I'm going to call this meeting of January 27th of board of county commissioners to order. Please join us for a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance which is going to be led by Ashley Western who is from the
US Marine and Veteran Services Office. >> Thank you. Morning. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. >> Thank you. >> Wait, you have to tell us a little bit about your military career. >> Good morning everyone. My name is Ashley Western. >> Come closer to the >> Good morning everyone. My name is Ashley Western. I served in the Marine Corps
for four years. Um, and now I have the pleasure of working as a veteran service officer for Martin County. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> Let's see. Our agenda this morning consists of there are no uh pulled items
from the consent agenda. Uh first of all we will have uh public comment followed by proclamations. Our first public comment is from Tom Hans >> Hos followed by Brian Dugen. >> Yeah. Tom Hos Jensen Beach. This is
mainly uh targeted towards District 1. This weekend in Jensen, we had a heck of a art show. Absolutely fabulous. There's got to be something done for parking. I mean, years and years ago, I mentioned
to Doug Smith about that lot that's for sale that the builder's going to build on between Pineapple and Mango. and Indian River Drive um to do something with that. However,
it's been purchased, but I do see there's a for rent sign on it. There was parking there, but from the circle at the end of Jensen Beach Boulevard and the circle across the bridge on Ocean Boulevard,
33 minutes to get there. Now, think of an emergency. Granted, you're going to yield right away, I hope. Um, but 33 minutes, there's got to be an answer to the parking for those
type of issues. The other thing is is on Linda Drive where I live, there's a traffic calming area with a tree in the middle of the road. That's really nice. It does work. There was another one that was
going to be put in the road on Indian River Drive about 180 yards south of Zelda, which there's pieces of the temporary still in the road, but just pieces. The
rest of it's all broken off. Um, that was supposed to be done as a traffic calming area with the tree. However, at the time, the commission didn't have the money to do that. Um, so that's still
pieces of it in the road not working because there's really nothing there. Um, the other thing is I attended a meeting in Rio um with the I believe it's called the CRC last week. Absolutely fabulous
meeting. Um, everything went very well. And what I I see him here today, but I didn't I'm not saying this because he's here today, but Deputy Adams is our community policing officer for over there. He did a fabulous job um
presenting what goes on. Um and the meeting was very very good. Uh they answered the questions, the presentation was good. I give kudos where kudos are earned. But I also can uh be there when
I need to be. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Commissioners, can we have a motion to approve the agenda? >> I'll move approval of the agenda. >> A second. >> There's a motion and a second. All those in favor? I opposed. That motion passes unanimously. Mr. Dugan is next, followed
by Frank Mcrist. >> Uh, good morning. I wrote a couple of things down here. Um, my name is Brian Dugen. Um, I'm here today to talk about the adult uh, sports leagues in Martin County. Uh, most of the surrounding counties have adult softball programs
like Port St. Lucy and Jupiter. Uh, we'd like to get one for Martin County. We used to have one. I've been playing here for in the Treasure Coast area for about eight years. Uh the last few seasons have been privately run and have failed due to insurance issues and the cost of
field rentals being so much higher than um the surrounding counties making it not affordable to play here. Um we'd appreciate if the county would take it over again uh like it used to be um to ensure that there's structure. We got
a lot of good people that like to play softball here in Martin County. Um they work here, they live here. Uh Martin County Fire Rescue has a team, Martin County Sheriff, the deputies, they have teams. We got chiropractors, business owners, teachers, accountants, and
realtors like myself. Um we also think that uh the softball program here could generate revenue for the county. Um I mean PSL and Jupiter, they charge like $500 per team. You know, if you get 16 teams, that's about 8 thou that's $8,000
per season. You know, we play four seasons a year. That's 32,000. We used to play Mondays, Tuesdays, kickball Wednesdays. Uh men's league th church league was Thursday. Co-ed was Friday. I mean, if we got back to those five days, that's,
you know, $160,000 that the county could be bringing in money. Um hopefully the county will take this into consideration. Hopefully we can get adult softball back. Appreciate your time. Thank you. Thank you,
>> Madam Chair. Sir, we're working on it. >> M. >> Yeah, we're working on it. >> I appreciate very much. Thank you. >> Mr. Mcrist is the last request to speak form. If you'd like to address us, please fill out a request to speak form and get it to our bail. Good morning.
>> Good morning. Shout out to Doug Smith. Go Patriots. Thanks again for Doug Smith Highway. Keeps me off of US1 all the way to Fort Pierce. Um 1998, runway 1230 at Wamfield was
illegally extended using faulty documentation sent to the FAA by Martin County. In 2002, the noise contour study, the part 150 noise abatement study
was fatally flawed. It was the weekend, Thanksgiving weekend of uh 2002, I believe. I was there at the golf course all four days and instead of the jets taking off at their normal 45 degree angle balls balls to the walls, okay,
they did all weekend long during that noise abatement study, they did what's called a short field takeoff where they take off straight into the sky and then limp out of town. So by the time they got to the noise abatement monitors on the outskirts of
the field that whole study was totally flawed. So you can add right out of the gate another 30 to 40% of territory affected by rhythm field that's not shown on the original noise
contour studies. Previous studies after that are done are computergenerated using that original information which is flawed. When I use the word scumbag it's not a nice term but it just if the shoe fits.
In 2011, the FAA demanded that we install EMASS, admitting that these that illegal extension of runway 1230 did indeed extend runway protection zones
into existing neighborhoods. So, here we are, fast forward. All I'm asking is this. Throw us a bone. It's gone from 37% down to like 32% of
the airport proper that does not put jets in the sky in the last four or five years. Please stop this slow, steady grind towards removing businesses, job creators, county
operations off of Wtham Field in order to make space for the insatiable, insatiable market for hanger space and jets at Wim Field. Remember, our town in 1998 was instantly turned
into a dirty, filthy pit stop for these globalist people. Thank you. >> Thank you. Would anyone else like to address us? Seeing none, we'll now have a proclamation recognizing January as human trafficking awareness month in
Martin County, Florida. Florida Faith Alliance is working to alert Martin County to the immediate crisis of human trafficking and the need for all to become educated through a January awareness presentation. In observance of January as human trafficking awareness month, the board
calls upon all residents to attend the awareness presentation and become educated to help eliminate human trafficking. Miss Petta >> and Liam Barleta is accepting the proclamation.
Sure. >> Chair Herd, uh, fellow commissioners, uh, for those of you who don't know me, my name is Rob Gluckman. Uh, my beautiful wife, uh, Dr. Michelle Libman and I on Treasure Coast Urgent Care and most recently, Treasure Coast Psychiatry. We're blessed to meet this woman, Lyn Barleta, when she started the
Florida Faith Alliance, which in the coming months is going to be changed to uh an acronym, UACT, uh, United Against Child Trafficking. And both of us are excited to be sitting on their advisory task force uh you know, to help with the medical and psych psychiatric needs of
of these victims. Um, so without further ado, I'd like to introduce the 2024 Florida Attorney General Comm, uh, Community Advocate of the Year Award, Lin Barleta. Thank you. Thank you. So, I want to personally thank the Martin
County Commissioners and Mr. Donaldson for considering training all county employees in the Florida Attorney General's 100% club to recognize the signs and how to turn in trafficking, human trafficking tips. I also want to thank you, Commissioner Campy, for your
past support. And we invite all commissioners to take part in the awareness events that we will be announcing in our community this year. I also want to thank Captain uh Gavin Wernern who's come from the sheriff's department to stand with us and he can answer questions if you have some at the
end. U ACT is becoming known as a premier pro a prominent nonprofit not just making a difference but providing solutions to human trafficking especially child trafficking with a growing boots on the ground force of leaders survivors and task forces. We
bring awareness of child trafficking in five counties with plans to go statewide. We work with local law enforcement to turn in tips. the new AI technology that predators and traffickers are bombarding children with thousands of times per second on
trending gaming platforms like Roblox through apps like Snapchat, Whiz, Discord, Yubo, Perp, and many more that have to be constantly updated as bots are programmed to seek children to be constantly moving them into disappearing
chat rooms from relationships and talking them into sexing, sexion, meeting them and even suicide. We must inform parents and we must engage our entire community to end this horrific crime. We work with Indian River and Martin County school districts,
churches, organizations, and more to save children. Liz, there you are. Good morning, everyone. Uh, hi, I'm Liz Mr. I am the county coordinator for you Act. I thank those who came to stand with us today. I thank
for joining the army of educated people who are leading the way to save our children. You can join us at ud-act.org and become part of our task forces. Thank you all. Have a blessed day. >> Good morning. St. Joe's old school.
>> Hello, I'm James Billig, the chief compliance officer for and uh the lead retired law enforcement UAC Blue Task Force. Our mission is to train law enforcement through 90-minute inservice blocks, followed by monthly real-time intel updates on the latest trends, online threats, case studies, and the
rapidly growing reach of the 764 cult on our youth throughout the globe. Our intelligence is obtained through our nationwide partnerships with current and retired law enforcement professionals, local hand homeland security, and traffic survivors who are subject matter
es uh experts that provide invaluable life experience information to identify victims and predators. During the week of February 9th, we will kick off our program in the 19th training all sworn personnel at the Steuart Police Department. Our goal is to apply our
training and technology program through the 19th Judicial and the rest of the nation to create a single silo of real-time information to take this fight to the predators front door. We have documented over 60 arrests on the Treasure Coast over the past 18 months,
assisting local law law enforcement agencies. We look forward to increase that number 10fold and make the 19th the proactive standard throughout the United States. We are committed to ending this travesty and protecting our children. We thank you for your commitment to do the same.
