Results

Public Official: Vice Mayor Patricia Christensen
November 2003 Session

Final Report

Description of Project
The Port St. Lucie area was developed as a residential retirement community, not as a series of neighborhoods in the traditional sense. The City therefore lacks a mixture of uses that would offer retail services or an employment base. Eighty percent of current land uses are residential. With its phenomenal population growth, the City needs to address the issue of providing jobs and commercial development for its residents. The City considers these concerns to be fundamental for the continued health of the local economy. In addition, continued traffic congestion within the city has led Port St. Lucie to launch three separate studies to develop a third east-west transportation corridor from US 1 to I-95 and the Turnpike. The City is looking to develop policies that will promote land uses necessary for the continued successful development. They are looking for the answer to: "What kinds of policies should be put in place in order to encourage the inclusion of retail and office parks in the 42 square mile annexation area?"

Design Institute Recommendations
The City of Port St. Lucie faces both opportunity and challenge in the tremendous population and physical growth that is occurring. The Design Institute's experts began the session by addressing the issue of transportation. Recommendations included increasing road connectivity, maximizing existing road connections, being cautious in approving special districts and limiting gated communities. Annexation development recommendations included identifying proper locations for higher densities, possibly at 5 units/acre and to consider how varying densities may work, especially along the urban/rural edge. They recommended including entertainment and recreation venues in new projects, examining the possibilities of core villages, and encouraging mixed use sites. Additional recommendations included advancing a sense of place, examining fiscal impacts of annexations, evaluating issues to be addressed in the annexation agreements, significantly raising development standards and to coordinating with the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council and St. Lucie and Martin Counties. Due to the enormity of shaping the development of 42 square miles, the experts felt the City of Port St. Lucie should create a list of community values and indicators. This list could be measured against future proposed development and should include long term values versus short-term gains. The experts proposed that the City think of their task as "redeveloping" an entire city and additionally suggested creating a community education process, bringing in "ambassadors" or experts and to visit places that are poorly designed so not to replicate mistakes of other communities.

Results
In February 2004, the Urban Land Institute visited Vice Mayor Patricia Christensen of Port St. Lucie in order to move the Institute's early suggestions forward.

In a follow-up action, the Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions co-hosted with the City of Port St. Lucie , a May 2004 workshop on "Best Practices for Platted Lands." The purpose of the workshop was to bring together representatives of other cities with large, antiquated subdivisions and to share ideas and seek solutions to their common problems.

March 2006

In addressing the recommendation of the Design Institute regarding road connectivity, Port St. Lucie broke ground on February 17 on the new Crosstown Parkway. It is estimated as a 3 – 5 year project that will connect the east and west sides of the city with a 6-lane roadway.

Additional Contacts

Cheryl Friend, Planning and Zoning (772) 871-5225 CherylF@cityofpsl.com