MARTIN COUNTY — A precautionary boil water notice was lifted Saturday morning for a portion of Jensen Beach following a water line break for residents and businesses on a 1.4-mile stretch of South Hutchinson Island between Northeast Causeway Boulevard and Surf Drive That's roughly from Jensen Beach Park to Waveland Beach "The water is safe to drink," said Sam Amerson director of the Martin County Utilities and Solid Waste Department Saturday afternoon The precautionary boil water alert was issued Thursday after a 2-inch water line to The Keyes Company on South Ocean Drive broke Crews repaired the broken pipe in about two hours but the water pressure dropped below a critical level and the alert was issued water in the system along South Ocean Drive was tested over two days and passed each day The break probably affected several hundred customers More: Delayed again: Review of a $120M housing, auto dealership project in Stuart pushed to March More: Martin County may sue Stuart if it doesn't support grant applications for Brightline station Keith Burbank is TCPalm's watchdog reporter covering Martin County He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com and at 720-288-6882 Your browser is not supported for this experience.We recommend using Chrome On Hutchinson Island you will find miles of pristine, uncrowded beaches to enjoy, as well as cultural events and activities for the whole family. Visit the Elliott Museum, the historic House of Refuge, and the Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center to learn about the history of the area and its environment Hotels, vacation rentals, fine restaurants — Hutchinson Island has all the amenities of a Southeast Florida beach town while maintaining an unspoiled coastline where visitors can see marine animals, including endangered sea turtles Spread out a beach blanket or take a dip in the water at one of Hutchinson Island’s many beaches The waterways of Hutchinson Island make it the perfect getaway for fishing and boating Families with children will have no shortage of things to do on Hutchinson Island from visiting the aquarium to exploring beachside playgrounds See local history exhibits and collections of artwork and Americana at Hutchinson Island’s museums and horseback riding are all on the itinerary Take your dog along to splash at the dog-friendly beach and hike a rugged coastal trail and beaches can be found on Hutchinson Island Go for burgers and drinks at an upbeat beachside eatery or indulge in a decadent pizza by the ocean Shop for beachwear and gifts on Hutchinson Island Hutchinson Island offers a wide variety of accommodations Time is easy to spend on Hutchinson Island – with the beach By Vanessa Caceres Downtown Fort Pierce offers visitors art and scenic views nestled along Southeast Florida’s.. By Jeanette Scott I recently named Vero Beach Main Street as one of my favorite places to go shopping on the Treasure Coast By Kara Franker The international singer and her husband opened Costa d'Este hotel in Vero Beach in 2008 and transformed it into a world-class.. Copyright © document.write(new Date().getFullYear())2021 VISIT FLORIDA. All rights reserved. VISIT FLORIDA® is a service mark of the Florida Tourism Industry Marketing Corporation, d/b/a VISIT FLORIDA, registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. | Contact Us As waterfront land in 32963 gets harder to find builders and developers are turning some of their attention to nearby South Hutchinson Island which extends from the Fort Pierce Inlet to Jensen Beach Two big new projects worth a combined $300 million that will bring 102 luxury units to market are hitting inflection points this month down on “South Hutch,” with a groundbreaking at one and a land purchase closing at the other The projects are similar in several ways – both have strong Vero connections and offer beautifully-designed and built oceanfront homes Both will be worth about $150 million at sellout at the current asking prices Both also were designed by the same architect who’s well known in 32963 for designing the Vero Beach Hotel and Spa one of the luxury developments currently being built on Vero’s oceanfront by Yane Zana and Coastmark Construction construction and sales teams and different target demographics “There isn’t much direct competition between us for buyers,” said Scott Reynolds whose team at Compass is in charge of marketing and sales at Diamond Shores direct oceanfront development located 23.5 miles south of Sexton Plaza Plated for 43 beachfront homes with pre-construction prices of $3.45 million Diamond Shores is being developed by Joe Rauenhorst who was the primary developer of the Strand beach cottages in Indian River Shores who split their time between a residence in Florida and one up north There will be a small clubhouse for meetings and Reynolds said a day dock and jet-ski launch are planned so residents will have access to the river as well as the ocean But the project isn’t being built or billed as a resort luxurious oceanfront living midway between the attractions of Fort Pierce and Jensen Beach/Stuart “Management costs and HOA fees will be low,” said Reynolds where a gala groundbreaking took place last week luxed-out oceanfront homes starting at $4.2 million and 34 cottages offered for $1.5 million Renderings show a fabulous beach club on the oceanfront with a glass back wall and a second clubhouse with another resort-style pool bar and 26-slip dock on the slightly more casual river side of the 15-acre property “The check at the river restaurant will be about half what it is at the oceanfront,” said project developer Lee Heaton who told Vero Beach 32963 that he had been eyeing the project site for years “We were always aware of the property,” he said “I called the owners a couple of years ago and found out it was available.” Heaton bought the property for $10,750,000 in June 2021 and began meeting with architects and land planners to figure out the best project for the site He decided on luxury residential with a strong resort and rental component “There isn’t really anything like it on the Florida coast,” said Heaton “We will have all the water activities on the river and ocean sea turtle nesting tours and horseback riding on the beach There will be a catamaran to take people out to a nearby island with box lunches and for daily sunset cruises “There is a kids club and an event lawn where we will show free movies every night.” The $1.5 million beach cottages will have 1,332 square feet of air-conditioned living space with two bedrooms The three-story beach houses will have 4,239 square feet of air-conditioned living space with another 1,800 square feet of outdoor living space Cottages and houses are sold fully furnished with a long list of high-end finishes and fittings a Florida company that has built hundreds of major projects spanning the spectrum of commercial real estate including dozens of multifamily and hospitality developments Heaton said his buyers will be purchasing “a second Whether they spend a few weeks or many months in residence each year owners will have access to a full suite of luxury hotel amenities with daily linen and housekeeping services upon request “You can have as little or as much of that as you want,” Heaton said Buyers will automatically be signed up for the rental program a management and development company with close ties to Marriott “Mainsail has a strong focus on food and beverage and they bring a direct link to Marriott’s Bonvoy loyalty rewards program which has 150 million members,” Heaton said More than 160 people attended the groundbreaking last Thursday including more than two dozen agents and brokers from Vero Beach who hope to bring clients to the closing table at Ouanalao (pronounced O-wana-loo) one of the most extraordinary islands in the hemisphere,” Jay Parker said at the catered event at the project site in Jensen Beach “We will create that same lifestyle and luxury here “We are very excited to be working with the incredible development team at the Heaton Companies and with Mainsail – which creates a great opportunity for buyers to generate income when they aren’t here in a way that is very unusual for a product of this caliber “I’ve been to quite a number of groundbreakings,” Parker added I think it is pretty clear this project is going to be something very special.” Ouanalao opened for sales in June and was more than 20 percent sold out prior to groundbreaking according to the site plan at Ouanalaoresort.com with nine houses and three cottages spoken for The sales team is led by agents out of Elliman’s Palm Beach office but Elliman agents from Vero were prominent at the party and the company’s entire Florida operation will be focused on the property Sales opened at Diamond Shores in August and Reynolds’ team has sold four homes so far Reynolds plans to ramp up sales in coming weeks after final entitlements are in place The 23-acre Diamond Shores property was purchased for $7.5 million by WBC Collections LP in 2017 At some point Rauenhorst made a deal with WBC to prep and entitle the land for his residential development prior to closing on the sale “We are just a couple of weeks away from closing and don’t see anything that would interfere,” Reynolds said so it will go fairly quickly once we begin construction We are just waiting for the final entitlements.” “We plan to have a sales trailer open here no latter than Dec start construction in January and deliver new homes 12 to 18 months after that,” said Sven Frisell the Reynolds team member in charge of sales at Diamond Shores Tampa and a local from Hutchinson Island.” That timeframe puts Diamond Shores in sync with Ouanalao where Heaton hopes to complete his resort project by the end of the first quarter in 2024 adding that he is “confident of the market,” despite widespread uncertainty about what will happen with real estate between now and completion “Cash buyers are less affected by interest rates noting the ongoing lack of new-home inventory Phoenix Construction’s reputation for building excellent homes and an impressive array of standard high-end features at Diamond Shores quartz countertops and owners’ suites with floor-to-ceiling ocean-view windows Both developments are offering commissions to outside agents who bring buyers “We will pay a 3 percent commission,” Heaton said Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2025 32963 Media LLC All rights reserved   |    Contact: [email protected]   |   Vero Beach, Florida, USA | Orlando Web Design by: M5 This function has been disabled for Vero News — A new development proposed for an area of South Hutchinson Island could change the face of that area called "Boardwalk on the Inlet," would be built on the 4.8 acres of space between Manatee Island Bar and Grill and Square Grouper Tiki Bar on Seaway Drive the lot is a gravel parking lot with some patches of grass and a sidewalk that runs along the waterfront told WPTV he purchased the land in 2020 and has since bought three more homes in the area surrounding it He said he had hoped to develop the space since purchasing it and there's no real hotels for people to stay in because they're all filled up so there's a necessity for it," Woods said The project would include 103 condos in two locations along with two hotels One would likely be a Hilton Homewood Suites with 119 rooms and the other would be a luxury hotel named Aqua with 40 rooms an 18,000-square-foot event center with a 6,000-square-foot ballroom "We're also allocating space for retail," Woods said one of the biggest privately held offerings on the Treasure Coast in history." "The traffic study said there needed to be a left turn lane off of seaway into the project," Woods said He also said the area will still be open to the public for fishing and recreation and the area will include several green spaces Fort Pierce City Commissioner Jeremiah Johnson said he has his own concerns that need to be addressed including more flood and stormwater studies he said all of that will be addressed during the review process and said his constituents will get several chances to weigh in He also said he's excited about the project it would be the tourism component,” Johnson said what better project than to have some components of hotels being brought right back here." People in the community gave WPTV mixed reactions including the owner of Manatee Island Bar and Grill and are extremely excited about the increased revenue it would bring I don’t want this to be Palm Beach," Camp said "We've been spoiled having this all to ourselves We really don’t want to share it to be honest with you," Alan Etherington said "I guess we can kind of look at it both ways," added Rita Etherington who did say it would be nice to have an event space nearby "It's going to impact the traffic coming onto the island because the traffic on a beautiful day or on a weekend is just crazy." Woods and Johnson said it still has to pass several checkpoints with the city and its residents before commissioners even vote on it That process includes a pre-construction meeting where the city will tell Woods all the requirements for the city the project manager will take it to each department to make sure it is compliant with all requirements it goes to the zoning and planning committee and then a planning board made up of residents it goes to the City Commission for a final vote Woods expected this process would take about six months which Woods believes would take another two years to complete with the project being built in three phases it won't be complete for another two-and-a-half years the strip of land separating Georgia and South Carolina Several developments are underway on the 2,000-acre river island hotel and expanded convention center to Savannah's growing list of residential and tourist amenities.  the convention center's $271 million expansion is aimed at allowing the complex to serve larger and more concurrent events.  It's been in the works for a large number of years.. And it puts us in a different league for being able to accommodate larger conventions," said Mark Smith president of the convention center's board.  More: Savannah Convention Center construction gets the green light Despite national shortages leading to construction delays Smith said the convention center is on track for a September 2023 opening The center has already booked its first post-expansion group contract Smith hopes to see more groups booked in the coming months More: Savannah Convention Center groundbreaking a sign of 'hope,' says Gov. Brian Kemp which will translate into many more jobs and also more retail sales just restaurant meals consumed and will just have a ripple effect throughout the entire tourism industry," Smith said.  