>> Morning everyone. I'm Tony Barleta. I know most of you and thank you for having us today. It's greatly appreciate it. This young man next to me is Joel Bailey. Joel's filming us for obviously the support that we want to have and share with people. And Joel's a survivor against human trafficking. And I'm
leading the men's task force to help that. So together, we want to say to everyone, we'd like to have everyone unite with us uh to fight human trafficking. Thank you today for being uh so gracious to us to come here. >> Thank you. >> So we only have one thing to say when it
comes to child exploitation and child trafficking, and that is not on our watch. >> Thank you so much. Do you have any questions? >> I just have a comment, Madam Chair. >> Sure. Um Lynn and Tony Bartletta have
been at this very difficult job for a long long time. Started with Catch the Wave of Hope. Uh we're so fortunate in our community to have them and the folks that they have rallied to a horrible cause. Uh it's a scourge and I'm very
frustrated when we hear people say, "Well, it doesn't happen on the Treasure Coast or it doesn't happen in Martin." And you just heard the gentleman say they've had 60 arrests in 18 months. Uh so it definitely is happening here and uh I know it's it's a tough fight but
thank God we have you guys literally thank God we have you guys doing it. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> Yes. Yes. Absolutely. pulls down. >> Y shadow.
Thanks, Final one. >> Williams first. >> Thank you. Thank you so much >> commissioners. While uh they're breaking up, just as Miss Barbella stated that we have included the um training uh for uh
for all our employees in our annual training for for this program. So um um just to give you a heads up that we just started that. >> Good for you. >> Did you did you agree to train all your employees in the county? Yes. Thank you
so much. Thank you. Thank you so much. Congratulations. You're leading the way. Thank you. >> Let's see. It's now time for commissioner comments. Commissioner Vargas. >> Yes. Um all of us were in Tallahassee this week,
which was a miracle. Um and of course we met with legislators, head meetings with department heads and of course um constituents uh concerns were raised uh myself also. Uh and so I wish I've been
able to be at some of the other events here on the Treasure Coast but was working hard up in Tallahassee for you to the gentleman that talked about the parking situation. I'm already working on it. I started right out of the box last year when I first came aboard and I
already have plans for parking, lighting, and sidewalks. We've identified that as to be a problem. It's been continuing since before I got here and hopefully we'll have resolution imminently for this. So, I just want to assure those that enjoy going to Jensen
Beach that you'll have proper parking, lighting, sidewalks. It'll be a great time for everyone. Thank you, >> Commissioner Camps. On Saturday afternoon, I went to the Martin County Heritage Festival at Timer Powers Park.
And I want to thank the village of Indian Town and Terra Lago for their vision and major sponsorship for this familyfriendly event. And I also want to thank the Degar family, a local family that runs fair
events all over the country, for their key role in launching the festival. Uh Martin County residents enjoy the rodeo at Timer Powers Park annually and the heritage festival will be another
great reason to enjoy the village each year. Uh with the event stretching from Thursday to Sunday, I understand the attendance improved each day. unknown >> and we wish the Martin County Heritage
Festival much success as a major entertainment event in Martin County in the future. Um, I thought I would mention a few things also about our trip to Tallahassee uh last week and u we joined
uh all of our colleagues up here with other elected officials on the Treasure Coast and major uh business or key business leaders in our community in Tallahassee for the Treasure Coast Legislative Conference.
It was great to hear from our state elected officials from the Treasure Coast who I believe are good people with good hearts and who I have supported over the years. I would like to thank the Steuart Martin County Chamber for
doing an excellent job organizing this experience for us. Uh I left the conference on Thursday rather disturbed at some of the proposed bills in this legislative session regarding state
control over local land use and local property taxes. Uh some of these bills go way too far and would be very damaging to Florida communities. I hope and pray that cooler heads will
prevail in the end and that the bills that actually get passed are reasonable and do not put us in the awful situation where we can't solve pressing local problems. And I encourage our residents to pay
attention to what's coming out of the legislature and to let your voices be heard. >> Thank you, Mr. can't be. >> Thank you. Um, what I'm about to say is not a secret. Uh, yesterday her daughter
at the City of Stewart commission meeting shared with us some real sad news that our friend who had been to countless city of Stewart commission meetings and Martin County commission meetings. Helen McBride had fallen down
a stairs last Thursday, suffered a stroke. She is still alive, but her prognosis is dim. They have transper transported her to hospice. She is not expected to live, but she is, as far as
last night was concerned, she was still alive. Her daughter did a beautiful tribute to her. I was shocked as I was watching the meeting live because Helen McBride as you know her famous I quote her all the time. She's from the city of Stewart which is in Martin County. She
has been around um raised her children here and they're grown adults. After her husband passed away, she got very very involved in lots of community groups, activities. She attends meetings. Uh if you see the city of Steuart meets at
night, sometimes their meetings go well after midnight. Most people had gone home. And if you look in the audience, Helen McBride, who's not a young woman, would still be sitting there from the beginning till the end. She was always, whether she agreed with an issue or not,
she was always very courteous and loving and friendly, and I would count her as a pillar of our community. and it's a tragedy that she has gotten hurt in the way that she did and that most likely,
you know, barring a miracle, most likely this will be the end of her life. And while uh I did hear something remarkable that uh Commissioner Ula Clark went to visit her in hospice and although I guess she is fading, she was still able
to communicate which is a beautiful blessing and a tribute to Helen McBride that even as her days are ending she was still able to communicate because that's what she did so well. And I just wanted to send my um my thanks to her for
elevating our community in such a way and that to her family and those of us that care about her uh and her friends that uh we're praying for her and that if the only thing we're praying for is her peaceful transition to heaven where
she has obviously earned her space and the happy part is that she'll get to be with her husband again who she obviously loved. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Katherington. >> So, sorry to hear that. And I will give
um my condolences or um prayers to her family. And um I want to thank Angela Hoffman who coordinated this year's Treasure Coast Legislative Days because that is no easy task. Uh it it includes Martin County, St. Lucy County, and
Indian River County. And as legislative session kicks off, it's it's really difficult to get your legislators in and out of there on time and speaking to a group of I think we hadund and some odd participants. So, thank you for the job
you did and representing Martin County this year in Treasure Coast Legislative Days and encourage all of our residents to watch and pay attention. And thanks uh to Sarah Powers and John Mail because if you were up there and you actually watched some of the bills on the floors
in the committees, I watched Dana Trabsey um present a bill and there must have been 10 amendments during that committee hearing. So if you think of all the bills and as Commissioner Cavs just said and the the changing it's it's a tough job to watch all those
amendments go through with how many bills do we have? >> Thousand 3,000. here that >> filed >> filed and show up. >> So, um, good work to our legislative team and thank you for all you do during this um, fast-paced legislative session.
>> Mr. Donaldson, >> no comments today. Thank you, >> Miss Elder. >> Thank you. >> And I just want to say that our uh, annual integrated delivery schedule was released on Friday. That's the schedule
for the Everglades restoration projects. It includes the both the state and the uh federal and other uh contributions to Everglades progress. And I am concerned
that some of the Martin County uh Indian River Lagoon South projects slipped this year. That's of enormous concern to me. Um, Indian River Lagoon South was one of the first SER projects that was authorized into law. It was authorized
early because it was urgent. There was an ecosystem, a lo ecosystem was in imminent threat of collapse. So all of the water quality improvements that are contained in Indian River Lagoon South
are contained in all the followon projects and are modeled and promised to be completed. So until and unless all of Indian River Lagoon South is completed, the modeling and the promises that were
made in the rest of the projects will not be achieved. Um, so I we need to be vigilant about making sure that the state and the federal ledgers uh continue to include and complete Indian River Lagoon South. And also the state
has an incomparable opportunity with Martin County. We have a half cent sales tax, conservation sales tax, and we one of the projects that is included in that is Indian River Lagoon South, our natural lands. and the monies that
Martin County potentially contributes toward the purchase of these lands gets put on the state's leisure as theirs. So, we're promising to make a huge contribution to Everglades, continue making an a a huge contribution
to Everglades restoration. So, we need to make sure that those projects stay calendared for completion. Anything else? Uh, is there a motion to approve the consent agenda?
>> So moved. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second. All those in favor? I opposed. That motion passes unanimously. >> Next, we'll take up board and committee appointments. The first is to the parks and recreation advisory board
appointments. >> Do you have voting sheets? Okay, I didn't do something right. Why don't you take up the public hearings first? Okay, we're going to take up public hearing number one, which is a legislative public hearing to
consider approval of comprehensive plan amendment uh CPA2-04 accessory dwelling units, a text amendment. Okay. >> Good morning. My name is Amy Offenbach, planner within Mark County.
>> Miss, do you have your Do you have your uh >> Can you hear me? >> No. Can you press your >> Is your green light on? >> Is your green light on? >> Yes. >> Hello. Okay, >> better. So again, my name is Amy Offenbach, planner with the Martin County Growth
Management Department. This is comprehensive plan amendment 25-04, proposed text amendments for accessory dwelling units, otherwise known as ADUs. This was initiated by the board of
county commissioners and this is the final adoption hearing. Proof of public notice was included in the work file. And by the way, today is January 27th, 2026. >> Yes, it is.
>> So, the request is to change chapter 2 and four of the comprehensive growth management plan. And this amendment is concurrent with proposed amendments to the land development regulations which implement the comprehensive plan.
which will be presented in a separate hearing next. So an accessory dwelling unit is essentially a guest house that has been permitted for a very long time in the comprehensive plan and the LDRs and the
existing term accessory dwelling unit will be updated which will res represent living quarters additional living quarters on single family lots and the new term employee dwelling units will be added to describe living
quarters on non-residential lots which has also been permitted for a very long time as workmen's or custodians quarters. In chapter 4, under goal 4.9, a policy will be added for accessory dwelling
units to contain the criteria for ADUs on residential properties and another policy will be added for employee dwelling units to to include direction for edus on non-residential properties.
Under goal 4.13, a line of text will be added for to permit ADUs and future land use designations that permit single family dwellings excluding the mobile home future land use.
