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Commission approves amendment to Project Orchid development agreement
Summary
The board adopted a first amendment to the St. Lucie Commerce Center development agreement (Project Orchid) that refines land uses, ties certain transportation improvements to certificates of occupancy and allows a limited 120‑day extension of off‑site improvement timelines at the county administrator’s discretion.
The Board of County Commissioners voted May 20 to approve an amendment to the development agreement for Project Orchid (the St. Lucie Commerce Center), a large industrial project spanning property near Rock Road, Orange Avenue and Interstate 95.
Corey Benton, planning staff, summarized changes that refine permitted light and heavy industrial uses, set a new 10‑year term with an optional five‑year extension, and link off‑site transportation improvements to project milestones. Benton said the amendment allows the county to require the developer either to construct required road improvements or to make a proportionate share payment, and includes an administrative mechanism for up to a 120‑day extension of off‑site improvement timelines at the county engineer and county administrator’s discretion when appropriate.
Priscence Baik, legal counsel for the applicant, said the development team and staff negotiated language both sides could support and that the applicant would comply with the outlined off‑site and on‑site commitments.
The agreement also describes specific transportation improvements the county expects from the developer or via proportionate share payments: intersection improvements at Rock Road and Orange Avenue, paved improvements to Rock Road at the project entrance, additional lanes on Orange Avenue as warranted, and turn lanes and signals where necessary. Benton said the revised agreement ties many transportation timeframes to milestones that occur before issuance of the first certificate of occupancy, while allowing limited operational flexibility during final paving and close‑out work.
After a brief public hearing with no speakers, the board approved the amendment by voice vote. The amendment moves the development agreement forward to implementation steps that include right‑of‑way acquisition efforts, preliminary design, and the sequence of required on‑ and off‑site improvements that the developer must deliver or fund.
The board’s action was unanimous. The county expects the developer to follow the schedule in the agreement; the county engineer and county administrator retain limited authority to grant short timing extensions under specified conditions.
