Flagler Beach Is The Latest To Consider Severe Restrictions On Many Flights

The Flagler Beach, FL City Commission will consider an ordinance that will ban many drone flights in the city limits.

Flagler Live reports that the move comes following complaints from residents about drones flying near their homes. The Flagler Beach ordinance is nearly an exact copy of the ordinance recently passed by the City of Orlando, FL.

Currently, there are no drone regulations in Flagler Beach or nearby Palm Coast. A Palm Coast spokesperson said that the city follows "state and federal regulations."

The Flagler Beach ordinance would prohibit flying a UAV within 500 feet of any "enclosed building owned or operated by the City of Flagler Beach.” That would include such places as the local fishing pier and City Hall.

A permit would be required to operate a drone within 500 feet of any city park, which would prevent most flights over the Intracoastal Waterway near Betty Steflik Park, and many areas downtown. They would also be banned within 500 feet of schools, daycare centers, hospitals, clinics and urgent care centers without the express permission of the owners or administrators of those facilities.

Commission Chairman Jane Mealy admitted that enforcement will be an issue.  She said she has "no idea" how the ordinance would be enforced.

In what may seem to be an odd dichotomy, the ordinance also states that the city recognizes the increasing popularity of drones among both commercial interests and hobbyists, and "wishes to increase the ability of hobbyists and commercial users to operate unmanned aircraft."

The ordinance was only discussed by the commission at its meeting last Thursday. City Manager Larry Newsom said it will likely have to be vetted by the city's Planning and Architecture Review before it could come before the commission for a vote.

(Image from file)

FMI: Ordinance Text