Also, under 4.13, a line of text will be added to permit edus and future land use designations that permit living quarters on non-residential properties. And so this was considered on December 4th, 2025 by the local planning agency
which voted 4 to zero to recommend approval. And the BCC uh voted 3 to2 to transmit to the state and local agencies on December 9th, 2025. And today is the final approval for this
amendment. And so staff recommends approval of CPA2-04 accessory dwelling units on the basis that the proposed amendments are consistent with comprehensive plan and Florida state statutes more restrictive or burdensome requirements requirements
are not imposed and the affordable housing advisory committee as well as the local planning agency support staff's recommendation. And this is the concludes the presentation. >> State agencies.
>> Yes, the state agencies um have not object objected or provided any comments for staff. Any questions or comments for staff? I believe we have a request to speak from the public. Mr. Reeri, would you like to
address us? >> Good timing. >> Yeah, it is. Morning, commissioners. Uh, for the record, Robert Nery, Steuart, resident and CEO for House of Hope. Um, so we've had the opportunity at House of Hope, our housing committee to work closely
with the staff through this process about ADUs. Um, as I'm sure many of you are aware, the uh the state legislature, there's actually a bill moving through Tallahassee uh that covers a lot of these same issues. So, Martin County will be ahead of the curve on this, which is a good
spot to be. Um, as far as the need goes, uh, housing is really one of the biggest challenges that our community is facing, especially our lower income community. Uh, there's just no place to for people to to be that's affordable. Um, you
know, the the financial recommendations are that 30% of your income should be spent on housing. Um, I could tell you at House of Hope, we don't have any clients that are there. it's 50 to 80% and that puts people in that cycle that they just can't break free from that
that pushes people and keeps people in poverty. Um several years ago there was a joint meeting um and Commissioner Campy then spoke uh he gave the starfish story analogy um and I think that really
still rings true. We need as many tools in the toolkit as we can uh to make an impact on the housing crisis in our community. This will give you one of those tools for sure. Um this will help us to be able to have places to put um
seniors that are struggling to make ends meet on fixed income. Um young people that want to stay in the community. Uh single moms that are trying to rebuild and come out of, you know, places um like safe spaces, shelter. um we don't
have a place to to put those folks safely and to help them you know um you know live in decent condition. So this is a great tool for that. Uh the last time this came to you all I think from the um dis there was a concern that this
would change how communities look. Um it can't. You guys have built in things in your code that prevent that. There are that we still have to abide with this by all the um rules and regulations around setbacks around um well and septic
parking. None of that changes. So it it won't change the face of communities. If we're lucky over years, maybe we'll have a few hundred of these. Um but to the starfish analogy, that's a few hundred people that are living safely and properly uh and are a valuable and
functioning part of our community. So, I think this is a good step towards all of that. Um, the staff has done fantastic work on it. I want to tip my hat to everyone that's been involved in that and hopefully this continues to move forward. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Caps.
>> Yes. I had a question or two for staff. Can you refresh our memories of uh what the rules have been regarding ADUs up to this point before we take a vote on this issue in
the CRAAS and also in the nonCRA areas of the county? What what are the basic rules? Uh Clyde Doulan, for the record, uh Commissioner, the uh there's been kind of a differences between the CRA and the
unincor the rest of the unincorporated areas. The CRA regulations have allowed uh ADUs explicitly and and allowed them to to be used as rentals ever since the CRAAS came into uh uh place. uh for the
going back to 1967, guest houses were the term used for all the other single family dwellings throughout unincorporated Martin County. You could have a guest house, but you couldn't rent the guest house. And the in both the CRA and in the CA case of guest
houses, um it's a capped at a maximum of half of the primary dwelling. Uh so that's the basically the the the what's been allowed for decades is both guest houses and in CRAAS ADUs and um
they've they've always been allowed and what we're doing here is we're cleaning up the terminology and making the the permitted uses pretty much the same. you know, all single family uh zoning districts uh agricultural zoning districts that allow single family dwellings are going to be allowed to
have an ADU that can be rented. Uh and just as the CRAAS allow ADUs that can be rented. So really the the the biggest thing about this new amendment that we're getting ready to vote on is that the
guest house, what used to be called a guest or what has been called a guest house, half the size of the main house. >> Yes. >> Uh technically is not supposed to have been rented out to other people up to this point. Um >> yes,
>> probably a lot of people violate those rules. Um, but the the main thing is that those people will be able to rent those out now and they don't have to uh you know have a bad conscience for violating the rules anymore. And I think
that's a good thing. Um uh because uh I I I don't like laws that penalize honest people. You know, every now and then you run up against a law like that where this the sincere individual who says, "Oh, I guess I'll
let my guest house just sit in the backyard and no one will be in it for like 5 years because I'm really not supposed to rent it." Um, and uh I think that's kind of unfortunate, you know, whereas most everyone else just rents
the mile um and doesn't worry about it. But anyway, so with that, I would uh move approval. >> Second. >> Commissioner Heatherington. Rob just mentioned
that um Rob mentioned some of the legislation in Tallahassee and since we just came back from Tallahassee last week, one conversation that is very consistent up in Tallahassee from the governor's office down to each legislative delegation and across party
lines is that Florida needs to address and not just Florida but the nation needs to address affordable housing and workforce housing. So regardless of the areas that people represent, that was a very consistent conversation. If you
watch some of the gubanatorial candidates, they're talking about how they're going to do this. And if local governments don't, like us look at ways that we can do it that fits the character of our community, then you're going to have the top down approach where Tallahassee is going to tell us
how we're doing it. So I think this is a step in the right direction. It's a it's a small step, but it's a step in the right direction to prevent some of the mandated um types of affordable housing and to show to Tallahassee that we are
trying to solve some of the problems. So, if you just let local work on solving the problems locally, then we will do it. So, I would do you seconded. So, I will gladly support this. >> Commissioner Campy. Thank you, Madam
Chair. Uh, I'm happy that we're here today. Um, I remember when we started discussing this several years ago. Um, and I want to, you know, Rob Reeri is very generous with his appreciation and
thanks of our staff, which I completely agree with. and the committee. There's an internal committee of affordable housing that operates within the government structure, but there's also a grassroots committee made up of uh professionals in the industry, other
elected officials, not for profits, even builders uh that were working on a whole uh bunch of different opportunities and uh options for us. But Rob doesn't take the credit himself, which I would like to give him because as the CEO of the
House of Hope, he's on the front lines with people that are coming in that are struggling with housing issues, that are struggling with feeding their families or commuting uh to a job if they have it because they don't have the proper housing. I think one area when people
think of housing they um they might not correlate the two together, but there is a frustration about the traffic that people are experiencing in Martin County and research has shown us that a lot of that traffic is people commuting in and
out of the county. If you can't afford to live close to where you work, you're on the roads longer and by distance and time. Um nearly 50,000 people that live outside the county commute in every morning to jobs here. A lot of them
would love to live here in Martin County. Um 25,000 or so people that live here in the county commute out. That's a job issue. Uh so I think this also although as Commissioner Heatherington said, it's a small step, but just
because it's a small step doesn't mean we shouldn't be taking them. and uh all of my colleagues and I uh as you heard when we were in Tallahassee um the universal message uh bipartisan message is housing
housing housing and you know Martin County is not known obviously for rolling out the red carpet for development uh at any type um but if we don't address these housing issues here with a you know local rule and local
input Tallahassee has no problem doing it for us. Uh we had a gentleman speak to us from the uh housing committees department and he was saying as Mr. Mineri said is the state is already addressing this and I felt comfortable
that we were at least three or four meetings or steps ahead of what will definitely come to Tallahassee. And I think when we're nervous about the heavy-handedness of of of a statewide thing, if we don't address some of these
issues and show that we are at least addressing the easiest of the issues, not that putting this together was easy, but the the least impact, um, we have a reputation of not wanting to really participate, not so much at the county level, but maybe more at a
municipal level. Uh, but that being said, they will. So, I think this at least gives us some credibility to say we are addressing these issues uh here at home and I appreciate that Commissioner Caps made the motion, stole
it from me, but at least I got in on the second, but uh I think it'll send a nice message to the folks that would be involved and and and Commissioner Caps mentioned it. It legitimizes this process that some people had been doing
anyway, which then protects the landlord and the tenant, but also the neighbors. So, if there was concern from my colleagues at the last meeting that how would this uh disrupt neighborhoods, I don't think it does. Uh, you know, I think if anything, it allows for a more
regulated process. It allows for the the counties departments to come in and legitimize this process and it'll add as Mr. Reeri said hundreds if not hopefully over the course of a decade a thousand
units that won't really be noticeable. It won't be the same thing as building fourstory big rectangles uh projects that maybe at some point will be a conversation, but this will give Martin County, you know, they
always talk about supply and demand. It'll give us some supply, which maybe will ease some of the burdens of uh how high rents are getting because if you don't have them, then people can charge whatever they want. And finally, uh, that people don't think about is if you
are the landlord in a situation, um, it eases your financial burden of trying to pay everything that just keeps going up and up and up. So, I think it's a win-winwin and I look forward to a unanimous decision if possible. Thank you, >> Commissioner Vargas.
>> Yeah. Um uh having an extensive real estate background um I think more than anybody here on this comm this commission um not just here but across the state um I'm very well aware of the housing
uh lack of affordable housing. Um I think my concern is that and I was in Tallahassee and we talked about advalorum taxes and we talked about housing. We talked about a number of issues also. Um, Martin County will not be stepping in to
dictate what a landlord will be able to charge or not charge. Is that my understanding? >> That's correct. >> Okay. Because that that then I I could not agree to. Um, and a landlord will make it or landlady will make a decision what they feel is feasible and they will
make the transaction directly with the tenant. I just wanted to be sure about that. Correct. >> Because that's extremely important. I was concerned about the character and the culture of the different neighborhoods um to have these accessory
dwelling units um now starting to possibly take shape in our county. Everybody would like to live next door to where they they work. That's that's fine, but that's not always possible. And um we see the line of cars going into Palm Beach County in the morning and coming back in the afternoon or the
other way also. uh depending on where you desire to work um and live. So again, I just wanted to make that statement that we are not aiding, we are not changing, we are not encumbering anybody in so far as the
financial um ramifications and if somebody decides they want to rent a property behind their home falls in lines with what your department has dictated and told us here, then that's fine. Just wanted to clarify that one
point though. >> Yeah, I certainly understand that there is an affordable housing problem in Martin County and that we need to address it, but this is is uh uh not the way that I would do it. It's it goes way
too far. Creates uh there aren't enough protections. There are no setback back protections. There are no parking requirements. Uh there's no limit on the number of bedrooms. You can have six unrelated
people living in the rental unit. You can have six unrelated people living in the main unit. Um these don't count toward the density. There are no uh
requirements for or no for requirements for septic system capacities. Um you know I I this this will pass. I'm confident. And when you start getting complaints from
your neighbors that there are 12 unrelated people living in the house and guest house next to you, you're going to be uh required to say, "Yeah, that's okay.
