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Commissioners continue Bent Creek PUD after residents and commissioners raise connectivity, park access concerns
Summary
The board continued action on Lennar’s Bent Creek PUD to Jan. 18 after lengthy debate over Peterson Road, public access to a proposed county park, drainage, and coordination with adjacent developments.
The St. Lucie County Commission on Nov. 15 continued consideration of the Bent Creek planned unit development and associated land‑use swap involving Lennar Communities, citing unresolved questions about local road connectivity, access to a 31‑acre public park site and drainage coordination with nearby projects.
County planning staff presented the land‑use changes and a proposed developer’s agreement for the adjacent commercial parcel. Don Quaso, representing the applicant, said the project comprises about 268.9 acres and proposed 722 detached single‑family homes in the Bent Creek PUD; staff later said the developer agreed to remove several lots and the project would include conveyance of a 31.2‑acre public park to the county.
Commissioners and many members of the public pressed the applicant on pedestrian and vehicle access to the park site, whether Peterson Road should be maintained or abandoned, the need for a grid street network to disperse traffic rather than concentrate it onto Hartman Road, and whether the park would be useable by the public if access required crossing a canal without an existing bridge. Commissioner Coward and others repeatedly asked about the missing link for Peterson Road and whether adjacent projects were coordinating right‑of‑way dedications; staff said a nearby developer under review would provide additional right‑of‑way and that a roughly 600‑foot missing link remained.
Engineer Michael Skor said the park’s large lake would not receive stormwater from Bent Creek; he and the applicant said the lake would be an amenity and provide additional regional storage to improve drainage. Lennar’s representative also said the project would pay an additional $490 per unit to the school district and $154 per unit to the fire district beyond ordinance amounts where applicable.
Several commissioners noted that the Planning & Zoning Commission had recommended denial at its earlier hearing and flagged concerns about abandoning Peterson Road and the overall street grid. After extended public comment and board discussion the applicant requested a continuance to Jan. 18 to address the issues; the board voted to continue the public hearing to the Jan. 18, 2005 meeting.
