Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard, a developer's pawn? Did April Fools come late?

When your house is on fire, you shouldn't scold the firefighters for failing to wipe their feet before they come inside to rescue you.

That's a bit of advice I offer to Port Salerno residents, who are very rightly concerned about some mysterious plans to redevelop their neighborhood. For weeks, rumors have been circulating about what real estate investor J. Corey Crowley and a group of other developers may be planning for their neighborhood south of Stuart.

A grassroots group known as Save Our Salerno formed to oppose the development plans, with campaign-style signs and bumper stickers sprouting up around the tight-knit community.

Let me start by saying, I completely understand where the Save Our Salerno folks are coming from. The term "quaint fishing village" gets thrown around a lot in Florida, but it's a label that can be fairly applied to Port Salerno.

It's got an Old Florida feel worth saving. No question about that.

The question is exactly what Crowley and his cohorts, known collectively as the Salerno Downtown Authority, plan to do.

When I spoke with Crowley several weeks ago, he talked about an open-air market he's already opened on weekends on a parcel west of the railroad tracks and converting a nearby house into some sort of youth hostel. As for the rest of the land he and the other authority members own, he was vague.

He's told TCPalm reporter Keith Burbank he wants to initially establish a food truck park and coffee shop and would like to see mixed-use development west of the railroad tracks between Southeast Commerce Avenue, Southeast Railway Avenue, Southeast Salerno Road and Southeast Seaward Street.

However, a "mixed-use development" could be almost anything. So in the absence of more information, local residents are left to speculate and trade rumors about what the developers' plans might include.

Martin County Commissioner Sarah Heard, whose district includes Port Salerno, has been trying to find out what the developers are doing, too.

And that's where this story gets a little weird.

Heard has freely admitted she's been in communication with Crowley. As a result, a popular narrative has developed that she's in cahoots with the developers and is working behind the scenes to help them further their plans.

Nearly 200 people packed a town hall meeting organized by Heard Tuesday night, many of whom expressed their displeasure with their county commissioner. The crowd at the Port Salerno Civic Center frequently heckled Heard and other county officials throughout the 90-minute meeting.

Some raised criticisms about Heard that were unrelated to the development plans, including some who said she hasn't been responsive enough to her constituents. A couple interrupted Heard to ask about her relationship with Crowley, who attended the meeting but didn't speak to the group.

In one particularly childish moment, a man loudly coughed an obscenity into his hands while Heard was speaking ― which reminded me of the Greek council scene from the movie, "Animal House." This was a full-grown man, who should have shown more respect for the occasion.

It's pretty astonishing stuff for anyone who has followed even a little bit of Heard's career. She's been as reliable an advocate for slow-growth ― or, in many cases, no growth ― as anyone who has served on that commission over the last 20 years or so.

Accusing Heard of being too pro-development is like accusing Donald Trump of being too mild-mannered, or Joe Biden of being too filled with youthful exuberance. Whatever other criticisms people might have with her tenure, and I'm sure there are some, chastising her for being in league with developers is politically tone deaf.

Heard and some of her supporters in the audience tried to point that out.

"If you want developers to pay their fair share, you need to convince two other commissioners (to join me)," an exasperated Heard said at one point in response to accusations she was being too accommodating to Crowley's group.

Doug Mustapick, whom Heard defeated in her reelection bid last year, was among those criticizing Heard at the town hall meeting. I've heard rumors one or more of the Save Our Salerno leaders may be interested in running for Heard's seat, too.

Here's my question to those who are angling to replace her: Exactly what would you be doing differently in this situation?

Would you not try to reach out to the developers and find out what they're planning, in order to prepare? Talking to Crowley and other developers is part of Heard's job and it's part of the job of anyone who would serve in that position.

It's a little unclear what endgame Heard's detractors envision here. Do they think if she disengages from this issue, the other four county commissioners from other districts are going to swoop in and rescue the community?

If that's what they believe, I have some beachfront property in Indiantown I'd like to sell them.

Look, I don't agree with everything Heard has done over the last couple of years. I feel like she single-handedly torpedoed a discussion about development of Martin County's western lands that could have been productive. She's also referred to the New Urbanism style of planning as "snake oil," which is pretty much the opposite of what I believe.

But I know this: If I had to pick one elected official on the Treasure Coast to advocate against a controversial development project, I would choose Heard every single time.

Port Salerno residents need to warm up to the idea Heard may be the best friend they could have in this situation. Otherwise, their worst fears may yet come true.

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: Port Salerno residents: Sarah Heard is friend, not foe, on development