[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,76,88,100,111],{"_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":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6227306,"mediaKeyId","3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62","parentId",3493727,"title","City manager outlines 2025 session changes that limit local land‑use authority and affect housing, fees and water policy","audioSeconds",1044,"startMs",2332000,"endMs",3376000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62&start=2332&end=3376","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62/thumbnail_2332000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6227306/Florida/City-manager-outlines-2025-session-changes-that-limit-local-landuse-authority-and-affect-housing-fees-and-water-policy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227306-ec5a38d2c167db579d61f4fd3367dc36/orig.mp4?Expires=1770490440&Signature=jzfRdNnBs1kUkWsczt4-wDxjgGZl9IyIh0hd0Pd5Em984gL9bElpzz5V8jYC2ZiQYZxF5Ej5uTWLh5bhjR98PcYRhnHPe1Q7cy1u8P2CIrZeFnJBGn8FWfJOnQVcX6mTO6Hrs-knhDH~W74b9o5-hOsmiG9zEhhDFAhfEuri8jYtkoPoIfmlBiu6PrVitD6b-KkyYB8Oh8N2VpWmzjVFpGBNX9~H4B682KBrvpqYkr0WSmOI-HgpVc-aIGMyVrDf0y1k2BhsZe48kODRN3HnrKxPb4HTi5JmvZmW4U2sPp0uNCHE5gzY1HCFFbRYz~5J2q3ez6~1YVhqaY9TZEzhVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Stuart, FL","date","2025-05-24T16:07:08.163Z","article","City Manager Mike Hogarth told the City of Stuart Commission on May 20 that several bills passed in the 2025 Florida Legislature will directly affect local permitting, affordable housing and post‑storm redevelopment, and he recommended city staff begin preparing to implement and respond to those changes.

Hogarth said the most consequential for the city is the emergency‑development bill (Senate Bill 180), which restricts local governments’ ability to adopt new land‑development or comprehensive‑plan ordinances or issue moratoria for as long as specified in the bill following certain hurricanes and, in one section (sec. 28), imposes a retroactive restriction tied to the 2024 named storms. “Section 18 restricts local governments from adopting new ordinances related to land development or comprehensive planning and or issuing a moratorium on development for 1 year after a hurricane has made landfall,” Hogarth told the commission, summarizing the statute’s language and its scope.

Hogarth reviewed a string of other enacted measures and their local effects: an expanded Live Local workforce‑housing package (SB 1730), which freezes development density and certain zoning limits to the July 1, 2023 baseline for qualifying affordable projects and requires administrative approval processes for some demolitions and plat approvals; changes to impact‑fee procedures that increase the vote threshold required to raise fees and require phased increases; a recovery‑residence bill (SB 954) that requires reasonable‑accommodation processes consistent with federal fair‑housing law; administrative approval mandates for plats (SP 784); and a fluoride ban in public water supplies tied to SB 700, which Hogarth said becomes effective July 1.

On Live Local and the affordable‑housing reforms, Hogarth cautioned that the law places new administrative requirements and potential legal exposure on cities. He said certain processes that had been public or legislative‑level decisions are now administrative, and he flagged a requirement that local governments must permit adjacent parcels to be included in Live Local projects regardless of underlying land‑use designations. The bill also, he said, requires a needs assessment before imposing moratoria and limits moratoria duration.

Hogarth warned that the emergency‑development bill is likely to be litigated and described the legislative outcome as an “overreach” that could limit local home‑rule authority. Commissioners discussed asking the governor to veto the emergency language; several commissioners asked staff to prepare a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis making the city’s objections known. Hogarth said staff will draft a letter for the mayor’s review; he cautioned that the governor cannot line‑item veto a text amendment and that the city’s request might not change the outcome, but he said he would place the request on the record.

Commissioners also asked staff to analyze practical steps for auditing Live Local projects that claim to reserve 40% of units as affordable, including defining utilities, unit sizing and monitoring compliance. Hogarth said staff have been preparing land‑use regulation agreement (LURA/LoRA) language to establish what must be provided and how rents and unit counts will be enforced.

No formal action was required on the briefing, but the commission gave direction to staff to draft an expedited letter to the governor expressing the commission’s concerns about the emergency‑development provisions and to begin internal work on Live Local implementation details.

