Placement: Second Reading of Ordinances
Action Requested: Motion / Vote
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Ordinance 26-66, an Ordinance of the City of Port St. Lucie, Florida, Amending the City of Port St. Lucie Comprehensive Plan by Adopting the Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR)-Based Comprehensive Plan Amendments; Amending the Goals, Objectives, and Policies in the Future Land Use Element, Transportation Element, Housing Element, Infrastructure Element, Conservation and Coastal Management Element, Intergovernmental Coordination Element, Recreation and Open Space Element, Economic Development Element, Capital Improvements Element, Public Schools Element, and Property Rights Element; Amending the Future Land Use Map Series; and Providing for the Repeal of the Prior Data and Analysis Sections Adopted under Ordinance 20-28 (P24-185)
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Submitted By: Bridget Kean, AICP, Deputy Director
Strategic Plan Link: The City's Goal of Strategic Growth for a Resilient Future.
Executive Summary (General Business): This application is the adoption hearing for the EAR-based amendments to the City’s comprehensive plan. On July 13, 2026, the City Council held a transmittal hearing and voted unanimously to transmit the proposed EAR-based amendments to the City’s comprehensive plan to the Florida Department of Commerce (“FloridaCommerce”) and corresponding review agencies. FloridaCommerce issued an Objections, Recommendations, and Comments (ORC) Report on September 14, 2026. The City has until March 12, 2027 to adopt, adopt with changes, or not adopt the proposed amendment. The ORC report included three objections and three comments.
Following receipt of the ORC Report, the Planning and Zoning Department and the City’s consultant, Inspire Placemaking, met with FloridaCommerce staff to discuss the report. Staff and the City’s consultant than met with the City Manager’s Office, the City Attorney’s Office, and the City’s outside land use attorney to review and discuss the ORC Report and the City’s response. Working with City staff, Inspire Placemaking has updated the data and analysis and the Goals, Policies and Objectives (GOPs) to address the ORC Report. The updated Goals, Objectives, and Policies are attached as Exhibit “A” of Ordinance 26-066 and the updated Future Land Use Map Series is attached as Exhibit “B” of Ordinance 26-066 with additions shown as underlined and deletions shown as strikethrough. The ORC Report and the City’s response to the ORC report are included in the submittal packet. The changes are highlighted in yellow.
In addition to the changes that were made to address the ORC Report, Policy 1.1.4.7, Policy 1.1.4.8, and Policy 1.1.4.12 of the Future Land Use Element were updated. Policies 1.1.4.7 and 1.1.4.12 were changed back to the original text and a new clause was added to Policy 1.1.4.8 to clarify that an individual parcel in a mixed use development can be developed with just one use as long as the site specific development application is consistent with the PUD master plan. Staff directed changes were also made to the transportation map series to more clearly depict the City’s existing and proposed roadway needs. The maps that were submitted for transmittal were missing some of the existing and/or proposed roads in the City’s southwest and northwest annexation areas. The maps have been corrected.
The City is adopting only the updated Goals, Objectives, and Policies and the updated Future Land Use Map Series by ordinance (attached as Exhibits “A” and “B”). The updated data and analysis sections of each element are provided as supplementary information and are included in the submittal packet as Exhibit “C”.
Presentation Information: Inspire Placemaking, the consultant, will provide an updated presentation.
Staff Recommendation: Move that the Council adopt the ordinance adopting the City’s EAR-based amendments to the comprehensive plan with the changes described.
Alternate Recommendations:
1. Move that the Council amend the recommendation and adopt the ordinance amending the comprehensive plan.
2. Move that the Council not approve the ordinance amending the comprehensive plan and provide staff direction.
Background: The Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval of the EAR-based Amendments at the June 23, 2026, Special Planning and Zoning Board Meeting. The City’s comprehensive plan is comprised of eleven elements that address future land use, transportation, housing, infrastructure, conservation and coastal management, intergovernmental coordination, recreation and open space, economic development, capital improvements, public schools, and property rights.
