Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Port Overlay topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Staff seeks input on Port of Fort Pierce overlay zoning district to spur redevelopment
Summary
Planning staff presented a draft Port of Fort Pierce overlay zoning district, describing proposed North/South Port subareas, allowable permitted and conditional uses, and ongoing outreach to property owners and the county; no formal board decision was taken.
Planning staff presented a discussion draft of a Port of Fort Pierce overlay zoning district intended to implement the port master plan and encourage coordinated redevelopment of land around Fort Pierce’s deepwater port.
Staff described the overlay as an ‘‘icing on the cake’’ that would sit on top of existing future land-use and zoning, allowing more flexible, port-appropriate uses and dividing the district into North Port and South Port subareas with separate permitted and conditional-use lists. Staff said the overlay is intended to support economic activity and to dovetail with projects such as the North Causeway reconstruction and the Sun Trail Greenway.
"We're still in discussion with property owners in the area," staff told the board, and emphasized that the overlay is currently a discussion piece rather than a final action. The presentation referenced the Port master plan adopted in 2020 and noted that the overlay language would be placed in the city code (section 125.214) once finalized.
St. Lucie County Port director Joshua Rebor said the county is awaiting a resolution and urged the board to ensure compatibility between recreational and industrial uses and to include buffers so northern recreational amenities aren’t harmed. "We want to make sure that there's compatibility with future use within the center," Rebor said, stressing that northern boat ramps and recreational features must coexist with southern industrial uses.
Ken Pruitt, speaking for Safe Harbor Marina/Harbor Town, praised the project’s use matrix for giving businesses certainty and urged that the North Port provisions be retained: "This matrix here... is gold, because what it does for us... is to be able to say, 'Okay, this is what I can do.'" he said.
The planning board treated the item as a discussion: staff requested input and further outreach to property owners and indicated it will return later in the year with a revised draft once owner comments and county input are integrated.
Next steps: staff will continue discussions with property owners and county partners, revise the overlay map/boundary where appropriate, and return to the planning board for a recommendation before the city commission considers formal code amendments.
