St. Lucie County delays massive impact fee hikes after developer revolt

Why it matters: St. Lucie County commissioners postponed a vote on dramatic development impact fee increases after facing fierce pushback from builders and businesses who warned the proposal would drive away development and price out working families. The proposed increases would add at least $7,000 to new home prices and could send industrial development fleeing to neighboring counties, undermining years of economic growth efforts.

The numbers that shocked everyone:

• Industrial impact fees: $1.20 → $6.00 per square foot (399% increase)
• New home cost impact: Minimum $7,000 increase per house
• Revenue projection: $19-28 million annually vs. current $10 million

What they're saying: "It's not a good way to do business in St. Lucie County to be transparent," Commissioner Clasby said about holding the public workshop the same morning as the vote.

"This is going to negatively impact our business recruitment and expansion efforts," warned Pete Tesh from St. Lucie Economic Development Council.

"So I'll tell you right now, I won't be supporting this," declared Commissioner Townsend.

"Today we are able to offer a new construction three bedroom, two bathroom townhome for $280,000... If these fees are raised as proposed, the same home will be priced at a minimum of $7,000 higher," explained Aidan Williams from Meredith Homes.

The story behind the numbers: The county finds itself caught between two crushing pressures. Road construction costs have exploded 475% since 2021, turning a $295 million project list into nearly $1 billion in needs. Meanwhile, working families are already struggling to afford homes, and adding thousands more in fees threatens to price out nurses, teachers, and county workers.

The county currently collects $10 million annually in impact fees but needs $19-28 million to keep pace with growth. St. Lucie County ranks 7th statewide in projected growth rate, with residential permits jumping from 4,000 annually in 2018 to 6,000 recently.

The plot twist:

Port St. Lucie disputes the county's fundamental math. The county claims 45% of city traffic uses county roads, justifying taking nearly half the impact fees. But the city's analysis shows the real number is closer to 10-15%. That's not a rounding error. That's a completely different story about who benefits and who pays.

The city also notes that none of the county's $285 million in proposed road projects are actually within Port St. Lucie, despite the county claiming nearly half the fees generated there.

The process problem: What really rankled commissioners wasn't just the sticker shock. It was the rushed timeline. The county held its public workshop the same morning as the first vote, with critics noting the first workshop drew only six people. Commissioner Clasby called it out directly: most of the audience worked for the county, not exactly the ideal crowd for genuine public input.

Several developers and business representatives spoke against the increases, warning they would drive development to neighboring counties and make housing even less affordable for working families.

What's next: Commissioners rescheduled the first vote for September 16, missing an October 1 deadline that would require unanimous approval for any future increases starting January 1.

The bottom line: This delay likely killed the proposal. Getting all five commissioners to agree on a 399% increase seems impossible based on Tuesday's heated exchanges. The county still needs road money, but this approach appears dead on arrival.

The question now is whether commissioners can find a middle ground that funds critical infrastructure without devastating the very economic development they've worked years to build.

Watch it yourself: See the full commission meeting here

Share your thoughts: What do you think about these proposed fee increases?