Yeah, we approve that. We made that possible." So there there just there there are a lot of a lot of potential for abuse here. uh for landlord abuse and and I think it is going to change our neighborhoods.
um when we used to not not allow the main house to be the owner had to had to live in that house and couldn't rent and now you're going to have the ability to rent both the main house and the rental house and that is going to change the character and I don't know how you go
about dealing with septic tank capacities when you've got an unknown kind of unlimited number of people living in those two two uh units. So, I'm unfortunately not going to be able to support this. I I look forward to
better solutions. Commissioner Vargas. >> Yeah, I I was one of those at I think at the last meeting, check my voting record, uh that was very concerned about this because I did see this. I started my career in Miami Dade County
and it just mushroomed with folks that were unrelated. They all work together, but they're all in one house and they could create a nuisance. Um, what where's our teeth after this? I mean, it's all fine and everybody has
very prosaic speeches here, but it needs to be tightened up in so far as what the restrictions are and how they're going to be accommodated because a landlord is very happy to take the rent that they can get. If that means four, five, six
people living in two bedrooms, so be it. And I've seen this with my own eyes. So, I I think that we need to do more work on this. I know everybody's, you know, enthused about just getting this through, but I think we need to go back
and strike and add whatever is necessary. Um, believe me, my heart goes out to people who don't have housing, but the government must be very careful because I would say myself, I I want to know what's happening to my neighborhood. That's my investment.
That's my investment. And it's going to be an objection when I try and sell the property down the line if we don't tackle these issues right now. >> Any further comment? Mr. Brown, did you want to speak on this item?
Okay. Any further comment? There's a motion and a second. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Opposed. >> That motion passes three to two with commissioners heard and Vargas desensing. Miss Gordon, would you like to take up
the board appointments now or would you like to wait? >> Less is more. >> Continue. All right. Then we'll take up public hearing number two, which is a legislative public hearing to consider an ordinance amending article 3, zoning districts, land development regulations, Martin
County code regarding accessory dwelling units. >> Miss Offenbach. >> Hello, my name is Amy Offenbach, planner with the Martin County Growth Management Department. This is LDR25-03, proposed text amendments for accessory
dwelling units. This was initiated by the board of county commissioners and proof of public notice is included in the work file. So this request is to amend article 3 divisions 1 2 3 4 and 7 of the land
development regulations. And this is a brief overview of the proposed changes. And there is another public hearing required by state statutes. This is not for approval today. So section 3.3 the glossier glossery of
terms the term accessory dwelling units from the comp plan will be replacing the term guest house and the new term employee dwelling units will be added to the existing definitions of living quarters on non-residential properties.
In section 3.11, the permitted use tables will be updated to allow ADUs in all zoning districts that permit single family dwellings, excluding the mobile home districts. And the term in employee dwelling units
will be added to the tables to represent the already permitted living quarters on non-residential properties. In section 3.51, the standards for specific uses will be updated to include
the criteria from the comp plan for ADUs on residential properties and use the existing criteria for ADUs on nonresidential properties. And in section 3.201C, the text permitting guest houses will be
replaced with text permitting ADUs. And in section 3.403, the terms defined for 1967 zoning districts, the term accessory dwelling unit will replace the term guest house. The term employee dwelling units will be
added and the definition of family will be updated from four to five unrelated persons to be consistent with section 3.3. And this was considered on December 4th, 2025 by the local planning agency which
voted 4 to zero to recommend approval. Again, this is the first consideration of this amendment and another uh public hearing is required and so this is not to approve today and
staff recommends holding the second hearing on February 24th, 2026 at a time prior to 5:00 p.m. This concludes the presentation. >> Questions for staff? Commissioner Caps,
>> just for for the public's benefit, um can you explain why >> we're have we have an a second public hearing here and this one's about the ordinance whereas the prior one we just dealt with was a comp plan amendment
text amendment. Why do we have two two hearings on the subject? So this the first hearing was for the comprehensive plan amendment and we had already held the first meeting and today was the adoption of the comprehensive plan
amendment. This is the first hearing for the land development regulations plan or amendment. So, state requires uh second public hearing for any uh actions that update the permitted uses
of the land de development regulations. Now, Commissioner, I think to to add a little bit to that, uh, make a distinction, the comp plan is is the policy document that outlines what's permitted and what's allowed, and it's our it's the Bible, if you will, for
development in Martin County, but the land development regulations go into the details. They get into the the nitty-gritty of setbacks and building heights and open space and building coverage and a lot more detail than the comp plan goes into. And so this is your
opportunity to delve into the the finer points. For instance, the comp plan didn't talk about the number of persons per household, but the the LDR deals with the definition of family. And currently we have two glosseries, one for our older code requirements and one
for our newer code requirements. It's five persons is a family is a five unmarried and uh not unrelated by blood or marriage is the definition for uh your regular category A zoning districts. Your old category C zoning
districts, the definition is four persons who are unrelated by blood or marriage. And so what we're doing here with this is making consistent in both portions of the of article three of the land development regulations that it's five persons
uh in either of the older or the newer zoning districts. That's an example of the nitty-gritty that the LDRs go into that the comp plan does not go into. >> Thank you. >> Can I make can I make one more comment about the ADU issue in general and
perhaps this will uh calm the concerns of some people. I think the cost of construction is so prohibitive these days that I would be surprised if a lot of people build ADUs in their backyards.
Uh I I heard a story recently about a guy who built a very small one in a CRA area. Um I think it was just like 900 or a,000 square ft. and the guy had $240,000
into the construction of this little place in the backyard. And you know, with with the rule that we can go up to half the size of the main house, like say somebody had a um a 3500 ft house,
they could build a 750 foot house in the backyard. That would probably cost >> four or five or 700,750 square feet. that would probably cost $400 or $500,000 to build. I don't think they're going to be popping up all over
the place. Uh I probably the the main thing that will happen from this is that perhaps a few people who already have guest houses will rent them out, ones that have just been sitting there dormant and not being
used. Uh I think that'll be the main uh effect of of this ordinance. Employee dwelling units shall be permitted only as part of a non-residential development such as but not limited to a
marina, residential storage facility or manufactured use, manufacturing use. So these are only for uh land uses where residences are not permitted. >> Yes, ma'am. The edu. Uh,
>> so how so how can you how can you permit up to three uh units on a lot that prohibits residential development at all? >> Well, the comp plan has for many years allowed uh what they called what we've
called night watchman's quarters or watchman's quarters. Two different terms have actually been used in two different land use designations. uh has have permitted that in the industrial land use designations for instance for many years. And then the zoning code, the el the land development regulations went
into the the detail of allowing the two uh units within say an industrial or a or a commercial site. And so we are just formalizing that and and re reidentifying it as edu instead of watchman's quarters. uh we're not
changing it, making it expanding the the use or contracting the use. We're just uh really just giving it a more consistent name between the both the comp plan and the LDR. >> Okay. So, if we're allowing in non-residential land uses and zoning
districts, we're allowing residential units, how are we counting the densities? Well, if there's a density such as uh the commercial office residential or the uh the marine waterfront commercial,
there is a density provision already in that land use designation. If there's no density, uh the maximum is going to be the two units. >> So, we're going to count two units even though we allow three. >> No. If if in say industrial where there's is no density provision, you're
going to be only two units. It says that >> three. I'm sorry. In no case, you're right. Three, commissioner, that's been provided in the LDR. >> Okay. So, so if we have uh a manufacturing use and we allow three
units to be uh built there for three families, how do we count the density? >> You just there is no density. It's just those three units that are permitted. >> Okay. if they conform to the development standards of the zoning district, they
would have to conform to the setbacks and what have you. >> We we have to count density and we're not we're just saying, okay, we there's no density on that lot even though there are three units on it and there could potentially be there's no
limit on how many people could be dwelling in those three units. There is a definition of family which has five persons. >> Okay. So, we can put 15 people on a a non-residential lot. >> That is conceivably possible right now.
Commissioner. >> Yeah. Commissioner Vargas, I think it was the second quarter of last year, but certainly can be verified whoever wants to do that. Is that we approved in Hope Sound um a golf club
that had housing for its employees. Did we not? So votes for >> that's different than what we're talking about here. They're all unrelated and they they put in the number of employees that they agreed to house on the property for convenience or
>> you know for fiscal soundness for that particular organization. So I understand uh chairwoman's herds concerns and and again this is goes to my previous comments. I saw this happen in another county and many more.
I think it really needs to be tightened up. Otherwise, we're going to have a lot of people just, hate to use the word, crammed into housing, and that's just the way it is. I mean, people try and economize as best as they can. And if
the county has no regulation, no stipulation, then can't go out and say anything. and it could be something that could be affecting other property owners there. I know that you can put up to three units um commercial, but what's the regulation? Do you have any thoughts
about this? >> Uh if this is on Good morning, commissioners, Paul Schilling, growth management director for the record. Uh I think we um in my time here which is approaching two decades um we've had one
instance I I believe with a quarters which are on top of a storage facility. I believe it's located south of Cove Road. Uh that's the only one I'm aware of. I think this is an envision to have uh if you can envision maybe a larger industrial building or a corporate
headquarters that is constructed with all the requirements of article 10 and all of our land development regulations goes through the site planning process and happens to have a couple units and those units could either be freestanding or they could be within the building. So
they may have on a second story if you can imagine three units that are fully functional. uh you can envision a hotel or apartment. Uh but the the primary use of that site is not residential. It's either industrial or commercial. Uh may
happen to be a doctor who comes from out of town uh who uh has a practice at the hospital and as part of his corporate headquarters there practice he constructs uh a residential unit within that building. Uh that's how it's
envisioned. That's my understanding. Um I'm not aware of any other instances uh I could be stand corrected but um not that we actually have residential units within an industrial park or a commercial um commercial office with the
exception of course of mixed use approvals. Um so if that helps >> Commissioner Campy, >> thank you. I think obviously from the last agenda item in this one there is a difference of opinion of the five of us.