The convention center has a $1.4 billion annual impact on Georgia's economy according to a presentation from the center events at the center generate $13.5 million in state and local tax revenue is breaking ground on its first phase of projects in the coming months "We've been working on this project for the last decade and it is finally coming to fruition," Cay said said he wants the development to help expand Savannah's footprint on both sides of the river.  "All great cities have both sides of the river Charleston has Mount Pleasant and Daniel Island," Cay said. "So, our mission is to create something extraordinarily special."  we think the island will reach its full stature and be an extension of America's most beautiful city." With the work to run sewage and water lines out to the island long complete the first phases of construction are ready to begin once investors and operating partners sign on according to Cay. Dozens of residential lots have been subdivided making room for single-family homes on the north side of the island The first phase of home construction is anticipated to cost $130 million, according to a 2019 Savannah Morning News report.  The State of Georgia has finished constructing a new bulkhead for the upcoming marina The developer is working to finalize a marina operator and will announce the tenant in the coming months Plans for the number of marina slips and storage options were not available at press time The marina will be one of the few places to dock a boat near downtown and will include parcels for mixed-use developments will construct an apartment complex with 286 high-end units Mike Underwood of Woodfield Development confirmed they were pursuing the project "We believe that this is the first olive of out of a jar and and are expecting the rest to come a little more easily," Cay said. "But all of that While original plans for the island's second hotel have fallen through due to COVID-related delays Cay is pursuing a new hotel manager to help construct and run a boutique offering on the island Plans for condos and office sites are also in the works The site's master plan encompasses several phases — which include plans for a medical complex senior living facility and retail spaces — to be built over over decades according to plans submitted to the city Zoe covers Growth & Development and the ripple effects change has on communities and infrastructure in the Savannah area. Find her at znicholson@gannett.com and @zoenicholsonreporter on Instagram.  PROFILEmiami - Your Premier South Florida Real Estate & Lifestyle Guide PROFILEmiami is a leading source of Miami and South Florida Residential and Commercial Real Estate News and Content EVENT MAY 21: Secure your spot Royal Retreat - Hospitality Real Estate in Miami at Queen an exclusive community of 28 luxury townhomes recently launched sales with Douglas Elliman Real Estate Located at 10101 South Ocean Drive on Hutchinson Island the development offers residents a unique combination of waterfront living and modern sustainability features Designed by Wright Gardner and developed by EcoLogics Group including floor-to-ceiling impact glass panels and living spaces elevated 13 feet above sea level to enhance durability in the coastal environment offer spacious three- to four-bedroom layouts with contemporary designs and a focus on open living spaces Each home also includes a 500-square-foot rooftop terrace providing expansive views of the surrounding nature preserve and the Intracoastal Waterway Residents will benefit from private 3-plus-car garages making the community ideal for those seeking both luxury and practicality Ocean Glass Residences boasts 14 private acres 11 of which are preserved as untouched natural land This commitment to conservation enhances the community’s peaceful ambiance and ensures long-term privacy Additional amenities include a centralized clubhouse as well as outdoor showers for residents to enjoy after beach visits the community offers 11 private boat slips and direct beach access Conveniently located just minutes from Historic Downtown Stuart Ocean Glass Residences is close to the area’s best restaurants the development is positioned to offer a blend of serene waterfront living with cultural experiences just a short drive away Dean Bloch and Kim Spears of Douglas Elliman are exclusively representing the sales of Ocean Glass Residences with interest expected to grow as buyers seek out properties that provide a balance between modern luxury Sign up to stay up to date with the latest in Miami residential and commercial real estate news and content Sign up to receive PROFILEmiami’s Bi-Weekly Newsletter to stay up to date with the latest in South Florida residential and commercial real estate news and content Actively read by 15K+ of South Florida’s Top Real Estate Industry Professionals Fort Lauderdale and the Palm Beaches since 2016 Privacy Policy PROFILEmiami takes no ownership of any imagery unless otherwise noted FORT PIERCE — Reported tornadoes caused damage in various spots around St including Lakewood Park and the Orange Avenue areas Gill encouraged residents with non-emergency questions for county officials to call (772) 460-HELP Lucie officials issued a boil water notice for residents out of concern the rough weather might cause damage to the city's water mains said residents are encouraged to store tap water in advance of the 8 p.m she advised residents to boil any water from the taps in case pollutants seep into the system "This is a precautionary action," Lamar-Sarno said "It is being taken because of the changing severe weather conditions There are no known compromises to the (water) system at this time." Lamar-Sarno encouraged residents who experience issues with water or sewer service to call (772) 873-6400 said members of the Florida National Guard and the Florida Guard are being deployed to assist St Overdorf urged people in need of assistance from the state to call 1-800-342-3557 Lucie County Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky urged residents to shelter at home noting the unpredictability of tracking tornadoes like the ones reported to have struck the Treasure Coast Wednesday afternoon Dzadovsky said tornadoes don't follow paths that are easy to track "The difficulty with the tornadoes is we don't know where they are going to land," he said Lucie County has the potential to experience hurricane-force winds of 74 miles per hour or more on Thursday Lucie County officials announced during the noon Wednesday press briefing Tropical storm wind gusts are expected on Wednesday afternoon The potential for tornadoes is high as outer bands of Hurricane Milton reach the area The potential for flooding increases on Thursday Here are some of the key announcements from the noon briefing From the morning briefingFORT PIERCE — With winds and rain from Hurricane Milton expected on the Treasure Coast in the next 24 hours Lucie County’s three shelters Wednesday morning 86 people were staying in shelters at Fort Pierce Westwood Academy (general population Treasure Coast High School (general population People do not need to pre-register for the special needs shelter and transportation can be provided through noon Wednesday Florida Department of Health administrator in St People who go to that shelter need to have photo identification medical equipment and special dietary foods People who need transportation should call 772-462-1778 (ext Lucie County is bracing for flooding from Milton Some roads in the county already experienced flooding because of the heavy rains over the past few days weather report from the National Weather Service we are still on track for potential of experiencing hurricane force winds greater than 74 miles per hour,” George Landry Lucie County administrator said Wednesday morning during a press briefing at the county’s Emergency Operations Center and with the weather we’ve already had over the past week there will be localized flooding in many areas "Crews from the county and cities are doing everything they can to bring the water levels down.” Lucie County Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky warned parents should not allow children to play in stormwater “I see a lot of folks driving around and kids playing in the stormwater,” he said Those septic tanks are likely to fail with the amount of water that’s in the system whatever is in your leech field is likely in those storm waters I would highly suggest that you don’t let your children play in the stormwater as a healthy risk.” Lucie County Public Safety director Ron Guerrero said the county hopes to make a decision on when to close the bridges to North and South Hutchinson islands by 1 p.m “We’re under hurricane warning and tropical storm sustained winds will go all the way up to 73 miles per hour 40 miles per hour sustained is a concern to go over that bridge "We’re closely monitoring and in contact with the National Weather Service in Melbourne to get the best and latest available information so that way we can sit down with our group here and make that determination and provide ample time of the closures to the residents.” All three of the county’s hospitals remain open Wednesday Lucie County Fire District Division Chief Daniel Mikels said he added the only standalone emergency room that remains open is the Cleveland Clinic on St said a decision on school Friday will be made by noon Wednesday The county’s schools are currently closed through Thursday HUTCHINSON ISLAND, Fla. — Residents who live along Hutchinson Island in St. Lucie County are under a hurricane warning for Milton. some areas are already seeing some flooding ahead of the storm WPTV anchor Meghan McRoberts said when she drove onto the island Tuesday she didn't see many people with hurricane shutters up — only condos that have been boarded up all summer you do see homes and businesses with sandbags The water in drainage ditches is spilling into roadways There is a lot more rain expected in the days to come WPTV found people who decided Tuesday to go ahead and get sandbags Some of them said they weren't planning to do so they started seeing the impact of days of rain ahead of Milton and don't want to take any chances Lucie came to Jaycee Park in Fort Pierce to get bags since Port St so my yard is already flooded," resident Michelle Storey said Fort Pierce has five locations where people can still get free sand WPTV asked county officials if there was anything they could do to try to help move the standing water on Hutchinson Island more quickly through the drainage system there are no plans to put any pumps on the island They are reminding people who drive on Hutchinson Island to expect almost a guarantee that the road will flood to some extent as Milton approaches TROPICAL STORM WATCH: An announcement that tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within the specified coastal area within 48 hours TROPICAL STORM WARNING: An announcement that tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are expected within the specified coastal area within 36 hours HURRICANE WATCH: An announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or higher) are possible somewhere within the specified coastal area A hurricane watch is issued 48 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds HURRICANE WARNING: An announcement that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or higher) are expected somewhere within the specified coastal area A hurricane warning is issued 36 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds ST. LUCIE COUNTY — The county is facing two legal challenges to its decision last year to not allow buildings taller than 35 feet on three undeveloped South Hutchinson Island lots Less than a month after that County Commission vote in February 2024 a Circuit Court judge sided with the county but the developer appealed to the 4th District Court of Appeal Sand & Sea has filed a $6.7 million claim against the county under the Bert J That state law allows private property owners to sue when a law ordinance or regulation limits their ability to continue the current use of their land or to develop it in a way that should be otherwise allowed It also applies when government rules and regulations create an "inordinate burden" for the property owner The dispute between the county and Sand & Sea goes back to a 1995 ordinance passed by the County Commission that split the unincorporated areas of South Hutchinson Island into two zones The legal descriptions of the zones from the 1995 ordinance included the three disputed lots in the 125-feet area but the maps that were shown to commissioners at the time did not include those lots County commissioners unanimously voted last year to change the text to match what the maps showed County staff has said that previous proposed developments on the lots have all been under the 35-foot-limit indicating a widespread understanding that it was in the shorter zone The only surviving member of the 1995 County Commission submitted a signed affidavit in late 2023 saying he voted based solely off the map which had the disputed lots in the shorter zone More: St. Lucie County won't allow higher high rises to be built on three South Hutchinson lots "I do not even recall reviewing the metes and bounds text and likely I presumed it accurately coincided with the boundaries shown on (the map)," Barnes wrote at the time principal planner at Culpepper & Terpening a Fort Pierce consulting firm specializing in civil engineering and surveying services has argued that the lots were always meant to be in the taller zone Murphy represented Sand & Sea in the meetings last year He argued that he knew the text — which put the lots in the 125-feet zone — was correct because he helped write it More: Decades-old discrepancy leaves St. Lucie to decide on South Hutchinson Island height limit is owned by the county and is home to Normandy Beach Commissioners have suggested Sand & Sea may want to do a land swap with one of its lots and that lot in order to connect the properties to other beachfront land it owns Wicker Perlis is TCPalm's Watchdog Reporter for St You can reach him at wicker.perlis@tcpalm.com — Country crooner Jason Aldean seems to