Official Website for the City of Port St. Lucie , Florida	Link Policy | Disclaimer

Public Meetings / PSL TV 20

January, 2007 1) Two major water and sewer facilities begin successful operation January 8, 2007 At approximately 9:00 AM today, the City’s new Northport Wastewater Booster Pumping Station, located on the site of the Northport Wastewater Treatment Plant, was successfully placed into service. Since the start up, wastewater flowing to the site that would normally have been treated at the Northport Wastewater Treatment Plant, has bypassed the aging treatment facility. From this point on, those wastewater flows will be pumped approximately 6½ miles west for treatment at the City’s new Glades Wastewater Treatment Plant. According to Utility Systems Director, Jesus Merejo, “The start up went well - everything happened right on cue.” Reiterating the fact that this event is a milestone in the City’s history, Merejo said, “Now we can actively start the process that will lead to decommissioning the Northport Wastewater Treatment Plant.” Originally built by General Development Utilities to serve homes in areas their sister organization, General Development Corporation, wanted to develop, certain components of the Northport Wastewater Treatment Plant date back to the 1950’s. The Northport plant has been expanded and improved several times in order to keep pace with increased flows caused by an ever growing number of new customer connections, but the fact remained that it is located in the middle of residential neighborhoods, and has caused an inconvenience to those neighbors. Merejo said, “The past and current City Councils should be commended for supporting the Utility’s strategic planning process and for approving a Capital Improvement Program that has led us to being able to relocate this treatment facility. This is truly a monumental day in the City’s history!” Referring also to today’s successful start up of the City’s $35 million Glades Wastewater Treatment Plant that has been constructed in a remote part of the City, Merejo said, “Never before in this Utility’s history have we placed two major facilities in service on the same day like we have today. Recognition must certainly be given to the efforts of all of the wastewater treatment personnel who have worked diligently to keep the old Northport treatment process going while at the same time, they’ve been training to operate the new Glades plant and the new booster pumping station.” The new Glades Wastewater Treatment Plant opened with the ability to treat up to 6 million gallons of raw sewage per day and it will also produce reuse irrigation quality water. 2) City Council Capsules for Jan. 8th January 9, 2007 At their January 8 meeting, the Port St. Lucie City Council:Approved A plan for construction of 12,000 square feet of retail space at the north end of the Eastport Shopping Center at Walton Road and U.S. 1. Approved a plan for construction of 53,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space on St. Lucie West Boulevard between Peacock Boulevard and Courtyard Circle. Accepted a $4.5 million check from the South Florida Water Management District as a grant for treating drinking water at the James E. Anderson treatment plant. Approved a plan for construction of 176,000 square feet of retail, office and restaurant space and 301 residential units near Village Green Dive and Walton Road. Approved a plan for a seven-story condominium and clubhouse at the Ballantrae Country Club. Changed the name of  “occupational tax receipts”  in the city code to “local business tax” to comply with Florida law. Rezoned 859 acres to allow for a residential development west of Gilson Road along both sides of Becker Road. Rezoned 18 acres west of Lennard Road, south of Blossom Road to allow for a residential development. Authorized city staff to apply for permits from the South Florida Water Management District to dredge the Coral Reef and other waterways. Authorized city staff to begin negotiating with Waste Pro to determine what garbage rates will be if collected on the city tax roll. 3) City talk show features botanical garden January 11,2007 This week’s episode of “PSLiving” will include: Councilman Chris Cooper talking about a plan to create a botanical garden on city-owned property along the St. Lucie River. A review of the January 8 City Council meeting. Interview with the Police Department’s Volunteer Coordinator about the success of the volunteer program. Review of upcoming events. “PSLiving” is the city’s award-winning weekly TV magazine show which includes a short recap of the most recent City Council meeting, updates on city programs, interviews with community leaders, a special event calendar and more. “PSLiving” is shown everyday at 6 a.m., Noon, and 6 p.m. A new episode debuts every Thursday at 6 p.m. “PSLiving” earned an Award of Distinction from the Treasure Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association during their 2006 Image Awards competition. “PSLiving” is broadcast to Port St. Lucie citizens on the city’s government cable TV channel, PSL-TV20. The channel is available to customers of Adelphia (Comcast) and Hometown Cable Plus. PSL-TV20 earned the city manager’s 2006 Significant Achievement Award in December. For a complete schedule of programs on PSL-TV20. 4) Traffic signals out at Morningside and Port St. Lucie Boulevards January 12, 2007 The traffic signal lights at Port St. Lucie and Morningside Boulevards was knocked out of service this afternoon by a crew installing underground cables in the area. Police officers will be directing traffic in the intersection throughout rush hour today until the problem is resolved. City traffic engineers are working to restore the signals, but urge caution by all drivers. 