You can look and say well you know this terrible thing could happen or this terrible thing could happen. Um or you could look at it like this is just an opportunity and an option that we're adding to uh to the county. Um I trust
and this has been universal. I have uh complete trust in the fact that our staff has reviewed this up and down through multiple different professionals. Uh it's gone through legal with more than one person in our legal department getting an opportunity to review. It was
then sent up to this Tallahassee to be reviewed by a different group of professionals. The last um so it's just a difference of opinion. Um, and I don't think that um those that are opposed will change the minds of those that are
for it. And I don't think those that are for it will change the minds of those that are opposed. I feel comfortable that the process worked. Uh I look to this as an advantage. Uh as we were saying, it's just another small benefit
and opportunity for Martin County. And so I would make the motion to accept staff's recommendation and send it on. I don't believe. Do you need to have a supermajority to have it before five? >> Yes. >> So, I don't think we'll be having it before five, but we'll have it after
five when it comes back in February. >> Okay. Well, um staff is portraying this as, you know, in a rosy way. You know, your example of of a doctor building a living quarters on top of his office is
is a pretty rosy outlook. But what I see each day as I uh go home along Commerce Boulevard, there's a warehouse that doesn't look like a very safe place to live, but there are children's play
things outside in the yard parking lot. And I suspect that those are uh needy people who have been forced into substandard housing. And this unfortunately I don't want to direct needy people into
substandard housing and this gives permission and also doesn't count them. So I won't be supporting this. Any further comments? Is there a motion and a second? >> I have a motion. >> There's a motion and a second. All those in favor?
>> I I >> opposed. Opposed. That motion passes three to two with commissioners heard and Vargas dissenting. >> Thank you members of the board. >> Thank you. >> Um can I clarify for the record
what the motion is? Are we motioning to have it after five? That yes. Okay. Thank you. >> I thought that that it was at the next meeting. So yeah, for the next meeting, the the
public hearing will have to be held after 5:00 per the Florida statute. So you guys, >> the motion did not pass. So it'll be after 5:00. >> Well, it passed. It didn't pass with the >> It didn't, right? According to statute, it has to be a super majority. So it'll be after 5:00, >> but it didn't pass.
>> It Well, hold it. Hold it. I hold it. I'm trying to get clarification here. I'm speaking with the county attorney. The motion was to hold the second public hearing before 5:00 because the statute requires the second public hearing to be after 5:00. That motion did not pass.
There will be a second public hearing. It will just be held after 5:00 on February 24th, I believe. So, the board will have to >> Okay. So, it didn't pass. All right. >> Correct. >> That's all I needed to clarify. >> No, it it p it passed. But we're >> not super majority, >> right?
Is is this the the way all the ordinances work as far uh the after 5:00 thing? >> No. So, um when you amend your land development regulations, normally you only have to have one public hearing at any time, but there is a statutory provision that if you change the
permitted uses, if there's reasonzoning of a certain size and a couple other things that require two public hearings and one has to be after 5:00, this falls within that limited exception. So, we would have to hold the second public hearing after 5:00. Okay.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> We will now should we take up board appointments now? >> Sure. The first is a board and committee appointments for the park and recreation advisory board appointments. And we need
to appoint two at large members. And from your voting sheets, Mr. Fred Bowen Smith received four votes. Mr. Gary Cloff received four votes. Is there a motion to approve?
>> Move approval of uh Gary CL and Fred Bowen Smith. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second. All those in favor? I opposed. That motion passes unanimously. >> And we need to do Commissioner Herd's Representative Larry Soffield.
>> And would somebody move that? >> I'll move approval of uh Larry Soffield. >> Second. >> There's a motion in a second. All those in favor? I opposed. That motion passes unanimously. >> I don't have all the sheets for the next one. >> Okay. Whoever hasn't turned in their
historic preservation board appointments sheets, please do. >> Who's you missing? >> Commissioner Cats. >> Commissioner Cats. >> Go to the back of the >> He's holding out. Thank you. Okay. Um, two members, two positions did not
require you all to vote on because there was one position per one applicant per category. That's Joet Lauren Rice and Sher Lee. And then your your four applicants for at large. Uh, Mr. Duet
Price received four votes and Mrs. Terry Douly received three votes. Okay. Is there a motion? >> Motion to accept uh appoint Terry Douly uh and reappoint Duet Price to the atlarge members of the historic
preservation board >> and to reappoint >> and to reappoint Sher A. Lee and Joet Rice. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second. All those in favor? I >> opposed. That motion passes unanimously.
Thank you, M. >> Let's see. Shall we take up uh department one before the break? >> Sure. >> Good morning, Miss Merley. Good morning. Stephanie Merley, director
of OM, here to present four items on OM today. Our first item is a permission to sign a maintenance agreement um required for the hazard mitigation grant program or the HMGP through um FDM for the
Bessie Creek retrofit project. Um, our public works department is requesting authorization um for $5,625,000 to sign a maintenance agreement to accept responsibility for the routine maintenance of four drainage crossings
in the Palm City Farms wershed. Um, there would be a required county match of $1,875,000 which is budgeted within our storm water capital improvement plan. Item number two is a permission to apply for the US Department of Transportation
better utilizing investments to leverage development or the build grant program for the Golden Gate Multimodal Corridor and drainage resilience project. Um, our office of community development is requesting um a grant funding in the
amount of $3,860,000 to fund the final design and permitting of the Golden Gate Multimotal Corridor and and drainage resilience project. This project will integrate complete street elements and also strengthen
connectivity toward the Golden Gate storm water treatment area. There is a grant match of $964,876 which is a combination of inind match through staff salaries and fringe benefits and the remainder of $476,376
is a partnership between the Golden Gate um tax increment financing or TIFF funds and our ecosystem management capital improvement plan. >> Before we go on, this is such a an ambitious and comprehensive project. It's it's an example of really fine
forward thinking. This is going to improve uh quality of life in Golden Gate so much. So, great job. Item number three is a permission to apply for the drug-free communities um support program grant for year six. Our
human services department is requesting um funding to support years 6 through 10 continuation um for the goals and efforts of the Martin County Community Action Coalition. Um they're requesting 125,000 per year for the next 5 years. There are
um grant match that are corresponding to the grant awards that are met through inind match and opioid settlement funds that are programmed within our human services division. Um, these funds establish and strengthen community collaboration in support of local
efforts to prevent youth substance use. And lastly, we have a permission to accept the Florida Department of Transportation um, public transportation grant for the vehicle gate and security improvements at the Martin County Airport. Our airport is requesting the
grant award of $120,000 to install additional airport perimeter access control security gate and security equipment to prevent direct access to the airport movement area. There is a local match of 20% or $30,000 that would
be required and it is programmed within the airport capital improvement plan. And that's all I have for you today. >> Questions for Miss Merley? Commissioner C. >> I'd like to take you back to the first one. Sure. >> And I'd like to learn a little more about
the relationship between the federal government and the state government and how they they fund these grants. I think this is interesting. There's a reference to the Florida Department of Emergency Management FDEM,
but it appears that the money is actually coming from the federal government. And uh it's it's interesting how so many local things are actually paid for by the federal government. That's probably why we're like sinking as a country. But
>> that would be it. >> But we don't make the rules, right? And it's our job to >> apply for the grants. But uh if you could comment a little bit about the federal role in some of these grants. >> Sure. Uh Jim Gorton, public works director. The hazard mitigation grant
program is a federal program where if you are impacted by a disaster, 10% of the cost of that disaster is put um in a fund to be used only for mitigation purposes. So, if you're a tier one community, if you were impacted directly
by a hurricane, you get first uh shot at those funds and it filters down to a tier two if you were not directly impacted but slightly impacted or if you weren't impacted at all, you turn into a tier three and you can go after any funding that is available in the state of Florida. Um Florida Department of
Emergency Management is the one that administers that federal program. So we we actually apply to the state um to get that HMGB funding and uh for this particular project uh the reason it's available for mitigation funds is
because of flooding that occurs and um especially when you have periods of king tides or um storm surge related to a storm. The area in Palm City Farms can't drain because the water levels are too high in the downstream areas. So, uh,
this specific project will allow us to install increased capacity underneath some of the roads. >> Yeah, that was going to be my next question about, uh, maybe, uh, talking just a little bit more about some of the problems that have resulted from Bessie
Creek. Is it mainly because of vegetation in the uh, in the water channels or the creeks or the ditches? >> No, it's not vegetation, it's capacity. So there's uh pipes that are downstream that are um too small for the current
land use when it was undeveloped and it was just uh completely truly agged and and not um uh farmed as heavily as it is now. Uh that area would flood. It's part of a um special flood hazard area and the pastures would flood for a period of time and then it would drain down. The
current land use uh with 5 acre tracks with people with homes on each one and and people have cattle and horses and things like that. they're really sensitive to that uh cyclical flooding that occurs because you can't let your horses or livestock have wet hooves for any any period of time. So the sensit it
it has always flooded in the past but the sensitivity to that is higher now and um and those crossings that are downstream create a restriction that causes staging of water upstream. So that so if we can increase we're going
to change out some pipes and turn them into bridges and it's going to allow that water to pass through much faster >> and it'll uh greatly benefit the uh areas upstream. >> Great. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Any further questions?
