Category Archives: Sustainable Growth

Downtown Parking Needs & Reommendations

Posted on by

DOWNTOWN PARKING NEEDS & RECOMMENDATIONS

 

Nothing new here! The study verifies what most of us know. It is hard to find a parking spot on Osceola at 8 pm on a Friday night. But not that difficult if you go a block or two away. The consultants have many recommendations that Stuart has or will implement. There should be better use of our tram system. Perhaps an extension of the 3-hour parking rule.

 

A vibrant downtown should be busy. It should encourage multi-modal transportation. There is a bustle that is unmistakable with the vibrancy. Stuart and the businesses of Downtown should promote foot traffic so that visitors walk past stores, window shop and purchase items.

 

Downtown Stuart has about 3 hours of prime time. After 9 pm try to get a meal. The streets are relatively empty. When the Lyric performance ends at 10 there are only a handful of places to get a drink or a late-night snack. Stuart is far from being a late-night destination. And that is fine with most of our residents.

 

Stuart does not need to grow to become another Port Saint Lucie. We do need to act more like a city. We should not have parking wag the dog of Stuart’s future. In Downtown, East Ocean and Colorado, the City should encourage new businesses and residential development. This is where young people should live, work, and have fun. Then when they are ready for their next phase of life, Stuart needs to make sure that homes are available for them to live and raise their families.

 

Micro transit, bike lanes, golf carts are just part of what will give Stuart the needed impetuous to accomplish that. The city of the future will not look like a city of the past. If it does, that city will either be in Disneyworld or be a vacant empty shell.

HARMONY RANCH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT  

Posted on by

The Commission decided to take no action regarding Harmony Ranch’s application to form an independent Community Development District.

No matter what the BOCC had decided in the matter, the formation of such a district would still have to go before the Florida Land Water Adjudicatory Commission as per Florida Stature 190.

So, what is a Community Development District? It is an independent taxing district. The Harmony district is being set up so that infrastructure can be built and paid for using bonds or loans. Only the property owners within the district are responsible for the debt, fees, or tax. It is a mechanism to provide services within the boundaries of the special district.

This action would allow Harmony to build the infrastructure needed to develop the ranch. But only to the extent that it can currently which are 20-acre ranchettes. The site is still subject to Martin County’s development rules. There doesn’t appear to be a way for the BOCC to stop the district from being formed and once formed from being developed as it is currently allowed.

The question that Martin County should ask if it is wise to be developed as 20-acre ranchettes or two-acres or one-acre home sites. Any development of the 2600-acre parcel in this 1950’s manner is sprawl.   Wouldn’t it be better to develop 600 acres with the density of a town? Harmony would then have walk-able neighborhoods, offices, retail, and entertainment located where people live? The other 2000 acres could be deeded to a land trust to be left undeveloped as a natural conservation area.

Harmony would then have the same residents as they would with one-acre zoning. What is more the residents would have everyday amenities within a manageable distance from their homes. The old concepts of residential development not tethered to holistic communities is an anachronism.

The BOCC should work with the residents, landowners, and developers of Martin County to encourage smart and steady growth. If we do not begin to address this locally, the state will begin to do it for us. This may be only the beginning of Special Districts.

 

Our Entire Environment

Posted on by

Spring brought us more rain than usual and now the algae blooms are visible from my back yard on the St. Lucie River.

It seems that the even years (2014, 2016 and now 2018) are our time for outrage. The outrage that gives us the moral courage to stand up for our ecological environment. But, like the waters of the St. Lucie River flowing into the estuary to dissipate in the ocean, our courage to tackle the green algae will too.

This is one more battle that residents and citizens must engage in to protect our environment. In this case, I am not just speaking of environmental issues alone but rather our overall environment. The environment means our rivers and streams as well as our farms and yards and includes addressing chemicals and effluent wastes that contribute to our environmental problems.

