[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6286368,"mediaKeyId","2560753-742195868459490ac3a6dc9da67e172c","parentId",2560753,"title","Commissioners approve FDOT grant application and mosquito grant amendment; confirm Environmental Lands Oversight Committee appointees","audioSeconds",108,"startMs",2989000,"endMs",3097000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2560753-742195868459490ac3a6dc9da67e172c&start=2989&end=3097","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2560753-742195868459490ac3a6dc9da67e172c/thumbnail_2989000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6286368/Martin-County/Florida/Commissioners-approve-FDOT-grant-application-and-mosquito-grant-amendment-confirm-Environmental-Lands-Oversight-Committee-appointees","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286368-73b855423f515a1e9c9f722fd161c0fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067922&Signature=O22H9vBfyWmtSt5sYBrgnn1Zn8t3cFDrVHwCTdnfokRFZP2lz5kJG6NH2tfBLyN7Nb8Dv5obv2Cw4kg5FkkaH6ke3FFGioJFwMBa312~dXDrGXCQhcJw5ZiJIMfEr4i9kP~o0v8udYDuHPTB7n3DWywlZz0422nD1dfI~UyBy-COVT-~es7GOtOzgBAwqRqa8LvkVRZAIdPSRtOfjXDOD1xfAothO4AmROz0GBdkEpWf8XXuK4ZFW1vAKdb2IJpGG8s9NK9my4-oDI-UtRjwmq9I1IpJU9sWUb6eSByV4xXYqrUztNzfa9dLzngBGnk4VQ4XJ8hG80fxJB9lERoB2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Martin County, FL","date","2025-03-11T15:55:46Z","article","The Martin County Board of County Commissioners on March 11 approved two Office of Management and Budget items and confirmed the inaugural Environmental Lands Oversight Committee membership.

Stephanie Murley, Office of Management and Budget director, asked the board for permission to apply for a Florida Department of Transportation Local Road Safety Program grant to fund safety improvements at five FEC railroad grade crossings on Southeast Dixie Highway. The requested grant would be $3,200,000 with a county match of $300,000 to be programmed from the county roads capital improvement plan.

Murley also asked the board to accept Amendment No. 1 to the mosquito-control agreement from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which reduces the grant award by $6,185.56; Murley said the required 20% local match will be reduced accordingly. Commission approval for both items passed unanimously.

Growth Management and public-works staff then presented a slate of nominees to serve on the newly formed Environmental Lands Oversight Committee; commissioners praised the applicant pool and unanimously approved the appointments so the committee can begin meetings within the next month.

Earlier in the meeting the board had approved the consent agenda and the full meeting agenda by unanimous votes; staff noted the consent agenda covered routine expenditures and departmental items filed for board approval.

The FDOT grant application clears the county to pursue funding for signal and crossing-safety improvements; Murley said the county will program the $300,000 local match in the roads CIP if the grant award is made. The mosquito-control amendment reflects a small statewide funding adjustment and does not change local program scope, staff said.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Martin County Board of Commissioners Meeting - Morning - March 11, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board authorized staff to apply for an FDOT Local Road Safety Program grant for Southeast Dixie Highway signal improvements, accepted a small mosquito-control grant amendment, and approved the inaugural Environmental Lands Oversight Committee roster.","taxTitle","Martin County, Florida","taxId",12775,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6286373,"Commissioners continue comprehensive plan amendments after debate over shoreline protections and resiliency language",2505,3265000,5770000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2560753-742195868459490ac3a6dc9da67e172c&start=3265&end=5770","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2560753-742195868459490ac3a6dc9da67e172c/thumbnail_3265000.jpg","/articles/6286373/Martin-County/Florida/Commissioners-continue-comprehensive-plan-amendments-after-debate-over-shoreline-protections-and-resiliency-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286373-efd3f5c42547f4f5d0db89c95af7db50/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067922&Signature=mXK-415RwJK-yA9RupwFd5gtOVbm0jlB0vUKoXASu5eJOFvaFvF5Nj3cQqtTTRoA5H1ZcG~IFKrA-aAOv70OKXrcyXFDoD3i1o8cjcrBQ1iNzTGz0Y~N3pxhOVmSP-3wTS49AtuGPcErRbKzp~XF6djKWtWdn8vPSydosVZymrMibjV0naWlASWf25ObA8DDeTo7MzQ5oWfcGzzl9BnoqJ7u7iTc5K3bV5TXEdsoQ858dmMMlD5NCFA9WARF0cLKB-7wN5Ne7GTyBgxOvzmPiAsluX5LdaedjR3-nI4XeyMXkFHR0CQO30~mQC0oyP4pTs~NZC4dAOLK5kFi7DlJHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Martin County Board of County Commissioners on March 11 continued two linked comprehensive-plan amendments — CPA 24-02 (chapter 2 overall goals and definitions) and CPA 24-08 (coastal management element) — to a March 25 public hearing after extensive discussion about shoreline protection language and how the county will handle storm-damaged shorelines and pre-1982 platted preservation areas.

