🌅 🏗️ Who Pays for Growth in St. Lucie?

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If you're not following us on social, whether that be Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, I'm asking you to do so. Not because you reading this isn't enough, because it is. But we're doing some really cool things on these platforms.

For one: I've been clipping important parts from city meetings (Port St Lucie, Fort Pierce, and county) and putting them on social media. That way, you don't have to watch the whole two, three hours every single time. Sometimes you can just get a clip to see what's going on.

For two: We just launched a new show with Apple in the Garden. Mel's going around the county, asking questions, doing trivia with people who make home, home.

For three: We're really just trying to make St. Lucie County fun and bring the play aspect to the forefront!

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September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, but Daisy's journey proves this isn't about numbers and policies. It's about the moment you realize your family's security hangs in the balance.

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The big picture: St. Lucie County commissioners are wrestling with a massive decision that could reshape development across the county. That decision is whether to dramatically increase impact fees on new construction or find other revenue sources to pay for all the growth that has happened here in the county.

Here's what's happening: Commissioners are considering impact fee increases of up to 399% for some industrial development, with residential fees potentially doubling from roughly $5,600 to over $12,000 per home.

The numbers we're looking at:

Why this matters: For one, so many people are moving to the county every day. From 2020 to 2025, the county has grown 22%. The growth rate is 4% a year. That's 45 new people a day moving here. Around 1,300 a month, 16,000 per year.

The county appreciates the growth and the revenue that comes with it. However, they've been struggling to keep up with that growth and need to figure out a way to fund roads, schools, and infrastructure.

On the industrial front, job corridors have popped up over that same time frame in Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce. Amazon facilities, FedEx, Cheney Brothers, Costco distribution centers. All of these places are coming here and want to continue coming here, but if the potential for industrial development increases this much, then maybe those companies don't come.

But here's another perspective from residents: if we don't charge the new construction, then that cost may come to us. St. Lucie County has been focused on dropping the mil rate. Also, the jobs that are coming here aren't necessarily wages that can even keep up with new construction costs. None of these jobs can potentially buy the homes that are being built. People who are already here are getting left out of the growth.

The fundamental question: Should new development pay its own way through impact fees, or should the county find revenues from other places?

Builders, developers, and business leaders packed Tuesday's commission meeting with concerns that massive fee hikes could: • Drive development to neighboring counties • Kill affordable housing projects • Torpedo economic development efforts like Fort Pierce's King's Landing project

Mayor Linda Hudson warned that the increases come at "a very, very bad time" for Fort Pierce's industrial corridor plans.

Back in 2022, during COVID uncertainty, county commissioners chose not to raise impact fees to their maximum allowable levels. Now, with construction costs skyrocketing post-pandemic, officials are invoking "extraordinary circumstances" to justify increases above normal state caps simply because in the county's mind, they have been underpriced for years so they're trying to correct that. Granted, different administration, different commissioners.

Translation: Past commissioners' caution is forcing today's board into a much tougher spot.

What's next: Commissioners unanimously agreed to postpone any decision until December 2nd, with an informal workshop planned for November 18th. They're also considering phasing in any increases over four years rather than implementing them all at once.

The bottom line: This decision will determine whether St. Lucie County maintains its reputation as a business-friendly, affordable place to build, or prioritizes its residents in terms of who pays for growth.

What do you think? Should new development pay higher fees to cover infrastructure costs, or force builders to pay for the growth that they want here? Hit reply or share your thoughts here. I want to hear from you on this one.

The school district unanimously approved a five-year, $300,000 deal with Napoli Orthodontics for stadium naming rights, with revenue split across all district schools rather than going solely to the high school. The deal addresses equity concerns by distributing 75% to other schools and 10% to the general fund, with Martin County High keeping just 25%.

👉 Read more

A comprehensive look at the region's tallest structures reveals the 500-foot WQCS radio tower tops the list, but new state housing laws could soon change familiar skylines. One Fort Pierce project proposes 17-story towers that would be taller than the nuclear plant's 191-foot containment buildings, using affordable housing requirements to bypass local height limits.

👉 Read more

Port St. Lucie closed another section of Floresta Drive between Southeast Calmoso Drive and Southeast Evergreen Terrace through September 2026 as part of the final phase of the miles-long improvement project. Neighbor Dominick Gambale says traffic on his quiet street jumped from 40 cars daily to 400-500 as drivers navigate detours, but residents agree the sidewalks and bike lanes will be worth the hassle.

👉 Read more

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