>> Motion to accept Miss Merley's presentation. >> There's a motion and a second. All those in favor? I oppose. That motion passes unanimously. I think we can take up department two before our break contracts that meet the threshold for board approval of a million dollars or
greater. Good morning. >> Good morning, commissioners. Tasha Sap, procurement supervisor. Um, I do have three items for your consideration today. Uh, the first one is State Road 714 Southeast Monterey Road and County Road A1A multimodal pathway. Uh the
recommended action is moved that the board award the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder JW Cheetum LLC in the amount of 1,493,27620 and move that the board authorize the county administrator or designate to execute all documents related to this
request. Uh second one is the Hulk correctional security fencing replacement. Uh recommended action move that the board award the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder Phoenix Fence Corp. in the amount of 1,199,336.
Move that the board authorize the county administrator or designate to execute all documents related to this request. And the last one is a continuing services contract for parks landscape maintenance services. The maximum not to exceed value is 4 million for a maximum
not to exceed term of 5 years. Uh recommended action. Move that the board award the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Turfscape Enterprises LLC, and move that the board authorize the county administrator or designate to execute all documents related to this request.
>> Questions? Commissioner Caps? >> Yes. On the second one, which is the Hulk Correctional Security Fencing Replacement, uh it looks like we're paying for that one completely. Uh $1.2 $2 million.
Um curious as to why that we couldn't find a grant for part of that. >> Is is there any particular re just nothing available? Probably >> this this project Sean Donahghue a general services director. This project started back in 2018. I don't know if we
did grant research uh for it back then. Uh it was funded um you know at a $2.4 million project. uh and we've eaten into that a little bit uh with with with fence projects along the way. This is the final component of it. Um since we've since we've hit this budget
several times over the years, I don't think we'd be eligible to get grants, you know, in in midstream, mid- project. So, I don't know exactly what happened before that, but for right now, this is where we are. Commissioner. Um, typically the only grants that are available for jails is for expansions
operations and maintenance rehabilitations are typically not covered. So, >> okay. Thank you. >> Any further questions? >> Do we have a motion for approval? >> I'll move approval. And just a comment,
I I'd like that we're seeing a lot more competition. So there six, seven, five, six bidders on each project. So I I think that gives a competitive advantage for taxpayers when people are bidding. So good >> second.
>> There's a motion and a second to all those in favor. I opposed. >> That motion passes unanimously. Thank you. We'll now take a break. >> Thank you. We are back taking up uh department three which is a presentation of Martin County western land studies.
>> Come up here. >> Looks like Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and Growth Management are going to take us through this >> tag team. >> Good morning members of the board. Clyde Dulan for the record. Uh as you know the
board uh initiated a uh study of sorts uh and we engaged the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council to go back and do a review of the past studies that have been done in Martin County focusing on western lands and on the future uh
potential uh conservation and protection and um management uh relative to our urban service districts. And so, uh, the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council has completed their analysis and they have it here for for presentation and,
uh, with me is Tom Lanahan from the Executive Director of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. So, I'll let him take it away. >> Good morning. >> Thank you. Um, good morning. Uh, again, Tom Lanahan, executive director, Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council. Um uh so yes, the county did
commission us to um uh study uh basically study of studies study the previous western lands. Uh uh studies have been done here in the county and there there are many of them. Uh look at the goals and strategies that were identified in those. Um what's the
status of those uh different strategies? Have they been um uh started? Have they been accomplished? Have they uh have they not? um map the preserve areas across the county of all all different flavors and there's many different types. Um look at some other ideas from
uh other places uh that maybe have similar circumstances or have effective strategies. Uh look at the strategies not undertaken. Um kind of list those out for you and then identify some potential next steps. So um we're going to go through that uh
in the presentation here. Um you all have in your agenda pack at the report uh and the u voluminous attachment of um the list of all the different goals and strategies. And so how do I you can use >> I can use the key. Oh look oh the mouse over here. Okay I'll use the keys. Um so
the past studies that we looked at um the 2020 vision for a sustainable Martin County that was done in 1999. Uh the comprehensive Everglades restoration plan has some effects here in the county that's from 2000 that's 25 years now. Uh the Martin St. Lucy regional land use
study from 2002 rural and agricultural lands inventory of 2003 rural land symposium of 2003 sustainable treasure codes 2005 development pattern study of 2007 land protection incentives
amendment uh of 2008 St. Lucy Basin management action plan 2013 rural lifestyle land use presentation uh that uh Treasure Coast did. So we looked at our own thing uh 2022. Uh and then the Martin 2040 the western land study of
2024 uh that um a thousand friends uh and the guardians uh of Martin County worked on. Um this is just an example. I don't expect you to be able to read this, but this is just an example of the um uh the
spreadsheet of identifying all the different goals and recommendations, what is the status, uh what are some of the circumstances with it, etc. U so there each um each of the uh various studies had numerous pages of of these
things um uh these goals in them. So just um highlighting some of the things relative to um some of the different studies. Uh and the the green is um uh progress has happened uh and the orange is either not implemented or maybe
limited progress or you chose not to do it. Um uh so looking at the 2020 vision for a sustainable Martin County, there's been meaningful progress through land acquisition, establishment of the CRAAS, and design standards towards the goals that were in there.
Um some of the key sustainability indicators that were identified uh in there uh have not been fully implemented. Um there were uh challenges with um gathering some of the data. Um some of the data was initially being monitored and monitored and just hasn't
been uh since then. And some of the data just isn't obtainable. It was private information for example. You know how many properties have um property insurance uh on them? it that's government can't obtain that readily. It's um private information. Um
comprehensive Everglades restoration plan. Uh significant progress on important projects. Alapata Flats uh the C44. Other projects are partially complete or in planning or you know maybe need some prioritization like was mentioned this morning. Um uh Martin St.
Lucy regional land use study. Uh enhanced multimodal infrastructure and redevelopment is underway. um plus new mixeduse communities like Newfield were realized. So both of those concepts are things that were called out in that um that study. Um there's there's currently
minimal connectivity requirements among parcels um and a lack of financial incentives for infill um uh and those were things that were called for on the study that um maybe aren't being fully uh accomplished. rural and agricultural lands inventory um land inventory and
agriculture economic analysis were completed uh plus a wetland uh and upland protection policies uh are in place. Um the county does not however have a TDR transfer development rights uh program uh and no comprehensive agricultural zoning uh framework and
limited agricultural incentives. So you know one of the ideas for um western land preservation is um facilitating agricultural activity to continue supporting that um having a good framework to um uh make them welcome and
make them um continue to be productive. Uh rural land symposium uh there's been progress in preserving agricultural lands. We've seen that. Um however uh there's lacking uh in early engagement for farmers in in different processes limited again local financial incentives
and uh need to integrate agricultural activity more effectively into um planning sustainable treasure coast um clustering tools were established u the rural lifestyle designation um uh implements uh some of the ideas from that 2005
study wetland buffers were advanced um 71,000 acres have and u preserved in the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Uh which is something that was called for uh back in uh 2005. Um again, the TDR are not in place. Um there's no rural preservation
acreage targets. So the the 2005 study said there should be targets. Um you all don't have any. Um there's no payment for ecosystem services. Uh no comprehensive acg agricultural viability strategy. So that was something that um in evaluating these different goals, I
didn't mention this, but I should. Um we met with um numerous people. We met multiple times with growth management. We met with um business development board. Uh we met with um your um environmental services uh folks. Um and uh you know just trying to evaluate okay
there's all these different goals who who is working on them uh and what is the what is the progress on them? And so the um agriculture as an economic engine in the county um something we identified in in talking with business development
board um doesn't have uh as much effort behind it as some of the other uh more industrial uh type um economic uh engines in the county. And so that's something something to think about um uh as you as you move forward. um
development pattern study um had a lot of concern about the 20 acre and 5 acre um ranchet uh pattern which can be considered sprawl um and uh effectiveness of incentives for uh for clustering
land protection incentives amendment uh the valley area amendment from 2008 it was adopted um uh encouraging permanent preservation it had clustering tools in it however it hasn't ever been implemented um in talking with staff half they feel it has a lot of
procedural complexity and the incentives um are not uh compelling and so that's why no one has taken it up uh St. Lucy basin management action plan. There's been substantial progress on nutrient reduction and water storage goals. Tens of thousands of acres of water storage.
Um however agricultural agricultural nutrient loading remains a challenge. Um rural lifestyle land use presentation. So this is a presentation that Treasure Coast was asked to do while the um county was considering the rural lifestyle uh land use amendments. Um uh
those amendments did get adopted in uh 2022. uh they were changed in 2024 um yielding uh Atlantic Fields which has 1500 acres of development with 70% of that preserved as open space and Kousa Creek
Ranch 3,900 acres um with uh 91% preserved as uh open space. So that has been taken up uh by the market. Um, and one of the challenges there is any additional strengthening of those provisions, adding restrictions in there, your hands are tied uh by Senate
Bill 180 from last year that you can't do anything more restrictive. Um, we'll see how that goes this session. Um, and then uh last uh the Martin 2040, this is the most recent uh this is 2024. Uh, Thousand Friends uh Florida and the
Guardians of Martin County and University of Florida worked on this. Um they identified progress using sales tax revenue through Martin Forever to preserve land discouraging development without infrastructure. You have good policies for that. Uh and investing in septic to sewer conversions which the
counties put a lot of money into and a lot of effort. Um there is however an unclear ability to accommodate all growth within the existing urbanized area in light of the existing policies for infill. So sometimes it's a little more challenging to do infill than um uh the density provisions on the land would
otherwise. um lead you to um lead you to think. So that was looking at uh the status of all those different policies and and uh uh recommendations from those different studies. Um we also mapped uh the preserve uh areas across the county. Um
we think that um uh collecting all this information in one place, maintaining that information, um continuing to color in the blocks as you uh acquire them through different means or through you know uh different projects that happen uh and preserve areas um is a very good
thing to do. Uh it identifies what your progress has been. It also identifies maybe some areas where maybe we should have some focus in here. We should be particularly careful. Um, one of the things that is important with preserve areas, especially from a wildlife and
um, uh, plant life perspective is linkage uh, among them. Uh, a whole series of little islands separated by development are not as effective as uh, those areas clustered together or adjacent to each other so that um, the animals uh, can flow from one place to
the other. And so that's a challenge in your um, more eastern area. um the large tracks in the western area lend themselves to those linkages a little better. And um we encourage as much input as as um possible into um this map and validating uh what we have found and
um making sure we've got everything in there that um that should be shown on there. Uh and then we also were asked to look at ideas from other places. So um so these fall into a few different buckets. Um so strong agricultural
zoning and transfer development rights programs which shift development away from fareland and direct growth towards areas with urban services. So Montgomery County, Maryland, uh Sonoma County, California, King County, Washington and Lowden County, Virginia all have good programs that are effective and getting
good results there. Um and I think if you know anything about the um geography of those different areas, all four of those are counties that have significant growth pressure on them. Uh I know Lowden County uh very well myself and um it's on the edge of the Washington DC
metroplex. It has tremendous uh growth pressure, but they have preserved their uh you know horse country still looks like horse country in Lowden County. So their tools are working there um and might be of interest to you. So major public acquisition tools. So this is uh securing large blocks of open space,
safeguarding uh watersheds uh reinforcing the urban rural boundary. uh Boulder County, Colorado, Marin County, California. Right? Do those names sound familiar? Those are those are some pretty hot uh areas. And so, how are they managing that edge uh there, right?
