INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — A major new roadway project in Indian River County is stirring debate — not just over infrastructure, but over how much development may follow in its path.
The Oslo Corridor project, which will eventually connect Interstate 95 to the heart of the county, is designed to improve access and ease traffic. But some longtime residents fear it’s paving the way for something else: rapid and potentially unchecked growth.
WATCH: Residents concerned about key part of project
At a recent commission meeting, community members voiced opposition to a key part of the project: expanding the county’s Urban Service Boundary, a development control line that has long limited sprawl into rural areas.
“The one-year moratorium should give them time to get their ducks in a row,” said Donna Keys, a resident who has lived in the county for decades. “I’d rather they not extend the boundary, but I’m willing to work with the staff and make sure it gets done right.”
Despite public pushback, county commissioners voted 4–1 to expand the boundary by nearly two miles. To address concerns, the board added a one-year moratorium on rezoning in the newly added area, aiming to give officials time to determine what kind of growth — if any — should take place.
“There was a major concern that we were just looking at clear-cutting and making it all residential and commercial,” said Commission Chairman Joe Flescher. “That is not the desire of our community.”
The Oslo Corridor is scheduled to be completed within the next 18 months. County officials say they will use that time to finalize a plan for how the expanded area should be developed, with community input playing a key role.
Until then, residents like Keys say they’ll be watching closely to ensure the county’s rural character isn’t lost in the name of progress.