Our political leaders manipulate the system to goad us into idiotic disagreements instead of informed debate. False issues are introduced to dissuade the American people from concentrating on what is important. Reality no longer intrudes into our political discourse.

All of this contributes to our deteriorating environment. The green algae that flows past my house is the direct result of the inability of our political institutions to correct the known causes of pollution. This is symbolic of our nation’s dysfunctional society on the federal, state and local levels. We would rather have a nonsensical screaming match on NFL players and the national anthem than true dialogue on problems such as the pollution that invades the St. Lucie River.

How do we right the ship of state? When will we address our political, social and ecological environmental issues with the seriousness they deserve? The United States is now the place of the “reality television show” instead of reality. The “real politic” of Kissinger, Brzezinski and Powell has been cancelled in favor of the “Gong Show.”

In the meantime, the St. Lucie flows green. Our national budget flows red. And the psyche of our United States is the color of confusion and disaray.

Indiantown Plans

Posted on by

The Village of Indiantown is the first new municipality in Martin County in over 50 years.

That brings the grand total to five municipalities within the County — with perhaps another, Hobe Sound, on the way in November. Compared to the counties to our south (Palm Beach County 39, Broward 32 and Miami-Dade 34), that number is hardly impressive. With that said, Indiantown’s incorporation is a big step forward, bringing real local government to that western community.

It is exciting to see the Village taking the steps necessary to control its destiny. For far too long, Indiantown has been stymied by being just an insignificant, unincorporated piece of the greater Martin County pie. What the residents and property owners of the area wanted to see happen was constantly being prevented. When the seat of your local government is miles away, the County Commissioners may not always put your interest first.

Indiantown is slowly feeling its governmental way. It had its first visioning session last Saturday. The Village Council and the community came together to brainstorm under the guidance of The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. Many things were discussed from communication with residents to enticing manufacturing back.

One of the central themes is Indiantown’s affordability and how it would be nice to have law enforcement officers, fire/rescue people and teachers live in the community. That is a noble goal but not easily attainable when none of the people working in those jobs are presently the Village’s employees. Perhaps, if permissible under Florida law, the Council may want to require that their executive staff live within the Village boundaries. At least they can require the village manager live there, as Stuart does with their city manager.

As Indiantown begins to put its government together, it will have to be cognizant of its finances. Building a city is a multi-generational undertaking. It is akin to building the pyramids. The present Council will not be there to see most of what they are laying the groundwork to achieve. That is the challenge and the fun of what is happening in Indiantown. I wish them well as they move forward.

 

Stuart Could Be today’s Pineland Prairie

Posted on by

Knight Kiplinger’s Pineland Prairie has passed another hurdle to being fully approved and built. The entire new community is an example of New Urbanism. It will have walkability to stores and offices.  Housing of different sizes, styles and prices will be within close proximity to each other. Most of the land will be open. Mr. Kiplinger touts that younger people want to live in this environment. I can’t say anything bad about the project. I think it is a great and necessary idea.

Many of the characteristics that Mr. Kiplinger wants to create at Pineland Prairie already exist. The infrastructure, roads, and amenities are built. A vibrant restaurant scene exists. The largest employers of Martin County are located within its boundaries and it has everything from athletic fields to vest pocket neighborhood parks. It is the City of Stuart.

The problem lies not in what the City has but what it doesn’t. The City Commission has exhibited a lack of imagination and knowledge on how to capitalize on Stuart’s assets. Being the “Happiest Seaside Town” is one thing but being a city that has an economic and demographic future is quite another. For the past fifty years, Stuart has allowed Martin County to grow and prosper around the City but has done very little to enhance and maintain itself as the hub of the county.

As an example, at their last meeting, the City Commissioners voted to approve a lease with Mulligans for 20 years with a $2 million cancellation clause. This, in essence, locks up any possibility of having an enhanced Flagler Park, creating new economic opportunities and a more vibrant Downtown. The entire peninsula which is owned by the City will now be frozen in time due to the lack of basic real estate experience and a “good old boy” approach to governance. This 1960s mindset in a 21ST century environment will continue to hobble the City’s viability. It is too bad for the taxpayers, residents and commercial real estate owners within Stuart’s borders.