The proposed EAR-based amendments are based on extensive public outreach, updated data and analysis, and input from City staff and the City Council. Staff from the Public Works, Utilities, Building, Parks and Recreation, Emergency Management, and Solid Waste departments assisted in the review and revisions of the EAR-based amendments. The Community Redevelopment Agency, St. Lucie County School District, and Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County also reviewed and provided feedback on the proposed EAR-based amendments.
Issues/Analysis: The first objection in the ORC Report pertains to Planning Horizons and Public Facilities Projections. Chapter 163, Part II, Florida Statutes requires a twenty-year planning horizon and a short term planning horizon of ten years. Since the City is updating its comprehensive plan to 2050, the City provided a short term planning horizon to 2040. The state is requiring 2036 as the ten year planning horizon. The data and analysis and the population projections have been updated to include a short term planning horizon of 2036. FloridaCommerce also noted that the population projections for water supply planning were different than the population projections used throughout the plan. This is due to the fact that the tables in the Infrastructure Element are taken from the City’s 10 Year City’s Water Supply Facilities Work Plan which are based on the South Florida Water Management District’s Upper East Coast Water Supply Plan population projections and reflect the city’s utility service area. This information has been clarified in the data and analysis.
The second objection has to do with a proposed removal of a policy in the Conservation and Coastal Management Element. Policy 5.3.1.6 addresses construction activities seaward of the coastal construction control line (CCCL). CCCLs are established in 25 of Florida’s coastal counties and pertain to development along the coast. Since Port St. Lucie is located in a coastal county, the policy is required for the City’s comprehensive plan even though the CCCL for St. Lucie County is located on Hutchinson Island. The policy has been added back in the comprehensive plan.
The third objection refers to missing references and/or a lack of clear guidelines for development. Section 163.3177(1){b), F.S., states that documents adopted by reference should identify the title and author of the document and indicate clearly what edition and provisions of the document are being adopted. Florida Commerce identified several objectives and policies that did not provide a proper reference or that, as proposed, did not provide clear guidelines for development nor supported with data and analysis. These references have been added to the comprehensive plan and the City’s response to the ORC Report includes a table that identifies the changes. Where specific strategies or standards were referenced generally, policy text has been expanded to incorporate direct citations of supporting plans.
The three comments have to do with: (1) a missing reference to the level of service in the Public Schools Facilities Element; (2) an incomplete policy in the Parks and Open Space Element; and (3) Intergovernmental Coordination. The missing reference in the Public Schools Facilities Element has been corrected and the incomplete policy in the Parks and Open Space Element was restored to its original form. For the comment on Intergovernmental Coordination, Florida Commerce recommends that the City coordinate with the South Florida Water Management District and the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council to address their comments regarding the proposed amendment. The City’s response to the ORC Report includes a response to each of the comments.
FloridaCommerce also identified conflicts with several City proposed changes and the application of Chapter 2025-190, Section 28, Laws of Florida, on the basis that the provisions were more restrictive or burdensome than the currently adopted Comprehensive Plan. The attached response to the ORC Report identifies the City’s response to each concern. To address the burdensome or more restrictive concerns, the City either removed a policy or reverted to the existing text since the changes were not significant enough to risk a challenge to the adoption of the plan. For others, such as new policies the City is proposing for the review of future voluntary annexations, these policies remain in the comprehensive plan and the City’s response clarifies that these policies only apply to future requests for voluntary annexations and not to existing development in the City.
Financial Information: N/A
Special Consideration: N/A
Location of Project: N/A
Attachments:
1. Ordinance
2. Exhibit “A” Updated Goals, Policies, and Objectives
3. Exhibit “B” Updated Future Land Use Map Series
4. FloridaCommerce Objections Recommendations and Comments (ORC) Report
5. City’s Response to the Objections, Recommendations and Comments Report
6. Exhibit “C” Updated and Analysis Sections of the City’s Comprehensive Plan
7. Staff Report
8. Inspire Placemaking Memo
9. Consultant’s Presentation
NOTE: All of the listed items in the “Attachment” section above are in the custody of the City Clerk. Any item(s) not provided in City Council packets are available upon request from the City Clerk.
Internal Reference Number: 26175-01
Legal Sufficiency Review:
Reviewed by Russell Ward, Deputy City Attorney. Approved as to Legal form and sufficiency by Richard Berrios, City Attorney.