have found his forever Florida home The country music star paid $10.2 million last year for an oceanfront mansion on Hutchinson Island, the TC Palm recently reported Martin County property records show that the four-bedroom five-and-a-half-bathroom home was bought through the Nashville It's the same trust that was associated with the sale of Aldean's home on St Features of the Hutchinson Island property include a spacious swimming pool and a dune crossover boardwalk The 46-year-old Georgia native has been in the news recently for his controversial lyrics and music video to his song "Try That in a Small Town." Although he grew up in Georgia, Aldean told Music Mayhem last year that his parents divorced when he was 3 and his father moved to Florida "So I kind of grew up in both places and anytime it starts getting warm I like to be at the beach somewhere and it's kind of my happy place," he said I'll probably always have a house down there somewhere It's just kind of my favorite place to be." The home is located on the southern end of Hutchinson Island LUCIE COUNTY — Five oceanfront homes could soon be built on North Hutchinson Island after receiving site plan approval from county commissioners Tuesday Previous plans for the 3.88-acre property — known as "Sea Loft" and located directly across State Road A1A from Ocean Resorts Co-Op and Ocean Harbour condos — were to build a 20-unit condominium but its owner Joseph Caragol changed plans to five single-family lots Lots would vary in size from about half an acre to around one acre The unit reduction is a welcome change for nearby residents "Although we would like to have nothing built in front of our condominium .. the five houses are certainly a lot better than having a 20-unit condo," Valdez said principal planner at Fort Pierce-based firm Culpepper & Terpening arguing against some of the conditions county staff recommended be added to the site plan approval which primarily dealt with the protection and maintenance of the dune included a 10-foot setback between structures and the dune maintenance area "We believe that the additional requested 10 feet is inappropriate and it seriously undermines our ability to make financial use of the property," Murphy said More: Developer plans to submit new plan for beachfront properties on North Hutchinson Island More: St. Lucie County won't allow higher high rises to be built on three South Hutchinson lots the site plan passed unanimously after the 10-foot setback was reduced to five feet Other conditions include a specified single location for crossing over the dune the use of permanent ropes around the dune to direct people to only use that one crossover and an easement to allow for dune preservation and maintenance work to be conducted While the storm surge is a more prominent risk for coastal areas, communities inland also could be at risk for flooding following a storm. After making landfall near Perry, Helene continued trekking through the Southeast, leaving communities like Asheville inundated The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, specifically the National Hurricane Center, utilizes the hydrodynamic Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes, or SLOSH model to simulate storm surges from tropical cyclones NOAA points out this tool is not a real-time product and to refer to hurricanes.gov and use local products issued by the National Weather Service Here's what to know about the SLOSH model and if your home is at risk for storm surge What is storm surge?Storm surge is massive amounts of water that come ashore during a hurricane and up into rivers and bays It often causes the most damage and the most deaths The force of a sudden rise of water can easily destroy bridges erode roads and knock homes off their foundations Users can zoom into the map to see the potential effects of storm surges in their neighborhood When users toggle between storm categories the afflicted areas appear on the color-coded map and their projected levels you can search an address or city to see the potential impacts Can't see the map below? Click here to access NOAA's storm surge map A Category 5 storm reaches wind speeds of 157 mph or higher with catastrophic damage hitting impacted areas but here's what some areas could expect if a Category 5 hits Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on X @gonthescene here are the highlights and latest updates: TCPalm investigation: Nearly 70 Treasure Coast condos face Surfside-like issues LUCIE COUNTY — New high-rises won't be built on three undeveloped South Hutchinson Island lots county commissioners decided unanimously Tuesday during a meeting that brought out an overflow crowd of more than 130 residents The commission had struggled with resolving a discrepancy between the text and the maps associated with a 1995 ordinance that created two building zones on the island: one of 35 feet and one of 125 feet Residents argued that the map — which puts the three lots in the 35-feet zone — always had been understood to be the law and that many of them had bought their properties in part understanding that new high-rises would not be built around them "Many residents would not have chosen to live here if more high rises were to be built," said Jeff Robins resident of Regency Island Dunes condominiums the high-rise just south of the disputed lots But among those arguing the other side was Dennis Murphy who represents a developer who owns two of the three lots in question Murphy was a county employee in 1995 and argued that he knew the text — which put the lots in the 125-feet zone — was correct because he helped write it "Because I'm the one who drew up the legal (text) descriptions of zones within the Hutchinson Island building height ordinance." A number of residents also stressed that putting the lots in the taller zone would harm the local environment and way of life and some said it would create issues during evacuations due to hurricanes or an accident at the nearby St I want to feel like I can get off that island," resident Mary Eck said There also were concerns about what might be done with the lots if developers could build that high including from Stuart attorney Gary Oldehoff who represents a group of Regency residents would next attempt a land swap with the county The developer owns the two lots just north of the Regency while the northernmost lot is owned by the county and is the location of Normandy Beach Oldehoff and others have suggested that Sand and Sea would swap one of its two lots for the county-owned lot Such a move would give the developer a contiguous property connected to land it owns north of the lots in question Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky and County Attorney Daniel McIntyre were quick to point out that those concerns Commissioners were simply resolving the discrepancy "We are very afraid that once the door is open the door is open and there will be another reason that will go on and there will be another good high rise," resident Janet Wimmer told commissioners island residents in the crowd got what they wanted As the residents spoke against the upcoming vote Commission Chair Cathy Townsend made it clear that a decision had not been made and that the vote might go differently than the speakers expected all five commissioners voted for the lots to be in the 35-feet zone Evidence that came to the commissioners' attention after a December meeting on the topic played a major role in that outcome That included internal county-staff communications between 1995 and 2016 referring to the properties being in the 35-feet limit Dzadovsky also referred to minutes from a planning and zoning meeting prior to the passage of the ordinance in 1995 I believe it was the intention of the Board of County Commissioners by creating the Hutchinson Island overlay zone of 35 feet before making a motion to cheers from the audience New evidence was given to the commissioners leading up to the meeting that put everyone on the same page There was burden of proof as of today," Townsend said More: Costco plans to move distribution center to Port St. Lucie from West Palm Beach Dzadovsky expressed interest in the county buying more land on both South and North Hutchinson islands in order to protect them from overdevelopment "The only way we're going to stop people from wanting to develop anywhere on the beaches and he asked for those in the room to help put a referendum on the ballot to do so again MARTIN COUNTY — Sea turtle safety and light pollution are reasons some South Hutchinson Island residents want a section of A1A darker than state transportation officials are proposing A preliminary plan from the Florida Department of Transportation would add 32 new light poles to about 2,500 feet of A1A from the roundabout at Northeast Causeway Boulevard to Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa The Hutchinson Island Preservation Initiative a nonprofit that advocates for the preservation and protection of the island "We like the ambiance here," said Dottie Lanci an island resident and past president of the Hutchinson Island Preservation Initiative Loggerhead and green turtles combined laid about 6,500 nests in 2023 on South Hutchinson Island which is "critical habitat" for sea turtles a coastal conservation research and education organization Endangered leatherbacks also nest on the island Lights needed or not?The island needs none of the new lights except perhaps at the A1A crosswalk by the Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa Pedestrians are safe between the roundabout and the resort No one even walks on the sidewalks in that area at night FDOT project manager for the overall project which includes repaving 2.4 miles of A1A from the roundabout to Northeast Shore Village Terrace The new lighting would be in the northernmost part of the pavement project "The lights are being installed to improve nighttime visibility and improve safety through the segment and roundabout proper," McKirdy wrote in an email FDOT wants to meet current lighting criteria and comply with a safety study done in 2021 FDOT initiated the study following a request by County Commissioner Doug Smith Smith asked representatives of the resort to tell FDOT their concerns with safety Smith was absent from a meeting March 26 with the Hutchinson Island Preservation Initiative when an FDOT employee briefly shared information about the project Neither the general manager of the resort nor a spokesperson for the resort's marketing consultant replied to requests for comment on the proposal Smith was unable to be reached Monday morning for a comment The lighting must be "turtle friendly" and "turtle compliant," said Mark Perry executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society a nonprofit aiming to inspire stewardship of Florida's coastal ecosystems Turtle friendly means the lighting would have no effect on the turtles even if they saw it Turtle compliant means the turtles would see no light when they are walking on the beach The lighting proposal must be reviewed and approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission FDOT's proposal is still being prepared for that review. The commission wants the light poles to be shorter than normal ones FDOT is proposing lights that will be 17 feet from the ground The poles will be a little taller than 17 feet The proposal includes no shields for the bulbs no shielding proposed," McKirdy said by email "The proposed lighting fixture has a light shield option the proposed mounting height does not have a clear line of sight to the beach." The lights would remain on during turtle season which McKirdy indicated is March 1 to October 31 The lights would be long wavelength amber bulbs which can be left on during nesting season because they are "less disruptive to turtles," she said He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com or at 720-288-6882 ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A developer filed a lawsuit against the county commissioners for their decision to not allow higher high rises on South Hutchinson Island lots the developer owns Sand and Sea Development alleges commissioners made the wrong choice during a Jan It was at that meeting commissioners were tasked with reconciling a decades-old discrepancy between two descriptions of the height limitation at the site one in the text description of height zones on the island and the other on an attached map Sand and Sea owns two of the three lots in the area in question and wanted the 125-foot zone applied to its properties were asking for the lots to come under the 35-foot zone Commissioners ultimately settled unanimously on 35 feet staff memos from the years since the height ordinance was passed in 1995 There also were also minutes from a Planning and Zoning Board meeting where the ordinance was discussed before its passage the map is correct," Dzadovsky said at the meeting which came with cheers from the overflow crowd of more than 130 residents "plainly and facially" violates the county Land Development Code and "eviscerates" its "vested rights" in the two lots which it owns County spokesperson Erick Gill and County Attorney Daniel McIntyre declined to comment on the lawsuit The county does not comment on pending litigation Did commissioners rezone this land?Despite residents voicing their belief — based on the maps — that the parcels always were located in the 35-foot Zone B the lawsuit argues that the commissioners effectively rezoned the lots because the text had put it in the 125-foot Zone A More: Decades-old discrepancy leaves St. Lucie to decide on South Hutchinson Island height limit "The ordinance rezoned (the developer's) parcels from Zone 'A' to Zone 'B,'" the lawsuit reads should control in the case of a discrepancy Commissioners have argued that the ordinance gives them more discretion than that and their decision was based on what the 1995 board intended The lawsuit argues that basing the vote on "the intent of the board of commissioners when they adopted the ordinance" was the wrong legal issue and that it should have been based merely on the text versus the map The lawsuit asks the court to strike down the commissioners' vote Nestled along the Atlantic coastline of the Treasure Coast is Hutchinson Island With ocean views and access to the Indian River Lagoon — the most biologically diverse estuary in North America — Hutchinson Island has been named by Forbes Advisor as one of the 50 best places to travel