Speakers quoted are from the City of Stuart meeting record and include the city manager and elected commissioners.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","05/12/2025 - Stuart City Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","City Manager Mike Hogarth told the City of Stuart Commission on May 20 that several bills passed in the 2025 Florida Legislature will directly affect local permitting, affordable housing and post‑storm redevelopment, and he recommended city staff begin preparing to implement and respond to those changes.","taxTitle","City of Stuart, Martin County, Florida","taxId",71255,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6227310,"FDOT proposes modern roundabout for US 1 at Southwest Palm City Road; commission asks for more public outreach",749,1048000,1797000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62&start=1048&end=1797","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62/thumbnail_1048000.jpg","/articles/6227310/Florida/FDOT-proposes-modern-roundabout-for-US1-at-Southwest-Palm-City-Road-commission-asks-for-more-public-outreach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227310-7fe0eb4b2107cc865f5d89c363877b06/orig.mp4?Expires=1770490440&Signature=WL7JCUPoBDbqK8NaGxci2Ow6g6OADuHd5gTxIBSUszI-ICRA8pFKyLqgYAIQaJ9RxkQBVpb8SXkMwKxrTcclvvmMDq8g1BeohwJhQOg-WDQTgl6SqNk3AQkkM5B8qo60AOGkBgLCagchcplxw0jC9MRWDfa72g5yD2SrerVoeMe9nKTzmjX6r0-tfqY4CNBIMA1xeUYcdNzFvfursFQ04OgbDlatx5qERvqr5vfRRsc7Ot7ojRh0UJWlb6gYvWewjZvs2r~e5w8u2eg8lEcW8-YMpiuVLFpXtdeGrbyGa8emmY6~cHIOGQho2THbveyUL94PQm1-F0otX-K0qw6WCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Florida Department of Transportation officials on May 20 presented a new modern‑roundabout concept for US 1 at Southwest Palm City Road to the City of Stuart Commission, saying the design would slow high‑speed southbound traffic and keep vehicles moving without new traffic signals.

The presentation matters because the intersection has shown a persistent free‑flow, high‑speed southbound approach that residents and planners say creates safety concerns. FDOT said the roundabout would also accommodate large delivery trucks and would require a small additional right‑of‑way on the southwest corner.

FDOT Project Development Manager Harissa Sosa told the commission the department reviewed the 2023 feasibility study’s recommended “alternative number 5” and rejected it after internal vetting, then developed the roundabout option now under consideration. “This is the southbound where the high speed issue is happening,” Sosa said, describing the segment with the free‑flow right movement. She said the department’s analysis shows the modern roundabout would produce level‑of‑service A for all approaches because traffic would not be stopped by signal phases.

Sosa described the concept as a custom, single‑lane roundabout with a mountable apron for trucks and additional features such as rumble strips, pedestrian crossings and a raised island. She said the only new right‑of‑way anticipated is on the intersection’s southwest corner to accommodate the geometry. Consultant Juan Calderon said FDOT reviewed the earlier TPO application and that the prior consultant did not properly submit an application to FDOT at the time, which limited DOT’s ability to vet the prior alternative.

Commissioners and staff recalled the project’s public process: a 2023 feasibility study that produced five alternatives, two well‑attended open houses (one in the commission chambers with about 80 attendees) and a strong public preference for alternative 5. Vice Mayor Collins and others pressed FDOT on why the department returned with a roundabout after the community had ranked the alternative. Sosa said the department and its safety, traffic operations and design teams had reservations about the 2023 alternative and developed the roundabout as a better operational and safety solution.

Multiple commissioners asked FDOT to host another public workshop so residents can compare the new concept with the earlier alternatives. “That’s why we’re bringing it here today,” Sosa said, adding FDOT will return for additional public involvement and presentations to MPO advisory committees as the design is refined.

No formal action or vote was taken; the presentation was received and commissioners asked staff and FDOT to provide the earlier alternatives and to schedule further community workshops so residents can review the new concept alongside alternatives from the feasibility study.

Why this matters locally: the proposed change would alter how traffic flows on a state‑owned road that directly affects city neighborhoods; it changes the project that local residents and the MPO had previously prioritized and shifts right‑of‑way needs to adjacent private property.

Speakers quoted in this article are drawn from the meeting record and include FDOT project staff and city officials.

","Florida Department of Transportation presented a new one‑lane‑each‑direction modern roundabout concept for US 1 at Southwest Palm City Road, saying it would slow high‑speed southbound traffic and provide better level‑of‑service than a previously recommended alternative. Commissioners pressed FDOT to return to residents with the revised plan.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6227290,"Commission approves minor PUD amendment to expand Martin County building department facility",591,6345000,6936000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62&start=6345&end=6936","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62/thumbnail_6345000.jpg","/articles/6227290/Florida/Commission-approves-minor-PUD-amendment-to-expand-Martin-County-building-department-facility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227290-6fd207e3c5bdd935f116615a5fdf4903/orig.mp4?Expires=1770490440&Signature=kLq2drMnGqMZw7s8WksONLWn--AU4Fk1tuuJSphg~0~W~JKhz1S~zGecTZJI0nTJ5qvKRdIwLB5df5zjkhY20YSRo8NtBsOfOJcbrM9cSzlAC6Xjt5Ma4uaawFp~G6LSaOQo6fqM~xpqfuiEis3K3QBUDz1ZddrlDLj5ul3H1eJ0FYPBiBa4nc~R6~vv-yY-YTbZxYM1XdGDnpcB4ZAddg3T9CIj6XTw5QGjKs9jQjsBUUoKqft0ek5k9aXWLXlv1WNeGjiZioHTTbASPNiTPuTxyJVozqATONUSYPeZuF2YkwZJECXVTfNSDh-R3Zz7R3GxzetGFaLT-zotcJJSGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Stuart Commission on May 20 approved Resolution No. 50‑2025, a minor PUD amendment that allows a 6,150‑square‑foot expansion of the Martin County Building Department facility on Willoughby Boulevard and Southeast Runkey Street and reduces the scale of previously approved later phases.