By tweaking zoning and land development codes, Stuart could immediately begin the process of implementing what Kiplinger wants to do in rural Palm City. The City has all the pieces necessary to attract younger people, new jobs and businesses. What we lack is a political establishment within the city that has the vision and the business acumen to see what Mr. Kiplinger, our young people, and most of the County Commissioners have seen.

I am all in favor of Pineland Prairie being allowed to exist and prosper. It will be a long-term asset to Martin County. It will not be sprawl but, rather, a self-contained community. When finally built and completed in twenty years, it will be a fantastic place to live in the future.

With foresight, imagination and will, Stuart could be the Pineland Prairie of today instead of the City of yesterday.

Godot & The Commission

Posted on by

The Stuart City Commission has become a re-active body instead of pro-active one. What I mean by that statement is that the Commission is not looking to shape the City’s future.  By simply waiting for something to happen, the City stagnates instead of progressing. Any growth becomes an amalgam of disparate projects without any theme. Without planning for the future, a cohesive vision is not accomplished. So, the Commission does nothing and waits. But what are they waiting for?

This is the 65th anniversary of Samuel Beckett’s play, Waiting for Godot. The two main characters, Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for Godot to make an appearance. They inhabit a nihilistic world of gloom. Both Estragon and Vladimir keep saying that they will leave but then they wait because they believe Godot will come — but always tomorrow.

The City of Stuart is more than a decade older than Martin County. When the County was formed, Stuart was where the overwhelming majority of the people lived, worked and shopped. Nearly a century later the County has grown exponentially but not the City. The City’s population is a little over 10% of Martin County’s total population today. The amount of sales tax revenue, gas tax revenue and other appropriations the City receives are based on that proportionately diminished base. Yet, like Vladimir, the City Commission waits.

Pineland Prairie will probably be approved by the County to develop in Palm City. It is a good project. Once fully built out it will have more residents than the City of Stuart. It comprises thousands of acres, yet the plan calls for cluster development. In effect, it will create a city surrounded by open land. Pineland Prairie is innovative. Yet, like Estragon, the City Commision waits.

Our City Commission is averse to workshops on planning for the City’s future. For the last year that I was on the Commission, I worked with staff to have neighborhood meetings to find out what residents thought was important. Unfortunately, the City Manager decided that he didn’t want to know what was on the minds of the people of Stuart. So now Stuart waits.

Stuart’s Godot may come and give the Commission guidance. The present City Commission won’t find a plan on its own. So, the Commission waits. While Vladimir and Estragon waited, they spoke to each other. The City Commission doesn’t do even that. The play’s characters cared about what Godot would say when he appeared. I don’t believe this current City Commission cares at all.

Our Martin County Future

Posted on by

What do we expect the future to bring for Stuart and Martin County? If we look at our current County Commission, we know that it is about to experience change to its composition. With the indictment of Commissioners Heard and Fielding on public records violations, there will probably be different people sitting in those seats. This could occur this year by resignation or removal by the Governor or next year at the ballot box.

Both Heard and Fielding have a distinct point of view on development that precluded growth outside the Urban Services Boundary (USB). They also fought development within those boundaries. I agree with much of their philosophy outside the USB boundaries. I differ with them within those boundaries. If you want stop sprawl, and both say that is their stated goal, you need to allow density within the USB.

Sprawl occurs when you have mono-functional development. Under the current Comprehensive Plan, 20-acre ranchettes are allowed. It may be that you won’t be able to see your neighbor, but this is development away from jobs and shops. Regardless of the type of housing, you still will need roads, schools and other services. The people who live in these scattered communities will need gas stations and stores.

