Port St. Lucie council approves land-use changes, code updates and property acquisitions; multiple ordinances and resolutions pass Jan. 13

Port St. Lucie City Council on Jan. 13 approved a package of land-use ordinances, code updates, plats and property acquisitions, including second readings of several ordinances, first readings on others, and four resolutions authorizing property transactions.

Nut graf: Dozens of items on the agenda moved forward by voice vote or motion, including comprehensive-plan and PUD amendments for a Morningside Boulevard property, a new mobile food-truck chapter to the municipal code, a new boating-safety chapter, a land conveyance to the St. Lucie County School Board and multiple property-acquisition resolutions tied to city projects.

Key votes (at-a-glance):

- Ordinance 24-78 (second reading): Small-scale amendment to the Future Land Use Map to change about 6.83 acres from Limited Commercial to General Commercial and Institutional at 35100 SE Morningside Blvd. Motion approved by voice vote; council noted the city's adjacent golf course open-space designation would not change.

- Ordinance 24-79 (second reading): First amendment to the Sandpiper Bay PUD conceptual plan for the same property (35100 SE Morningside Blvd). Approved by voice vote.

- Ordinance 24-82 (second reading): Adds a chapter on mobile food trucks to Title 6 and associated zoning updates to Title 15. Approved by voice vote.

- Ordinance 24-83 (second reading): Creates Chapter 101 (Waterways) to address boating safety. Approved by voice vote.

- Ordinance 24-85 (second reading): Authorizes conveyance of 9.11 acres to the School Board of St. Lucie County under a land-swap agreement. Approved by voice vote.

- Ordinance 25-03 (first reading/public hearing): Abandonment of a portion of a 20-foot rear utility and drainage easement affecting Lot 32, Block 1462 (Port St. Lucie Section 15). Approved on first reading by motion.

- Ordinance 25-04 (first reading/public hearing): Abandonment of a portion of a 20-foot rear utility and drainage easement affecting Lot 24, Block 1149 (Port St. Lucie Section 12). Approved on first reading by motion.

- Ordinance 25-06 (first reading/public hearing, P240107): City-initiated text amendments to Chapter 153 and 158 (definitions, accessory structures, driveway standards, refuse collection and indoor assembly uses with/without alcohol). Planning & Zoning recommended approval on Dec. 3, 2024; council approved on first reading.

- Resolution 25-R01 (special-exception use): Granted a special-exception to allow a 150-foot monopole cell tower at the site of Southern Grove / Fire Station 20. Approved; application met special-exception criteria in the PUD regulations and zoning code.

- Resolution 25-R02: Authorized acquisition of 15.41 acres owned by the School Board of St. Lucie County in accordance with a land-swap agreement. Approved.

- Resolution 25-R03: Declared certain real property needed for the Floresta Drive improvement project a public necessity and authorized acquisition actions. Approved.

- Resolution 25-R04: Authorized acquisition of Lots 7–10, Block 325 (Port St. Lucie Section 20) for expansion of the North Port utility site. Approved.

- Consent items: Preliminary/final subdivision plat for Riverland Parcel D (P23190) approved with condition that the plat not be recorded until a bond and a revised MILR are received and reviewed by staff and the city attorney. Consent agenda approved with item 7L pulled for conditions to be read.

- Grant/JAG agreement: Council approved the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) award of $34,041.67 for the Police Department.

Several motions were handled by voice vote with no roll-call tallies read into the record; the meeting minutes record the motions and that "motion carries" for passed items.

Ending: The council approved a mix of regulatory code changes, land-use amendments and property transactions that advance multiple capital and planning projects; staff will follow up on condition items and bring additional details or final documents as required.