FPRA approves one-year pilot funding for two code-enforcement officers in redevelopment area

The Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency voted Aug. 11 to fund a one‑year pilot that will place two code‑enforcement officers inside the redevelopment area to pursue enhanced, proactive enforcement and community outreach. The board approved FPRA Resolution 26‑20 by unanimous roll‑call vote.

Cheyenne Harnage, the agency’s director of community and economic development, described the pilot as supplemental to baseline city code enforcement and emphasized targeted work on corridors such as US‑1 and Avenue D. “This will be just a 1 year pilot,” Harnage said, and staff will provide quarterly reports to the agency to allow evaluation and potential renewal.

Sean Koss, director of community response, told commissioners the officers would focus on issues not typically handled by regular code enforcement: nonoperable vehicles on private property, illegal dumping, litter, sign sweeps and coordinated outreach to businesses and residents. Koss said police will continue to address vehicles in the right of way and that a significant element of the pilot is public education: “A key component to this campaign is public education. That’s gonna be a very big focus, for these officers.”

Several commissioners asked staff to ensure the program does not produce selective enforcement and urged a multilingual outreach campaign so residents understand expectations. The board’s approval funds the positions and requires staff to return with progress reporting and any recommended changes at the end of the pilot year.