The Mouse, The Governor, And His Legislative Dwarves

Posted on April 28, 2022 by tomcampenni

The governor decided that it was going to show Disney who was in charge!

By an act of the legislature and signature of Governor DeSantis, the Reedy Creek Improvement District will cease to exist as of July of next year. Disney has been very measured in its response. If it gets into the courts, Disney’s position is going to be that because the district has debt, it cannot be dissolved until the debt is paid off under Florida statute.

There have been statements made by some Florida officials that Disney is not paying its fair share of taxes. Last year, Disney paid $780 million in state and local taxes according to Reuters. Included in that figure are property taxes paid to Orange and Osceola Counties. It also pays for the Orange County Sheriff to provide law enforcement. Reedy Creek provides water, sewer, fire and emergency services which are all functions that local government would have to pick up.

The Disney Company is much more than amusement parks. They own ABC, ESPN, Fox Networks Group, Hollywood Records, National Geographic, A&E Networks, Touchstone Pictures, Blue Sky Studios, Pixar, Marvel Studios, 20^th Century Studios, Lucas Films, Hulu, and dozens of other companies including a cruise ship line. Does this sound like a company that is trembling over Ron DeSantis and his legislative dwarfs?

When Disney came to Florida, the state was known for oranges and vacations on Miami Beach. In 1965, the population of Florida was less than 6 million and the Orlando metro area’s population was 250,000. A good deal of modern Florida is based on the “Mouse” for good or bad.

The reason to establish the district was never to allow Disney to not pay its fair share of taxes. It was to allow it to skip the bureaucracy of dealing with local building permit departments and politics. The company still must comply with the Florida building codes, safety codes, and all other state statutes. It can just knock off the interminable bureaucratic and political delays when building a theme park or hotel.

If I had been an adult and living here, I would probably have been against granting the special district. I believe that government should tend to its sector and business its sector. But Disney created their theme parks (and really their theme parks with the hotels are small cities) under the auspices of the Reedy Creek District. It seems the company did nothing more than express an opinion about a law and a politician. It seems to me that is clearly allowed in the American constitution.

Perhaps some would like to lock up Democrats for not going along with the governor. Our history has always prided itself in having a loyal opposition thankfully. We shouldn’t penalize free speech because we disagree with the message. The governor should not have businesses or individuals serve as his enemies to rile up his base. This is the stuff of Putin not America.

We are becoming very illiberal in our politics (and, no, it has nothing to do with being either right or left). We are not heading to a good place. Once we lose our democracy, it may never come back.

They Should Have Seen This Coming

Posted on April 21, 2022 by tomcampenni

The April 19^th BOCC meeting regarding the Rural Lifestyle amendment to the comp plan was one where the outcome was no surprise…at least to a few astute observers.

What made Becker Farms believe they could get this passed in fearful Martin County? Where was the constituency for this change which might have been a good idea with a ridiculous name? More importantly, where was the outreach?

Photo From Conservation Fund

We heard from Becker that they held meetings onsite…a couple of hundred in fact. But were they with regular Martin County citizens? No, they were with the usual suspects including me. They won me over for their specific project, but we never spoke about applying a new land use category countywide.

That was one of the problems. Was Becker Farms speaking for the Discovery Project or for a countywide land classification being created and applied? This confused people more than it should have. What a waste of time and resources this foolishness became.

Of the more than 50 people who spoke at the commission meeting, by an almost 3-1 majority, it was in opposition to the amendment. A distinct minority were in favor of the project even if they opposed the countywide land designation. This was a colossal failure on the part of Becker but much more so on the part of the county’s growth management department.

Perhaps the department was right that doing projects by exception is not the best planning tool. That does not mean you can ram a poorly named new land use classification down the public’s throat. What the county, Becker, and Becker’s consultants did not consider was that this was not about land planning but a vision of what the western county is going to look like.

Their vision was about maps and not open land which is what Martin County wants to see. They spoke about color squares representing tens or hundreds of acres, not the pictures of homes that could go there if it were mishandled. Preachers paint pictures using cadence and words…staff drone on to make sure even those interested lose the ability to care.