internationally in 2024 The 23-mile-long barrier island was lauded for being like a "trip back in time to old Florida" and for its "charm." "This laid-back barrier island about an hour north of West Palm Beach is the kind of place where you can come with sandy feet and flip-flops to dinner and every menu has a catch of the day," wrote Forbes Advisor contributor Adam Frankel A shortage of commercial chains and minimal development on the island also was cited by Forbes noting oceanfront housing is "mostly low-rise condos or undeveloped nature set way back from the shoreline." Did Forbes rank any other Florida towns?Hutchinson Island was the only Florida location to snag a spot on the list The list also includes travel destinations in North and South America There are more than a dozen beaches to choose from when visiting Hutchinson Island From dog-friendly to family-friendly to clothing-optional its beaches spread throughout the barrier island Hutchinson Island also is home to sea turtles for most of the year during nesting season, which runs from March to October. Loggerhead, green and leatherback sea turtles nest on Hutchinson Island beaches during the season Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @gonthescene FORT PIERCE — A development of unprecedented scale that is planned to include hotels retail shopping and about 1000 parking spaces could be built on a prime waterfront property on South Hutchinson Island overlooking the Fort Pierce Inlet That is the vision Sandy Woods — a local car dealer who owns the property between Square Grouper Tiki Bar and Manatee Island Bar and Grill — presented Thursday to an overflow crowd of more than 120 residents at Westside Church in South Beach Most of those attending showed up at the invitation of District 2 City Commissioner Jeremiah Johnson A major part of Woods' pitch includes attracting — and taking advantage of — a potential Brightline train station in Fort Pierce "The people at Brightline are looking for a destination in this area," Woods said "There are things that they're looking for that are not here yet." After facing legal challenges from Martin and Indian River counties, Brightline promised to put a stop in the Treasure Coast within five years of carrying the first passengers through the region, an event which took place last week. On that day, the rail company's CEO Michael Reininger said the next station would likely be in the area More: Brightline CEO: Treasure Coast train station is focus now following passenger rail launch who said he has had a number of conversations with Brightline is very confident that the station will be in Fort Pierce "It's coming to Fort Pierce," Woods said to cheers "We're going to be providing transportation from our facility to the international airport to Brightline and back More: Waiting for takeoff: Treasure Coast International Airport seeks OK for passenger flights dubbed "Boardwalk On The Inlet," would include an 88,000-square-foot Homewood Suites by Hilton a separate 34,000-square-foot Aqua hotel with 40 luxury rooms along with rooftop bars and an unannounced number of retail shopping outlets All of it would be built around a parking garage that could fit about 1000 cars — more than 230 more than required The garage could help the city with its parking space shortages but it's still very much in the earliest stages of development "This is conceptual planning," Johnson said "This has not come to the City Commission." The development would exceed the usual height restrictions in that section of Hutchinson Island. However, Johnson said there are various aspects of the code that allow developers to build higher and Woods said a new state law may invalidate restrictions anyway It is important that the public get involved as early as possible in a project of this magnitude Most who spoke said development is necessary and exciting but urged caution and care Multiple people voiced concerns over traffic impacts while others said it would help attract and retain young people Multiple former political figures rose to speak in their new roles as residents of Hutchinson Island Former Fort Pierce Mayor Bob Benton's remarks echoed the measured sentiments of many but I don't believe at this scale," Benton said celebrated Woods as a local developer who would have the best interests of the community at heart compared to others from out of town who could one day develop the land The development could also change the image of Fort Pierce "I get sick and tired of our counties to the north and south of us looking at us like we're a slum," Lee said He (Woods) can go and spend his money elsewhere." Woods said he has received numerous offers to sell the property since he and his family first acquired it "Every day I probably get 15 calls from all over the country Prompted by resident questions, Johnson confirmed that this development would be in addition to the already announced King's Landing development which plans to bring 116 residential units 10 townhomes and 140 hotel rooms to downtown Developers from that project were also at the meeting More: King's Landing project will revitalize downtown Fort Pierce ... eventually | Opinion Multiple residents voiced concern that perhaps these developments would outpace demand referencing a study he commissioned that found the area could support far more additional hotel space even before potential changes with Brightline and the airport According to pamphlets distributed at the meeting "Boardwalk On The Inlet" would create between 400 and 500 jobs during construction to be followed by 300 to 400 permanent jobs Concerns about powerful hurricane-force winds prompted authorities to prohibit traffic across bridges spanning the Indian River Lagoon on Wednesday ahead of Hurricane Milton Crossings were limited solely to first responders Bridges along the Treasure Coast were reopened Thursday as Milton diminished to tropical storm conditions Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said during a briefing Barber Bridge and the Alma Lee Loy Bridge on 17th Avenue were reopened at 2 p.m. according to Vero Beach City Manager Monte Falls he cautioned utilizing the bridges unless necessary State Road A1A through the Central Beach neighborhood is reopened to traffic but reduced speeds are in place for motorists The bridges to both North and South Hutchinson Island in St County officials are asking that only island residents use the bridges at this time a spokesperson from the Board of County Commissioners said This includes the Hobe Sound and Old Roosevelt bridges which have returned to normal operations and are open to marine vessel traffic (This story will be updated as new information becomes available.) Jack Randall is TCPalm’s economy and real estate reporter LUCIE COUNTY — Action before county officials could change the landscape and skyline of South Hutchinson Island Commissioners could either allow or prevent potential new high rises from being built on vacant property north of Regency Island Dunes condominiums which is currently the northernmost high rise south of the St At issue is a discrepancy in the existing code which established a 35-foot height limit for parts of the island Buildings became limited to 35 feet nearer the power plant in Zone B while buildings in Zone A descriptions of the two zones and the map showing them do not match That leaves the three lots just north of the Regency condos in Zone A based on the text but in Zone B based on the maps It's up to current commissioners to resolve the discrepancy Multiple parties are interested in the outcome "The question tonight is what the (1995) board intended," County Attorney Daniel McIntyre told commissioners Tuesday is representing a group of Regency residents that want to maintain the 35-foot limit on the vacant lots The residents have believed the property was under the 35-foot designation since the ordinance was passed and Oldehoff argued that the 1995 County Commission intended it that way "The intent of the County Commission is irrefutable that they intended the map and not the (text)," Oldehoff said you're going to be screwing these folks," Oldehoff said Oldehoff was the first person testifying before commissioners to mention Dennis Murphy Murphy is principal planner at Culpepper and Terpening In that role he was hired by Sand and Sea Properties which owns land directly north of the three lots in question along with two of the three lots themselves Murphy is also a former county employee who was involved in the original 1995 process "I was involved in the original drafting of the language," Murphy told commissioners Tuesday Though Oldehoff was clear to say he did not believe Murphy or other county staff intentionally created the discrepancy he said it would be wrong for the current county government to let Murphy "profit" from it The commissioners must go with what is on the maps "The alternative to this is to reward what Mr took issue with Oldehoff's characterization of Murphy's role Board Chair Cathy Townsend said Murphy was hired by Sand and Sea the same way Oldehoff was hired by residents She questioned whether either would truly "profit" from the board's eventual decision Murphy is being paid for a job that he is doing work for," Townsend said I'm not going to get into that," Murphy told commissioners opting to focus on what his clients are seeking "All we're doing is putting the graphic description to match the text," Murphy said The third — owned by the county since the establishment of State Road A1A — is sandwiched between those two and the more northern land owned by the potential developers The county-owned lot is home to Normandy Beach suggested that Sand and Sea is interested in swapping the southernmost lot Such a move would give Sand and Sea a continuous property Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky later emphasized that future issues such as land swaps or site plans are not what is on the table is the only thing that commissioners should consider More: Huge development could reshape Fort Pierce Inlet on South Hutchinson Island, see details More: Construction 'imminent' on $140 million King's Landing development in downtown Fort Pierce should be based on the intent of the 1995 commissioners Only one member of that board is still alive submitted a signed affidavit indicating that his vote was based solely on the map and not the text and likely I presumed it accurately coincided with the boundaries shown on Figure 4.5," Barnes swore Dzadovsky said that may not be enough to know how the other commissioners thought about their votes Barnes did not necessarily think the same way as the other commissioners There is also the issue of it taking place nearly 30 years ago "Memories after 30 years are questionable," Dzadovsky said Many of those in favor of the map version pointed to the context of its passage said one of the main concerns of the commissioners at the time was population density around the power plant which may prove disastrous in the event of hurricanes or "terrorism." It would then make sense that the 1995 board would have intended the map version because it set high rises further away from the plant than the text version did "Safety concerns are just as relevant today as they were then," Robins said likely is due to the fact that there are no pending plans for what could be built but she assured residents "we're not deciding on the project" and that there will be more opportunities for feedback before something is built "if it happens in our lifetimes." The board plans to consider the two options again Jan Nicole made landfall on North Hutchinson Island just south of Vero Beach Nicole made landfall as a category one hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph and a central pressure of 981 MB and now has maximum sustained winds of 60 mph as it moves over central Florida Conditions started to deteriorate across the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County through Wednesday and strong wind gusts have rolled in through the day the top wind gust along the Treasure Coast was 66 mph in Sebastian Inlet the top wind gust was at the Juno Beach Pier of 62 mph The National Weather Service has discontinued the Tropical Storm Warning for Palm Beach County A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for As Nicole moves inland and towards the west coast of Florida today winds will begin to shift out of the south with drier air moving in Conditions will improve by Thursday afternoon with breezy weather by the evening We will still have elevated tides behind Nicole with coastal flooding possible around the morning and evening high tides through the end of the week Nicole will weaken as it makes a turn to the north eventually becoming a remnant low after producing heavy rain and gusty winds in the southeast United States A new-home building boom is ramping up on the barrier island south of the county line where 76 homes are coming in four subdivisions including 40 luxury oceanfront houses and condos Another 70 units are approved in a fifth subdivision now under contract The incoming developer is slated to close on the purchase this month land deals are happening up and down the surf-fringed stretch of A1A that extends south from Indian River County to the Fort Pierce Inlet including one transaction that closed last week on a 31-acre piece of property zoned for 270 units Driving this burst of activity are the high prices and low inventory in 32963 which are causing island brokers and buyers to look south where prices are lower and the same market conditions that have made Vero tough for buyers – the ongoing pandemic flight of families from dense urban areas to small towns and the continuing tide of Americans surging from colder to warmer states especially in the form of retiring Boomers flocking to Florida Vero buyers have looked slightly askance at anything south of the county line but local buyers are running out of options and out-of-town buyers who are purchasing a majority of the new units Brokers say those buyers want new construction in a beautiful location on the ocean and don’t care whether they are in Vero proper or North Hutchinson being close to both Vero’s seaside village and the charming downtown and waterfront in Fort Pierce is seen as a plus I have never seen anything like it,” says Robert Lowe of the current market on North Hutchinson Island where he has been selling real estate for four decades Land prices are up by 38 percent over the past