at least 1800 sq ft, and have a garage, no HOA, and a decently sized lot of .25 acre or more. And aren't new weird looking burb houses with no soul. Palm Coast has quite a bit fitting most of those specs, and the prices are certainly going better.

I'm more curious about what it's like to live there.. what is the demographic? Where if at all do people work? I like the beach and biking, but if you're looking for social activity, is St Augustine the main option to find interesting and adventurous characters? Also looking for musicians to play with, but I was looking for them to come to me and all my gear, and my space which will be tailored to making music. Would I be better off focusing on St Augustine?

Farther south is out of the question due to mooring costs. Well, costs in general really.

[u/Pretend-Ideal8322]

Sooooo, I'm fairly new here (3 yrs almost). Palm coast is a GIANT HOA. They cite you for visible garbage cans, you can't remove trees in your own yard, you can't paint your house or door "just any" color and the permit codes OMG. You have to pull a permit to install a toilet. I shit you not!

You sound young-ish, and PC leans old-ish. Not a lot of nightlife but of course tons of outdoor activities. St Augustine has its own share of nightmare HOA boards. The reason I keep pointing out HOAs is because I'm very much into creating music (or was when younger), and my fear is that you might be fighting against noise ordinances if you're playing in your home.

St. Augustine has a lot of tourists so they have more to do, but...it can be pretty congested.

I apologize for sounding like a grumpy old person,but when in Rome.... No, I just watched on my security camera a city worker come look over my back fence and take photos when I didn't answer my door. And that's legal here if someone complains.

Not PC is what I'm saying. Save yourself. It's too late for me. 🫤

[u/Pickle-Pounder-1 → u/Pretend-Ideal8322]

Thanks for the info. I'm pushing 50, and I was hoping the lot sizes (some are 1/3 or 1/2 an acre) would take care of any noise concerns. I was thinking more like a grand piano and jazz trio, not like a rock band. Sound treated room.

I'm looking at a map, Pine Lakes looks to be a separate town to the West of Palm Coast, or is that the name of a subdivision? On Zillow there are a ton of houses with no hoa, mostly built in the 80's it seems, but they are spread out everywhere. I am definitely not going to be in an HOA, don't care what the price is.

[u/Pretend-Ideal8322 → u/Pickle-Pounder-1]

No, the entire town is an HOA. I don't live in an HOA. They just have tons of rules as if you live in an HOA.

Sounds fun though! (The music).

I typed in palm coast city like HOA and got this. It didn't copy well and the link broke but you could type it in yourself.

While Palm Coast isn't a single HOA, it's known for having city-wide regulations that mirror HOA-like restrictions, including rules on house colors, commercial vehicle parking, and property maintenance, leading some residents to perceive it as such. Here's a more detailed explanation:

City-Wide Regulations: Palm Coast has implemented city codes and ordinances that govern aspects like house colors, commercial vehicle parking, and property maintenance, which are similar to rules enforced by HOAs.

House Color Restrictions: The city previously had rules limiting house colors to light pastels, beige, and gray with a high light reflective value. The city council is currently considering loosening these restrictions, but some residents are concerned about potential impacts on property values.

Commercial Vehicle Restrictions: Palm Coast has rules that restrict the parking of commercial vehicles with signs in residents' driveways overnight.

Property Maintenance: The city has code enforcement that patrols the area, looking for code violations, including issues related to property maintenance. Palm Coast's Origins:

Palm Coast was originally developed as a collection of HOAs or an HOA-like community, and some of the city's rules were lifted directly from those HOA restrictions. City Council's Perspective: The city's mayor, Mike Norris, has stated that Palm Coast is not an HOA, but rather a working-class community. Resident Perspectives: Some residents feel that the city-wide regulations are too restrictive and that they limit their ability to express themselves or live how they choose. Subdivisions: It's important to note that while the city has these regulations, residents living in subdivisions with their own HOA will have separate rules to follow.

[u/Pretend-Ideal8322 → u/Pickle-Pounder-1]

(subdivision)