The commission voted to table the matter and allow Becker to come back without paying additional fees. I hope Becker comes back with the land use amendment of rural lifestyle changed to the name of rural resort but to be applied only to their project. Having the 800 acres in conservation is a good step. Allowing public access to the Atlantic Ridge Preserve Park is a great public benefit and all the rest outlined in the original proposal for the 313 homes to be built there is a home run.

Once Discovery is approved, there should then be charettes and meetings, etc. to discuss what to do with our western lands. They should be conducted throughout the county by using an organization such as the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and not the Guardians. If the public’s questions could be answered and consensus achieved, perhaps this Becker land use could be applied to several more properties.

Smith mentioned buying more land to connect and create an environmental flow way which is a great idea. Funding needs to be secured for that, but Ciampi also had another great idea to dedicate a percentage of the increased real estate taxes from Discovery and apply it to buying environmentally sensitive lands. If pledged, it could result in obtaining a loan or bonds.

Government has a proclivity for screwing things up. They certainly did so in this case. Yet there is still time to right the ship. Just don’t believe that elites or the moneyed are always going to do it for you.

Martin County Taxpayers Association on the BDB

Posted on April 18, 2022 by tomcampenni

The MCTA has reviewed the last year’s audit for the Business Development Board which was on the April 19^th BOCC meeting.

It was not a clean report since the auditors pointed out accounting policies not in line with best practices. Among the discrepancies found by the auditors were that there was not timely reconciling of accounts, and that one person is performing too many accounting functions. We do not believe there is anything being done at the organization that would rise to the level of malfeasance or misfeasance. Perhaps, at worst, there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

We have for some time believed that the board is much too large to do an effective job in oversight. The board is a political and insider who’s who of Martin County elites. Everyone seems to have a seat, but no one has much responsibility.

Further, their budget is composed of $450,000 from Martin County taxpayers with another $35,000 from Martin County municipalities. Government handouts make up $485,000 of the nearly $519,000 in total income. In effect, it is a creature of government without the oversight that the taxpayers deserve. This is nothing new and has been going on for years. It just appears that the BOCC does not have the political will to bring this function in-house.

The audit uncovered improper bookkeeping procedures. Another area of concern was that the employees lacked an understanding of accounting. A direct quote from the audit: “We strongly suggest that a better understanding of not-for-profit accounting principles and QuickBooks would significantly benefit the Organization not only in terms of internal controls and related processes but also with regard to financial reporting and the accuracy of related financial statements. In our opinion, this is a significant part of the basic foundation of knowledge that must exist within the Organization in order to overcome many of the issues cited in this correspondence.”

If the financial responsibilities of the BDB were brought under the county’s finance department, it would be a step in the right direction. But that is not the real problem with this organization. Unlike the St. Lucie County EDC, the BDB suffers from a lack of focus and dynamism. St. Lucie County knows where it wants to go. Martin County doesn’t want too much business to disrupt the nature of the county and then only want what the elites consider the right types of business.

Because there is no strategic vision, we are wasting the taxpayers’ money on halfway measures. A review of what businesses the BDB played a key role in bringing to Martin County, would be the same ones that several other organizations would also take credit for.

When we had an independent tourism board, it too was a waste of taxpayer dollars. Once the BOCC brought that function in house, there was a concentrated effort to determine how we should go after tourism dollars. It is time to stop spending our tax dollars so that the political and current business elites can have a place to call home.

With nearly a half a million dollars of government money, the results should be measurable and quantifiable…not what the BOCC currently receives in the form of Rah-Rah pep rally speak. Every taxpayer should demand accountability which is sadly lacking in this situation.

A Bad Decision That Will Be Remembered

Posted on February 23, 2022 by tomcampenni

How do you take a couple of very good land use projects and then allow them to metamorphosize into a bad outcome? Just look at the actions of the BOCC, senior county staff, Growth Management, the applicants, and assorted others.

Courtesy of Pinterest

At the commission meeting on February 22^nd a proposal was brought forward that would introduce an entirely new land use classification known as rural lifestyle. It will allow for housing developments to occur on western lands in a clustered format outside the urban service boundary. I should add that this designation could apply anywhere in the county, but because it must have a minimum of 1000 acres, it would not likely happen in Jensen Beach.