year.” are “25 to 30 percent cheaper” than in 32963 according to Luke Webb at Premier Estate Properties “North Hutch is last bastion of quasi-affordable oceanfront on the barrier island,” says Webb who just listed six ultra-luxe oceanfront houses Those cool-looking contemporary 4-bedroom homes in the Aquavista development have 3-story atriums more than 5,000 square feet under air and 85 feet of ocean frontage “They would be a couple of million more in Vero – if they were available,” says Webb “I just looked with a client and there are only seven oceanfront single-family homes available in all of Vero at the moment – places someone could fly in and buy and move into right now.” Aquavista is a 10-home development where SION Homes a South Florida builder that specializes in $15- to $30-million custom homes in Miami Beach bought the last six lots and has a model home complete The shells of the other five houses are up and the homes are nearing completion “Sion brings a style and level of finish we haven’t seen here before,” says Webb “We think $4.25 million is a very attractive entry price but we don’t think that is the top of the market for these houses The second one that sells will probably be $4.5 million We think we are bringing these homes to market at just the right time.” Construction is also underway at Cristelle Cay a 21-unit oceanfront condominium project where building foundations are going in and homes will be complete late next year who has been building successful condo projects for 50 years in South Florida and listed with Dale Sorensen realtor Aggie Szymanska Cristelle Cay will consist of two buildings with 2- and 3-bedroom condos ranging from 1,785 to 2,100 square feet Gilman bought the 3.3-acre property with 440 linear feet of ocean frontage for $4 million in 2018 He emphasizes the high quality and beautiful location of his project – on a wide surrounded by preserve land that will never be built on – along with its affordability “The price point is a big part of the appeal,” says Szymanska Anything down south is a lot more expensive “We started selling in April and we are almost half sold out We put two units under contract in the past couple of weeks I am pretty confident we will sell out before it is finished.” Szymanska says her buyers are coming from South Florida based on her sales pitch and online information boutique complex,” not a high-rise packed with hundreds of neighbors Szymanska caught another glimpse of the hunger in the market this summer when she sold her own home in North Hutchinson for $3,995,000 “The buyers are from Miami and plan to use it as a weekend getaway.” the owner of the Avalon Beach development plans to start five spec homes priced between $1.1 million and $1.2 million this month “Each home will have different architectural features and buyers can build custom homes as well,” says Gonzalez a 16.8-acre development with 36 home sites is located less than a mile south of the county line The homes and lots for sale are on the river side of A1A but have beach access a few steps away everything is completely squared away and we will be breaking ground on two model homes – a 2-story and a larger 3-story Sunset Key that is 4,400 square feet.” which Bernstein says will resemble a “Key West-type village,” will include 31 estate homes on the river side of A1A starting at $1.9 million and 13 oceanfront condo units starting at $2 million “We are seeing tremendous interest and have a number of presales,” says Bernstein including one for $5 million to a California buyer “Our buyers are coming from all over – Palm Beach Compass agent Scott Reynolds is working with Bernstein to sell the Vero Beach Ocean Club properties near where A1A makes a 90-degree bend and heads for the north causeway mixed-use parcel on the west side of A1A is under contract and scheduled to close in the next two weeks “He bought it in 2018 [for S2,990,000] with plans to develop it as The Village at North Hutchinson a retail center with a condominium behind the commercial part,” says Daley “We saw it as creating a community center with lots of green space an observation pier on the lagoon and high-end merchants – a great bagel place “There is almost no retail down there now to support all those high-rise residences and we felt an open-air Misner-style center would be transformational and have a rising tide effect on property values my client decided not to go ahead with the development but I think the buyer has something similar in mind.” “We will be putting in a mixed-use development,” says Lowe whose office is on the property and who represents the buyer “It is permitted for 70 condo units and 17,000 feet of commercial We’re working right now to get a couple of preferred tenants to come in.” the 11.8-acre hotel and resort property on the east side of A1A where the road bends is under contract to a developer who is doing “due diligence,” according to Lowe He’s also the broker on the 31-acre Pelican Bay property that is zoned for as many as 270 units but could also be used for a smaller number of single-family homes “We closed on it a week ago,” Lowe told Vero Beach 32963 last week I also have a couple of other property deals in the works that I can’t talk about yet I have never seen a market like this before.” Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2025 32963 Media LLC All rights reserved   |    Contact: [email protected]   |   Vero Beach, Florida, USA | Orlando Web Design by: M5 The sheriff's office said the siblings were on vacation with their parents in South Florida from Indiana A preliminary investigation revealed the children were digging a five to six-foot hole in the sand when it collapsed and they became trapped Lucie County is reminding the public to practice beach safety While beaches offer a beautiful escape for relaxation and fun it's important to remember that the surf and sand can also pose potential risks.St and Beaches staff want to remind residents to exercise caution while enjoying the coastline particularly near areas where erosion has created escarpments — or cliffs — along the shoreline potentially trapping and suffocating individuals This reminder comes after a young girl from Indiana died after she and her brother were trapped in the sand at a beachnear 4424 El Mar Drive in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea on February 20 the children were digging a five to six-foot hole in the sand when it collapsed and they became trapped See also: National AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon outages ease after hours offline Strong winds have also increased the risk of rough surf and rip currents beachgoers are encouraged to swim only at lifeguarded beaches Lucie County Beach Conditions Hotline at 772-462-1421 Lucie County's Ocean Rescue Lifeguards LUCIE COUNTY — A $17 million project to rebuild eroded dunes and beaches on South Hutchinson Island is to begin Nov The beach renourishment is a partnership among the county, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.  About 800,000 cubic yards of sand will be used for the 3.3-mile restoration between the Martin-St Lucie county line and just south of the Florida Power & Light St Indian River County beach renourishment holdouts: Just 3 were against sand in south county TCPalm Database: Beach Water Quality  Reducing storm damage to homes, condos, businesses and roads — such as State Road A1A, a major hurricane evacuation route — as well as maintaining the beaches for recreational use and preserving sea turtle nesting habitats are among project goals, according to a news release.   It's likely that 60% to 70% of the restoration will be paid for by state and federal governments Cost estimates could decrease in the future Olivia McKelvey is TCPalm's watchdog reporter for St You can reach her at olivia.mckelvey@tcpalm.com 772-521-4380 and on Twitter @olivia_mckelvey.  St. Lucie County commissioners are expected to decide next month whether to allow more high-rise construction on South Hutchinson Island In 1995, the commission voted to limit building heights in an area south of the St. Lucie Nuclear Plant to 35 feet Commissioners recently learned there was a discrepancy in the language adopted in 1995 The text of the amendment is different from the map commissioners adopted for the two building height zones Three lots appear on the map to be within the area restricted to 35-foot limits while the text suggests they are within the area with 125-foot limits This matters because a developer owns two of the three lots in the disputed area as well as adjoining property that's clearly governed by the 125-foot restriction If commissioners rule the higher building heights are allowable on the three disputed lots may try to buy or arrange a land swap for the parcel not already under its ownership and build a large high-rise building on the combined properties is representing a group of neighborhood residents that wants to maintain the 35-foot limit on the vacant lots Oldehoff contends it's clear commissioners intended all properties marked on the map to be governed by the 35-foot height restriction the only commissioner serving in 1995 who's still alive Current Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky suggested Barnes' memory might be faulty Dzadovsky said the other commissioners at the time might have been relying on the text rather than the map Short of holding a seance there's no way of refuting Dzadovsky's assertion about what the other commissioners might have thought it seems clear Dzadovsky is leaning toward allowing high-rise construction on those three lots Mistakes in written texts of laws are so common, there's a legal term for them: Scrivener's errors they're just typos or misspellings that can be easily fixed They don't require interpreting legislative intent Commissioners looked at the maps with the different building height zones clearly marked ― and made their decision based on that ― or they truly understood the wording of the legal descriptions and deliberately chose to exclude those three lots from the more-restrictive zone As anyone who has bought a house can attest it's difficult for a layperson to decipher what legal descriptions actually describe But let's look at the rationale offered at the time the 1995 restrictions were put in place for clues Commissioners apparently said they wanted to limit high-rise construction in the area so it would be easier to evacuate the island if there were problems at the nuclear plant so there's still a risk a mishap could occur there someday there's an ongoing risk of hurricanes striking the area The only thing that's changed over the last 28 years is Hutchinson Island has gotten more crowded so evacuating the people who live there quickly would be even more challenging under the best of circumstances Why would commissioners make it even tougher to evacuate by allowing more high rises in the mix (Besides the obvious of helping the development company fatten its bank account Let's assume for a second commissioners had taken no action on this in 1995 and the current group of commissioners was trying to make a decision on building heights based on the best information available today Florida is in the midst of a homeowners insurance crisis rather than assuming the risks of widespread damage claims following hurricanes or other severe weather So how do the insurance companies still operating in Florida manage risk By charging higher premiums to all their customers to subsidize the costs of claims in the highest-risk areas It stands to reason that one way to bring down insurance premiums would be, at a minimum, not to encourage intensive development in areas that are most at risk for storm damage. Commissioners can't force the Florida Legislature to adopt meaningful insurance reform but limiting that type of development is one small way they could help their constituents manage premium costs Still unsure of what commissioners should do? There's a legal concept known as "detrimental reliance." It means if someone makes a decision based on an interpretation of a law or contract then suffers negative consequences because that law isn't followed or the contract isn't honored then that person is entitled to sue for legal damages At least some of Oldehoff's clients likely bought property in the area with the reasonable assumption there would be no more high-rise buildings built nearby which could negatively affect their own property values They could file a lawsuit if the commission decides to allow taller buildings on the disputed lots based on the rationale for imposing building restrictions one commissioner's sworn testimony and a practical review of the documents commissioners were using to make their decision the intent was to restrict building heights on those three lots Restricting building heights in that area also is good current public policy based on the potential need to evacuate the area quickly And if commissioners don't keep the height restrictions on those three lots there could be a lawsuit against the county that's easily avoidable I can't predict what commissioners actually will do This column reflects the opinion of Blake Fontenay. Contact him via email at blake.fontenay@tcpalm.com or at 772-232-5424 FORT PIERCE — An 11,050-square-foot shopping center could be built on vacant land just south of Harbour Isle would be built on 1.5 acre across from the U.S according to an application submitted to city planners The city Development Review Committee will meet 10 a.m 15 in City Hall to discuss the project.  