STUART — City commissioners here Aug. 17 chose to let voters decide two issues: what to do with two undeveloped acres along Federal Highway and what to do with the city’s recreational ballfields.
Both issues will go before voters in the Nov. 3 general election.
“What we’re saying is we’re giving you, the voters, the opportunity to either say nay or yay,” Commissioner Laura Giobbi said. “That’s really what it comes down to.
“Unless there’s people here who don’t think the public has the right to say nay or yay,” Giobbi added. “Maybe they don’t believe that the public is educated enough to say it.”
Voters will decide whether to conserve the 2 acres or make them available for development. If they are developed, the city could raise $1 million over 10 years from leasing the property, City Commission Campbell Rich estimates. That money might be needed if Amendment 3 passes, and the city takes in less property tax revenue, Rich warned.
Separately, voters will choose whether they must approve the sale or lease of over a year of city-owned property containing recreational ballfields.
Some commissioners and residents fear a different City Commission could sell or lease long-term either Guy Davis Community Park or Sailfish Ballpark or both. They are the only city-owned properties with ballfields.
Two undeveloped acres
Voters in 2011 chose to commercially lease the 2 acres to offset the costs of maintaining Haney Creek Preserve, also known as Haney Creek Park Nature Trails and Dog Park. But the city has yet to find a suitable tenant.
Commissioners Aug. 17 voted 3-1 with Rich dissenting to have voters make the decision. Voters will decide whether to preserve the land at 1001 Northwest Federal Highway or allow it to be leased. If it’s preserved, it would become part of Haney Creek Preserve.
“I’m always in favor of our citizenry being able to make a well-informed decision,” Rich said before commissioners voted.
“Until we understand how dire our financial situation may be, until we know whether we could face the loss of millions of dollars a year in ad valorem revenue, this is just premature for us to take an alternative revenue source away from the citizens and deny some tax relief,” he said, referring to the loss of property tax revenue from Amendment 3.
“There’s no hurry,” he said. “No one wants to lease this.”
“But this is separate and above from” Amendment 3, Giobbi said. “The property has not, and as far as I can tell, will not produce any income. So even if Amendment 3 were passed, we would still not derive any income from that piece of property.”
But former Mayor Christopher Collins, who is now running for Martin County Commission, said in June 2025 that Popeyes Louisana Kitchen previously was interested in locating there.
Recreational ballfields
The vote by commissioners Aug. 17 was unanimous on the ballfields issue.
Sailfish Ballpark — at 300 Southeast Stypmann Blvd. — is near Downtown Stuart and near the proposed location of a Brightline train station. Fears have arisen among city leaders and the public that developers would like to build there.
“We don’t want to see a lot of affordable housing apartments built there … that would be, by Senate Bill 180, tax exempt for 30 years,” said Will Laughlin, candidate for Stuart City Commission and a member of the city’s Community Redevelopment Board. “So, let’s just keep the status quo.”
Laughlin is running against Rich.
Guy Davis Park — at 724 Southeast 10th St. — is behind the city’s water treatment plant and part of the city’s East Stuart community, a predominantly Black community. Guy Davis Park has fields for soccer, baseball and football, according to city records.
“We need stuff for the kids around here,” Stuart resident Brooks Dubois told commissioners. “We don’t need development. We need more things for the kids.”
Keith Burbank is TCPalm’s watchdog reporter covering Martin County. He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Fate of two issues in this Florida city to be decided by voters
Reporting by Keith Burbank, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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By Keith Burbank, Treasure Coast Newspapers | USA TODAY Network