The “procuring cause” was the Discovery project on Bridge Road. I have written extensively on why I believed this was a good project from day one. And it still is! In fact, the applicant said repeatedly at the transmittal hearing for the comp plan amendment that the new designation was not needed for his project. They would have come in under the exception process.

When dealing with staff, the applicant and more importantly his myriad of consultants began to think about not a plan amendment just for this project but to create an entirely new section of the plan that would apply countywide. That way, the consultants could bring other projects without going through all the steps that would be required under the special exception process every time.

There is another project on Bridge Road that goes over to Kanner Highway called Three Lakes. They presented their plan to Jupiter Island as a courtesy. It would have four golf courses and no residences. The development would contain golf cottages for members to use. These would not be for rent. In an earlier piece, I mistakenly wrote that members would rent these cottages. It is not allowed under the LDRs. And since they are for members, I don’t know what difference it would make if they were rented if one of the conditions was a time limit for use.

With 95% permeable and open space, it is another good project. No residents equate to needing no services. Ag land pays very little in taxes…golf courses pay a lot more. According to the plan the runoff is contained on site and irrigation will come directly from the St. Lucie Canal.

When I asked the developer’s rep if a new designation was needed for his project, the answer was no. They would go through the individual plan process. So how did we get this “rural lifestyle” classification?

I would imagine that ears perked up with the possibility of having all kinds of development outside the Urban Services Boundary if they played their cards right. The cards they had to play were a few compliant commissioners, staff members who saw an opportunity to play nice with their land consultant friends, senior staff who wanted to placate some of the commissioners, and an elite that couldn’t care less about what the everyday residents of the county wanted.

So, after hearing from many, many residents at the commission meeting who wanted the county to give more time for more explanation and outreach, the majority on the commission voted to transmit the plan amendment to Tallahassee. Nothing was going to prevent them from moving forward even without any demonstrated reason for the rush.

The very idea that after its transmittal and return in about 50 days, the commission will not vote to approve this is not to be believed. The sop to the public craving more information was that under the auspices of the Guardians, there will be a public hearing.

I have a couple of problems with this approach. One or possibly two informational meetings where citizens can ask questions is clearly not only the wrong format, but the Guardians are not experts in running these types of public meetings. They have their own agenda.

My second problem is that when the county went ahead and rewrote the CRA plan, they hired the Treasure Coast Planning Council to work with staff. But the important part of what occurred was that they had over 70 public meetings to iron out questions and concerns that residents and others had. This resulted in broad buy-in and agreement.

Opening our western lands to development is as important as the CRA project. Yet unless you were one of Martin County’s elites, you never saw this coming. A wink and a nod and some fast footwork by the dynamic duo of Smith and Ciampi with the silent encouragement of Jenkins has resulted in far less than what the people of Martin County deserve.

Regarding the plan itself, I have many questions about sewer and water being provided outside the urban service boundary (USB). I am not keen on package plants. Yet they have supposedly come a long way in the past few years. We need to hear from an unbiased expert on this matter. But running new utility lines outside the USB is something I don’t like either.

It would also seem to me that clustering homes makes sense instead of 20-acre ranchettes. That is the very definition of sprawl and bad planning. Isolated homes without amenities are not something any planner today can embrace.

Courtesy of Pinterest

That type of development has been available for decades, and it has not led to 20 acre-ranchette developments. The wealthy are generally not interested in being in the middle of nowhere without a place to have a drink or a round of golf. Besides if they desire the wide-open spaces, they probably have a 1000-acre Montana spread to call one of their homes. At the same time, most of the rest of us can’t afford the ranchette lifestyle. I guess that is why the county called it rural lifestyle instead of ranchette lifestyle.

For there will be sufficient open space under the proposed land use at least 70% including golf courses. And if they want to have more homes, the developer will need to set a minimum of 500 acres in conservation deeded to either a government or nonprofit. Another question arose about that which had some suggestive changes but the three commissioners are probably figuring it can be worked out during the informational meeting.

About a year ago, it was explained to me that there were several developers who just wanted to have golf clubhouses with no homes. I saw it then and still do as a way of preserving open space. Currently, most of that land is failed agricultural farms and ranches. There is probably no chance given today’s economics that it ever will again be used for that purpose. Golf clubhouses with no homes seemed like a great way to preserve property rights and keep Martin green. I thought one of the conditions could be to have a public trail or nature preserve as part of the deal for approval.

