Protesters rally to stop more development on agricultural land in Martin County

MARTIN COUNTY — More than two dozen people rallied outside the County Administration Building Tuesday morning, trying to prevent a land-use change that may eliminate more agricultural land in the area.

County commissioners were to consider changing the "rural lifestyle" land-use category, which allows for large-scale development such as homes on agricultural land.

Protesters carried signs saying, "Stop overdevelopment" and "Save USB" — referring to the county urban services boundary, where utilities such water and sewers are extended — ahead of the commission meeting.

Threatening the 'Martin County difference'

The proposed amendment "is the most direct threat to the 'Martin County difference'," said Jim Moir, executive director of the Indian Riverkeeper, a group that aims to protect and restore the Indian River Lagoon.

The Martin County "difference" includes not only a cap on building height but also a history of buying land for conservation, Moir added.

The land-use change would amend the rural-lifestyle category to allow development on at least 3,000 acres within 6,000 feet of an urban services boundary. The rule presently allows development on at least 1,000 acres adjacent to the urban services boundary.

For Louise Cunha, 80, of Stuart — who protested prior to the meeting — the question was, "Where do we go from here" if commissioners gave the OK.

It will end when the county is full of development, Cunha concluded.

"There is not a lot of hope," she said.

4,000-acre development under consideration

Along with changing the rural-lifestyle land-use category, commissioners on Tuesday also were to consider a nearly-4,000 acre development about 6,000 feet from the urban services boundary.

Calusa Creek Ranch would include two 18-hole golf courses, 175 single-family homes and 24 golf cottages things at SW Kanner Highway and SW Bridge Road.

Ninety-one percent of the 3,902-acre development would be maintained as open space, which includes the golf courses. Homes would be clustered on 250 acres and cattle grazing would continue on more than one-third of the property.

Yet the potential change "conflates the concept that recreational amenities" such as golf courses "have the same natural-services benefits as conservation land," Moir said.

Opponents such as Moir argue that changing the definition of "rural lifestyle" would create more suburban areas on agricultural lands in the western part of Martin County. Opponents believe the change would forever alter the county's comprehensive growth plan and development patterns.

That, they argue, would take the county one step closer to the kind of development seen in St. Lucie, Palm Beach and Broward counties.

Hank Bonner, chair of the Martin County Democratic Party, was protesting Tuesday because the commission was considering expanding the urban services boundary to allow these big developments.

"I think it's an affront to Martin County citizens," Bonner said.

Rural lifestyle has had its share of controversy

The rural-lifestyle land-use category was subject to controversy when it was adopted by county commissioners less than 15 months ago.

That adoption prompted a lawsuit, and an administrative law judge rejected Martin County's decision. That ruling, however, was overturned by the state Administration Commission, which consists of Gov. Ron DeSantis and cabinet members.

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That paved the way for a development known as Atlantic Fields, a 317-home development and golf course in Hobe Sound.

Calusa Creek Ranch would generate $25 million in tax revenue to the county annually and restore more than 660 acres of wetland and native habitat, according to a website dedicated to the potential development.

This story will be updated.

Keith Burbank is TCPalm's watchdog reporter covering Martin County. He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Martin County may remove more agricultural land with land-use change