JENSEN BEACH, Fla. — Just south of South of Snook Nook on Indian River Drive there are more than 5 acres of undeveloped land. A project called Riverlight has been proposed to redevelop the area.
"This is a project that will bring to this area homes and restaurants and some retail," Marcela Camblor, who is working on the project, said.
However, locals like Alaura Macpherson are worried the project will overdevelop Jensen Beach and harm the environment.
"We're hoping that they don't build so many units, that they don't build on the waterfront," she said. "We're very concerned about the waterfront portion of this parcel."
Macpherson is one of the founders of a group called "Quit Messen with Jensen." Its members have been very vocal about concerns surrounding Riverlight.
"We're fighting to maintain the integrity of Jensen Beach," Macpherson added. "We're just a very unique strong-knit community and we love our river and our environment, and that's something that makes this community very special."
According to Camblor, the developer only plans to enhance what is already there.
"Not one single mangrove is being cut. There is no dredging proposed," Camblor said. "The only seawall that will be rebuilt is the seawall that exists today. The only boardwalk that will be built is the boardwalk that existed."
Camblor said the developer is also working on updating the initial plans to respond to requests from the entire community.
The number of units and other aspects are still under consideration, but project planners said they are discussing ways to incorporate more waterfront access and green space.
Meanwhile, Macpherson is hoping the developer's plans will reflect the community's input.
"I think that if they were to hear our concerns and definitely take those into account and make a decent effort, I think a lot of the community here would be more open to their development," she said.
WPTV also contacted Martin County to find out what the next steps are for the project.