Now it is still open season and the only new or existing residents we will be accommodating in their golf course homes will be the rich and famous. The wealthy have no compunction about buying a home worth millions on a golf course with a clubhouse and other amenities in much smaller lots than 20, 5 or 1 acre, if it is elite enough and of course has a fence and guards to keep most people out.

All the double speak from the dais was just that. It reminded me of “You have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it.” Commissioners Ciampi, Smith, and Jenkins, that is no way to vote on any legislation. It was nice of you to arrange for a session after your affirmative vote to give your constituents a chance to become educated. (As long as they can meet at your one or two appointed times at an appointed place.)

I thought Commissioner Heard would always be a no. It is so contrary to anything she believes that to think anything else would be foolish. With development issues, I disagree with her most of the time, but I respect her point of view and she gives a different perspective than my own.

In my mind Commissioner Hetherington was the standout. There is not anyone more business friendly and believing in property rights than her. Yet she cares about important items not being rushed and that constituents have the information. Hetherington would have been a yes vote on Discovery if it were a stand-alone project. She may still vote in favor with the adoption hearing after the public informational hearing.

The only thing all commissioners should remember is that the Guardians, developers, consultants, and the wealthy are not most of their constituents. Commissioners also need to consider the property rights of landowners. The bogus fear of 20-acre ranchettes popping up after years of not happening should not be a reason to change land use in a hurry.

Get the buy in of the everyday residents of Martin County. We know it can be done if the right steps are taken. It was proven with the CRA re-write. As my friend Tom Pine would say the “Good Ole Boys” win one more. Too bad for the county.

Annexation & Land Use

Posted on February 1, 2022 by tomcampenni

Once a parcel is annexed into the city, the City of Stuart often struggles with what land use to give the parcel.

The reason most people annex into the city is because Stuart allows for greater density than unincorporated Martin County. However, an annexation does not mean that the property owner is ready to do anything with the land. Sometimes, it can sit for years without a request to change the Future Land Use (FLU). During that time, it will keep the county’s zoning.

Once the landowner or developer is ready to build something, then he will come to the city and, as a first step in the process, ask for a FLU change. That is what happened with Costco, and for some, it was as if the world came to an end. So, upon annexation, should the city assign a future land use designation also?

Again, the Kanner CPUD became such a focal point because the county had given the property a zoning designation that allowed 5 homes per acre. Of course, that use was assigned decades ago. If that land use was allowed to stand, the property would have been worth a fraction of the amount that was paid.

There are two reasons a FLU is not assigned upon annexation. There is no idea what eventual use will be asked by the owner. The second reason is that if a land use is automatically given, then the commission may not need to weigh in when an eventual project is ready. Hard for a politician to bear.

After years of studying this very problem, I would contend that upon annexation, the land should be given the highest appropriate land use possible unless the owner wishes another one. But FLU needs to be part of the annexation.

Currently, a piece of land of approximately five acres on Willoughby that abuts the Kanner PUD is on the market for $3.295 million. That property was annexed into the city with its old Martin County land use. It isn’t being offered for sale at that price to build a few houses.

Interestingly, I have been told that the property is owned by a relative of Ms. Richards. She was the intervenor on the Costco parcel and wanted to keep the land use at 5 homes per acre. When this comes into the city, will she be fighting against the rezoning?

This parcel should be given the highest FLU now and that should be given the same land use as the Kanner CPUD. It is fair and is in conformity with the rest of its surroundings. It, too, is full of debris. Will Ms. Cartwright (the nemesis of the Costco development) treat her pal, Richard’s relative to the same tactics she is now employing with the Kanner CPUD mentioned in my companion pieces? It could result in the loss of couple of million dollars to the family of her ally and friend.

Is It Paradise Lost Or Another Junk Yard?

Posted on January 31, 2022 by tomcampenni

How many emails does it take to have the results that you seek? Robin Cartwright must think if she sends enough email, then she will have her results which is to stop the Kanner CPUD.

