PALM CITY, Fla. — By a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the Martin County Commission agreed to pay $4 million for a parcel of land in Palm City that was earmarked for apartments.
Every morning and every afternoon, the intersection of Martin Highway and Old Palm City School Avenue is busy.
"The traffic here is horrible. You’re between two schools," resident Lori Sewell said.
And for the time being, this area won’t be getting busier.
Martin County commissioners agreed to buy a six-acre piece of land from the developer, who had planned to construct 90 apartments. However, the developer then approached the county for a deal after nearby residents spoke out against the project.
"It will be one of the most important decisions and initiatives that I will ever have taken part in," Martin County Commission Chair Ed Ciampi said.
The developer will nearly double their initial $2.1 million purchase, and the concern from some on the commission was the precedent being set.
"We can't afford to buy our way out of incompatible developments," Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard said.
Meanwhile, some residents wondered where's the money coming from.
"Guys, this is a textbook example of irresponsible spending," resident Mike Syrkus said at Tuesday's commission meeting.
Ciampi, whose district included the property for sale, said the county will take out a loan, and not all county residents will bear the costs.
"It's not going to be paid for by residents in Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound and Stuart," Ciampi said. "It will be paid for by the residents of Palm City."
How much residents will pay through certain funding mechanisms, like specific taxing units, is an open question as the future of the site is still undecided.
Even though the apartment complex won't be built, commissioners seem to agree that some development will take place on a piece of the land.
"We will use a percentage of the property in some other private benefit that will stay on the tax rolls, and some will be used for environmental purposes," Ciampi said.