More: Curaleaf opens Fort Pierce's first medical-marijuana dispensary on Tuesday The application did not identify what stores would lease space at the shopping center. Officials of Harbour Isle Development Commercial did not return a call or email seeking comment The property is zoned Hutchinson Island mixed-use development The project is the latest development proposed for the Fort Pierce side of South Hutchinson Island More: KOA bringing second campground to Fort Pierce near Camping World, Wawa, Chick-fil-A Causeway Cove Marina and RV Park opened on 18 acres at the foot of the South Bridge The $2.9 million project comprises 198 boat slips Palm Beach developer Ashton DePeyster spent almost $3 million converting the property into a marina after a mobile home park on the site was destroyed in hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004 Under construction in the 1500 block of Seaway Drive is Inlet Palms seven million-dollar townhomes. Each unit would have three bedrooms spa and a slip that could accommodate a 55-foot boat beach-theme restaurant — opened at 1920 Seaway Drive City Commissioner Jeremiah Johnson said the new development shows that "Fort Pierce has been discovered "I think this new development is good for the city," Johnson said We have really good ordinances at the city to protect from over-development but still allows for reasonable development." Flavor South Florida will return September 1-30 with dining deals available at 10 Treasure Coast restaurants will return in September as Florida’s largest restaurant month Locals and tourists will enjoy prix fixe menus at beloved local restaurants September 1-30 Participating Treasure Coast restaurants include: These include the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa and Marriott Hutchinson Island Beach Resort Florida—Coastal hotel operator Innisfree Hotels announces its acquisition of the Hutchinson Island Plaza Hotel & Suites formerly known as the Sandhurst Hotel & Suites The 70-room boutique property includes waterfront suites and direct access to inshore and offshore fishing Located on the sandy shores of South Hutchinson Island where the dunes of Fort Pierce Inlet meet Tucker Cove the hotel is just steps away from nearby businesses and attractions including The US Navy Seal Museum and local wildlife observation centers “We are thrilled to add the Hutchinson Island property—now our Southernmost hotel—to Innisfree’s growing portfolio,” said the company’s CEO Ted Ent “Thanks to its idyllic Florida beach charm and close proximity to recreational venues and oceanside excursions the Hutchinson Island Plaza Hotel & Suites offers something for everyone.” A short trip from several MLB Spring Training camps the Hutchinson Island hotel is the perfect stay for families and friends hoping to scope out their favorite players Business travelers can also enjoy free wireless internet access as well as a 24-hour business center and complimentary breakfast For those guests who wish to indulge in a more leisurely trip grab a few drinks from the gift shop and head out to the hotel’s private pier to see if the fish are biting “We’re excited to expand our long and successful partnership with Innisfree on this new hotel,” said Kip Sowden the Chairman and CEO of Dallas based RREAF Holdings “RREAF has a strong track record of success in identifying and operating hotels in the region and we are looking forward to executing the improvements in this asset.” The hotel’s dock has been refurbished and expanded to provide additional space for fishing Guests are able to fish all day and night with underwater lights “Hutchinson Island truly offers the best of Florida’s Treasure Coast,” said Ent “Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Indian River on the west We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Fort Pierce has no immediate plans to add any more free public parking on South Beach the proposed Boardwalk on the Inlet development could eliminate 200 of the roughly 380 free public parking spaces in the heavily touristed Jetty Park area “A lot of people have said parking is atrocious,” said Jennifer Cranwell manager of the Island Beach Bar & Restaurant which moved to Jetty Park in December after three years in the Ocean Village neighborhood at the other end of the beach “That is the feedback we received when we moved to Jetty Park.” whose heard a lot of complaints about traffic from his South Beach constituents vowed to lobby for more parking as Boardwalk on the Inlet goes through the city's approval process The latest application proposes two hotels restaurants and an event center — but that could change “I'm going to be pushing for more public parking on that property because we can always use more parking,” Taylor said “But it's kind of a double-edged sword because it takes up a lot of property Boardwalk on the InletSandy Woods who owns Lexus and Toyota dealerships on the Treasure Coast plans to develop his prime waterfront property overlooking the Fort Pierce Inlet between the Manatee Island Bar and Grill and the Square Grouper Tiki Bar He currently leases that vacant lot to the city for a free which provides one-third of the roughly 600 free public parking spaces on all of South Hutchinson Island within the city limits Woods said his development would help the city with its South Beach parking shortage and touted it would have 230 more public parking spaces than the city would require But he since has cut that by 145 spaces to 109 he's now proposing 855 spaces spread over two garages Its unclear whether the 109 "surplus" spaces — defined as “general use public spaces available for the community at large” — will be free or paid and whether there will be enough private parking so the residents and visitors to the hotel restaurants and event center don't take up the public parking “I think that's something that would be negotiated that if you are going to provide these parking spots Woods' latest proposal for Boardwalk on the Inlet envisions a: so there's still going to be a lot of negotiating a lot of changes that will come down the road," Taylor said "The way the application is now may not be what it looks like in a few months and once it gets in front of the City Commission.” The city owns three free parking lots with about 180 spaces in the Jetty Park area in addition to about a dozen on-street parking spaces along Binney Drive and Hernando Street: 48 spaces in a dirt lot that doesn't have lines east of Square Grouper77 paved and lined spaces in the Jetty Park loop including seven on-street spaces across from a bar and three restaurants that are limited to two hours but Hurricane Grill & Wings and Island Burger & Shake don't The Island Beach Bar & Restaurant has a private parking lot for customers and employees across the street at the corner of Binney and South Ocean drives.56 spaces in a dirt lot that doesn't have lines on St across from an unnamed path to the beach.A 55-space Asta private parking lot on the corner of Seaway and South Ocean drives costs $10 for up to four hours $15 for up to eight hours and $20 for 24 hours Fun things to do: Best activities and attractions on the Treasure Coast All things food: Roundups of the latest reviews, inspections, new and best restaurants the city owns lots with another 199 spaces: The city maintains two parks with 127 spaces which the Florida Department of Environment Protection owns: 65 in the South Beach Park65 in the Kimberly Bergalis ParkPlus 39 on-street in front of Surfside and Kimberly Bergalis Park the city owns the lot with 55 spaces at South Causeway Park It remains to be seen how the city's proposed paid parking pilot program would affect parking shortages The city is still debating whether to hire PCI Municipal Services to operate paid parking at the Jetty, Jaycee and South Causeway Park lots to generate revenue for park maintenance. The City Commission proposed waiving parking fees for Fort Pierce city and St. Lucie County residents but then discovered a problem with that plan The city could lose federal funding for beach renourishment because the grant requires equal access to beaches Cheryl Smith is TCPalm's enterprise editor. Contact her at cheryl.smith@tcpalm.com. Wicker Perlis is TCPalm's watchdog reporter for St (NOTE: This editorial has been updated to correct a reference to Jason in the "Friday the 13th" movies.) Fort Pierce city officials have spent months discussing the possibility of charging fees to people who park at local beaches the city's marketing and communications manager a private vendor has recommended charging motorists $3 per hour the city would adopt a fee structure later this spring then evaluate its effectiveness during a three-year trial period Ballard said the City Commission is scheduled to have a follow-up discussion March 10 commissioners could decide to move forward with implementation of the parking plan Here's the good news: They don't have to do that They could decide to just scrap the whole idea and leave beach parking as one of those rare pleasures in life that's free There's a long tradition of Treasure Coast communities offering beach access If Fort Pierce wants to become a trendsetter in that regard it's easy to predict some beachgoers will head north or south to avoid paying the fees That would mean less money for Hutchinson Island businesses which depend on those beachgoers for sales Ballard said estimates show charging for beach parking could generate $330,000 to $900,000 annually It wouldn't be worth the lost revenues at beachside businesses or the lost goodwill among city residents and visitors alike city officials were considering charging different fees to residents and nonresidents until they realized it could impact their ability to qualify for beach improvement grants They seem — more on that in a minute — to have backed away from that idea But even charging everyone the same rate is a bad idea it's difficult to sell a product when the same or a comparable product is available for free Fort Pierce's loss will be Vero Beach's gain Any Treasure Coast community that tries to charge fees will be at a competitive disadvantage with its neighbors like Jason in the "Friday the 13th" movies this idea of charging for parking never seems to die in Fort Pierce In 2021, the city talked about charging fees for parking downtown as well as at local beaches  Walker Consultants — a Tampa firm that initially proposed a paid parking program here in 2016 — recommended the city designate nearly 700 downtown spaces as paid parking rates would be set to encourage turnover so typically 15% of spaces would be always available The $2 premium hourly rate was recommended for on-street the consultant recommended visitors to Jetty Park South Causeway Park and South Beach Park could be paying $5 to $10 per day for spots but those recommendations didn't go anywhere a couple of years ago Now they are back again in a different form with another vendor poised to make money off a plan the city doesn't need Fort Pierce commissioners should wait until they have selected a new city manager then the new hire ought to have a chance to evaluate the issue with fresh eyes That doesn't mean just waiting to pull the trigger on the three-year pilot program that's been under discussion with the first question being: What goals would the city hope to accomplish by implementing this program The second question should be: What are the potential negative consequences of adopting a paid parking program — and do they outweigh the benefits Without clearly explaining why paid beach parking is necessary this looks like a money grab that will allow some private vendor to make money at taxpayers' (and tourists') expense It's not too late for the city to do the right thing that means keeping the status quo in place Editorials published by TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers are decided collectively by its editorial board. To respond to this editorial with a letter to the editor, email up to 300 words to TCNLetters@TCPalm.com Lucie County gave an update Wednesday morning on preparedness efforts in the county ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall in Florida later tonight we'll make a decision to shut down the bridges from North to South Hutchinson Island later this morning," Public Safety Director Ron Guerrero said Lucie County said it will also make a decision by noon today on whether to reopen public schools on Friday "That's going to be based on our consultations with the Emergency Operations Center and how long the shelters need to remain open," St Lucie Public Schools Superintendent Jon Prince said as two schools in in the county serve as shelters during the storm county officials also urged residents to stay in place please minimize your movements around the county today," said Fort Pierce Police Maj St. Lucie County has the following shelters open ahead of Hurricane Milton's landfall: located at 1801 Panter Lane in Fort PierceTreasure Coast High School which is also a general population and pet friendly shelter and is located at 1000 southwest Darwin Boulevard in Port St Special Needs Shelter at 2000 Virginia Avenue in Fort PierceTo arrange transportation to the special needs shelter by noon "As a reminder these shelters are places of last resort," Guerrero said as well as those who are in Hutchinson Island and don't feel safe and are encouraged to shelter with friends and family Lucie County Fire District said it will be increasing staffing levels we had three additional high water vehicles and we're also staffing specialty rescue trucks," St one off Midway Road and one in Tradition." County officials also stressed the importance of having a supply kit and using generators and propane grills in well ventilated areas "Now is the time to complete your family emergency plan," Guerrero said "And ensure your emergency kit with the basic necessities such as water Officials also reminded drivers stay off roadways and not to drive into flooded areas due to the risk of downed power lines or any type of debris that could be stuck in that water and to keep children from playing in standing water "I see a lot of folks driving around and kids playing in the storm water Those septic tanks are likely to fail with the amount of water that's in the system," Vice Chair Chris Sadowski whatever is in your leach field is likely in those storm water I would highly suggest that you don't let your children play in the storm water as a health risk." Those with questions regarding Hurricane Milton should call 772-460-4357 between 7 a.m The county will have subsequent news conference for updates on preparedness efforts at noon and 5 p.m FORT PIERCE — The South Bridge soon could have a new look Lucie Transportation Planning Board has given preliminary approval to a new design for the 65-foot-tall bridge that links the mainland with South Hutchinson Island The plan would reduce the current four lanes to two and widen those lanes from the current 8 feet to 12 feet The remaining bridge deck would be restriped for bicycle lanes, disabled vehicles and emergency vehicles.  