Stuart Costco debate; Vero Beach growth; Brightline blues; parking woes | Letters, March 5
Costco member: It's a great firm, but not fit for Kanner
This is in response to Larry Gray's letter Feb. 26, where he asks, "Besides traffic, what's the real objection to Costco?"
I can't speak for Robin Cartwright, but I don't believe there needs to be further reason for objection to building a Costco on Kanner Highway other than traffic. It is almost impossible now to make a left onto U.S. 1 from Kanner to get to the Roosevelt Bridge because too many vehicles are on that road. The large number of apartments being built on Kanner will add to the traffic woes.
Mr. Gray mentions there will be access from Willoughby Boulevard. Unfortunately, that is true, but don't you think we homeowners who live up and down beautiful Willoughby Boulevard will be highly impacted by the increased traffic of shoppers coming to our small town from other towns, not to mention the 10-wheelers that will be delivering products to Costco?
Aside from Kanner being a poor location, many jobs require many workers, who will require lots of housing, which will hurt our town because we do not have the infrastructure to accommodate everyone who will move here. It is difficult to find parking or get into restaurants in downtown Stuart as it is, let alone with a couple thousand more residents.
I too believe Costco is a fine company; I am a member. But I feel that if we must have it here, it could be as fine a company in another part of Stuart, such as the fairgrounds.
Vera Cavallo, Stuart
Costco will help Martin keep 'classy, not trashy'
I am FOR the Costco project on Kanner.
I’ve lived in Martin County for a few years and I'm tired of giving my tax dollars to St. Lucie County instead. I would rather send my tax dollars to our law enforcement, our teachers, our firefighters, etc.
I am proud of the commissioners who want to keep Martin County clean and neat, who are welcoming growing families with more housing, and offering these families amazing benefits that Costco has to offer. There’s always that “one rotten apple” that doesn’t want the traffic, although we cannot stop families from moving to our beautiful county. Our commissioners are doing a great job organizing infrastructure for that purpose.
We want Costco to be a part of Kanner; we do NOT want another gas station, storage unit or certainly not another car wash!
Let’s welcome these growing families, keep our tax dollars in Martin County and stay classy, not trashy!
Maria Salamis, Jensen Beach
Reisman's right; residential growth out of control
I read Laurence Reisman's column on growth in Indian River County.
I’ve lived on the Treasure Coast (Fort Pierce, 1972-2006; Sebastian until 2021, and Vero Beach since then) and I’ve seen too much growth.
A larger population will put more money in the coffers of counties and cities, but new roads and bridges take time to build. Indian River County is definitely not prepared to handle the growth.
What’s the solution? Cap construction of housing units (I’m not sure that can be done). Let the tourists come; we welcome them. Their visiting us during the winter helps the small and large businesses stay in the black.
I have noticed more out-of-state cars this year than I have ever noticed before. Traffic is brutal. A 20-minute drive to the doctor now takes 30 to 35 minutes depending on the time of day.
Now, if I could only roll the clock back to 1972 ...
Marilyn Crocco, Vero Beach
Two-hour parking nowhere near enough in Vero Beach
They need to change the parking to three hours or put meters in to give the patrons a choice to pay for up to to 4 hours in Vero Beach's oceanside business district.
My real estate office next to Mulligan's is an example. If a client comes in and we get distracted, the possibility of that client who could be purchasing a home from out of state goes out to find a parking ticket!
Two hours is not working. It's not enough time to park, shop, have lunch or buy real estate.
Millie Hirsch, Vero Beach
Let's hope Stuart doesn't ever get headline like this
When will it be Stuart’s turn to sponsor such an awful headline as the one I saw recently? "Another train derails in Midwest as Pete Buttigieg announces visit to Ohio crash site"
I hope the cargo isn’t liquified gas or some other lethal material.
Paul Vallier, Stuart
Take outing to see affected corridor near U.S. 1, Aviation, hospital
Regarding the "improvements" to the U.S. 1, Aviation Boulevard and hospital corridors, let me suggest putting the horse back in front of the cart.
The powers-to-be are planning to approve a design and then provide opportunities for public input. The wisdom of local residents and business owners should be listened to and considered well before a design is approved. Those with a vested interest in the area deserve special consideration due to their history of providing resources to the community, their observations through the years and their opportunity to continue that role in the future.
The Sebastian River Middle School Advisory Council once left the meeting room to physically walk the area where traffic was backed up onto County Road 512 all the way to County Road 510 during school dismissal/pickup time. That simple act of physically being on site during the meeting opened the eyes and minds of the advisory council members to other options and solutions.
Permission was granted by the Indian River North County Aquatic Center to allow traffic to loop through an already established corridor around its parking lot allowing all school traffic to flow around the aquatic center property and into a side entrance to the parent pickup loop. This alleviated the dangerous traffic buildup on 512 and did not interfere with the parking or access to north county pool users.
The design planners in this case would be wise to schedule a couple of public meetings on site and allow for people to possibly point out the obvious, which may be overlooked through meeting in a government building somewhere. It is very possible that someone in one of those public outings may suggest an option that was previously overlooked.
