The Martin County Board of County Commissioners will take a break from approving Comprehensive Plan amendments at Tuesday’s meeting and will continue what appears to be a permanent “break” from discussing affordable housing despite promises from staff and commissioners to solve the problem of high rent and home prices for low- and moderate-income residents.

Among the 13 items buried on the Consent Agenda, which will be approved by a single vote at the beginning of the meeting without public explanation or discussion, are CNST-8 to approve a revised Local Housing Assistance Plan for the Fiscal Years 2023-2026 and CNST-9 to approve an incentive strategies report for the State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP).

A public hearing will be held on Agenda Item PH-1 to approve the SHIP annual report for Fiscal Year 2021/2022. The report reflects that the County spent only $83,500.00 to provide purchase assistance for just one home and $22,908.00 to provide rental assistance for just 15 renters between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022. Most of the $646,437.85 in SHIP funds spent during that period was for repairs, renovations, and utility assistance for 20 homeowners.

The County’s primary affordable housing program provided assistance to only 36 residents during 2021/2022. It’s not surprising that neither staff nor the commission wish to engage in public discussion of affordable housing program plans and strategies for upcoming fiscal years.

Three zoning change applications will be approved in items on the public portion of the Agenda:

– Item PHQJ-1 is a request to change zoning on a 3.8-acre parcel east of SE Federal Highway and south of SE Salerno Road from B-1 Business District to GC General Commercial for KSA Equities Holdings, Inc.;

– Item PHQJ-2 will change zoning on a 9-acre parcel for the All Saints Cemetery in Jensen Beach from A-2 Agricultural District to PS-2 Public Service District; and

– Item PHQJ-3 will change zoning on a 10.97-acre parcel on SE Salerno Road and SE Ault Avenue from A-1A Agricultural District to RE-2A Rural Estate District for the Grace Place, Inc.

NOTE: The lame duck commission, which includes retiring Commissioner Harold Jenkins and Commissioner Doug Smith, who was defeated in his re-election bid by voters demanding a change, is scheduled to vote on all of the proposed Evaluation and Appraisal Report amendments to the Comprehensive Plan at the October 22 meeting. Staff and the County’s paid consultant, the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, have proposed amendments to every chapter of the Comp Plan, making changes which are unnecessary, ill-advised, and entirely outside the EAR process, which requires periodic updates of local plans to comply with newly enacted state laws. Other amendments which expand and increase development in rural areas were rushed through by sitting Commissioners at the last meeting and have already been transmitted to the state for review. These amendments – and the EAR amendments – will return to the Commission for final adoption after two newly elected commissioners are seated next month.

In other items on Tuesday’s short agenda:

– Commissioners will approve the Clerk’s warrant reflecting expenditures of $18,166,203.43 in tax dollars between September 9 and September 22, 2024, without disclosing the payees or the purpose of the payments (Consent Agenda Item CNST-2);

– Also on the Consent Agenda, Commissioners will approve a $529,700.00 contract to One Call Florida, Inc., for construction of a 727-square foot building including a laundry facility, restrooms, office, utility room, and storage room for the Manatee Pocket Mooring Field upland facility (Agenda Item CNST-1); and

– An amendment to extend the lease with Daher Aerospace, Inc., for premises at the Martin County Airport which expires on October 31, 2024, will be approved in Agenda Item DEPT-4.

The meeting begins at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday in Commission Chambers at the Martin County Administration Center. Attend in person, watch on MCTV or livestream the meeting from the County website at http://martin.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=24. 

Agenda items may be viewed and downloaded at https://martin.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=35023&GUID=98D7CC54-EF7D-4C4C-8084-1AF34C623D6E

E-mail commissioners about matters that interest you at sheard@martin.fl.us, eciampi@martin.fl.us, dsmith@martin.fl.us, hjenkins@martin.fl.us, shetherington@martin.fl.us with copies to the County Administrator and County Attorney at ddonalds@martin.fl.us and swoods@martin.fl.us.