More: St. Lucie schools asking for property-tax hike to improve teacher pay, make schools safer The 45-year-old bridge is considered structurally sufficient according to Florida Department of Transportation TPO executive director Peter Buchwald said he would present the plan to the Fort Pierce City Commission because the bridge is within the city limits and schedule public workshops to gather feedback from residents The planning organization will forward its recommendation to the Florida Department of Transportation doesn’t have any bicycle lanes but it is still used by cyclists and there are bicycle lanes on A1A on the island those don’t extend to the bridge,” said Buchwald “Taking the bridge down to two lanes would match the number of lanes on A1A on the island Nowhere on the island is there four lanes.” More: School district worried concrete-recycling plant may affect students at Fort Pierce Central The cost hasn't yet been determined because the design is in the early stages Cyclist Larry Quinton said the new design is much needed he's stopped riding his bicycle across the bridge because he didn’t feel safe Now he rides along State Road A1A from South Causeway Park to Jensen Beach this redesign — or whatever they call it — should have been done a long time ago,” Quinton said The bridge was built in 1974 and officially is the Peter P Cobb Memorial Bridge after the city's first postmaster and owner of the P.P LUCIE COUNTY — The area along State Road A1A — from the St Lucie Nuclear Power Plant south to the Martin County line — could become St Lucie County's next municipality if former County Commissioner Charles Grande has his way The area would become the village of Hutchinson Island incorporated as a way to protect the area from over-development a group of presidents representing homeowners associations on the island “The county has a history of perhaps being more generous than they should be in terms of development,” said Grande who served on the commission from 2006-2010 The village would be similar in operation to St a community of 600 residents along Old Dixie Highway in northern St Lucie County for public-works services and receives emergency services from the Sheriff’s Office and St Grande said he is still drafting a charter which would outline village operations for the nearly 6,000 residents on the island For now he is meeting with homeowners groups to pitch his idea The current county commissioner for the area said it's premature for him to comment “I can’t really have an opinion on something that I don't have any concrete information on,” said County Commissioner Chris Dzadovksy  whose District 1 includes South Hutchinson Island More: Indiantown elects its first Village Council; first meeting set for March 21 supporters need both houses of the Legislature to pass a bill said no one has reached out to her to discuss the issue but I look forward to hearing his concerns,” Hogan Johnson said asking voters within the proposed boundaries whether they supported incorporation Dzadovsky said Grande mentioned the subject to him in passing about a week ago but has yet to make a formal presentation to the county Incorporating a section of South Hutchinson Island was floated most recently by Grande during an unsuccessful 2012 attempt to return to the County Commission, but the idea died because of a lack of support with island residents.   Incorporation is needed not only to protect the island from being over developed but to better represent the interest of island residents more than two decades older than then county average of 45 More: Hobe Sound votes against incorporation the county Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the County Commission reject the development application of Atlantic Wellness an $80 million drug-and-alcohol detox facility on the island Grande opposed the development because of increased traffic and over how it would evacuate residents during a hurricane or a nuclear-plant disaster The project still needs County Commission approval but it unknown when that could occur Grande is concerned the area eventually could be annexed into Fort Pierce Lucie County have to be concerned about economic development “Most of us on the island are retired or this is a second home The people would like to maintain the easy living Other areas on the Treasure Coast recently have had mixed success with incorporation efforts Indiantown voters in November 2017 approved incorporating a new municipality to create more of an identity and have more of a say in how it develops and attracts jobs voters in Hobe Sound in southern Martin County rejected a referendum to form incorporate a new village.  — Residents and visitors on the Treasure Coast spotted one of the rarest whales in the world this week Josh Veldman said he was staying at the Turtle Reef Club near Jensen Beach when he spotted a right whale with its calf just off the coast recording some spectacular video that few people ever have a chance to witness North Atlantic right whales have been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1970 according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration WE NEED YOUR HELP! Give moving right whales space! 500 yards is law. New moms are bonding w/calves. Last sighting a new pair-south of Hutchinson Island, FL. Call 877-WHALE-HELP if you see a right whale/need to report injured marine mammal. #rightwhale pic.twitter.com/TpfdAnZBbU The latest estimates suggest there are fewer than 350 right whales remaining Commercial whalers hunted North Atlantic right whales to the brink of extinction by the early 1890s NOAA tweeted Thursday that right whales are currently on the move along the east coast heading south for the winter where they give birth They advise everyone to give them 500 yards of space continue to give the animal space and contact trained responders at 877-WHALE-HELP take photos and video to share with responders LUCIE COUNTY — The pleas of dozens of residents were not enough to stop approval of a 220-bed addiction-treatment center on South Hutchinson Island approved rezoning 22 acres from residential use to planned non-residential development to allow the construction of the $87 million Atlantic Wellness facility More: St. Lucie County planning board recommends against plans for Betty Ford-style drug-rehab center More than 100 people attended Tuesday's nearly six-hour meeting They urged the commission to deny the project because its usage was out of character for the mostly residential area it could increase traffic and decrease property values which would treat adults and teens diagnosed with eating disorders and drug and alcohol addictions between Frederick Douglass Memorial Park and Middle Cove Beach with 17 acres remaining undeveloped as wetlands More: Movement afoot for Hutchinson Island to incorporate, form new village in St. Lucie County "I think they are bringing in a world-class facility and you have worked with staff to make sure you are not disturbing the integrity of the island," County Commission Chairwoman Linda Bartz said.  The average length of stay for a patient would be45-60 days facility officials said. Patients would be prohibited from having cars The facility would not accept court-ordered patients “We want to be a world-class facility certainly for the U.S. but even for the world,” said Dr board-certified psychiatrist who treats adults and adolescents — who would manage the facility average annual salary would be $50,800 The facility has received letters of support from Sheriff Ken Mascara; Indian River State College President Ed Massey; Pete Tesch president of the Economic Development Council of St Lucie Chamber of Commerce; and the owners of Sunset Beach the closest residential community to the facility More: Fort Pierce City Commission approves raise in new 3 year police union contract allowing the facility would be akin to moving the 229-bed St who represented several homeowners associations “I understand there is a need for these types of facilities,” Melville said “It’s not a bad facility or a good facility More: Port St. Lucie Mayor Oravec: Southern Grove not City Center should be the city's downtown Allowing the facility would pave the way for more non-residential development on the island “What kind of precedent does that set for future development?” Duckworth asked The island is not in danger of  overdevelopment because 58% of the land is zoned conservation Commissioner Frannie Hutchinson attempted to calm residents' fears by pointing out the controversy over construction of the St Lucie Nuclear Power Plant in the late 1970s I lived here before the condos were over on South Hutch and before the nuclear plant was in But they didn't hurt anything when they came," Hutchinson said "The nuclear plant was controversial as hell And neither has the condos that have gone up in my lifetime on South Hutch." Resident Russ Knowles said he is finally building his dream house on the island and it is less than a mile north of the facility “So our dream of 40 years is turning into a nightmare,” Knowles said and I respect what the doctor is trying to do … I don’t think we need this type of development on the island.” County Commissioner Cathy Townsend said she supported the facility because its owners would pay property taxes I would like to say no to this facility to support you," Townsend said to residents "but I have to see the bigger picture."  Want more Treasure Coast news? If you're already a subscriber to TCPalm, thank you! If not, please subscribe and help keep your news coming FORT PIERCE — A developer intends to move forward with a revised plan to build an eight-lot subdivision along the beach on a previously undeveloped plot of land that includes three public beach access points as proposed in an initial site plan last year would shorten those existing access points and likely change the landscape of the lush stretch east of Ocean Drive raising concerns from North Hutchinson Island residents and conservation groups The county is awaiting an updated plan from developer Joseph Caragol who despite holding community meetings in recent months last communicated with the county last year Lucie County Planning and Development Services Director Ben Balcer Balcer said the initial proposal the county received last year did include narrowing of beach access points "The county hasn't received a formal application so we really have not opined as to in favor or not in favor," Balcer said "We don't even know if an application will come in since it's been a year." Caragol confirmed that he plans on submitting a "new site plan for the lots in the next week or two." Caragol also said the new plan will still propose changes to beach access president of the Presidents Council of Hutchinson Island attended a community meeting held over the summer by Caragol and his team He said most residents voiced opposition to giving over beach access to a private developer and they were mostly against what he was looking to do," Grande said "A lot of people were upset because they didn't think the county owed him anything like that they treated it like it was a normal course of business and of course the county would accommodate them." Lucie County signage along the access points and his plan would include replacing invasive species with native trees Caragol's vision for the development is for "estate homes" on large lots "like you see in Vero (Beach)." residents were pitched on the idea that the beach access trails could be made straighter and easier to walk along during the process but Grande said many would rather see them unchanged "They were looking to get the public to side with them and that quite frankly didn't work at the meeting but I don't know what's happened since then," Grande said There has also been concern from conservation groups which has sent alerts to its members updating them on the project and calling for action Another large oceanfront development was announced Thursday across the Fort Pierce Inlet on South Hutchinson Island That multiuse development is also in the early planning stages — Martin County has 22 miles of shoreline and is in a constant tug of war with mother nature a multi-million dollar effort is underway to protect one of its most popular beaches Bathtub Reef Beach at the southern end of South Hutchinson Island has been closed as work continues on a major coastal resilience project A protective seawall is being built into the dune to 16-foot below sea level,” said Deputy Public Works Director George Dzama The county is spending $3.2 million dollars on the work The Federal Emergency Management Agency will pick up the rest “The top of the wall is 10 feet above sea level The base flood elevation in the area is elevation 5 What that does is give us 5-feet of free board in the event a major hurricane or storm comes through,” said Dzama The hope is to limit the number of emergency sand hauls when the dune is compromised MacArthur Boulevard will be raised two and a half feet through several layers of new pavement and a wall will be placed on the lagoon side to protect the infrastructure The work here at Bathtub Beach should be completed sometime in the fall this popular stretch of sand is once again open for business LUCIE COUNTY — The county will impose new taxes on some South Hutchinson Island property owners to raise money for ongoing beach repairs The County Commission Tuesday unanimously approved creating a municipal service taxing district along the 3.4-mile stretch between  Normandy Beach and the Martin County line.  