'Don't mess with Jensen!' locals tell developers of proposed Riverlight housing project
It’s hard not to love Jensen Beach.
Where else can you find businesses with names like Fredgie’s, Lures and the Snook Nook?
Or a vegan coffee shop that was an old World War II bunkhouse?
Or a corner barber shop that has been known to set up life-sized figures of Elvis, Spider-Man or a scary-looking clown on the bench outside to catch customers’ attention?
So it really shouldn't come as a surprise that local residents are willing to fight to preserve their community's quirky charm. More than 100 of them packed into the Jensen Beach Community Center last week to speak out against Riverlight, a proposed residential community along the Indian River Lagoon, roughly halfway between the Jensen Beach Causeway and Jensen Beach Boulevard.
'Quit Messen w/ Jensen'
They told members of the Jensen Beach Neighborhood Advisory Committee they are worried about skyrocketing housing costs driving away longtime residents and diluting the community's character. Then, after speaking their minds, some of them headed over to The Hoffmann restaurant for a "Quit Messen w/ Jensen" after-party.
It was a rousing display of neighborhood spirit. But I'm afraid a lot of people in that crowd, whom I respect and admire, are ultimately going to be disappointed when the Riverlight plans start making their way through the government approval process.
New Urban Towns LLC, a Fort Myers-based company, wants to build almost 80 residential units on a 5.5-acre tract stretching from Pineapple Avenue to the lagoon. The units would include a mix of apartments, cottages, townhomes and single-family houses.
The development would include a waterfront restaurant, with a boardwalk along the lagoon that the public could use. There would also be small parks, including one for dogs, and plazas available to Riverlight residents and nonresidents alike.
Preserving Jensen Beach's 'Key West vibe'
The developer's representatives said they wouldn't destroy mangroves (hear that, Sandpiper Bay?) or build new seawalls along the shoreline. They promised to use a drainage system that would prevent stormwater from spilling into the lagoon. And they said the number of parking spaces (187) should be adequate to meet the needs of residents and visitors.
Michael Ricciardi, New Urban Towns co-founder, said he envisions Riverlight as a community gathering place where locals can attend events like art festivals or movie screenings.
"It's going to be a nice place to go," Ricciardi said. "We want to be an extension of the community."
Ron Rose, president and CEO of the Jensen Beach Chamber of Commerce, tried to reassure residents the project would be compatible with the community's "Key West vibe."
"The critical aspect of what makes Jensen Beach so popular is that Old Florida charm," Rose said.
I don't think I'm being unfair in saying the residents who attended that meeting were a tad skeptical Riverlight would be an asset to the community.
They questioned whether the drainage and parking plans would be adequate. They expressed doubts the public access to the property would be as great as advertised. And they certainly weren't buying New Urban Towns representative Marcela Camblor's contention the project would create "affordability by design."
In fact, while neither Camblor nor Ricciardi would get into specifics about rents or housing prices, their presentation seemed a bit contradictory on that issue.
Jensen Beach isn't like Tradition
On one hand, Camblor suggested some of the housing with smaller floor plans could be reasonably priced. On the other, Ricciardi said waterfront property doesn't really lend itself to affordable housing.
"What you're proposing sounds nice for Tradition," one resident said, referring to the fast-growing west Port St. Lucie neighborhood. "It sounds good on paper, but not for Jensen Beach."
Others expressed similar sentiments, including one young man who worried Jensen Beach might go the way of high-priced Colorado ski resort towns.
"This town, we need to slow the roll," he said.
Where this is headed
I totally get where the residents are coming from, but I think they'll have a hard time persuading Martin County commissioners not to approve a project like this.
First of all, as was noted during the meeting, property owners have the right to develop their land in a manner that's consistent with local planning and zoning regulations. It's unrealistic to expect the property to remain undeveloped forever, unless some government or private entity is willing to buy it and keep it in its natural state.
Second, it's what planners describe as an "infill" project, which means it would be developed in an area where government services are already available. Planners tend to prefer those types of projects over others proposed where services aren't yet available, which create the dreaded "urban sprawl" we hear so much about.
Camblor and Ricciardi indicated they would be willing to adjust their plans in response to community input, but based on the conversations I heard between them and some residents after the meeting, any suggestions to reduce the number of housing units sounds like a nonstarter.
However this is decided, it probably won't be decided anytime soon. The developers promised to come back for a follow-up meeting, but the neighborhood advisory committee isn't scheduled to reconvene until September.
After the committee has made its recommendation, the plans would then be forwarded to the Martin County Local Planning Agency, then the Martin County Commission.
If you know anything about the commission's recent history of handling land-use cases, you wouldn't place any bets against the developers getting what they want.
Then again, Jensen Beach is a different kind of place. Maybe the community activism practiced there can produce a different kind of result, too.
This column reflects the opinion of Blake Fontenay. Contact him via email at bfontenay@gannett.com or at 772-232-5424.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Riverlight project stirs laid-back Jensen Beach residents to action
