Good Morning, Sunland
It’s Monday! Long newsletter ahead! Let’s jump straight in!
❌ Made a Mistake: Friday’s Last Drop had a couple broken links. Here are the right ones:
👀 Watch This Video: Port St. Lucie officially opened the Heart in the Park at Tradition. A new landmark right in the “Heart of the Treasure Coast.” Watch here
💜 People Pass Shoutout: Thank you to everyone supporting the work through the People Pass. Your support makes this possible. If you want to join, you can do that here: Join the People Pass here
🛍️ Poll: Have you ever been to the St. Lucie Community Swap Meet?
🌡️ Weather Update: Cloudy and unsettled.
☀️ Day: High of 89°F | Mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms
🌙 Night: Low of 73°F | Rain showers early, clearing later at night
🌅 Sunrise: 6:57 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 7:49 PM
🌙 Moonrise: 9:03 AM | 🌘 Moonset: 9:13 PM
🎶 Sounds like: “Can You Stand the Rain” — New Edition
Ja’Min Devon
📕 Sponsored: I got the guide, and so should you!
You can never plan too much. That’s why Yates Funeral Home is giving Sunland readers a free guide to help you make more thoughtful decisions for yourself or for loved ones. No pressure. Just helpful info.
🧃 The Main Squeeze: St. Lucie County delays massive impact fee hikes after developer pushback
Why it matters: The proposed increases would add at least $7,000 to new home prices and could send industrial development fleeing to neighboring counties, undermining years of economic growth efforts. Industrial impact fees alone would jump 399% from $1.20 to $6.00 per square foot.
What they're saying:
"It's not a good way to do business in St. Lucie County to be transparent," Commissioner Clasby said about holding the public workshop the same morning as the vote.
"This is going to negatively impact our business recruitment and expansion efforts," warned Pete Tesh from St. Lucie Economic Development Council.
"So I'll tell you right now, I won't be supporting this," declared Commissioner Townsend.
The story behind the numbers:
The county finds itself caught between crushing pressures. Road construction costs have exploded 475% since 2021, turning a $295 million project list into nearly $1 billion in needs. Meanwhile, working families already struggle to afford homes, and adding thousands more in fees threatens to price out nurses, teachers, and county workers.
Port St. Lucie disputes the county's fundamental math, claiming the county overstates how much city traffic uses county roads to justify taking nearly half the impact fees.
What's next: Commissioners rescheduled the first vote for September 16, missing an October 1 deadline that would require unanimous approval for future increases.
The bottom line: This delay likely killed the proposal. Getting all five commissioners to agree on a 399% increase seems impossible based on Tuesday's heated exchanges.
Want the full story? Dive Deeper
Watch it yourself: See the full commission meeting here
Share your thoughts: What do you think about these proposed fee increases?
🍊 Press Round: Swap Meet Back!
🪸 $110K for Indian River Reef Project
Indian River County received a $110,000 boost from the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida to help transform old State Road A1A bridge materials into artificial reefs. Construction is expected to start in 2026 and wrap up by 2031.
🛍️ Swap Meet Returns in October
St. Lucie County’s popular Community Swap Meet is back starting October 11 at John B. Park Sports Complex, with monthly events through April. Admission is free and vendor booths start at $20.
🛠️ Lowe’s Coming to Southern Grove
A 134,000-square-foot Lowe’s with a garden center is set to anchor the new Shoppes at Southern Grove plaza in Port St. Lucie. The retail hub near I-95 will open in 2026 with six additional outparcels in development.
🎉 Weekdayer: 8 Events To Check Out This Week!
Monday, Aug 25
🧘 Sunset Yoga at the Gardens – Find your zen with outdoor yoga and breathtaking sunsets at PSL Botanical Gardens | Mon 7 PM | Free for members/$12 non-members | Details
💼 Community Job Fair – Connect with employers and explore career opportunities at MidFlorida Event Center | Mon 3:30 PM | Free | Details
Tuesday, Aug 26
🥣 Business Bowl & Breakfast – Chamber networking with breakfast and community professionals | Tue 8:15 AM | RSVP required | Details
Wednesday, Aug 27
🧘 Tai Chi at the Gardens – Gentle movement and mindfulness practice for all levels at PSL Botanical Gardens | Wed 9 AM | Free | Details
Thursday, Aug 28
Friday, Aug 29
If you have an event, send it to me here
📌 The Last Drop: Art Walls and Fall Calls
🎨 Watch the Walls Come Alive… Two new murals are in progress in Fort Pierce. Swing by 130 N. 2nd St. or 601 Atlantic Ave. to see artists Jesse Jentzen and Hannah Lorra in action. See photos
🚍 New Ride App for County Transit… St. Lucie County’s on-demand bus service is switching apps. Download Rides on Demand before Aug. 30 to keep booking your fare-free trips. Learn more
🍂 PSL Fall Bucket List Is Here… Free trees, River Nights, Oktoberfest, and more. Port St. Lucie just dropped its fall events calendar and it’s stacked. See the lineup
📸 This is Sunland: ✌️ Community Finish!
Last night was so fun! We gathered a bunch of people at the bookstore and watched Mississippi Masala! It was a fun time! Hopefully we will do this once a month at the Sunland Bookstore! Alright!
See you tomorrow!
With Love, Ja’Min
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