FORT PIERCE, Fla. — The St. Lucie County County Commission by a 3-2 vote early Wednesday approved a development of more than 200 apartments on 32 acres north of Fort Pierce.
This was the second time commissioners considered the Indrio Woods project. The agenda item was pushed to the end of the meeting to get other matters out of the way with opponents waiting several hours to address the commission, which began its meeting at 6 p.m. The rezoning was approved at 1:30 a.m.
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Approving the development were Vice Chair Chris Dzadovsky, whose district includes the area, as well as Linda Bartz and Jamie Fowler. Opposed were Chair Cathy Townsend and Larry Leet.
Fowler flipped her vote from March.
Dennis Jurkiewicz owns the Binney Estate, which sits in the middle of the development and was once home to the inventor of the Crayola crayon, Edwin Binney.
"I've owned it for about 20 years," Jurkiewicz said. "And we love the fact that it's still rural and it's still beautiful with all the wildlife and all the vegetation."
The Indrio Woods development threatens to destroy the wooded area surrounding the property, he said.
"This property is surrounded by beautiful vegetation, just like it used to be way back when this property was built," Jurkiewicz said. "This is a historic property. This is a historic view shed. If that view shed disappears, we're looking at a house sitting in the middle of seven apartment buildings."
After facing opposition in March, the developer returned with changes based on the feedback.
"The board will be hearing that revised plan which will be reducing the density, you know the number of units. It'll also be increasing the open space," county spokesman Erick Gill said. "The developer will be providing some additional funding for road improvements and changing the traffic patterns."
The 229 apartments are proposed for a property near Indrio and Taylor Dairy roads.
The revised plan has 45 fewer units, reduces some buildings to two stories instead of three, and eliminates parking spaces to allow for more green space.
WGI, the engineering firm representing the developer, said in a statement:
"St. Lucie County is in need of varied housing types, particularly for the essential workforce housing, like our firefighters, police and teachers. the project, which is close to the airport and a planned fire station, helps to fill that need. It also meets the requests of the community and the county commission. We are excited to provide this important, balanced need to the county."