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Hutchinson Island Committee seeks city cooperation on signage, census designation and advisory input
Summary
The Hutchinson Island Committee requested nonfinancial cooperation from the city — including letters to FDOT for signage, assistance with a Census designation and advisory access to RFP processes — and said it will not seek city funding; commissioners asked for a written list of six specific requests for staff review.
Members of the Hutchinson Island Committee presented a multi-part initiative to the Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency on Jan. 14 seeking cooperation on branding, signage and coordination rather than direct city funding. Charles Wilson, who identified himself as the committee’s agent, said the effort aims to ensure Hutchinson Island is recognized as a Fort Pierce destination and to protect the island’s identity from other jurisdictions’ marketing.
Jennifer Frye, who said she is chairperson of Protect Our Waterways and spoke on behalf of the Hutchinson Island Committee, told the board the island includes roughly 183 licensed businesses within the 34949 ZIP code and that better signage and coordinated promotion would benefit Fort Pierce’s economy and tax base. "When the island is properly identified and promoted, the benefits extend well beyond the shoreline," she said.
The presenters described recent steps: the post office has approved use of "Hutchinson Island, Florida" for 34949 addresses at a local mail center and the group has pursued a census-designated place designation, which requires a government petition filed years in advance. Charles Wilson said some areas of the island are outside the city and that the committee is not requesting city taxes or funding but rather requests for support including: (1) a letter supporting Census Bureau naming or coordination with the county for a census application, (2) assistance pursuing FDOT highway signage for I‑95/Turnpike exits, (3) a staff liaison or advisory access to participate in RFP design or review for island projects, (4) help identifying potential community/public-use spaces, and (5) assistance with a permanent postal facility and signage coordination.
Commissioners repeatedly asked the committee to submit an itemized written request so staff and legal can evaluate what is permissible and what process is required. Commissioner Gaines and others said they support the idea in principle but want a clear list of the six asks so legal, the clerk and the city manager can review and respond in writing; Wilson agreed to provide formal documentation on official committee stationery.
The presentation also touched on sensitive topics: residents’ concerns about growth and development, revenue implications for the city (commissioners discussed estimates that Hutchinson Island supplies a substantial share of the city’s ad valorem tax revenue), and the committee’s statement that it has not taken developer funding.
Next steps: the Hutchinson Island Committee will submit a written list of requests; staff will review and return a written response outlining what city offices can and cannot do and potential pathways for DOT or Census coordination.
