Tired of clogged roads, clear-cut trees, worse in Vero Beach, Sebastian, Stuart, PSL? Act

If you're a homeowner in Florida, there are certain steps you need to take: Pay your property taxes. Find a company to insure your property. And, if you have concerns about how the rest of your neighborhood will eventually look, get involved in community planning.

None of this sounds like a lot of fun. You're required to pay taxes. And, if you have a mortgage, your lender probably will require you to have insurance.

By contrast, getting involved in community planning is optional. No one is going to force you to look at planning and zoning maps to see what type of development might be eventually coming to your neighborhood. No one will force you to attend meetings discussing zoning or other development planning.

Frankly, getting to know the ins and outs of land-use laws may not be that much fun, either. You can probably think of a million more entertaining ways to spend your leisure hours.

Here's the thing, though: Ignoring potential development doesn't mean you won't be affected by it. And by the time a developer has submitted plans to city or county government, residents who might oppose those plans are usually fighting an uphill battle.

One good example of this — and we probably can list controversial projects in each Treasure Coast county — is Riverlight, proposed along Indian River Drive in Martin County. New Urban Towns LLC, a Fort Myers-based company, wants to build almost 80 residential units, a restaurant, boardwalk and some parks on 5.5 vacant acres.

Twice already, more than 100 residents have turned out at Jensen Beach Neighborhood Advisory Committee meetings to voice their concerns about the project.

Yet the project, as it's been described in the first of those meetings, appears to be consistent with the type of development called for in Jensen Beach's community redevelopment plan. That plan was devised more than two decades ago, and has been revised during the years since, with input from community residents.

Apparently not the same community residents who have been showing up to complain about Riverlight.

Could the residents complaining now about Riverlight have headed the project off had they had provided input into the community redevelopment plans? Maybe, maybe not. But now they're in the difficult position of trying to persuade the Martin County Commission to take action that would be inconsistent with the redevelopment plans by rejecting New Town's proposal.

Yes, hindsight is 20-20. But to live in Florida is to live with the knowledge that virtually any piece of property that's in private hands (and sometimes in public hands) could be sold and/or developed. That's especially true if the land is vacant and unused. It's NEVER safe to assume that it will stay that way.

Some people drive past a beautiful meadow and admire the view. Others drive past and wonder how much profit they could make by putting a gated subdivision there.

Not everyone on the Treasure Coast lives in or near a community redevelopment area. However, every city and county within the state is required to have a comprehensive plan, which provides guidance on what types of development are allowed within specific areas.

These plans must be updated every five to seven years to remain in compliance with state law. Martin and Indian River counties are in the process of updating their comprehensive plans.

Pay close attention to county websites to learn more.

In Martin County, residents can participate in a community survey through the end of the year. They may also choose to express their thoughts about the plan directly to one of the five county commissioners. The next public workshop on the evaluation and review process for Martin County's comprehensive plan is scheduled for Jan. 18, 2024.

Residents in St. Lucie and Indian River counties will get to participate in similar reviews over the next several years. If you live within a city, there will also be chances to review and critique the comprehensive plan created by your municipal government.

If it sounds like a homework assignment, it kind of is. We lead busy lives and developing an understanding of the sometimes arcane language in government documents isn't necessarily easy.

It does beat the alternative: Do nothing until the notice of development application signs show up in your neighborhood. By then, it may be far too late to make a difference.

Editorials published by TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers are decided collectively by its editorial board. To respond to this editorial with a letter to the editor, email up to 300 words to TCNLetters@TCPalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Really sick of destructive growth on Treasure Coast? What you can do