>> Big big money counties. >> Uh yes. Yes. Um effective purchase of development rights program. So, this is long-term stability created when landowner land owners are compensated for keeping land in agriculture. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and uh Dne County, Wisconsin both have good
programs for that. So, one of the things that I think we learned from from looking at these are uh the most effective approaches are those that use multiple tools and are also targeted to your local circumstances. Um uh you have some different circumstances in some of
these places, but you also have some similarities. So, looking at, you know, how those things align um is is very useful. So, challenges and gaps in implementation. Um this is kind of scooping up um uh some of the different
commonalities among uh the goals uh and and strategies. One of the things that we found in looking at those is there was a lot of similar things found in those different studies over the last 25 years. Um a lot of the ideas repeat um and and some of the challenges repeat.
So tracking and metrics um the sustainability indicators were really interesting um in the 20 vision 2020 uh report um but they're not codified. There's no countywide monitoring in effect um and some of the metrics like I said are not uh obtainable. So looking
at what is doable from those and then um keeping those up uh might be useful for you all. agricultural preservation again no TDR program uh a really comprehensive approach on incentives for agriculture uh smart growth implementation
um many of the recommendations from the development pattern study and the regional land use study like form-based codes and infill incentives have not been fully implemented you've done a lot of work on them and and I and you know don't take uh these things in orange as
um criticism or a um you know a really sad story Um, some of it is just you've gone to a certain level and maybe you could go to the next level. Uh, and I would say certainly on this one, um, this the work that's being done in the CRA areas in the county is tremendous.
Um, it's really important. Um, you did a lot of the, um, code work that needed to be done on really helping facilitate the infill that you said that you wanted to see happen, getting some of the processes out of the way to make it um, make that go better. So, there is progress there.
planning integration. Um, several of the studies were never formally adopted or integrated into regulation. Um, so they're just policy recommendations kind of floating around out there. So you might think about that. And then water policy gaps, BMT adoption is incomplete. BMP, did I say that right? Adoption is
incomplete. Uh, septic to sewer conversions are slow. They are happening, but they they're slow because of the expense. So your next steps, implementation priorities. Um, I think this is a big takeaway. The county does not need
another western land study. Um, you don't need it now. Instead, look at the strategies that have already been identified in the numerous studies that have been done and see if you want to take up and move any of those further. Um, you could codify and unify your planning vision uh, and enforceable
policy. Sustainab sustainability indicators would be valuable. Uh, have a transfer of development rights framework. uh look at a conservation land database of all types. Again, this is that mapping exercise with some priorities, some agriculture goals,
recreation, those kinds of things. I think that would be really valuable for you. uh uh keeping that up and and I'm I'm sure that the team working on um the sales tax land acquisition has some of this already, but it would be useful for them uh to see that whole full picture
because there will be you're going to find some key little hinge points or linkage points that are going to start to appear as you lay in u this mosaic. Uh formalize and enhance your agriculture sustainability tools. Um look at your land agriculture land
retention incentives. um make make sure those are predictable and appealing to land owners. So that would be you know convening some some folks in that business, some farmers, some ranchers, get them together, say, you know, what would help keep you in this business? What are what are we doing that is
harming you from staying in this business? Kind of identify those those things like you've done with um some of the other commercial activity uh through the pulse and through some of those other different things. Take the pulse of the agriculture uh community. um enhance implementation capacity. This is
something you could do. Dedicated staff to shepherd policy into action. Um cross departmental collaboration. I'm sure everybody's talking to each other about their different efforts. Um prioritize some smart growth mechanism. Continue to encourage and fill uh development. Um
look at structuring your impact fees to reflect the true cost of development. the fee should be higher in areas where there are not existing uh infrastructure uh things in place. Uh and you're allowed to do that. Um uh and and it would be worth your while to consider
doing that. That's a recommendation that's been made for a long time. Uh improve public engagement and accountability. Um a dashboard to track performance. This could be where you could show that map. You could show those different sustainability indicators. Um those are just some ideas
for you. Uh that's uh that concludes the work that we've done for you. Um I'm happy to answer any questions you might have today or um engage in some conversation about um what happens next. And I think you do have someone from the public that wants to talk to you also. Thank you,
>> Commissioner Caps. >> Yes. Uh, you know, we we talk a lot about the Martin County difference and we are different than surrounding counties and I think you'd be a great guy to tell us a little about a little bit about how
our comp plan and our rules are different from neighboring counties and the region within the purview of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council like St. Lucy County and Palm Beach County um and Indian River County. >> Sure.
>> Just a little comparison. >> Yeah, sure. Thank you. Um uh so, you know, I'll start with um take take off on an airplane from Palm Beach International and fly north. You can see the county border. Um you can certainly see the northern border of St.
L of Martin County where it butts up to St. Lucy. So, you have a very different development pattern. Um you have taken steps here that um other places have not taken on um uh
managing growth and and um concentrating growth in a in an urbanized area and preserving a rural area and you've done it in two two ways. So you have an urban growth boundary that you have um depend defended repeatedly um even just recently was a month ago or something
like that, right? Um so you're very mindful and careful about that boundary and and expansions to that boundary number one. Uh but I think even more significantly number two is um you have put your money where your mouth is on
land acquisition uh which is very effective and I would say is long-term the most effective tool uh for for you know preserving that boundary uh because the the communities that are simply
relying on establishing an urban service boundary an urban growth boundary as a line on a map and thinking that that Okay, now I'm done. I'm all protected. Um, a legislature that can tell you where you're going to put housing and where you're not going to put housing is a legislature that can tell you that
urban growth boundary doesn't mean anything. They could just take it away. So, owning the land or having the land owned by preservation groups or those different things is a whole another level beyond that. So, I think looking at those two things together um is really important. And you can see it. I
love that this map is up here on the screen. you can kind of see it, right? We can see the urban service boundary um with those preserve areas and as you go further with that um I think that would be you know that would help support that. Um those are the those are two
really strong things. You also have um you've developed a culture here where um changes to the comprehensive plan are treated um very seriously and they are an extraordinary event. Um there's other
communities where the agendas are filled every two weeks with changes to the comp plan. Um which has the effect of really kind of diluding the long-term perspective that really should be there uh in that document. It's supposed to be
a big picture highlevel long-term uh document. Yeah. Incremental adjustments. Things happen. Things change. I'm not saying no changes. They're not, you know, tablets that came down off the mountain that we can never change. Uh but it it should have a seriousness to
it and um not every one of your neighbors does that. Um and and it it it just and it becomes kind of a habit. Um and so you have to be a little careful there. Uh and I think you know having your um land acquisition and your um
preserve easement program um treating it very seriously and treating those preservations very seriously. um is is important. Um and there's a sacredness to it that you know you you you you take it seriously and and you
you you know um uh you've achieved results that way. Um if you look at uh just growth growth trends um this is the slowest growing area in our region. Um and I think that's intentional. I don't think that's a secret, right? Um and
there's other places that make different choices and it's their choice um uh to do that. But it comes with, you know, it it it comes with some some challenges also. Either either way it comes with challenges. So hopefully that answered your your question. >> Very good. Thank you.
>> You bet. >> Greg Brun, would you like to speak to us? >> All right. Thank you, Greg Brun, Guardians of Martin County. Uh, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on this one. I know it's a a department hearing rather than a public
hearing, but I appreciate the opportunity and I'll take my three minutes. Um, we appreciate the county moving forward with this a couple years ago. Um, unfortunately in the last several years while this study was going on, we've lost that several thousand acres of lands outside the aggre uh the
urban services district to to development. So, uh, we agreed with the regional planning council that the time for study is passed. We'd like to move forward with some implementation. Um, I I think several of you, maybe all
of you, have received copies of our uh the report that we put out from our study with Thousand Friends of Florida and the University of Florida back a couple years ago. And um on the back page of this, I'll just refresh your memory that we have a series of
recommendations there. And we would like to see this meeting not be the end of this. You know, you've got a bunch of studies that have been done and they sitting on the wall in the library and we'd like to see you move forward with developing
recommendations for strategies to implement these things. Uh, we've got several of them on the the back of here on the back page of what I've just distributed, but I expect that the regional planning council has a bunch of other ones that we didn't have time to get into during their presentation
today. Uh, a couple examples of some of those that we think you can all certainly do without a whole lot of time, effort, and money are we we need to get back to the state of Florida and express our support for better funding for Florida forever.
uh the Florida communities trust program, rural and family lands, there are a bunch of things like that that we would like to see you move forward with. Uh Mr. Lanahan also mentioned the lack of the implementation of the payment for environmental services. Now, that's what
the locky is trying to do. We're trying to acquire those lands and raise the the water table on those to help out our our hydraologic situation. I'm sure that there are other incentives uh you know push back on the preeemptions from the
state on taking things out of decision-making by you. Uh we just like to see uh today being a step a transition to the next step. Thank you. >> Thank you. Yeah, I just read this morning that that uh the governor proposes to add
additional money into Florida Forever, which is encouraging, and also has has uh given additional funding to uh Florida uh Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, FDAXes, is really
becoming active in purchasing a easements uh including 6,000 acres in bull hammock in 202. 25 and Martin. >> Sorry. >> Oh, sorry.
