Martin County board reported to have approved first phase of nearly 2,000‑acre ranch development

The Martin County Board of County Commissioners approved the first phase of a roughly 2,000‑acre ranch development south of Canner and Bridge Road, podcast hosts said.

The project as reported would include two 18‑hole golf courses, golf cottages and supporting facilities; about 500 acres of agricultural land; a 196‑acre wetland preserve; and a 121‑acre wetland buffer preserve. The podcast said vote tallies and the names of motion makers were not specified in the recording.

Podcast hosts Mac and Courtney said the decision matters because the project combines large‑scale recreation, agricultural land and wetland protections on property that the county has been considering. That mix raises questions about land use, environmental safeguards and future county oversight as subsequent approvals and permits proceed.

According to the podcast, county officials also are continuing recruitment for the county attorney position. The county administrator has begun interviews and, the hosts said, will return a ranked list of final candidates to the board for consideration. The podcast did not include the administrator’s or candidates’ names.

The recording also noted that Martin County held the first of two required public hearings on the fiscal year 2025‑26 budget. The hosts said Florida law requires two hearings; the second hearing was announced for Sept. 23 at 5:05 p.m. The podcast did not provide details on proposed tax rates, department budget changes or specific line‑item amounts.

Less central items discussed on the podcast included community events: a Sept. 11 remembrance event at the Peter & Julie Cummings Library and a mention that Palm City’s Palm City Patio and Place, created by the Office of Community Development, is among the top three finalists in a statewide Great Places in Florida People’s Choice award; the hosts directed listeners to show‑note links for voting information.

What was not in the recording: the podcast did not include the text of the motion approving the ranch phase, any recorded votes, staff reports, environmental review documents, or the board’s formal agenda item numbers. The hosts reported the approvals and staff actions but did not quote board members or county staff directly during those segments.

Next steps reported on the podcast: the county administrator is expected to return the ranked list of county attorney finalists to the board, and the second budget hearing will take place Sept. 23 at 5:05 p.m., where the public may comment again on the FY 2025‑26 budget.

For residents seeking documentary confirmation of board actions, the county’s posted minutes and the official agenda packet are the formal records; the podcast is a secondary report of those items.