PORT ST. LUCIE – The members of the City Council here made in clear Aug. 25 that its members would not consider changing the land use and zoning on Lulf’s Groves Business Park to low density residential despite the ironic Board majority vote a year and a half ago to send the property owner’s request to the state for its analysis.
On Jan. 22, 2024, Lulf’s Groves’ contracted Land Planner Steve Garrett presented the developer’s plan to the Council to build 1,350 single-family homes on the 464.5- acre property off Glades Cut Off Road currently zoned for commercial and industrial uses. Vice-Mayor Jolien Caraballo expressed the most vocal opposition that day, insisting she wasn’t willing to sacrifice any more of the city’s limited industrially zoned lands to build more housing. After Deputy Planning & Zoning Director Bridget Kean provided a comprehensive overview that day of the proposal being submitted to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, she also spoke against the requested changes.
“The Planning & Zoning Department staff does not find the petition to be consistent with the intent and the direction of the city’s comprehensive plan,” she said that day…