>> Just fine. So uh uh FDAX has become so I originally started saying that the governor is proposing adding additional funds into Florida Forever in the budget this year and also putting additional funding in uh Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services which
funds uh the rural and family lands a easements. Uh last year FDAX purchased 6,000 acres of a easement in Bull Hammock and Barbie Ranch was another uh 1,670 acres of an egg easement. Both I've
toured both properties. Both properties are absolutely excellent. And we we know that that uh farming and ranching is a gamble and we really value good stewards. And when good stewards uh see
market shifts in demand and prices, they frequently, although they're cashri, they frequently are forced to sell their land. And we don't want those good stewards to sell their land. We want them to keep it in in bonafide agriculture production. So, we will
continue to encourage uh Florida Forever uh robust funding and also FDA robust funding for a easements. Those those two are are invaluable tools for us to maintain. >> Yes, they are. >> What this map looks like, which is is uh
you know, this is the only county in South Florida that looks like this. So, we need to to continue those protections. We've done a really good job so far and I also really love the summary of the uh western studies. We've
done a lot of studies and they still contain a lot of relevant information for us. So, we just need to to you show this morning that that there's still things that are are included in those studies. Some of them are are 26 years
old that still contain uh information that's just as relevant as it was 26 years ago. And I don't think in Martin County our goals have changed. >> We still want to conserve lands and we still want to improve water quality.
>> Commissioner Caps >> on the history of Florida Forever funding. Um, I think I heard that it's been a trend to do about a 100 million a year for the whole state, but that last year
I think it was only 19 million or something. So, one thing to watch out for is what actually happens in the legislator legisl uh leg legislature this session uh to see if we go back up to like a 100
million or if it's going to be bare bones again. Um is that what happened last year? That's what I heard that that it was 19 million. I don't know the answer to >> and uh John >> John might know >> right >> you walked in the door so we're calling
you >> good morning John mail environmental resource administrator uh that that's perfectly correct memory um so makes makes my job easy but I think a nuance of that is that they're still spending
those kinds of dollars on conservation or land acquisition it's just been diverted from Florida forever over to FDAX for their rural and family lands. >> And so that's the program that's kind of the the favorite child right now. And I would expect this session probably not
to be an exception. Um, you know, I don't think Florida Forever is going away, but it's for this current political makeup, it's probably going to be more focused on preserving agricultural uh through easements. >> Thank you.
Any further questions or comments? This doesn't require any action. >> Appreciate your work. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. We appreciate the opportunity to do this. It was um it was really interesting uh to dig back through all those different things. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much.
We'll now take up our last item which is department 4 which is adopting a resolution approving acquisition of a 1 acre parcel along MacArthur Boulevard which is called the Perry Beach edition as recommended by the Environmental
Lands Oversight Committee and approved by the board. Miss Sigura. >> Good morning. Morning. This is a request for adoption of a resolution approving the acquisition of this 1 plus acre
parcel which as indicated was at 220 Southeast MacArthur Boulevard and owned by Goose 220 MacArthur LLC. The property is located on both the river and the Oceanside and is adjacent to other county-owned properties known as Perry
Beach. The vacant parcel was listed for sale at 2.2 million and had an average appraised value of 1,987,500. And staff worked with the owner and negotiated an agreed purchase price of
$1,980,000. And the funding for this acquisition will be coming from the conservation lands sales tax fund. Um, we have a beneficial interest disclosure form and a affidavit of no conflict that has been signed by the owner. Title work is
completed. There's no incumbrances on the property. Um, upon approval by legal and all of the documents, we should be able to do the closing by March 16th on or before March 16th, 2026. We ask
that the board adopt a resolution approving and accepting the purchase of the 1.019 acre parcel and authorize the chair to execute the vacant land contract in the amount of $1,980,000 and authorize the county administrator
or designate to execute all necessary closing documents to complete this transaction. If there's any questions, I'd be happy to answer questions. Miss Sigura on the Eststerine side. Are there any uplands there? Are those mangroves?
>> Mike can answer that. >> Hi. >> Yeah. >> Good morning everyone. Michael Houston, senior project manager in the environmental resource division. Uh the west side of the road is almost entirely mangroves. There's a little bit of
uplands, but it's 20 to 30 feet wide. Then it's all mangroves from there. I would assume that the that's the same sort of of habitat that's both to the to the above it and below it. It's all mangroves. >> Correct. Yes.
>> Okay, >> Commissioner Caps. >> So, this is an example of a blueway, right? >> That is correct. >> Right. There are four categories of land that we're pursuing with the halfsent sales tax. uh the
Blueways, Indian River Lagoon South, Palmar and Luxal Lucy and uh if you could explain a little bit about Blue Waves. >> Absolutely. So the primary purpose of Blueways is to protect shoreline areas
and provide uh access to the public. Um it also is meant to provide beach access areas. So, a big part of it is to protect beachfront property, of which it's very, very limited. There's very
few of those parcels left. Uh, and among the properties that have been nominated and considered, this is actually the only one that is, uh, looking to protect more beachfront property that we have on our list so far. If more become available, we'll evaluate them and then
get them approved. >> Great find here. Uh it look, you know, I can't imagine anything better to buy than uh a big strip of mangroves and a uh a nice little beach on the uh the
other side of the road. So uh glad you found it, >> Commissioner Campy. >> Yes, thank you. I know that uh our staff and the committee have been looking all over. What I like about this is that a majority of the other portions, Palmar
and Lockal Lucy and the rest of it are all in South County. And I think that by still looking in northern Martin, it makes everyone feel that it's more of a universal program than everything just happening, you know, far away from where they live. Uh, and I think for a lot of
people that don't even know what Palmar is or some of those other more specific projects, when you hear about, hey, we're purchasing beachfront to protect, um, I think that really energizes um, and motivates the folks
that might have been a little leery about doing this in the first place, the just purely dollars and cents folks. So, I'm happy about it. I would uh happily make a motion that uh we have you continue to go to the purchase. >> There's a motion in a second. Any
further discussion? >> Can I mention one one thing uh about our environmental lands program and our staff? I thought I would brag on our staff a little bit. You know, I was uh struck by this yesterday when I got an
update from staff about all of the parcels they're looking at buying with half cent sales tax money. I was I was really taken by the thought that we have really competent people uh searching out these deals for us and I have a great uh
level of confidence in the things that I hear from them and I just want to brag on all of you very much and uh thank you for your longevity and your competence in this field because uh you know we could be in a situation where we've
passed this amendment and we have all of these resources coming in and we had maybe new people or incompetent people uh you know and where it could be controversial and where there's infighting about things and it just
seems like this is going really really well. So thank you very much >> Commissioner Vargas. Yeah, I I think that the voters spoke and I think that the committee has done a wonderful job uh about uh bringing forth properties
that are going to be invaluable and precious as time goes forward. uh John mail's uh department uh has uh brought forth a lot of interesting parcels and I know that some are you know in the offing still working through them and
there'll be more to come and as we receive more monies then we will look at them you know with a a sharp pencil and see what we can do to extend the dollars that the taxpayers have given to us and that we must be very careful with and I
love it that it's in my district also So, this is fantastic. We're all about the beach and and the sun here. So, thank you very much all of you. >> I'm also grateful that we're spending money because even though the taxes for 10 years, um in 10 years this these
parcels are going to be way more expensive. So, it's good to be aggressive about looking for properties that qualify for purchase or uh easements. So, any further comment? There's a motion and a second. All those in favor? I opposed. That motion passes
unanimously. Thank you. >> This is the end of the meeting. Would anyone from the public like to address us? I don't see anybody. Commissioner Heatherington, any lasting comments? >> I'm all set for today. >> Commissioner Campy,
>> I'm all set. >> Commissioner Caps, >> I'm good. >> Commissioner Vargas? >> Yeah. Um, one thing that I would like to propose, uh, this was a short meeting today, short agenda. However, sometimes we have agendas that do stretch a little further, and I want to respect the
public, those that are viewing and those that show up. And I've had comments. Um, why does it take so long to go through meeting? And, um, some people have said some people on this commission talk too long. I would like to propose
commissioners that we limit our comments just as the public does to three minutes. We don't need to wax and wayne about a lot of, you know, ponderings about other ideas that have nothing to do with us. And it's really we want to have substance, okay? We don't want
fluff. So, I would like our commission to be respectful to our taxpayers and to our constituents that put us here and limit our comments to three minutes. you know what the agenda is at least a week and a half before it's provided for you. Jot down notes and then you can go ahead
and ask questions of those that come forward. But I think this is this is the advent of doing this now. This is ridiculous to have meetings that go on and on and on and we need more participation. Again, folks may be listening, viewing, or they may be
sitting in our audience. And we appreciate everyone who takes the effort and takes their precious time, but there's no need to continue on about pontificating. And again, I think that we can get the job done a lot quicker. >> Commissioner Caps,
>> I don't think that's needed. >> Well, then we'll sit here all day. This is the problem. >> It's 11:30. >> Yeah. Well, this is a short meeting, Commissioner Heatherington, but other times we have some commissioners here that like to go on and on and on and
people become tonedeaf and I've had people approach me about this. So, if you're giggling, then this is not this is not the job for you. Um, so I think that you must be more respectful of people's time. Very simple.
>> Thank you. Uh, Mr. Johnson, any further comments? No comment.