5) City talk show features crime stoppers playing cards January 17, 2007 This week’s episode of “PSLiving” includes: A special plan by Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers to help with unsolved homicides and missing persons cases. Health tips for the new year from Martin Memorial Hospital. Interview with a police officer about changes to the city’s noise ordinance. A wrap up of the most recent City Council actions. A review of upcoming events. “PSLiving” is the city’s award-winning weekly TV magazine show which includes a short recap of the most recent City Council meeting, updates on city programs, interviews with community leaders, a special event calendar and more. “PSLiving” is shown everyday at 6 a.m., Noon, and 6 p.m. A new episode debuts every Thursday at 6 p.m. “PSLiving” earned an Award of Distinction from the Treasure Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association during their 2006 Image Awards competition. “PSLiving” is broadcast to Port St. Lucie citizens on the city’s government cable TV channel, PSL-TV20. The channel is available to customers of Adelphia (Comcast) and Hometown Cable Plus. PSL-TV20 earned the city manager’s 2006 Significant Achievement Award. For a complete schedule of programs on PSL-TV20, visit the city’s website at www.cityofpsl.com 6) Council Capsules, January 17, 2007 January 17,2007 At their January 16 meetings, the Port St. Lucie City Council: ·   Approved a plan for a Lowe’s hardware store at the northeast corner of St. Lucie West and Cashmere Blvds. ·   Directed city staff to prepare an agreement with St. Lucie County officials on the widening of Midway Road. ·   Agreed to the appointment of Councilwoman Linda Bartz to the St. Lucie County Sustainability Advisory Ad Hoc Committee. 7) Council meets with Workforce Housing Group January 18,2007 The Port St. Lucie City Council met Wednesday with the Workforce Housing Group to examine the issue of housing prices in the city. The group explained to the Council that for the first time in the city’s 45-year history, the city is facing a shortage of affordable housing for average wage earners such as teachers, firefighters, nurses and salespeople. It was the first of a few meetings the Council will hold to look for ways the city can influence the housing market so that ordinary wage earners will have housing available as property values increase. The Council will use information from the series of meetings to draw up a workforce housing plan at their two-day planning session in the summer. 8) City Council’s affordable housing meeting to air on PSL-TV20 January 19, 2007 The Port St. Lucie City Council’s public workshop on workforce housing will air on PSL-TV20 at the following times: · Friday, January 19 at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. · Saturday, January 20 at 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., and at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. · Sunday, January 21 at 2:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., and at 4 a.m. and 4 p.m., and again at 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. At the workshop, a Workforce Housing Group explained to the Council that for the first time in the city’s 45-year history, the city is facing a shortage of affordable housing for the average wage earner. It was the first of a few workshops the Council will hold to look for ways the city can influence the housing market so that middle and low-income wage earners will have housing available as property values increase. The Council will use information from the series of workshops to draw up a workforce housing plan at their two-day planning session in the summer. PSL-TV20 is the city’s government access cable TV channel. It is available to residents of Port St. Lucie who are customers of Adelphia (Comcast) or Hometown Cable Plus. For a complete schedule of programs on PSL-TV20. 9) City Council Capsules, January 22, 2007 January 23, 2007 At their January 22 meeting, the Port St. Lucie City Council: · Authorized a series of financial transactions that will allow construction to begin on a four-story, 100,000 square foot building for the Torrey Pines Institute for molecular studies. · Approved a plan that details the layout of a shopping center at the southeast corner of Port St. Lucie and Westmoreland boulevards. · Rezoned 18 acres on the west side of Lennard Road, south of Blossom Road to allow for a housing development known as Grove Park. · Rezoned five acres at the southeast corner of the Florida Turnpike and Becker Road to allow for general commercial uses. · Rezoned 859 acres between the Turnpike and Gilson Road, on both sides of Becker Road, to allow for a housing development known as Veranda. · Postponed a hearing about a deferred retirement plan for city police officers. · Approved an agreement with the St. Lucie County School District that will allow shared use of city-owned land outside Manatee Elementary. The agreement will allow the school to reconfigure its driveway area to improve safety, but will keep the land available for some public activities. · Delayed until February a hearing on the Western Grove application for development approval. · Agreed to a proposal urging the Florida Legislature to support laws that will improve the effectiveness of municipal government. · Delayed until February 26 a discussion about speed limits and traffic controls on Sagamore Terrace between Airoso Boulevard and Lagoon Lane. At their joint meeting with the St. Lucie County Commission earlier Monday, the Council discussed the need for the city and county to work together when planning major development projects that affect large areas. The Council also directed the city’s Utilities Department to prepare a presentation about a proposal to sell water to the county for use at a chemical plant outside city limits. 