GL Homes' proposed sports complex near Valencia Grove got tabled to August 24th after residents showed up frustrated and unheard

Port St. Lucie City Council voted Monday night to table the rezoning application for the Riverland West Sports and Recreation complex to August 24th and directed GL Homes to meet with residents before it comes back 🏗️.

The room was not happy. Valencia Grove residents came out to push back on a proposed 33 acre sports complex that GL Homes wants to build between Valencia Grove and Valencia Vista. The concerns were not about whether a sports complex should exist. They were about where it is being built, how close it is to existing homes, and the fact that residents say they were never told this was coming.

What residents said 🗣️: Speaker after speaker made the same point. They bought their homes with the understanding that the land next to them would be a city park with small commercial uses. One resident said GL had already been advertising the project as a done deal at model homes before any vote was taken, including a YouTube video posted the same day residents received their planning and zoning notice. The president of the Grove got emotional at the mic. "GL sold us a dream," he said. "Now they're going to take some of that away from us."

Pickleball noise was a specific and recurring concern. One resident said he measured decibel levels near the existing courts and found them 10 to 12 dB higher than inside his home. Another described the sound as repetitive, sharp and stabbing, going on for hours every day with no relief. Several residents pointed out that GL has thousands of undeveloped acres and asked why the complex has to be placed directly adjacent to an existing community.

What the council did: Mayor Martin asked GL Homes directly whether they had held a public meeting with neighbors. The answer was no. The council tabled the item to August 24th and directed GL to sit down with residents before it returns 👀.

Worth knowing: This is a rezoning hearing, not a site plan hearing. What council was voting on was whether to allow the uses, not the specific layout, noise mitigation, buffering or court placement. Those details come at the site plan stage. Several councilmembers acknowledged the frustration of residents while also noting the legal constraints around what can be considered at this stage of the process.

What's next: GL Homes is expected to meet with Valencia Grove residents before the item returns to council on August 24th 📅.

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