County planners said the updates are part of the state-required evaluation and appraisal report (EAR) process that occurs every seven years. Senior planner Jenna Nobby told commissioners some changes were required by Florida statute, including lengthening the planning horizon from 15 to 20 years consistent with section 163.31775(a), and adding cross-references and a new resiliency objective tied to the coastal element.

Clyde Doolin, representing growth management staff, said the chapter amendments do not change the urban service boundary, the county’s four-story height limit, or protections for wildlife and wetlands, but added the changes were necessary to remain consistent with state law and with chapters 8 and 9.

A major focus of public and board discussion was language in chapter 8 affecting shoreline protection zones (SPZs). Commissioners and staff reviewed how the county treats lots platted before April 1, 1982: pre-1982 lots of record generally have an enforced 25-foot shoreline protection zone for lots of an acre or less, while other policies across the years have created 50- and 75-foot SPZs in different circumstances.

Environmental resource engineer Amy Eason and environmental administrator Daryl De Lueb clarified the county’s approach to shoreline restoration after storms. Eason said the county prefers living shorelines — mangroves and littoral plantings — but in extreme storm events the plan allows for shoreline-hardening permits if an applicant supplies an engineering analysis showing living restoration is infeasible. De Lueb explained that some plats approved in the late 1970s specifically dedicated preservation or shoreline-protection areas; staff’s proposed language makes clear the county will honor those vested plat dedications.

Commissioners pressed staff on how the 25-, 50- and 75-foot SPZ standards arose and whether the plan changes would weaken protections. Staff said several provisions were adopted in earlier plan amendments and the county’s Land Development Regulations implement many of the details; county counsel, Elise Elder, said the intent was to reinforce and clarify protection for platted preservation areas rather than to erode protections.

After public comment and commissioner debate, the board voted to continue CPA 24-02 to March 25 at 9 a.m. unanimously. On the coastal management element (CPA 24-08) the board voted to continue the item by a 4–1 margin, with Commissioner Hetherington dissenting.

Staff said they will finalize a vulnerability assessment and adaptation plan later this year; planners and commissioners asked staff to provide clearer historical background on the origin of SPZ widths and the analysis supporting those standards ahead of final action.

The continuances mean no comprehensive-plan amendments were adopted March 11; staff recommended the March 25 continuation so the board could consider coordinated, chapter-spanning changes and any remaining state ORC suggestions.","The board continued two items in the county’s seven-year comprehensive plan update — a chapter 2 definitions amendment and chapter 8 coastal management changes — after extended discussion on shoreline protection zones, living shorelines and pre-1982 plat protections.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6286377,"Martin County commissioners vote against creating railroad quiet zones after safety debate",3795,6852000,10647000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2560753-742195868459490ac3a6dc9da67e172c&start=6852&end=10647","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2560753-742195868459490ac3a6dc9da67e172c/thumbnail_6852000.jpg","/articles/6286377/Martin-County/Florida/Martin-County-commissioners-vote-against-creating-railroad-quiet-zones-after-safety-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286377-386e07f35d7b7db9ec910ebdd76486fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775067922&Signature=XmavQVzhnEyzfE~~Wq07YxfLCzFA~t8zV32NJh4Mdv7uVyC3vsyk1hiW3wuhbTX7usFAvLOmA9gA-2bzA46NaKBnu1TkJ3zypXNw3kJAEh6t~jh~wrCee9Zh6wSmkAysEbRcYl650rJORIOBZ5w4b9z9A9FUQTq9r3SfrkCzLlUgRU3xzr9z4xPjsXuZNO-wBk63vAAkAGQ1MciYUyjQ8bwFqoUTAUBeIccYvaekJJKDl4nRDtFJKDdhv6pyNU3RdEpTx-5IO-KinJaI1yB1ij4HJyp3VSUkw0d7VLMKXRzEjxG07MhC-WSiI42pdq4Ot3Y5y8NaO6Ql7NLEsDKUEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Martin County commissioners voted unanimously March 11 to decline establishing railroad quiet zones along the Florida East Coast (FEC) rail corridor after a lengthy staff presentation, technical testimony and public comment.