Planner Michelle Arvazal summarized staff’s review: the health‑department/public‑service PUD covers two parcels totaling about 15.19 acres; the building department sits on the eastern parcel (about 10.11 acres) and the proposed expansion will fit within the PUD’s impervious‑surface limits. The project adds 39 new parking spaces and proposes stormwater management inlets directing runoff to the site’s drainage areas. The city’s traffic analysis estimated roughly 39 additional daily trips from the addition and concluded no turn lanes are warranted.

Arvazal told the commission that the proposal would reduce the previously anticipated square footage of phases 2 and 3 and that the expansion will adhere to the city’s architectural standards. “Staff does find the proposed development to be consistent with the city's land development regulations and comprehensive plan,” she said.

Applicant Jeff Daugherty, speaking for the county building department, said the existing building was not originally constructed as a building‑department facility and needs redesigned space and resiliency features. “This will satisfy that. We'll have a generator, and we'll have full capability to stay there during the storm if needed,” Daugherty said, describing a Category‑4 facility standard and the department’s role in post‑storm damage assessment.

The commission approved the minor amendment by unanimous roll call. The approval was conditioned on the PUD amendment documentation; staff and the applicant acknowledged that any future desire to develop the original phase 2 or 3 work would require a major PUD amendment and separate review.

","The City of Stuart Commission approved a minor planned‑unit‑development amendment to allow a 6,150‑square‑foot expansion of the Martin County Building Department building, a reduction in previously planned future phases and added parking; staff found the project consistent with land‑development regulations.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6227296,"Stuart adds appeal process to trespass warnings after state law; public and commissioners press county for shelter options",0,9816000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62&start=9816&end=9816","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62/thumbnail_9816000.jpg","/articles/6227296/Florida/Stuart-adds-appeal-process-to-trespass-warnings-after-state-law-public-and-commissioners-press-county-for-shelter-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227296-c12c77616677699c1700e598cd3b93af/orig.mp4?Expires=1770490440&Signature=TNCwrWuewxvJ35MtCZ6craVEPOaguPi0ibw93SIJHuD2Pg6Xzgn-y2r61ewa5b4ZrM3wj6JAgCXQ18-grwunUsc6GVYbaj0uDL7BSSaKBu9B~kWA1SA91MavnRa7JCh07WzzD~GbUBlM1UOamHSd505~UaMfW1CSc6k5p7LtW7A1tvTdgqIdv0Ml0a0~Pqq2FEpBiMzRh1Wo~xnMCVI1HjusS1Aq0AixOs6K-utw~G6wmvsHclD0Mh9lGHu3E79kDFhGTDG46mVsUyqm~Ow~keAhrDCR-yqZlTr6SH-sKctLF0Kxq~SLcOVnDAyRi5r01v2ZZfK7eosm7F3BwgS5uQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Stuart Commission on May 20 adopted an amendment to city code that adds a formal appeal process for trespass warnings issued for camping or sleeping on public property, a procedural change the city said was required by recent state law. The vote followed extensive public comment calling for housing‑first responses and more county‑level solutions.

City Attorney Ben Mortel and staff told the commission the change does not create new prohibitions: Stuart’s anti‑camping rules already existed in local code, but Florida Statutes §125.0231 and related case law require documented warnings and an opportunity for appeal before a criminal trespass prosecution in many circumstances. Under the amendment, an individual issued a written trespass warning will have 30 days to file an appeal; appeals will be scheduled before the city magistrate at the next available hearing date.

Mortel explained the practical purpose: “If two years from now we get sued because someone’s camping on a bench … and we have no written warnings, it’ll look like we’ve done nothing,” he said, describing the city’s need to document enforcement activity to limit civil exposure. City staff told the commission that in practice most encounters have been handled informally — officers ask people to leave and they generally comply — but documentation will now be created when a written trespass is issued.