I have just read quite a few emails that she has sent to the city from late December through mid-January. She has claimed that the developer of the Kanner CPUD (Costco) has continuously exceeded what he is allowed to do with his permits. When pressed, however, for details about what exactly was wrong, she has only used generalizations such as, “We took a drone video this morning of the property. Please be advised that more than trails were cleared. Additionally, there are activities taking place on the property right now, which may or may not be “legal” as there is no silt fence nor chain link fence up…” An inspection made by the city building inspector showed no code violations going on.

The emails continued but without any proof of violations. At one point Mayor Matheson became involved. It appears he was giving direction to staff about going to the property. The development director sent an email to the building official on January 19^th referencing the mayor asking him to send someone out to the site. Photos taken from a drone by Cartwright were the basis of the complaint though no footage was forthcoming.

When asked by City Attorney Mike Mortell to provide evidence of violations she claimed were occurring, Ms. Cartwright told him to visit the site. So far, every visit to the site has revealed no violations. Mortell wrote to her that she had only made broad accusations as to what was being done in violation of a permit. There has been no specificity to any claim.

Mr. Nicolosi, the building official, visited the site on January 19^th. He walked the property and found no violations of the current permits. What he did find was that a pond that may or may not have had a DEP permit at the time of its creation was encroaching on the property from Lychee Tree Nursery. Nicolosi further found that “The Amy Busteed (3250 SE Willoughby) property has a building that is encroaching into the subject property. The building does not meet City of Stuart setbacks as well as constitutes a trespass as it is over the property line and inside the subject property according to the survey markers present.”

Nicolosi further states in his report, “The contractor contracted with a company to use ground penetrating radar and has located several buried dump sites. The results of the radar investigation indicates that at some time in the past, someone excavated the property and dumped trash and debris and then covered it up to conceal the illegal dumping. The trash includes motorcycles, boats, axels, machinery parts, tires, etc. Below are pictures of some of the debris that was found.”

Nicolosi’s report can be found here

FWC also went out and inspected and found no violations.

Adam & Eve in Paradise
Pinterest

Apparently the pristine nature of the property claimed by Cartwright on the site of what will be people’s homes and stores was not a natural wilderness but rather an old junk yard. And both properties where actual violations have occurred and been documented were those of Linda K Richards’ family (she was an intervenor the Costco suit). So much for stewards of an ecological paradise.

In her emails to the city, Ms. Cartwright repeatedly states that she or someone at her direction is flying a drone over private property. She is video recording images of the property without the property owner’s permission. That is in violation of Section 954.50 of Florida statute. here

The city should not continue to bother the owner and contractors without specific reference to what in the code is being violated. Thinking something is wrong should not trigger an inspection which costs taxpayers money. It is enough without proof now of wrongdoing on the site.

Is this behavior harassment? I don’t know. But I do know that if it keeps up, I would not be surprised to see court action. The developer is not looking to hurt anyone, but we are talking about millions of dollars…which is serious money. Patience may be running out.

Parking & Form Based Code

Posted on January 12, 2022 by tomcampenni

Stuart is trying to implement form-based code in East Stuart and the Creek District. I hope that they do.

By doing so, the people who want to develop the properties they own within those areas know ahead of time what can be done. This should help end the many PUD applications that come before the commission. However, the commissioners would have to resist the temptation to insert themselves in the process going forward or otherwise they defeat the purpose of enacting that type of code.

Form-based code develops neighborhoods rather than individual projects. It takes a holistic approach. What this city and commission is used to doing is tweaking projects. Commissioners suggest to developers that they will vote to approve a project if the developer knocks a floor off here or puts a tree there. You need fifty parking spaces according to code but only have room for thirty-five, this is what you must do the commission tells the applicant.

The problem with that scenario is there is no consistency. Form-base code substitutes endless pages of tables and rules and states this is what the city wants to accomplish in this area. How the space is filled in the parcel is up to the developer. Another way to phrase form-based code is that a picture is worth a thousand words.

Ironically, by trying to exercise control over individual projects, the projects are often not as well implemented and designed as they should as part of an integral design for a neighborhood’s character. For example, consider parking. The lack of enough parking spaces as required by code has stopped many businesses from opening. While on Federal Highway, parking calculations are the explanation for empty parking lots, unfriendly streetscapes, and buildings set so far back that an observer can’t make out what businesses are located there.

