By Jim turner
Friday May 21, 2010
STUART � Comprehensive growth plan changes approved by Martin County last month won the support of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council Friday, including four amendments opposed by the regional board’s staff.
The four changes questioned by the planning council’s staff — St. Lucie Partners, Sunrise Grove, Canopus Sound and Via Claudia — would allow developers to add 1,055 more homes and 6 million more square feet of industrial and retail space than currently allowed.
The Sunrise Grove proposal to convert a 1,717-acre citrus groves into an agricultural, retail and industrial complex drew the most questions from the planning council staff, as well as several of the members for the 31-member board. The board is comprised of elected officials and governor appointees from the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County.
Because Port St. Lucie and St. Lucie County are expected to bear the education and housing impacts of Sunrise Grove, which is just south of the St. Lucie County line, Jupiter Mayor Karen Golonka called the land the wrong place for an industrial and retail complex.
“Over the last year or so I’ve been concerned about changes in Martin County that have come before us to Bridge Road and Cove Road,” Golonka said. “The irony with Bridge Road is that there were a number of parcels in industrial land use, granted they were small, that went to residential, and now we’re hearing we need industrial because Martin County doesn’t have any.”
In backing Sunrise Grove, other council members suggested the property should have a road with a bridge across the St. Lucie Canal into Port St. Lucie.
Martin County Commissioner Patrick Hayes said the Sunrise Grove project, which will retain one-third of the land as agriculture, is an attempt to bring jobs to the county.
“What we’re asking for is the opportunity to roll the dice with one of the best-financed agricultural businesses in the country so we can get something going in the industrial-commercial area,” Hayes said.
The 11 changes that were put before the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council on Friday must be approved by the state Department of Community Affairs before the County Commission takes a final vote on the land use amendments on Aug. 10.
Martin County growth changes opposed by Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council staff
St. Lucie Partners
Acres: 3,902
Location: South of the St. Lucie Canal, at Kanner Highway and Bridge Road
Land use change: Agricultural to Agricultural Ranchette
Housing increase: 192 to 780
Planning Council objections: Under the County Comprehensive Plan, water and sewer service cannot be provided outside the urban service district. The proposed amendment would revise the Future Land Use and Infrastructure Elements to allow an exception so that the 34 lots can be provided with public sewer and water.
Sunrise Groves
Acres: 1,717
Location: North of Martin Highway, west of Interstate 95
Land use change: Agricultural to AgTEC
Proposed development: 1 million square feet retail, 5 million square feet industrial, 500 hotel rooms
Planning Council objections: Port St. Lucie will bear the burden for providing schools, parks, recreation public utilities and services, streets, and other infrastructure necessary to accommodate the employees.
The proposed development does not have access to central sewer and water facilities. Has no planned street system to connect the location to the city of Port St. Lucie, where potential workers will reside.
Canopus Sound
Acres: 3,081
Location: South of Bridge Road, west of Jonathan Dickinson State Park
Land use change: Agricultural to Industrial Conservation and Agricultural Ranchette
Housing increase: 154 to 481
Planning Council objections: Ag Ranchette zoning is not consistent with the Strategic Regional Policy Plan strategy to discourage sprawling development patterns or encourages clustering.
Via Claudia
Acres: 93.7
Location: South of Cove Road, at Willoughby Boulevard
Land use change: Rural Density to Estate Density
Housing increase: 47 to 187
Planning Council objections: It is not appropriate to allow large areas to be developed exclusively into large lots where land values result in only very high-cost housing being developed. Martin County has failed to adopt a plan to provide for coordinated land use and transportation in the area continues to be in conflict with regional policies.
Source: Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council
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