🌅 💰 Fort Pierce’s Paid Parking Update + St. Lucie’s High Taxes Explained!

Good Morning, Sunland

It’s Friday! And it’s my last newsletter until March 24th. My birthday is on Monday, March 17th, so as a gift to myself, I’m taking a bit of a break.

I’ve been writing this newsletter for the last nine months and haven’t missed a day (outside of holidays), so a little reset wouldn’t hurt. While I won’t be writing every day, I’ll be using this time to catch up on some projects for the newsletter and come back strong—ready to keep growing and keeping everyone informed in St. Lucie County.

Thank you for being here! Alright…

🌴 Want to Try? R&S Patties – Jamaican beef patties, coco bread, oxtail, curry goat, jerk chicken, and more. Looks like it’s worth a shot!

🌡️ Weather Update: A golden day with a full moon glow 🌕

☀️ Day: High of 79°F | ⛅ Sunshine and clouds mixed,
🌙 Night: Low of 67°F | 🌤️ Partly cloudy
🌅 Sunrise: 7:31 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 7:29 PM
🎵 Sounds like: “Moonbeam Levels” by Prince 🌙💜

🍋 The Main Squeeze: Parking Continued…

Catch Up: The City of Fort Pierce has officially responded to community concerns about its plan to introduce paid parking at Jetty Park, Jaycee Park, and South Causeway Park. Their latest statement emphasizes that this pilot program is meant to fund park maintenance, beach improvements, and public safety.

What the City is Saying:

• 💰 Paid parking revenue will go toward park upkeep, infrastructure, and beach maintenance.

• 🚗 The move is also meant to increase parking turnover on South Hutchinson Island, where businesses have raised concerns about limited availability.

• 🏖️ The city acknowledges the backlash and says it’s working to implement the plan with residents’ best interests in mind.

But Here’s the Issue:

Locals aren’t sold. Many feel they shouldn’t have to pay for parking at their own parks—especially when they’re already paying taxes.

💬 What Some of You Are Saying:

• “FREE for locals!!!”

• “We already pay for cops. Why can’t they enforce parking instead?”

• “If I have to pay for parking, I’m hanging up my volunteer T-shirt.”

What’s Next: The final contract with PCI Municipal Services is still in the works, but it’s clear the city has a communications battle ahead.

🍊 The Press Round: $15 Parking

🏗️ New $40M Business Park Approved in Stuart

Stuart City Commission unanimously approved the Baron Business Park project on Willoughby Blvd, bringing 135 units for small businesses and a new traffic signal near Martin County High School. Construction is set to begin this summer and finish in 18 months.

👉 Read more

📈 St. Lucie County Has the Highest Property Tax Rate in Florida

St. Lucie County homeowners are paying the highest property tax rate in the state, according to Florida TaxWatch. While the average tax bill is around $2,000, residents say the financial burden is growing. County officials link the high millage rate to lower home values compared to wealthier counties.

👉 Read More

🏠 St. Lucie County Opens Public Housing Waitlist—But Not Section 8

For the first time since June 2022, St. Lucie County’s public housing waitlist is open until April 10. However, Section 8 (Housing Choice Vouchers) remains closed. The average wait time for public housing here is 48 months, with 774 families currently living in public housing across Martin and St. Lucie counties.

👉 Read more

🎉 Top Events: The Top Clicked Events This Week

Saturday, March 15

• 🏃‍♂️ Slate Rock’s 5K – Honor Darin Slater’s legacy with this meaningful run spreading awareness for Colon Cancer. | 7:30 AM–11 AM | Register Online

• 🎨 Peacock Arts Market – A weekend-long event showcasing local artists and vendors. | 9 AM–3 PM (March 15-16)

• 🎥 Saturday Drive-In Movie Night: Transformers ONE – Watch the latest Transformers movie under the stars. | 7:45 PM | Tickets Required

Sunday, March 16

• 🐾 St. Patty’s Celebration Pot O’ Gold & Pet Parade – A fun-filled market with a pet parade, pony rides, live music, and a karaoke session. | 9 AM–2 PM

Monday, March 17

• 🔍 St. Patty’s Pot of Gold Search at SusieDoos’ Playhouse – A fun gold coin hunt for kids with special prizes. | 10 AM–12 PM

If you have an event, send it to me here

💧 The Last Drop: 3 Things For The Road!

1. 🏓 Fort Pierce Adds 4 New Pickleball Courts at Pinewood Park

   Pinewood Park is back open after an $83K renovation, featuring new pickleball courts, a resurfaced tennis court, and upgraded playground equipment. Some locals are still pushing for a name change to honor Bonny Dunn. 👉 Read more

2. 📢 Fort Pierce is Hiring!

   The City of Fort Pierce is looking to fill multiple positions, including Administrative Assistant, Project Engineer, and more. If you’re looking for a local job 👉 Apply here: Link

3. 📈 Florida Ranks No. 1 for Business Relocations

   Florida led the nation in business moves for the 30th year, gaining 503 new businesses in 2023 and seeing a surge in startups. 👉 More details

📸 This is Sunland: See You Soon!

I’m not sure why I’m feeling so reflective about taking this break, but the words I write here don’t quite do justice to how grateful I feel to create this newsletter. I love improving it slowly but surely, and I appreciate you all for being on this journey with me.

See you soon! With love,
Ja’Min

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