Therefore, if you want to keep agriculture, you need to concentrate population and growth within our cities and towns. If you want Martin County to avoid what occurred in South Florida and the I-4 corridor, then we need to plan better for sustainable development. The blanket “no” so often heard by businesses from the county needs to be tempered to allow for reasonable and smart growth.

At some point the Urban Services Boundary will need to be expanded. But, for now and the immediate future, let’s have infill development and re-purpose properties that are no longer economically feasible. Our half-empty 1960-type retail strips and our aging housing stock need to be re-developed. More and more people want to be part of a community, to know their neighbors and walk to a store. Isn’t it rational that we not be tied to mid-20th century development patterns?

I am not advocating some central plan where we herd everyone into condos. I am saying that we need to look at trends to determine what type of lifestyle we will have in 10, 20 or 50 years. Infrastructure is expensive to build and maintain so, before we commit to expanding Martin County’s, we need to look to what the future will bring.

As we look at the Martin County of the future, do we continue to do things in the same way or open our minds to a more wholistic approach? Do we look at one project coming forth at a time or do we have a Comprehensive Plan that can be used as a planning document for growth instead of a document that impedes it? Stuart should be a center of a new urban dynamism. Along with our sister cities, we should be where the action is. We should be the engines of economic and population growth. Martin County should be thinking of why county government exists. It should exist not to provide urban services but to function as political subdivision of the state. Let new cities be formed out of all the current county CRAs.

There will be nearly 21 million Floridians by the end of 2017. Does anyone really believe that Martin County will be left out of having an increasing population? Just in the past two months there has been an influx of more than 200,000 Puerto Ricans fleeing the ravages of Maria and bad government. People from the entire U.S. want to live and work in our state. Eventually some subset will find Martin County. Let’s be prepared.

 

Stuart Needs to Take Care of Stuart

Posted on by

As many of you may have read or heard, the Martin County School Board made a presentation at the last City Commission Meeting. They essentially wanted Stuart to turn over Sailfish Baseball Fields and the Public Works Complex gratis for their new administration building. They would then sell their current six-acre location and keep those proceeds.

I am against the City giving away the 11 acres that comprise the ball fields and public works complex.  Then, in perpetuity, we would receive no taxes, fees or any other revenue for this most valuable site. It is anything but a “home run” for us. In my book, it’s not even a single. Not to mention their proposal would have us sharing (and contributing to maintain) a few new ball fields which we would only be allowed to use when the school board wasn’t.

This is something I could never support. No taxes and no ball fields, how could any Stuart elected official be for it? Some might say that the administrative building contributes to the economy of Stuart. To a very limited extent that is probably true. But to imagine that a new building is going to bring shops and restaurants to the area is not credible. The existing complex on East Ocean Blvd has not resulted in any shops or restaurants around it. What would cause a different outcome?

This may seem a radical notion but why does the School Board need to be within city limits? In 1950, when Stuart comprised 40% of Martin County’s population, there was perhaps a reason. But today when Stuart only accounts for 10% of the population there is no compelling reason. The vast majority of their staff lives outside the City. Further Stuart has 1% of the total land mass of Martin County. How can we afford to give up taxable land to another government entity and not even be paid for its value? Never mind the lost tax revenue and the loss of our ball fields.

As a custodian of Stuart residents’ money, how could I possibly do that? How can I ask Stuart’s 10% of Martin County’s total population to contribute such a valuable asset to the other 90%? We are not still a rural county with Stuart being the home for those who “live in town” and where the money is. That was true when the County was incorporated in 1925 but it is no longer true today. Communities that are outside the City, such as Sailfish Point, Jupiter Island and even Sewall’s Point, are where the wealth is.

If we are to maintain our quality of life we need to make sure our assets are used for City residents. We need to have our recreational fields under our control. We can’t just give away our assets. We need to be independent and do what is best for Stuartians. Yes we are part of Martin County. We pay both County and School Board property taxes. Therefore, we do not need to also subsidize further those governmental agencies since we are already paying our fair share. I cannot in good conscience claim to represent the people of Stuart and then give away those assets. That is unconscionable.