10) City to auction eight surplus properties January 23, 2007 Did you miss the last Port St. Lucie lot auction? The City of Port St. Lucie has eight properties that will be auctioned to the highest bidder, regardless of price, on Saturday, February 10 at 10 a.m. The auction will take place at 1650 S.W. Edinburgh Drive, which is one of the houses that will be sold. All properties will be auctioned from this location. Karlin Daniel & Associates of Stuart will conduct the auction. Six of the properties are single family homes and two are vacant residential lots. The majority of the properties were acquired in preparation for construction of the new I-95/Becker Road interchange but were later determined to be unneeded for the project. Some of the homes have roof and/or interior damage from hurricanes and need renovations. The properties to be auctioned are: Click here 11) City/County meeting to air on PSL-TV20 January 24, 2007 The joint meeting of the Port St. Lucie City Council and the St. Lucie County Commission will air this week on the city’s government access cable channel, PSL-TV20. At the meeting, the Council and Commission discussed the need for the city and county to work together when planning major development projects that affect each others’ jurisdictions. The City Council also asked the County for updates on various projects affecting the city and directed the city’s Utilities Department to prepare a presentation about a proposal to sell water to the county for use at a chemical plant outside city limits. The two governing bodies also agreed to meet three times a year to continue finding ways for the city and county to work together on long-term development issues. The meeting can be seen on PSL-TV20 on Thursday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 8:30 p.m. For more details on City Council decisions, check the city’s Web page at www.cityofpsl.com. 12) City Council’s two-day planning session to air on PSL-TV20 January 29, 2007 The Port St. Lucie City Council’s annual two-day planning retreat —scheduled for Wednesday, January 31 and Thursday, February 1 —will air on the city’s government access channel each evening after the meetings, and again on the weekend. At the meetings, the Council will hear reports from each city department director detailing the goals and challenges their departments face in the upcoming year, and updates on the many projects and programs taking place citywide. The public meetings will take place from 8:30 to 5 p.m. each day at the Community Center on Airoso Boulevard, across from City Hall. The broadcast date and times are: click here 13) Longtime residents tell their memories on ‘PSL Oral History’ January 29, 2007 Residents who have been a part of daily life in Port St. Lucie for decades will share their memories of the city and Treasure Coast on a new PSL TV20 program, “PSL Oral Histories.” The program came about as part of the Port St. Lucie Historical Society’s oral history project, which is creating an archive of video memories from people who witnessed the early days of the city first-hand. The first episode of the on-going project includes Former PSL Mayor Bob Minsky and others discussing changes they have seen in the city, some of the things they liked and disliked throughout the years, and what attracted them to Port St. Lucie in the beginning. The debut episode will air on the following dates and times: · Monday, January 29 —7 a.m. and 7 p.m. · Tuesday, January 30 —3 a.m. and 11 p.m. · Wednesday, January 31 —11 a.m. · Thursday, February 1 —3 a.m., 7 a.m., 3 p.m. · Friday, February 2 —10 p.m. · Saturday, February 3 —9 p.m. · Sunday, February 4 —3 p.m. and 8 p.m. PSL-TV20 is available within city limits to customers of Adelphia (Comcast) and Hometown Cable Plus. PSL-TV20 earned the city manager’s 2006 Significant Achievement Award. For a complete schedule of programs on PSL-TV20, click on the link in the right-hand column. For more information about the Historical Society, visit their Web site at http://portstluciehistoricalsociety.org 14) New TV20 program features Mayor Christensen January 30, 2007 Port St. Lucie’s new monthly television program, “From the Mayor’s Office,” debuts next week on the city’s government access TV channel, PSLTV-20. The new program features Mayor Patricia Christensen discussing important issues with local leaders and giving the latest updates on city projects and events. The first episode includes a conversation with Donna Rhoden, public information manager at the Utilities Department, about the successful startups of the Glades Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Northport master pump station. The startups will allow plans for the decommissioning of the Northport Wastewater Treatment to move forward. Other segments of the show include an update on road projects, and an interview by Communication Director Wayne Larson, asking the Mayor about her plans for 2007. “From the Mayor’s Office” will be broadcast to Port St. Lucie citizens on the city’s government cable TV channel, PSL-TV20. The channel is available to customers of Adelphia (Comcast) and Hometown Cable Plus. PSL-TV20 earned the city manager’s 2006 Significant Achievement Award. The debut episode will air on the following dates and times: · Tuesday, January 30 —10 p.m. · Wednesday, January 31 —3 a.m., 7 a.m., and 3 p.m. · Friday, February 2 —3.a.m., 7 a.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. · Saturday, February 3 —8 p.m. · Sunday, February 4 —2 p.m., 7 p.m. 15) City Center Green Market closes during demolition January 30, 2007 Port St. Lucie’s Green Market at the old Village Green Shopping Center will be closed for the rest of the season because of demolition and construction at the market’s outdoor location. The Green Market opened with a large and enthusiastic crowd last January. Mirroring the local growing season, the market closed when summer began and there was little local produce to be harvested. It resumed again in the fall, however the demolition work, noise and associated traffic this time created more inconvenience than expected, and the Green Market’s management decided to shut down operations effective immediately. The city expects the Green Market to re-open in the fall, when the demolition process has been completed. However, construction on the underground utilities, the Civic Center and the city’s future downtown will be well under way by then, and other interruptions and relocations may occur. The city apologizes for any inconvenience and asks for the public’s patience with this unexpected closing, as well as with the many worthwhile changes that are bringing new business and social opportunities to the east side of Port St. Lucie and the Community Redevelopment Area. For more information about the Green Market, call (772) 465-5658.