Downtown Stuart has an excess of parking. There is no question about it. What it doesn’t have is a parking space for every customer directly in front of every business. Cities weren’t designed for that. Throughout the CRA, excess parking calculations to build a building or open a business have resulted in buildings not being developed or businesses not opening.

There are eight spaces for each car in the United States. Estimates are that 1/3^rd of the land in cities is dedicated to parking. About 30% of a building’s cost are due to having code-required parking spaces. This is not sustainable.

Stuart must stop thinking in terms of 1960 and think about 2060 which is closer to the present. Within most of our CRA, we should forget about mandating how many parking spaces are needed for each apartment, home, or business. If parking becomes acute, then the private sector will build a garage. People who build housing know what they will need to make sure their buyers or tenants will live in the properties. The same for restaurants and stores. With all the complaining, how many businesses downtown have closed because of parking issues?

We should take places like the Baptist Church property that is for sale and the entire north side of Ocean Avenue from Dixie to U.S. 1, and have it rezoned and changed to a form-base code neighborhood. In that way a perspective developer will know what to build as of right. Once done, the commission should then stay out of the way and only allow it to be developed using the criteria within the window adopted.

Stuart commissioners and all governments are not very good at this part of running cities. They should bring their vision to a neighborhood then be confident enough to have the owners implement it. This may take decades for the vision to be built, but then the product will be much better than the one the current antiquated system is producing.

Why Martin County Needs A Rural Resort Land Use

Posted on January 10, 2022 by tomcampenni

Once again, Martin County finds itself without the right development code in place to move projects to completion.

I have written about the Discovery Land project on Bridge Road before. It will bring extremely expensive homes to the county in a resort setting. For all intents and purposes, there will be millions in tax revenue and require little in county services. Those who believe that placing enough roadblocks up will deter development are dreaming.

Suburban Sprawl

Discovery will bring many fewer units than what would be built in a more traditional development project. The choice is several hundred units worth millions each or several thousand worth $300,000 each. The latter would require many county services, and the former would not.

Most of the land in the Discovery project will remain undeveloped. In addition to the construction jobs which are always temporary, there will be a slew of others to support the resort plus ancillary businesses like shops and restaurants. To me it has always been an easy choice…the feared Browardization of thousands of rooftops or a few rich ones.

That doesn’t mean that development of Discovery will not come without rules. Right now, it does not seem current code quite fits the “rural resort” nature of the project. I understand staff and the applicant are attempting to write the code but is that the best way to go forward?

This project and others that may come after may be more than the staff can handle. And to rely on the applicant to help define the code changes necessary may not be the best for the county. The county needs to hire a consultant to expeditiously write what is necessary to move forward. Commissioner Smith is very fond of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. As time goes by, I have become a convert.

The county should get a quote from the council and others if it wants to write the best code for “rural resorts” for the benefit of all the parties. That would also take an immense pressure off the Growth Management department. At the same time as a neutral third party, the council would be able to more fairly hear the concerns of all sides.

There are several other projects that are in the wings that would fit the rural resort criteria, e.g., very high-end golf courses. These are not golf course communities but rather places where the rich fly in to play golf for a couple of days like Michael Jordan’s existing club. This type of development would be preferred to having endless rooftops in western Martin.

In my mind, this is smart development. People have a right to develop the property they own. Let’s make it easy for them to do so by creating a rural resort classification. At some point, the Harmony development, and others like it will end up being built if alternatives are not provided. In my opinion, that is what most Martin County residents want to see.

The government does not own the property…private property owners do. A well-written land classification may help keep endless seas of rooftops from the area. I think that is the smart way of having the inevitable growth.

Jensen Mooring Field: Will It Be Folly Or Resource?

Posted on November 15, 2021 by tomcampenni

Will it be another Martin County folly or a valuable resource? That is the question I have with the viability of the Jensen Beach Mooring Field.

I am not yet ready to pronounce it as an intrusion into the private sector that will go down as another example of commission hubris. There could be a need for the service and a public that is willing to pay for it. But I have my doubts.