Those beaches lose about $10,000 worth of sand per day The county will need $85 million over the next 50 years to renourish eroded beaches as part of an Army Corps of Engineers project The county’s $14.8 million share is due July 2021 The county needs a permanent funding source to pay for adding sand to eroded beaches The Federal Emergency Management Agency earlier this year withdrew a $9.5 million beach-repair grant after learning the Army Corps already had funded a portion of the project “This is not just for today but for the future,” County Commissioner Chris Dzadovsky said More: Should St. Lucie County spend millions to save millions on beach project? | Gil Smart The tax rate for the beach-repair district will be determined during county budget hearings in July County ordinance requires officials to give notice by Jan 1 of their intent to create a special taxing unit The commission considered three boundaries for the new taxing district: Staff recommended the options for the east side and west side of S which would allow for different tax rates for property owners beachside and those on the river side Doing so would allow the county to set fair rates for each side because there are more undeveloped properties on the east side than the west but properties on the east are valued higher than those on the west South Hutchinson Island has 2,848 taxable properties on the east side of S.R “I’m not in favor of splitting the community,” County Commissioner Frannie Hutchinson said More: St. Lucie faces 2-year deadline to find $8.3 million to pay for beach- erosion repair Each year the commission will have to approve renewing the tax then the west side could soon become the eastside,” County Commissioner Sean Mitchell said of the ongoing beach erosion Allison O’Connor bought an adult tricycle with a basket when she opened Taco Dive thinking she would make deliveries in downtown Fort Pierce She figured the restaurant wouldn’t be too busy It was going to be fun for her and businesses partners Bonnie Turk Kelly Greiner and Joel Rucker — not a way to make a living “We wanted a place where we could get really good salsa and chips and cold beer,” O’Connor said But that three-wheeled bike never delivered any food it continues to sit in front of the restaurant on Second Street As they sat together Monday at a table inside their rustic restaurant none of the partners said they thought Taco Dive would be successful enough to expand — let alone add a fourth location this year on South Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce were retired teachers who owned Hurricane Grill & Wings on South Beach for five years They also owned a Hurricane’s in Jacksonville “We were going back and forth all the time,” O’Connor said O’Connor was walking through downtown Fort Pierce and passed the closed Bagel Girls She had had a few beers at Sailfish Brewing Company’s original location and was heading to Friday Fest but I was thinking we should put something in there,” O’Connor said “We should put a taco place in there.” O’Connor knew she wouldn’t have a problem getting 33-year-old Greiner who worked for them at Hurricane’s in Jacksonville “I hated driving back and forth to Jacksonville,” Turk said They sold the other restaurants and decided to open a craft taco eatery with fresh ingredients They learned how to run a restaurant through a franchise and now they could experiment and be creative O’Connor’s 35-year-old cousin who worked for the Maverick Boat Company eventually quit his job to work full time for Taco Dive and become the fourth and final partner “I don’t think we’d be where we are without each of us,” O’Connor said Greiner remembered people walking into the business and saying they’re not going to make it They struggled financially in the beginning “It was such a scary time,” Greiner said “We were so poor that we took the refrigerator out of Bonnie’s garage and brought it here.” But the restaurant was slammed with customers it became successful enough to pay for another Taco Dive “We wanted to be in Vero so bad,” O’Connor said “We knew that was going to be our second location.” the Vero location was able to pay for a third Taco Dive “We love that Tradition location,” O’Connor said It was the same with the future fourth location O’Connor went to lunch with her family on South Beach at the end of June and noticed Bluewater Beach Grill at 2025 Seaway Drive had closed “I immediately became obsessed,” O’Connor said “I live on the island,” Turk said “There’s times I just don’t want to go over the bridge.” The four partners inquired about the space and found it basically was a turnkey restaurant It took about two months to negotiate the leases “It just feels right,” O’Connor said His first job was at Theo Thudpucker’s Raw Bar & Seafood Restaurant “It’s kind of cool to be back in the space,” Rucker said The new location is the biggest of the four at about 1,600 square feet It’s packed with more flat screen TVs since it will be open Sundays and is the only location with NFL Sunday Ticket next football season “At every store opening,” Turk said “we say we want a woman to go into a Taco Dive by themselves and feel comfortable sitting at the bar.” They’ve considered expanding into Martin County to have restaurants across the Treasure Coast Rucker mentioned they were mindful not to step on the toes of Taco Shack in Stuart the partners looked at locations near Carsons Tavern on Ocean Boulevard and in the Downtown Stuart Shopping Center Greiner thought Palm City would be great but couldn’t find a space available they likely wouldn’t be opening Taco Dive Beachside this year “We wouldn’t have done this because we would’ve been too tight,” O’Connor said They set a goal of four locations for the four partners they would consider going beyond that goal if the right location came along “It would become too big for the four of us,” Greiner said Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter and columnist dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Read her weekly column, Laurie's Stories, on TCPalm.com. Follow her on Twitter at @TCPalmLaurie or Facebook at faceboook.com/TCPalmLaurie An empty lot is seen June 23 in the Acquavista oceanfront development at 4440 N State Road A1A on North Hutchinson Island in Fort Pierce A partially constructed home in the Acquavista oceanfront development (JEREMIAH WILSON/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) (Photo: JEREMIAH WILSON) LUCIE COUNTY — The sound of crashing waves is being joined by the buzz of power saws Beach and riverfront areas in the county are garnering attention from developers after seeing years of little to no interest Three subdivisions are under construction on Hutchinson Island as well as homes on single lots Real estate agents said they expect growth to continue on the island because of the scenery three-story oceanfront homes with lots starting $850,000 and homes starting $2.2 million near the Indian River County line a 45 single-family home subdivision on the east side of State Road A1A just south of Herman's Bay Beach a 93 single-family home subdivision on the east side of A1A south of Frederick Douglass Memorial Park and north of Blind Creek Beach Prices start at $150,000 for a vacant lot and go up to $1.8 million for a 5-bedroom The island projects were approved before the recession and some construction had started county Planning and Development Services director The number of homes built in subdivisions on the island have dwindled since the boom years The larger scale developments have been replaced with construction a fraction of the size who has more than 30 years experience selling real estate on the Treasure Coast The resurgence is pushed by buyers' demand for cheaper waterfront properties 'If you wanted to build these same type of homes in Palm Beach the cost would be five times as much The buyers are the traditional groups — empty nesters from the northeast South Florida transplants who want a slower paced lifestyle and people looking for a summer or winter homes who is selling four single-family oceanfront homes in Fort Pierce 'You can still buy an oceanfront condo for less than $500,000 here compared to Broward where you'll pay a million dollars or more,' Nelson said buyers also like the uninterrupted view of the ocean something they can't get in South Florida because the beach is sprinkled with high rise condos 'Buyers like it here because of the laid-back 'You have 21 miles of uninterrupted ocean view from Jetty Park to the Jensen Beach area Growth on both islands is expected to continue because there are dozens of properties that have been approved for development On North Hutchinson Island there is Grande Beach a mixed-used development for retail and condos just north of Seawinds Drive own by former County Commissioner Charles Grande 'When someone is ready to develop the property all they have to do is come and do an adjustment to the site plan and start building,' Olson said The number of building permits issued by year for North and South Hutchinson Island: North Hutchinson Island2014: 42015: 52016: 7* South Hutchinson Island 2014: 272015: 252016: 15* Lucie County Planning and Development Services Department (CBS12) — Homes are under evacuation orders on South Hutchinson Island due to a bomb squad matter involving an unexploded military device Lucie County Sheriff's Office says construction workers unknowingly moved a military device CBS12 reporter Erin MacPherson is at the scene gathering information. Follow her on Twitter for updates announces its October 19 acquisition of the Hutchinson Island Plaza Hotel & Suites “We are thrilled to add the Hutchinson Island property - now our Southernmost hotel - to Innisfree’s growing portfolio,” said the company’s CEO Ted Ent “Thanks to its idyllic Florida beach charm and close proximity to recreational venues and oceanside excursions the Hutchinson Island Plaza Hotel & Suites offers something for everyone.” grab a few drinks from the gift shop and head out to the hotel's private pier to see if the fish are biting "We're excited to expand our long and successful partnership with Innisfree on this new hotel,” said Kip Sowden “RREAF has a strong track record of success in identifying and operating hotels in the region and we are looking forward to executing the improvements in this asset.” The hotel’s dock has been refurbished and expanded to provide additional space for fishing “Hutchinson Island truly offers the best of Florida’s Treasure Coast,” said Ent “Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Indian River on the west and enjoy nature preserves and parks.” The Hutchinson Island Plaza Hotel & Suites is now accepting bookings through the end of 2022 Click here to join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest hotel news and trends Copyright © Hotel News Resource & Nevistas | All rights reserved HUTCHINSON ISLAND — The government says "let there be light" for pedestrians along State Road A1A but some residents would rather keep things in the dark the state is scheduled to start a project to complete the sidewalk along the west side of A1A from Jensen Beach Boulevard south to the causeway bridge across the Indian River Lagoon The $6.9 million project also calls for installing about 380 lights on poles along the new sidewalk and the existing sidewalk on the east side of the road Construction is expected to take about a year said Florida Department of Transportation spokesman Guillermo Canedo The state will pay Martin County to maintain the lights "There's a concern among residents on the island about how dark it is along A1A," said Troy McDonald a Stuart city commissioner and vice chairman of the Martin County Metropolitan Planning Organization board "The impetus of the project came from condo residents who want to make the area safer." homeowner associations and businesses on the island Letter: Hutchinson Island lighting project very worthwhile a resident of the Suntide Condominiums on A1A called the project "overkill. These lights aren't needed I don't think the majority of people who live on Hutchinson Island want this project Letter: Lighting project will adversely impact community Nesting sea turtlesDesigned to illuminate the sidewalk and not the road the light poles are about half the height of typical street lights The light fixtures will hang about 17 feet to 18 feet above the sidewalk Similar lights already have been installed at the A1A-Jensen Beach Boulevard roundabout The beaches along that stretch of Hutchinson Island are popular nesting sights for sea turtles and the new lights will have amber bulbs and shields to keep them from shining toward the ocean More: Sea turtle nesting season starts; outcome unpredictable The light fixtures meet "turtle-friendly" requirements of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission More: Beach 'sculptures' threaten nesting sea turtles More: Almost all recent sea turtle hatchlings female "I'm OK with the project," said Mark Perry The society's Coastal Center is on Hutchinson Island at the southern end of the project site "The lights will make the area more safe at night and it will look good," Perry said There already are 166 utility poles along that section of A1A "and they want to add 382 more poles for these lights Hutchinson Island won't have the same ambiance when it's all lit up." "but because each light will shine on a small area in order not to shine on the beach and distract turtles the light poles have to be close together." Weigh inWhat: Martin County Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy boardWhen: 9 a.m Monday Where: Martin County Commission Chambers, County Administrative Building FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Fort Pierce police released new details Monday surrounding an officer-involved shooting that claimed the life of a 62-year-old man Police shared a photo of the taser that David Jeffrey Taylor allegedly pointed at officers Sunday morning as they responded to a call regarding an armed burglary in progress at an apartment on Bayshore Drive on South Hutchinson Island they were told a male was inside the residence Police Chief Diane Hobley-Burney told WPTV that officers pushed open the door after noticing it was ajar just before 6 a.m engaged with Taylor after police said he refused their commands to drop the weapon One of the officers was struck in the arm by a bullet from the second officer who has been with the department for about three-and-a-half years "The description matched and then to see this person point this at them they will react and they reacted in a way to stop the threat that was happening," said Hobley-Burney WPTV reporter Jon Shainman asked the police chief if there was an actual burglary in progress at the time She replied that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is handling that part of the investigation and she hopes they reach a conclusion shortly Police said there was another person inside the residence when they found and shot Taylor WPTV's Ethan Stein spoke with Taylor's best friend and roommate She said Taylor called 911 on her cellphone and told her to get in a room and lock the door That's also what she told landlord Glenn Strong I don't know if it's his brain matter or guts," Strong said Strong described Taylor as a "special person," a "sweet man" and "quiet as a church mouse," who was loved by neighbors He said he's concerned that Taylor was wrongfully shot "He was one of those people that hugged you and was concerned would call you on important dates," said Taylor's friend and former landlord Michelle Longarzo No one WPTV has spoken to said that Taylor had mental health issues and they are suspicious of the situation as they await more details.