Planning board recommends denial of Sunrise Lakes planned development after resident concerns about density and bus stop safety

The Fort Pierce Planning Board on Monday recommended disapproval of the Sunrise Lakes planned development (PD) by a 6–1 vote after lengthy public comment and debate about density, traffic and a proposed school-bus stop location.

Planning staff presented the application (an 11.54-acre site) and noted the property’s current city future land use is low-density residential (RL). Staff said the PD would create 50 lots and calculated a proposed density of 4.41 units per acre (using the property-appraiser site area), under the RL maximum of 6.5 units per acre. Staff also summarized 12 recommended conditions tied to the project, including a private lift station/force main along Sunrise Boulevard, a requirement that the force main and a school-district bus shelter be completed prior to issuance of the first certificate of occupancy, regrading and a 20-foot drainage easement on the south property line, and installation of a masonry wall at least 6 feet tall along the eastern property line as part of the landscape buffer.

The applicant, represented by Blaine Berkshire of KMA Engineering and Surveying, described revisions to the plan that were intended to address neighborhood concerns: retaining and relocating mature sabal palms and oak trees along the frontage, enlarging the buffer to the south, showing a pool and clubhouse, a fenced tot lot and a mulched walking path around an enhanced bioswale. Berkshire also said the applicant had secured approval from the Fort Pierce Utility Authority to extend a force main along Sunrise Boulevard to the site’s southwest corner to enable sewer service for the development and potentially neighboring parcels.

Multiple residents spoke during public comment opposing the PD. Speakers raised traffic and safety concerns along Sunrise Boulevard, questioned whether local schools had capacity for additional students, and strongly objected to the proposed location and operation of a school-bus stop, saying a curbside stop on Sunrise would be unsafe. A land-use attorney and nearby residents also challenged the lot-size reduction in the PD — the PD proposes lots just under 5,000 square feet while the underlying R1 minimum lot size is 12,000 square feet — and asked whether the applicant had demonstrated justification for the change.

Board members said they found some of the applicant’s mitigation measures (tree preservation, amenities, bioswale design, and force-main extension) helpful but remained unconvinced the plan had sufficiently addressed safety concerns about the bus stop and the perception that the proposed density and lot sizes were out of character with the neighborhood. Several members said they preferred fewer units or other layout changes to reduce impacts on adjacent properties.

After discussion, Planning Board member Mister Collins moved to recommend disapproval. The motion was seconded by Miss Carter and passed 6–1 (Chair Bridal voted no). Staff said they will record the key issues in the record as the school-bus location and density concerns.

The recommendation will be forwarded to the City Commission for final action at a subsequent meeting.