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Commission denies Prado Place rezoning, approves a package of development plans including RV park, apartment villas, office flex and plats
Summary
In a single meeting the commission denied a rezoning application for a 60‑unit development on South 30th Street, and approved several other land‑use items: an 84‑lot RV park conditional use, a 30‑unit innovative apartment site plan, an 18,000‑square‑foot office/flex major site plan, and a final plat for Savannah Preserve phase 1.
The City of Fort Pierce Commission mixed approvals and a high‑profile denial on May 19, voting against a requested rezoning for Prado Place while approving an array of development items including a Crossroads RV park, an innovative apartment site plan on Oleander Avenue, an office/flex project and a final plat for Savannah Preserve.
Prado Place rezoning denied: The commission denied an application to rezone 5.28 acres at or near 1038 South 30th Street from residential single‑family (E‑3) to a planned development that would have permitted up to 60 residential units (11.4 units per acre, using the city’s density bonus calculation). Planning staff and the planning board had recommended approval subject to a package of 14 conditions, including a required final PD submittal addressing stormwater, traffic and a gopher‑tortoise survey. The application proposed a density bonus derived from the city comprehensive plan and included a master PD submittal showing duplex and townhome configurations.
During a multi‑hour quasi‑judicial hearing the developer (applicant Martin and Franco Prado) presented plans; intervenor Jeremiah Johnson and several neighboring residents raised concerns about inadequate sidewalks, narrow unimproved local roads (including Meadow Lane and portions of 30th Street), drainage and school capacity. Commissioners debated whether the proposed density and scale were compatible with surrounding one‑to‑three‑acre residential lots. On a roll call the commission voted to deny the rezoning: Commissioner Broderick — yes to deny; Commissioner Gaines — no; Commissioner Johnson — no; Commissioner Taylor — yes; Mayor Linda Hudson — yes. (Motion to deny carried 3–2.)
Votes at a glance: - Prado Place rezoning (1038 S. 30th St.) — requested rezoning to master PD for 60 units; staff recommended approval with 14 conditions; Commission voted to deny (3–2). - Crossroads RV Park conditional use — proposed 84‑lot RV park with community amenities (pool, pickleball, amenity center); Planning Board recommended approval; Commission approved on a unanimous roll call. - 4101 Oleander innovative site plan — 2.5‑acre, 30‑unit, four‑story apartment villas using the city’s innovative site plan rules to apply underlying medium‑density FLU; Planning Board recommended approval with conditions (tree preservation, gopher tortoise permit, SFWMD/permits, sidewalk on Oleander); Commission approved 3–2 on roll call. - “District” office/flex major site plan — proposed 18,000 sq. ft. of office/flex space off McNeil Road; Planning staff recommended approval with conditions; Commission approved unanimously. - Savannah Preserve, Phase 1 final plat — 203 townhome lots and 98 two‑family lots as part of a previously approved PD; Commission approved final plat (standard conditions) on roll call.
Commissioners and staff emphasized that approvals tied to site plans and plats carry conditions that require additional technical reviews — stormwater, road improvements, environmental permitting, and gopher‑tortoise surveys — before building permits are issued. Several speakers and commissioners flagged the limits of existing local roads in the Prado Place area and said any final PD would need to demonstrate traffic mitigation, sidewalks and stormwater measures acceptable to St. Lucie County and the city.
Planning director Kevin Freeman noted that approval of a master PD or innovative site plan does not immediately authorize construction; final PD submittals, technical reviews, and external agency permits remain required. For Prado Place staff stressed that a final PD application would have to include jurisdictional wetland surveys, stormwater calculations, traffic studies, unified control/title, and binding agreements for common‑area maintenance.
Next steps: For each approved item, applicants will return with final site plans, technical engineering packages and permitting timelines. For Prado Place, the denial ends the current rezoning request; the applicant may revise and resubmit or pursue other options consistent with existing zoning.