 

 

Snowbirds & What They Bring

Posted on by

I live on the St. Lucie River where the mooring fields are located. In the last few weeks I have noticed (as in past years) that there are more and more boats on the balls each day. By January 1st, there will be a couple of hundred boats on the mooring balls and in the marina. Some people will live on their boats. Others will live on land in apartments or homes.

These “snowbirds” will eat in our restaurants, buy goods in our stores and use the Stuart tram as a mode of transportation. They will provide additional jobs for those working in our stores and restaurants. Sales taxes will be paid on the food ordered to eat and any purchases made. In general, our boaters and all seasonal visitors arriving from New England, Canada or wherever will become part of our community for as long as they are here. I gladly welcome them to the City.

Many of us that stay year-round will complain about increased traffic. Or how they will need a reservation to have dinner at their favorite restaurant. But, isn’t that a good thing? Isn’t it better to have more people paying taxes and putting permanent residents to work? Dollars that are brought in from up north are new dollars coming into our local economy. “Snowbirds” or, as I like to say, part-time residents add vibrancy to our town. They contribute to our tax base and our local charities. They are members of our organizations and clubs. They are just like the rest of us who are here year-round except they are with us for only five, six or eight months a year.

When I look at Stuart, I like the fact that our part-time residents share the space. I wouldn’t mind more of them. But I also want more full-time residents who will return after college and raise their families within our borders. I want to see entrepreneurs move to Stuart and open businesses. Artists should be making art and living here. More children need to be playing in our parks and in front of their homes. Seniors should be able to take advantage of our numerous parks and recreation center.

Stuart needs people of every income strata, race, occupation, age and persuasion. I want to welcome all to our stores and places of worship. Cities should be places of diversity and understanding…tolerant and embracing. Maybe even a little quirky and original — such as only having a four-story height limit.

 

A Little Understanding

Posted on by

When Martin County passed a comp plan that tightened its four-story height limits in 2013, I applauded the action. Along with the clear majority of county residents, I support that height restriction in the county — and in Stuart. Do I think the recent change passed by the Board of County Commissioners will result in the limit going away? I don’t! In fact, what I have come to understand is that the actions taken may strengthen the four-story maximum height limit by removing the possibility of legal challenges to it.

What I now appreciate as a City Commissioner is how one action can have the opposite effect from what was intended. Trying to apply a universal rule is quite difficult, especially when it comes to land use or zoning. I believe it is much better to approach each application individually. Unfortunately, there needs to be some “as-of-right” development and zoning so that there is not a bottleneck every time a house is to be built or a business is to be opened. “As-of-right” development is development which is in compliance with all regulations and, therefore, does not need any discretionary action for approval.

We can shape zoning and neighborhoods by the liberal use of neighborhood overlays. I have been working with the new City Manager regarding having neighborhood meetings so that the City can narrowly focus on what residents want within distinct boundaries. In the immediate, and I would say long term future, it is important that we preserve our residential home areas and for the City to concentrate on commercial and multi-family development within our economic corridors such as Federal Highway and Kanner Highway.

We do need to grow larger and more diverse to maintain our vibrancy as a City. Our population ratio in comparison to Martin County’s will continue to diminish, which will make our long-term viability less and less sustainable. So much of the revenue the City receives is based on the percentage of Stuart’s population as compared with Martin County’s overall population. Our political clout as a City becomes less and less as the percentage of voters continues to decrease as a ratio of total voters in the County.

We can continue to enjoy our status as the most livable city on the Treasure Coast and thrive economically and politically. But nothing is done within isolation. Stuart, Martin County and our nation are going through a great period of technological change. Many people just want to return to the “good old days.” While much about the past should be remembered and revered, we should not be in fear of the future. If we want to actually maintain the best that we have, we will only ultimately do so by looking ahead.