Chuck Evans, Vero Beach
Lack of parking makes it tough to use Fort Pierce kayak launch
When the city of Fort Pierce announced the opening of a new kayak launch and park at Citrus Avenue and Indian River Drive, the Aug. 9, 2019, TCPalm printed this:
" 'Public access to the waterfront has always been a top priority for the city of Fort Pierce,' the city said in a news release Friday. 'The improvement made to this property furthers the city’s mission to provide public access and preservation of the Indian River Lagoon for the enjoyment of citizens and visitors.' "
Rick Reed, who funded the development of this park, clearly meant the park to be used and enjoyed by all. In that same article:
" 'I am glad the public will be able to start using our new kayak park,' Reed said Friday. 'That is good and was always our intended purpose when we built the park for the people of Fort Pierce to have, utilize and enjoy.' "
It is sad and unfortunate that during the week, this kayak launch is not available for use. The reason? The small parking lot meant for the kayak launch has been taken over by staff at the St. Andrew's School. Every day school is in session, the lot is full of cars by 8 a.m.; cars that have no kayak racks.
I have tried to use the launch twice during the week, and both times, the launch was full of cars at 7:45 a.m.
I witnessed drivers leaving their cars and entering St. Andrew's. I have reached out to the city of Fort Pierce about this and received no reply.
Why is this permitted? St Andrew's appears to have plenty of space for parking, but I suppose walking an extra two blocks is out of the question.
So much for doing the right thing. Nice lesson being taught.
Ellen Butler, Fort Pierce
What you get when you seek development in Vero Beach
Apparently, several of our visionary local columnists are bothered by the dramatic increase in traffic on Vero Beach's streets and byways.
Maybe shortsightedness is the very basic problem. When one strongly supports increasing the ways and means to relocate or settle in our city, road crowding should be the expected result. Continual and loud support of the marina expansion, the commercialization of Three Corners and even the consideration of building a multi-level parking lot next to the Ocean Grill can only mean more traffic on our streets.
Further, registering complaints about the major, ongoing road improvements only adds to the lack of vision on some people's parts. One may even question if these writers actually live within city limits. Check it out.
To all my Zero Vero friends out there, thank you for keeping your vision on the reality of the situation.
Ray Grochowski, Vero Beach
More: Brightline, U.S. 1, Aviation: Eye big Vero Beach neighborhood issue holistically | Opinion
Traffic: 'This will destroy Vero Beach': Bridge over Brightline, US 1 by airport opposed | Opinion
Behind the curve? Clogged roads anomaly, or is Vero Beach area now trying to catch up to growth? | Opinion
Satire: Artificial intelligence gets into woke ideology
The other day I asked my ChatterboxAI-2000 a question.
"Chatty, what is a WOKE ideology?"
"Well," Chatty said, "WOKE ideologies attempt to change the public’s entrenched orthodoxy about the definition of social justice and civil rights for marginalized groups."
"Can you name a few groups that have benefited from WOKE ideologies?"
"Let’s see … women, racial minorities and the LGBQ community," it said.
"And how long does it take for a WOKE ideologues to be recognized in the U.S. Constitution," I asked.
"Well," Chatty said, "for women about 130 years for the vote, and for abortion rights and body autonomy, the clock is ticking … backwards."
"Two questions," I said, "then I’ll let you go. What would America be like without WOKE ideologues?"
"That’s easy," Chatty said. "Iran, North Korea and Nebraska."
"And finally, where do WOKE ideologues go to die?"
"Florida," Chatty confirmed.
"Thanks Chatty … good talk."
Chris Christensen, Palm City
Pray for alligator victim; stop letting wildlife off hook
My heart is broken over the terrible death suffered by the Fort Pierce woman in the jaws of one of the most ferocious animals in existence ― the alligator.
It seems human life is secondary to that of wildlife because of the idiotic rules in effect to keep wildlife alive. That poor woman was brutally killed by a protected savage beast without a chance to save herself. Where is the sense in such rules?
There are over a million alligators in this country. Doing something to prevent them from inhabiting residential areas and ponds doesn't seem too unreasonable to me. Humanity should take precedence over any animal's rights.
Alligators have many eggs at every hatching, and most of them live to get to the water and survive. Ecologists and fake scientists who bellow at the death of any animal or insect will never have the tragic experience this poor woman had.
I kill every insect that lands on me, in or out of our home, and I will step on any lizard that sneaks into the house. We have had baby snakes get into the house somehow, and they are destroyed by us.
Our prayers are with this beautiful human being who was killed and deprived of the years she would have lived naturally. We are thrilled that the alligator was euthanized, and, not dropped off at another available killing ground.
Nancy Celano, Sebastian
Trump watered-down Obama rail rules, but ...
Former President Donald Trump really had the gall to show up in East Palestine, Ohio.
During former President Barack Obama’s administration, the Department of Transportation enacted a rule requiring high-hazard cargo trains to be equipped with electronically controlled pneumatic brakes by 2023, allowing them to brake faster.
The Trump administration repealed this rule, citing government reports that found the cost of requiring these kinds of brakes was not economically justified.
Well, we see what can happen when century-old designed equipment is used.
Howard Ginsburg, Port St. Lucie
Editor's note: The National Transportation Safety Board has initially reported that "a mechanical issue with a rail car axle" caused the derailment, according to the Associated Press. Politifact reported that while the rule changes occurred, they would not have been applicable in the East Palestine case.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Brightline, gator dangers, Vero Beach growth, Costco issue | Letters