We should not forget that the first dock built needed to be torn out because the engineers failed to consider currents and wave action. We should also bear in mind that there is no law that requires boaters to be tied to a mooring ball instead of just dropping anchor anywhere outside of a navigation channel.

I am quite familiar with mooring fields because the Stuart Anchorage is located off my dock. Those that choose to use a ball are responsible boaters. Their vessels are pumped out so that their sewage doesn’t hit the water. Those boaters are out of the navigation channels. They are good neighbors.

Then occasionally, there will be what I call a boat bum who just drops anchor. The last boat bum simply dropped anchor at the end of my dock and was there for about three years. His sailboat had no workable engine and I never saw the sail unfurled. Yet he had a registration sticker which was all he needed to have. That is when I learned that a mere citizen cannot report someone dumping waste. It must be law enforcement that sees the violation being committed.

The owner of the boat was in the hospital and/or jail for a prolonged period. The registration expired. Law enforcement was able to then declare that the boat was abandoned and remove it. That may have been one of the ten best days of my life when that occurred.

My point is that a mooring field is not going to stop illegal dumping or prevent anchors from destroying sea grasses. It is not going to stop some inexperienced owner from anchoring his boat improperly before a hurricane and the vessel winding up destroying a dock when it comes lose.

What the Jensen Beach Mooring Field may do is provide a cheaper alternative to boaters who do not want to pay a private marina. Stuart’s Anchorage works because it is close to downtown. You can catch the tram once you dock your dinghy at the Marina. There is a Publix within walking distance. While you can walk to downtown Jensen Beach, it doesn’t have the same allure.

I am willing to give it the season to see whether it was the right thing to do or another waste of taxpayer money. Even if it is arguably the right thing to do to prevent dumping, preserving sea grass beds, and shorelines from being ravaged, will it? Boaters must stop throwing anchors down for free and begin paying to have their vessels safely moored. Without enforcement capabilities, I think we know the answer already.

We Need To Think Realistically About Martin County’s Future

Posted on October 25, 2021 by tomcampenni

There is no doubt that I am in support of good infill projects in Stuart and Martin County’s CRAs. That does not mean I endorse those projects that are poorly planned or disregard the codes and comp plan.

Martin County is on the cusp of deciding whether it will embrace sprawl or embark on a different course. The county can either continue the westward creep of more suburban mid-level 1960s-type single family home development or capitalize on our natural beauty. The Discovery/Becker Farms joint venture off Bridge Road is a unique opportunity to do just that.

Silo Ridge in New York’s Hudson Valley has been popular with celebrities like Tom Brady

The project is a very wealthy man’s dream. It will be a place where the home buyer will spend millions to build a 3rd or 4^th home for his collection. There will be no additional need for law enforcement or schools. The most that county services will have to do will be an occasional ambulance call. The real estate tax impact is estimated at $25 million with very few homes having a homestead exemption. Within the next decade, the alternative would be thousands of homes being built there instead of a few hundred.

The BOCC will also have the opportunity to approve the many high-end private golf courses coming our way. They will have no homes built, but there will probably be a few guest cottages and a club house at each. People will come from all over the world to become members and play on these courses. The impact to our environment will be minimal.

The private courses will also add millions to our tax rolls. Not to mention Discovery owners and golfers eating in our restaurants, buying goods from our merchants, and employing hundreds of residents. Or we can build thousands of homes and become what we have tried to avoid.

Many very naïve people believe that the BOCC or Stuart Commission can just say no. They cannot. There are such things as property rights. The current lawsuit that Harmony has against the county is all about property rights. That is in addition to the millions spent in previous lawsuits and settlements because of the disregard of individual rights.

What government can do is help shape what will be built. Development codes need to reflect that vision.

For those that want to see more housing, then it should be done in the city and CRAs. In these areas, there are quite a few underutilized properties. Just look at the Federal Highway corridor. Single story centers with empty stores and acres of empty parking lots. Adaptive re-use would give us mixed use developments with buildings set closer to the streets and parking in the rear or in some cases in parking garages.

It is time we stop the silly illusions some have that those empty parcels within the city and county Urban Service Boundary are going to remain vacant. People are going to come here to live and work from other parts of Florida and the country. We all need to recognize this and stop the propaganda that persists regarding some governmental power to prevent development.