Derreck Ogden is running for Stuart City Commissioner Group 3 against Merritt Matheson, and his campaign centers on slowing development, protecting the St. Lucie River, and making city government more transparent to residents.
Ogden, a single father and 20-plus-year Stuart resident, said his top concerns are development and the health of the river. He pushed back on the idea that he supports no growth at all, saying Stuart will grow naturally regardless of policy. His focus, he said, is stopping the city from what he described as automatically approving projects that increase density and paving over green space that would otherwise absorb rainwater before it reaches the river.
Slow Growth and Protecting the River
Ogden framed his position in practical terms rather than environmental activism. He compared a parking lot to a forest, arguing that rain soaks into the ground or filters naturally when it hits grass, but runs straight into storm drains and the river when it hits pavement. He said that reasoning, not a scientific background, is what drives his opposition to continued paving and increased density…