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Fort Pierce clears transmittal for comprehensive-plan updates, narrows annexation language
Summary
The City Commission approved transmittal of a broad package of comprehensive-plan amendments and directed staff to replace a proposed prohibition on annexations outside the FPUA water/sewer boundary with language calling it the "priority future annexation area," and to set a July 1, 2027 deadline for an open-space inventory.
Fort PierceCity commissioners voted Jan. 20 to transmit a set of evaluation-and-appraisal updates to the citywide comprehensive plan and asked staff to refine language on annexation and open-space inventories before adoption.
The package, presented by the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC), updates 12 plan elements including future land use, housing, transportation, infrastructure, conservation and public facilitiesand adds data tables, map updates and policies intended to make the plan statutorily current and easier for staff and the public to interpret, Stephanie Hite, deputy executive director of the TCRPC, told the commission.
"This is our transmittal, so we've worked hard and we've had a lot of input from everybody," Hite said, describing stakeholder interviews, workshops and changes to elements such as future land use, level-of-service tables and coastal-management policies.
Commissioners focused much of the discussion on proposed language referencing the FPUA (Fort Pierce Utilities Authority) water-and-sewer service boundary as the "future annexation area." Several members said a strict prohibition on annexing outside that boundary could tie the city's hands later; planning staff and TCRPC staff recommended softer wording that still directs city planning efforts.
Tom Lanahan, executive director of the TCRPC, said the intent was to give the city a clear, logical boundary to plan around while preserving the ability to annex where appropriate. "If you change in the future, then we can make a change at that time," he said, and recommended calling the area the "priority future annexation area" so the cityretains flexibility.
Commissioners also discussed a proposed schedule for compiling an inventory of public and private recreation and open-space lands so the city can calculate level-of-service standards when reviewing development. Planning staff agreed to target July 1, 2027 for completion after commissioners and staff negotiated a practical timeline for GIS and asset work.
Kevin Freeman, the cityplanning director, said the amendments also update stormwater, septic-to-sewer statutory references and the citywater-facilities planning horizon to align with FPUA documents. He told commissioners the updates incorporate recent state legislation and correct scrivener errors while strengthening coordination with county, state and utility agencies.
The commission voted to transmit the package to state reviewing agencies with the changes discussed: replace the prohibiting sentence with language referring to a "priority future annexation area," set the open-space inventory target to July 1, 2027, and amend wording about disposition of recreation lands so the city "carefully consider" sales or disposals within city limits and future annexation areas.
Next steps: staff will send the transmittal to the Department of Commerce and other agencies for a 30-day review; state comments will return as an objections/recommendations report and come back to the commission for final adoption.
