🌅 📏 Tall Buildings, Big Loopholes

Good Morning, Sunland

It’s Monday! Happy belated Mother’s Day to all the moms, aunties, bonus moms, and caretakers out there. Someone actually emailed me yesterday saying they used 772Eats to find a spot for Mother’s Day lunch! And that really made my day. That kind of message is exactly why I made it.

If you’re still deciding where to eat this week or just want something new to try, check out 772Eats. You can browse the free list or grab the full guide and journal if you’d like. Alright…

📱 This Is Cool: Did you know Port St. Lucie has its own 24/7 City Hall app? The 1PSL app lets you request services, report issues with photos, get notified when it’s resolved, and stay in the loop on city updates. 🧭 Learn more about 1PSL

☕ Support Sunland: Big thank you to Sheree Lynn Ruck, our latest supporter! Every contribution helps me keep this newsletter alive and independent. Want to help out or fuel future projects? Tap in here!

🌡️ Weather Update: Keep the umbrella close

☀️ Day: High of 79°F | ⛈️ Thunderstorms likely with heavy rainfall possible
🌙 Night: Low of 69°F | 🌧️ Evening storms taper into overnight showers
🌅 Sunrise: 6:34 AM | 🌇 Sunset: 8:01 PM
🌕 Moonrise at 8:19 PM | 🌕 Moonset at 6:13 AM
🎵 Sounds like: SBQ Radio Show – Episode 13 by Darius 🌧️ 📻 Moody, magnetic, and made for a Monday like this.

🧱 Main Squeeze: Live Local, Loud Pushback

It’s been a whirlwind of conversation lately, especially after the Fort Pierce City Commission meeting where the Live Local Act came up in relation to the Causeway Cove project. So today, we’re breaking it down.

📌 What Is the Live Local Act? Passed in 2023, the Live Local Act (Senate Bill 102) is a state law that overrides local zoning rules to promote affordable housing. If a developer sets aside at least 40% of their units for households earning at or below 120% of the Area Median Income (AMI), they get access to major development perks:

📏 They can build to the tallest height allowed anywhere in the city
🏙️ They can use the highest residential density allowed anywhere in the city
✅ Cities must approve the projects administratively if they meet the criteria—no votes or public hearings

These affordability requirements only apply for 30 years. After that, developers are free to raise rents, sell off units, or convert properties however they want.

📊 Practical Example: In St. Lucie County, the Area Median Income for a family of four is about $88,600. So 120% of AMI would be around $106,320 annually. That means a qualifying household could pay up to roughly $2,650 per month in housing costs, depending on unit size and utilities.

📍 What’s Happening at Causeway Cove? Right now, a developer wants to build:

🏢 5 high-rise buildings, with the tallest reaching 192 feet
🏘️ 1,063 residential units (40% affordable)
🏨 204 hotel rooms, 🚗 2,300+ parking spaces, and ⛵ a 198-slip marina

Because the site is zoned High Intensity Mixed Use and is within 1 mile of other tall buildings, the project qualifies under the Live Local Act. Local leaders say they legally can't deny it.

🌊 Why It Matters This is one of the first large-scale developments in Fort Pierce using this new law. And residents have questions: What will it do to traffic? Will it damage coastal ecosystems? Can developers eventually flip these units for profit once the 30-year period ends?

As of writing this, about 350 people have already signed a Change.org petition opposing the project.

🗣️ Want to Learn More or Get Involved? 🔍 Read the City's Full Live Local Act Breakdown
📄 Explore the Official Site Plan + Documents
✍️ Sign or Read the Petition

We’ll keep following this closely. If you have thoughts, drop them here.

🍊 Press Round
Civic Playbook!

🌊 We All Hate Flooding.

Talking about flooding isn’t the most thrilling thing, but this one might actually be worth your attention. Local leaders just wrapped a major vulnerability assessment looking at how future flooding and sea level rise could affect our neighborhoods, roads, and homes. You can weigh in at one of three upcoming meetings.

👉 See Meeting Dates + Register Here

🚧 Floresta Drive Phase 2: Finally Done

After years of construction, the Floresta Drive overhaul just wrapped its second phase with new sidewalks, bike lanes, and roundabouts. Phase 3 is already underway and includes more stormwater improvements and traffic upgrades around Prima Vista.

👉 Peek the Before/After Photos

🎨 Youth Banner Showcase: Be the Artist Behind Our Streets

Fort Pierce K–12 students can now submit artwork to be featured on downtown light pole banners. The FPRA is offering one lucky artist a chance to literally brighten the city. Submissions close June 6.

👉 Enter Here

☀️ Keep Local, Local

Ever read something in Sunland and thought, “Dang, I wouldn’t have seen this anywhere else”? That’s is it! This newsletter was built to give St. Lucie County the local news it actually deserves. Fast, honest, and rooted in community.

🌴 Why this matters: Your support helps me keep St. Lucie County informed, connected, and growing. It also makes space for deeper stories, new projects, and more local voices in the mix.

📬 What you’ll get: Supporters get first looks at what’s coming next—like bookstore plans, reporting projects, and behind-the-scenes updates as we build this community together.

🍾 Refill
Mets Wrap Up Series, Head to Daytona ⚾

Our hometown Mets concluded their six-game homestand yesterday with an unfortunate record of 2-4. It's always difficult to take the loss in a series, especially at home, but it's a part of the game. A season is never perfect and we know that! We gotta keep our head up like Pac said. We'll be going on the road to play the Daytona Tortugas at Jackie Robinson Ballpark in another six-game series. LFGM!

If you want to take a road trip here’s the address. 105 E Orange Ave, Daytona Beach, FL 32114

⁃ darius "odgtm" garrido

Check the full box score here

🎉 This Week Around Town

MTWTHF Playbook!

• 🥂 PSLBW Social Mixer – Meet the women behind the Port St. Lucie Business Women network at this casual mixer. Everyone’s welcome. | Thursday, May 12 | 4–6 PM | Free | Details

• 🍳 Networking Breakfast at Gator Trace – Chamber breakfast with a side of coffee, community, and conversation. RSVP required. | Tuesday, May 13 | 8:15 AM | $17 | Details

• 🌼 Lighted Flower Beds Workshop – Learn to make glowing flower beds using string lights at Heathcote Botanical Gardens. | Wednesday, May 14 | 10 AM | Free | Details

• 🌀 Disaster Relief Workshop – Get prepped before hurricane season at this free workshop from the City of Fort Pierce. | Thursday, May 15 | 5:30–6:30 PM | Free | Details

• 🎸 Metaluscious: Your Mom’s Favorite Band! – The ’80s tribute band lights up Tipsy Tiki with live music, food, and costumes. | Friday, May 16 | 8 PM | Free | Details

If you have an event, send it to me here
Want more events? Go here

💧 The Last Drop
3 City Updates For The Road!

1. 📬 Online Finds Worth Following

   Discovered the St. Lucie County Little Free Libraries group after setting up a little library outside the future Summit Bookstore. Also—the Fort Pierce subreddit is finally back after years of being quiet.

   👉 Little Free Libraries | r/FortPierce

2. 💼 County Jobs Just Dropped

   St. Lucie County is hiring for two solid roles: an IT Professional and a Planning & Development Services position.

   👉 Apply Here

3. 🎨 City Hall Gets a Fresh Look

   A new mural titled Soul of Fort Pierce is coming soon to City Hall. Created by Florida-based artist Siti Dogan and celebrating iconic local landmarks.

   👉 See the progress

📸 This is Sunland: Some Sun For The Road!

See you tomorrow!
With Love, Ja’Min

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