FORT PIERCE \u2013 The city\u2019s advisory Planning Board on Oct. 13 recommended approval of the final site plan for Sunrise Lakes in White City, just weeks after rejecting an earlier version over concerns about off-road school bus pick-ups. The decision allows the developer to move forward following revisions that addressed the board\u2019s earlier objections.<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s newly installed Assistant Planning Director Christopher Suneson opened the hearing that evening on the 11.5-acre parcel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a revised application proposing a rezoning to a final PD of 48 single-family residences at 4.16 units per acre at 3804 Sunrise Boulevard,\u201d he said. \u201cThe site is south of Bell Avenue along Sunrise, zoned R-1, with a future land use of residential low, allowing up to 6.5 units per acre. It\u2019s bordered by RS-3 zoning to the south and west, a cemetery to the north, and the FDOT building to the west.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suneson outlined the changes made since the board\u2019s Sept. 6 rejection.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Planning Board recommended disapproval 6-1 due to the lack of a bus turnaround and a stop within the development, and the number of units, then at 50,\u201d he said. \u201cThe revised plan includes a school bus turnaround and stop, a sidewalk along Sunrise Boulevard to Bell Avenue, and a reduction to 48 units. The application now meets city code standards, and staff recommends approval with 12 conditions forwarded to the City Commission.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blane Bergstresser, the applicant\u2019s engineer of record, presented the development\u2019s history and changes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBack in December 2023, we met with city staff to discuss a potential townhome project on this parcel, then in unincorporated St. Lucie County. Staff suggested single-family homes would be more appropriate,\u201d he said. \u201cWe submitted an annexation in February 2024, followed by a site plan process. We appeared before this Board in May 2025, where the previous plan was approved 5-0, but it was tabled at the City Commission in July.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the Planning Board rejected the plan in September, Bergstresser revised it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe eliminated two units, added a bus stop and an off-Sunrise turnaround. Previously, buses would stop on Sunrise and loop onsite. The School Board agreed, asking only for some parent parking spaces,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Bergstresser highlighted how the site plan meets city code criteria for natural features, tree preservation, efficient land use, and amenities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe realized there aren\u2019t many safe pick-up areas nearby, so we\u2019re adding a sidewalk along Sunrise frontage and an extra 1,031 feet to Bell Avenue, providing a sheltered bus stop for neighbors. We\u2019ll extend 1,290 feet of four-inch force main along our frontage, allowing nearby septic-dependent homes future connection to a centralized system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Local homebuilder Joe Scionti of Integrity First Construction also addressed the board.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not a national builder putting up cheap homes. With these changes, we\u2019re enhancing bus stop safety, sidewalks, landscape buffers, and a pool for residents. Homes will feature metal roofs, impact windows, porcelain tile, and quartz countertops. It\u2019s a value to homeowners,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Board Member Christopher Widing asked about School Board approval of the turnaround.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m reconfirming your setup. Did the School Board approve the roundabout?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
Bergstresser said he sent the modified plan but had received no feedback. Chairman Anton Kreisl then asked St. Lucie School District Growth Management Coordinator Nicole Fogarty.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you have comments on the turnaround radius?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
Fogarty replied she hadn\u2019t received it. Bergstresser insisted he had sent it; she confirmed the bus could make the turn, the main concern for the District.<\/p>\n
Planning Board members emphasized avoiding new stops on busy roadways after a student was struck boarding a bus on Oleander Avenue in December 2021. Chairman Kreisl suggested making compliance with the District\u2019s minimum radius a condition of approval.<\/p>\n
Only one public speaker, Ronna Perry, opposed the smaller lot sizes, higher density, and tree loss. Board Member Justine Carter agreed, while noting improvements.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of great improvement has been made, but my concern remains with density. Does staff see any impacts on general health, safety, and welfare? Could this set a precedent?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
Suneson responded that the proposed 4.16 units per acre is within city limits.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe land is residential low, and zoning allows four units per acre. The land-use element allows one to 6.5 units per acre. The 4.16 units proposed are relatively low compared to what\u2019s allowed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Despite Suneson\u2019s assurances, Carter and Board Member Whiting cast the two dissenting votes. Five members recommended approval, forwarding the plan to the City Commission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"FORT PIERCE \u2013 The city\u2019s advisory Planning Board on Oct. 13 recommended approval of the final site plan…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15173,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[171,173,172,563],"class_list":{"0":"post-15172","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-port-st-lucie","8":"tag-port-st-lucie","9":"tag-port-st-lucie-headlines","10":"tag-port-st-lucie-news","11":"tag-st_lucie"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15172\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}