JUPITER, Fla. (CBS12) — One of Jupiter’s most controversial waterfront properties, just steps from Love Street and some of the town’s busiest bars and restaurants, is moving forward after years of heated debate.
In a 4–1 vote, the Jupiter Town Council approved a settlement this week involving the 10-acre Suni Sands property along the Loxahatchee River, a site that has divided the community over development, preservation, and sacred history.
The land sits just two blocks from Love Street, near iconic spots like UTiki and Square Grouper, and is one of the last undeveloped waterfront parcels near the Jupiter Inlet.
Why the land matters
For Native American advocates and preservationists, Suni Sands is not just prime real estate. It is a historic shell midden with evidence of human remains, believed by many to be a burial ground dating back thousands of years.
For others, the property represents a broader question about Jupiter’s future. How much of the waterfront should remain open? Who should have access? And what happens when growth reaches one of the town’s most popular riverfront corridors?
Those competing views have fueled years of packed meetings, public protests, appeals and mediation.
How the fight began
Developer Charles Modica, who also developed Charlie & Joe’s at Love Street, bought the Suni Sands property in 2013 for about $17 million, when it was still home to a long-running mobile home park. The park closed in 2016…