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Board approves expansion of Waterside Community Development District boundaries after public hearing; 3-2 vote
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners adopted an ordinance amending the Waterside Community Development District boundary from about 179.9 acres to approximately 216.37 acres to match recent PUD amendments. The measure passed 3-2 after commissioners debated taxation, land use compatibility and assessment mechanics.
The Martin County Board of County Commissioners voted 3-2 June 17 to amend the Waterside Community Development District (CDD) boundary from roughly 179.9 acres to about 216.37 acres to align the district with recent amendments to the South Florida Gateway planned-unit development (PUD).
Staff presentation: Brian Elam, principal planner with Growth Management, told the board the petition by counsel Kutak Rock LLP sought to bring additional acreage into the Waterside CDD so the district boundary matched the expanded PUD. Elam said the petition complies with the statutory requirements in chapter 190 of the Florida Statutes for amending an existing CDD and recommended approval. “The proposed petition to amend the CDD will bring the additional acreage into the boundary of the CDD, making it consistent with the PUD,” he said.
Why it matters: A CDD is a special-purpose local government that can finance, build and maintain public infrastructure — stormwater, roads, utilities and amenities — inside its boundaries, paid by assessments on properties within the district rather than by all county taxpayers. Commissioners debated whether expansion increases local government and whether assessments could affect future owners.
Key debate: Several commissioners voiced concern about CDDs’ long-term assessment obligations and compatibility with surrounding agricultural land. Staff and the applicant said landowners inside the proposed expansion had consented to inclusion and that the district could levy assessments only on property within the CDD, not on countywide taxpayers. Commissioner Vargas explicitly asked whether the change would mean “double taxation”; staff answered assessments are levied only on included parcels and not on those outside the district.
Vote and outcome: After discussion, the board adopted the ordinance to amend the Waterside CDD boundaries. The motion passed 3-2 with Commissioners Vargas and Hurd recorded in dissent. Staff noted that any future expansion would require a separate amendment and public process.
Next steps: The county clerk will record the ordinance amendment and staff will update records to reflect the Waterside CDD’s expanded boundary. Any future assessment or bond issuance would follow statutory notice and hearing processes required for CDD financings.