The board’s decision came after Assistant County Engineer Matt Hammond and railroad safety expert George Cabala reviewed federal rules and local crossing data and recommended the county weigh safety, legal exposure and interagency coordination before pursuing any quiet-zone application. Hammond said the county had paused a year after Brightline began commercial operations to assess the corridor and the safety implications.

“Quiet zones are a partnership between the public authority and the Federal Railroad Administration,” Hammond told the board, describing the FRA’s methodology for measuring a corridor’s risk and the two routes to qualify: self-designation when very specific supplemental safety measures are already installed, or a full Federal Railroad Administration application for alternative safety measures.

Cabala, who worked in the FRA’s safety office during formation of the current quiet-zone rules, reviewed historical data and cautioned commissioners about safety tradeoffs. He said the FRA found accident rates rose after ad hoc quiet zones were created in the 1980s and that the current regulations require measurable safety offsets such as four-quadrant gates or median treatments.

Public commenters urged both sides. Doug Farley, a former fire-service member, asked the board to adopt quiet zones, saying, “Horns are ineffective” and arguing four-quadrant gates provide better visual cues for drivers and emergency crews. Other residents and some commissioners warned that faster trains, limited visual cues and an uptick in incidents since Brightline began service argue for caution.

Deputy County Attorney Elise Elder told the board quiet zones reduce some federal preemption defenses but do not eliminate legal risk, noting a jurisdiction could face liability if local safety measures malfunction and contribute to an incident.

County staff presented counts and impacts: roughly 12,000 residential properties (about 25,000 residents) lie within a half-mile of the corridor where horns are sounded, and about 27,000 properties (roughly 60,000 residents) are within a mile. Staff highlighted crossings with the highest risk-index scores, including Jensen Beach Boulevard, Colorado Avenue, downtown Stuart crossings and Monterey Road.

Commissioners debated options including a countywide 24-hour quiet zone, a nighttime-only quiet zone (10 p.m.–7 a.m.), and narrower pilot zones (for example, two Jensen Beach crossings or five crossings in the Hobe Sound corridor). Hammond said several local crossings already had upgrades required by the Brightline settlement; for others, staff’s informal FRA and FDOT discussions identified mostly signage and pavement-marking updates as near-term work to meet federal standards.

After discussion, Commissioner Capps moved that the county not adopt quiet zones; the motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

The board directed staff to continue implementing targeted crossing-safety improvements being studied by public works and to coordinate with adjacent jurisdictions on any future corridor-wide proposals.

Commissioners also discussed funding possibilities and timing; staff said quiet-zone implementation costs vary widely and that federal grants typically are not available specifically for quiet-zone measures, although other federal safety grant programs may sometimes be used for grade-crossing safety work.

The county’s immediate next steps are to pursue recommended crossing upgrades (signage, pavement markings and fencing) and to pursue interlocal coordination with neighboring jurisdictions if the board revisits a quiet-zone application later.","After an extended presentation and public comment, the Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to decline establishing railroad quiet zones countywide or in specific high-speed corridors, citing public-safety, legal and coordination concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commissioners approve FDOT grant application and mosquito grant amendment; confirm Environmental Lands Oversight Committee appointees

Commissioners continue comprehensive plan amendments after debate over shoreline protections and resiliency language

Martin County commissioners vote against creating railroad quiet zones after safety debate