County gets impromptu tutorial on streetlighting districts | St. Lucie County

FORT PIERCE – A complaint by a resident of unincorporated St. Lucie County during the Aug. 19 County Commission meeting led to an impromptu tutorial on the creation and operation of the county’s streetlighting districts, some of which were up for reapproval that day.

Long-term Rio Mar Drive homeowner Sheila Markell addressed the Board during public comment period that evening.

“I received a letter about the streetlighting district,” she said. “In this letter, it said if you had a written objection, to write a letter to the county engineer but with no address. I didn’t know where to send the letter, so that’s why I’m here.”

Markell then described her specific complaint on the issue.

“I’ve walked my dogs in my neighborhood for over 33 years, day and night, [and] have contacted Florida Power & Light over a dozen times regarding streetlight outages,” she continued. “Some lights were dysfunctioning for years, some flashing for months and some hidden in the tree limbs that didn’t allow lighting the roadway. It’s been neglected for years in my neighborhood. I’m not happy about having another charge for streetlighting maintenance when I seem to be calling forth problems in my neighborhood. I don’t see the need for an increase when there is no service in my opinion.”

Vice-Chairman Larry Leet, who provisionally chaired the meeting that day because Chairwoman Jamie Fowler and District 1 Commissioner James Clasby were still tied up in a St. Lucie County Fire Board meeting, immediately posed a follow-up question to Deputy County Administrator Mayte Santamaria.

“Is there anyone we can direct her to since the address wasn’t there?” he asked.

“Yes sir,” Santamaria responded. “Barb Guettler is in the audience and will be doing the public hearings this evening. She can speak to her after this meeting.”

The temporarily reduced Commission subsequently approved the 2026 Street Lighting Districts Annual Resolution as part of the non-discussion Consent Agenda. Later on during the meeting, Municipal Services Benefit Unit Coordinator Barbara Guettler introduced the first of three streetlighting district approvals, beginning with the Meadowood Street Lighting District.

“The assessment amount for each parcel within a streetlighting district is calculated by dividing the total estimated cost to provide the service by the number of parcels contained in each district,” she recited at the beginning of each district item. “Per county ordinance, in the event the proposed assessment for any parcel exceeds the maximum amount as previously noted, the Board shall provide notice and conduct a public hearing prior to the adoption of the annual assessment resolution. Due to increases in the cost to provide streetlighting services, the Meadowood Streetlighting District requires a public hearing to be held to adopt the 2026 Assessment Roll.”

Guettler then detailed the Meadowood increase, which at $21.78 was the largest rise of the three districts.

“The maximum assessment amount as established in Resolution 15-92 was $77.48 per dwelling unit per year,” she explained. “The proposed annual assessment amount to be levied on the November 2026 tax roll is $99.26. Staff recommends the Board approve the Meadowood Streetlighting District annual assessment resolution and authorization the chair to sign documents approved by the county attorney.”

When no member of the public asked to speak, the Commission voted 3-0 for approval, with Chairwoman Fowler and Commissioner Clasby absent. Afterward, Guettler turned her attention to the River Park I Streetlighting District.

“Due to increases in the cost to provide streetlighting services, the River Park 1 Streetlighting District requires a public hearing to be held to adopt the 2026 Assessment Roll,” she said. “The maximum assessment amount as established in Resolution 24-142 was $34.86 per dwelling unit. The proposed annual assessment amount to be levied on the November 2026 tax roll is $42.91. Staff recommends the Board approve the River Park 1 Streetlighting District annual assessment resolution.”

By this time, Commissioner Clasby had arrived and asked staff for clarification.

“I just wanted to let the public know what these street light districts are, and maybe staff can give us a little history because we’ve had somebody complain [about] an $8 increase,” he said. “Can you give a little history on what these districts are [and] how they come into existence?”

Guettler emphasized that such streetlighting districts get their start with a neighborhood petition.

“The property owners petition in different areas for streetlighting districts,” she explained. “The two River Park Streetlighting Districts are from the 1960s. We haven’t had any new streetlighting districts for over 20 years. It’s just really a pass-through to FP&L. The county can be cut out, and it can be the homeowners association or individuals that pay for them, but these were set up this way.”

“Is there any kind of mechanism for that neighborhood to do away with this program?” Clasby prodded.

“Yes, if they would like to do that,” Guettler answered. “The HOA or the property owners would have to petition the county to remove the county from it. They would have to decide how they wanted to pay for them at that point.”

After Commissioner Clasby affirmed that Markell was in one of the two River Park districts, he sought and got affirmation from Guettler on what she would have to do to terminate her area’s district.

“If the neighborhood didn’t want it anymore, what would the repercussions of that be?” he asked. “Would they still pay FPL for the lights themselves, or how does that work?”

“Either the HOA or private individuals would have to have a contract with FP&L to keep the lights on,” she responded. “They do have an agreement that if they took lights out, the property owners would have to pay for that as well.”

Commissioners then voted 4-0, with Chairwoman Fowler absent, to approve the River Park 1 District. Guettler finished with the River Park 2 Streetlighting District.

“Due to increases in the cost to provide services, the River Park 2 Streetlighting District requires a public hearing to be held prior to the adoption of the 2026 Roll,” she said. “The maximum assessment amount as established in Resolution 23-142 was $54.76 per dwelling unit. The proposed annual assessment amount to be levied on the November 2026 tax roll is $64.39. Staff recommends Board approval.

The County Commission then voted 4-0 for approval, with Chairwoman Fowler absent.