Commissioners stressed that the ordinance does not substitute for social services. Public commenters, including Pastor Guy Calvert and representatives of Tent City Helpers, urged the commission and county to invest in shelter beds, day‑services and housing programs rather than rely on criminal enforcement. “Rounding people up and incarcerating them is not a solution to the problem,” said Zote Reese of Tent City Helpers during public comment.

The city’s legal update noted how the state law also contemplates a county role in designating temporary camping sites: counties may designate up to one‑year sites for sleeping/camping, but those designations require Department of Children and Families certification and must meet conditions (shelter bed availability, non‑residential adjacency and plans for services) before becoming effective.

The commission approved the ordinance on second reading by unanimous roll call. No new enforcement protocol beyond the written warning and appeal process was adopted at the meeting; commissioners said they want to work with Martin County and local service providers on options for shelter space and supportive services and asked staff to follow up.

","The City of Stuart adopted an amendment to its parks code to add a formal appeal process for trespass warnings after a state law made enforcement of camping/sleeping bans on public property enforceable; the change prompted extended public comment urging a housing‑first approach and more county coordination.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6227300,"Stuart commission backs 'Rescue the River of Grass' petition and selects environmental counsel",2225,7619000,9844000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62&start=7619&end=9844","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3493727-3375b9d4272f4013bb6aa0b9dae34a62/thumbnail_7619000.jpg","/articles/6227300/Florida/Stuart-commission-backs-Rescue-the-River-of-Grass-petition-and-selects-environmental-counsel","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227300-a0381e15d53f3591bb0bc64a78a1d4a0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770490440&Signature=HFE3ySCoWzwcL8r2Os2u7IOPts2nSpV8Lpd0uyVCsXzuqc~2v4usaxYl6SKBssz~9rhY49FEBg1irPRlUl3~txazp1LQV1LM5IqeU5UGZ-mDwYS09CB6c9vXnicdUQq39sClF-gU9yFrPFAW3pXCXihtURCSyQ-GhXwhN71O5yomIlKZbQr6UZjjy9M0h7dLBiIMKCEGQRSfo0oLO6vIuc78bidCERpJeGH~TtXDB~OXm6fkIBMADzqe8kdz44EjLR-HJ4pzqiKijwtH6g0P~krQL9wyadnYi2OUv9da-CxVB2EXv93DbGN~c9N3S7vjlpxEtCdq9VMeqXZj7mUvIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Stuart Commission voted on May 20 to support the Friends of the Everglades’ “Rescue the River of Grass” petition and to select an environmental attorney to represent the city on Everglades and river protection matters.

The resolution signals local government support for a campaign to secure land and stormwater treatment south of Lake Okeechobee so that polluted discharges can be reduced and clean water restored to the southern Everglades and coastal estuaries. The commission then voted to select an environmental attorney and directed staff to negotiate a contract.

Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, asked the commission to back a proposal developed by the group’s science and policy team to add substantial storage and treatment south of Lake Okeechobee. Samples said the additional infrastructure is intended to stop damaging discharges to the St. Lucie River and to send cleaned water south to Florida Bay and the Everglades. “We have about 20,000 signatures and dozens of organizations and businesses that have signed on,” Samples said, urging the commission to join the petition and help press the legislature to allocate land‑acquisition funds from Amendment 1 toward the project.

The resolution, introduced by Commissioner Clark and seconded by Commissioner Gioby, passed unanimously. The text calls on state decision‑makers to prioritize the acquisition and protection of land south of Lake Okeechobee for water storage and treatment and notes the economic and public‑health harms caused by repeated discharges.

Directly following the resolution, the commission considered hiring outside environmental counsel to advise the city on litigation and policy responses to discharges and water‑management decisions. The commission selected Ruth Holmes (motion by Vice Mayor Collins; second by Commissioner Reid) and directed staff to negotiate a contract for return to the commission. Public speakers and local advocates urged an attorney with experience in federal Clean Water Act and Everglades litigation and coalition building; speakers praised several candidates and urged the city to act quickly.

No litigation was authorized at the meeting; the vote authorized negotiating an engagement letter with the selected attorney and returning a contract for formal approval.

","The City of Stuart adopted a resolution supporting Friends of the Everglades' Rescue the River of Grass petition and unanimously selected environmental attorney Ruth Holmes to negotiate a contract to represent the city on Everglades and river protection matters.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City manager outlines 2025 session changes that limit local land‑use authority and affect housing, fees and water policy

FDOT proposes modern roundabout for US 1 at Southwest Palm City Road; commission asks for more public outreach

Commission approves minor PUD amendment to expand Martin County building department facility

Stuart adds appeal process to trespass warnings after state law; public and commissioners press county for shelter options

Stuart commission backs 'Rescue the River of Grass' petition and selects environmental counsel