Mattamy wants higher apartments, other changes in Tradition; residents mount opposition
Editor's note: This article was modified from its original version to correct the action taken Monday by Port St. Lucie City Council.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Mattamy Homes wants to build new apartments in Tradition 50% higher than currently allowed, and some nearby residents already are making their opposition heard.
The City Council Monday gave first reading to a number of proposed revisions to Tradition’s development regulations, such density, parking and minimum setbacks in addition to building height. They would affect how the developer builds a new residential area south of Crosstown Parkway and west of Interstate 95.
The proposed change that has many residents concerned would increase building heights from 35 feet to 55 feet.
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The revisions are to come to the council for a vote March 27, city officials said.
The city has approved 13 revisions to Tradition’s development regulations since they were first approved in 2004. The last was in 2019, according to records.
About the project
The proposed changes would apply to one of Mattamy’s newly proposed communities, bordered by Southwest Westcliffe Lane, Tradition Parkway and Southwest Fernlake Drive. That project would include:
Brynlie, a neighborhood with 220 single-family homes
Alta Terra at Tradition, about 158 townhomes
Slopeside, a two-building apartment complex with up to 336 units
It would join other Tradition communities built by Mattamy such as Cadence, Emery, Manderlie and Telaro.
Earlier this month, the Planning and Zoning Board recommended some of the changes sought by Mattamy but not the height increases.
Opposition
Nearly a dozen residents, many of whom live in the nearby 55-plus community Vitalia, voiced their concerns about the changes to the council Monday, most citing fears of overdevelopment, incompatibility and more traffic.
“I see them (Mattamy) as bullies who want to bulldoze regulations without care for their stakeholders,” said Justine Kennedy. “They say they're building parks and schools and fire stations for us. But at the same time, they're raising our non-ad valorem assessment by 62% without taking our input into consideration.”
For its part, Mattamy tried to assure frustrated residents that the height increase would affect only two buildings. The home builder, however on Monday presented renderings of four-story buildings rather than five-stories.
Mattamy has hosted multiple meetings and outreach efforts to discuss the issue with homeowners, according to Mattamy representative Steve Garrett.
Slopeside, Garrett said, would have landscape buffers and other setbacks from nearby neighborhoods. For example, the apartments would be more than a half-mile from Vitalia, he said.
Council members Monday stressed that the city still can impose restrictions on developers at later stages in the project such as site-plan review.
“This isn't necessarily an issue of whether they can put residential or more housing on the property,” said Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo. “It's really an issue of design.”
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: 5-story apartments coming to Port St. Lucie? Mattamy eyes rule changes
