City staff presented proposed revisions to the City of Port St. Lucie engineering standards for land development during the Aug. 4 council workshop, describing updates to technical specifications, permit timelines and inspection requirements. The presentation by Clyde Coffey, Public Works, outlined broad changes intended to formalize existing practice and add standards the department said are needed to reflect current construction and safety expectations.

Coffey said the previous engineering standards date from 2020 and the update clarifies and documents requirements staff already enforces in some form. Key changes staff highlighted include: clarified requirements for right‑of‑way permits and working in city drainage and road rights of way; updated references to FDOT and FDEP manuals; directional bore and easement use clarifications; updated stormwater criteria including TMDL and BMAP goals; allowance for double‑walled polypropylene piping; clarified minimum distances for gated entries; and requirements on medians (any four‑lane or 45 mph‑design roadway would require a median).

The draft revises roadway network requirements to require new development to connect to existing road stub outs and extend new roads to parcel boundaries to increase connectivity. Pavement design updates include adjustments to asphalt base and subgrade thickness requirements plus a minimum structural number for temporary parking lots. Sidewalk standards clarify minimum widths adjacent to curb or edge of pavement, minimum thickness criteria near driveways, and the placement and tooling of transverse joints; staff also specified detectable‑warning requirements for curb ramps and hot‑mix asphalt restoration procedures.

Signal and signage sections were updated to reference FDOT standards and add technical requirements: temporary span wire assemblies, signal cabinet and head specifications, traffic monitoring camera standards, and a defined flashing yellow arrow for permissive/protected left turns. Staff confirmed new signal work for developments must include preemption specifications so city emergency preemption is not a later retrofit cost.

Other administrative and process changes include raising the expiration for an inactive clearing or site‑work permit from six months to one year, clarifying performance and maintenance guarantee requirements for work in the right of way, requiring third‑party verification for signed survey authenticity, and clarifying minimum temporary pipe installation and associated rejection fees if not installed.

Council members sought clarification about whether the new requirements would be retroactive to projects already under construction; Coffey said the changes would apply to new developers going forward and would not be retroactive. Members also pressed staff on driveway pavement materials (staff said gravel is not permitted for primary residential driveways; some secondary/grass drives may be allowed under limited circumstances), and asked for improved communications to applicants and consultants on submittal expectations; one council member suggested instructional materials or videos to reduce back‑and‑forth on shop drawing quality.

No formal action was taken; staff said additional public workshops are scheduled (Aug. 19) and the engineering standards item will return to council after further review and public comment.