Commission approves two drive‑through restaurants for Martin Downs Village Center with major landscaping upgrades

The Martin County Board unanimously approved a revised final site plan April 8 that will add two standalone drive‑through restaurants to the Martin Downs Village Center and require a substantial landscape and circulation reconfiguration.

Brian Elam, principal planner with Growth Management, summarized the proposal: two standalone restaurants with drive‑thrus totaling about 4,678 square feet within the Village Center’s existing commercial envelope. The application was submitted by Insight Studio on behalf of Brixmor Property Group; staff found the plan complies with the PUD and relevant development standards.

Applicant Brian Terry of Insight Studio said the restaurants are infill that use under‑utilized parking areas and include three new median breaks on Martin Downs Boulevard to support site circulation. He and contractors presented elevations for the two tenants (Chipotle and Wendy’s) and a landscape package that proposes more than 170 shade trees, preservation of existing trees and more than 3,000 native shrubs, grasses and ground covers.

Commissioner comments focused on the quality and scale of landscaping and surface‑treatment upgrades. Commissioner Vargas pressed the applicant to use larger, more mature trees and asked the applicant to resurface and reseal the front parking area so the center’s look is uniform rather than patchwork; Brixmor’s representatives agreed to reseal and restripe the front lot and to meet the enhanced landscape specifications.

Public and commissioners praised the choice of tenants and the broader reinvestment in a key Palm City commercial corridor. Commissioner Heatherington moved and the board approved staff’s recommendation for the final site plan; the motion passed unanimously.

Next steps: applicant will proceed to construction permitting and coordinate with Public Works on the median breaks and with Planning on landscape and lighting details.