Mayor Martin's Letter to Residents

Published on September 12, 2024

Dear Residents of Port St. Lucie,

I am writing to inform you about recent developments that are critical to the future of our city and its residents. As you may be aware, Port St. Lucie has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, which is the result of development rights that were granted more than 20 years ago. Our City Council and staff have been working diligently to manage this growth responsibly and to ensure that our community continues to thrive.

Recently, on August 6th, City staff attended the St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners’ transmittal hearing for two of their comprehensive plan amendments that we have been closely monitoring. The county’s comprehensive plan is its guiding document for managing future growth. These proposed amendments involve new developments that would add nearly 2,000 new units (homes) to unincorporated St. Lucie County, bordering our community in Tradition and St. Lucie West. The potential impact of these developments on our city's transportation network is significant, and the City Council and city staff have serious concerns that the proposed remedies to lessen these impacts are not adequate.

During the hearing, our city staff, including our Vice Mayor, on my behalf, expressed these concerns to the St. Lucie County Commissioners. We requested that the commissioners postpone the items until we are able to negotiate with the developers to ensure that the necessary infrastructure, such as roads and sidewalks, would be provided to accommodate the increased growth and that impacts on the City’s infrastructure would be minimized as much as possible.

Despite our efforts and the support of one Commissioner who recognized the value of further dialogue, the County Commissioners proceeded to submit the items to the state of Florida with a 4-1 vote. This decision was made without recognizing and understanding the City’s concerns regarding the impact on our roadway system. Consequently, the comprehensive plan amendment has been sent to the state for review without satisfying the City's concerns.

I want to assure you that the City of Port St. Lucie will continue to monitor these applications closely and work diligently towards ensuring that new developments do not create significant adverse impacts on our community. The City Council and I are committed to doing everything possible to manage the impacts on our infrastructure and quality of life.

The City of Port St. Lucie comprises 65% of St. Lucie County's population. As taxpayers and residents, your voices are crucial in shaping the future growth of our community. Your participation is vital to ensuring that Port St. Lucie remains a great place to live, work, and play.

We need you to help us voice our concerns to St. Lucie County. Please register to stay informed about upcoming meetings on this topic, where you can attend, or prepare a written statement to the County Commissioners to let them know that the residents of the City expect developers to pay for their impacts. Please sign up for notifications at link.cityofpsl.com/Informedpsl or scan the QR code below.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Together, we will continue to shape a resilient and prosperous Port St. Lucie.

Sincerely,

Shannon M. Martin
Mayor