The City of Palm Coast is bringing back a familiar face. Former Community Development Director John Zobler has been rehired as Business Development Manager to lead the City's newly established Business Development Office. The position will report directly to the City Manager, with a renewed focus on attracting commercial investment, creating local employment opportunities and expanding Palm Coast's commercial tax base. But what does this restructuring mean for existing businesses, residents and property taxpayers?
The announcement, made November 9, 2026, reflects a change in how the City intends to pursue economic development. According to the City of Palm Coast's official announcement, the new office will work directly with City leadership to identify opportunities, recruit businesses and help commercial projects move through the development process.
Palm Coast has experienced significant residential growth, but expanding the business community alongside that growth remains an important economic challenge.
The new office is intended to focus on attracting commercial businesses and industries, building relationships with prospective employers and helping development opportunities move forward.
By moving business development from the Community Development Department to the City Manager's Office, the City hopes to take a more coordinated approach to business recruitment and commercial investment.
The goal is to encourage commercial investment that creates employment opportunities and broadens the City's tax base beyond residential properties.
For Palm Coast's existing business community, a dedicated Business Development Office could provide opportunities for expansion, new commercial partnerships and a more coordinated approach to development.
Businesses considering larger facilities, additional locations or commercial investment may benefit from improved communication between prospective developers and City departments.
However, the City's announcement primarily emphasizes attracting businesses and industries. It does not yet explain what specific assistance, programs or resources will be available to existing small businesses.
Will the new office help companies already operating in Palm Coast grow and expand, or will its primary focus be recruiting businesses from outside the community?
Creating additional local employment opportunities is one of the City's objectives.
Attracting commercial and industrial employers could provide more opportunities for residents who currently commute outside Palm Coast for work.
The types of businesses recruited will matter. Companies offering professional, technical, skilled-trade or higher-paying positions could have a different economic impact than additional retail and service businesses.
Residents may want to know:
The new office represents a commitment to pursuing these opportunities, but no specific new employers or job commitments were announced as part of its creation.
One of the City's stated goals is developing a more balanced property-tax base.
Palm Coast currently relies heavily on residential properties for property-tax revenue. Additional commercial development can contribute more taxable property value and help distribute the cost of municipal services across a broader mix of properties.
Not automatically. Additional commercial investment may strengthen the City's revenue base, but actual property-tax bills depend on assessments, exemptions, tax rates and government budgets. A larger commercial tax base should be viewed as a potential long-term benefit, not a promise of immediate tax reductions.
The new Business Development Office is also connected to one of Palm Coast's significant commercial development opportunities.
The City recently acquired 23 parcels in Palm Coast's Town Center and intends to explore selling selected properties to private-sector partners for commercial development.
These properties could provide opportunities to attract new businesses, employers and commercial investment.
For residents, several questions remain:
The City's announcement did not identify specific buyers, approved development projects or a timeline for selling the properties.
Zobler previously served as Palm Coast's Community Development Director, giving him familiarity with the City's development processes, municipal operations and local business environment.
His return places someone with prior City experience in a position focused specifically on attracting commercial investment and developing relationships with prospective employers.
City Manager Mike McGlothlin emphasized Zobler's experience and understanding of the community as reasons for bringing him back.
The organizational change also gives the Business Development Office a more direct relationship with City leadership.
The real measure of success will be the results Palm Coast residents and business owners can see over time.
That includes attracting employers, encouraging investment, supporting business expansion, generating local employment opportunities and demonstrating measurable benefits to the community.
Residents may also want to follow how Town Center properties are marketed, what types of companies express interest in Palm Coast and whether the City provides regular updates on the office's progress.
Economic development isn't simply about how many businesses open in Palm Coast. It's about the jobs they create, the opportunities they provide, their contribution to the local economy and the long-term value they bring to residents and taxpayers.
PalmCoastLocal.com will continue following the City's Business Development Office, Town Center commercial opportunities and developments affecting Palm Coast's business community.
Source: City of Palm Coast - November 9, 2026 Official Announcement
Disclaimer: This article is based on the City of Palm Coast's November 9, 2026 announcement. Potential economic benefits, future commercial projects, property transactions and employment opportunities are not guaranteed and may change as plans develop.
