January 18, 2025 Weekly Newsletter
Vero Beach Three Corners: A Crucial Step Forward with Two Proposals
The City of Vero Beach’s long-awaited Three Corners redevelopment project has entered its next phase, with two proposals submitted for the prime waterfront property located at 17th Street and Indian River Boulevard. While the number of submissions is lower than anticipated, the project’s significance cannot be overstated—spanning 36 acres, it has been deemed one of the most valuable publicly owned waterfront properties on Florida’s East Coast.
The two bidders are Clearpath Services and The Blue at Vero Beach LLC. Clearpath, previously the selection committee’s top choice in the first round of bids, aims to refine its original design to align with the city’s updated expectations. Meanwhile, The Blue at Vero Beach seeks to improve on its earlier proposal, which was disqualified for procedural violations.
The redevelopment plan, developed after years of public engagement and approved in a 2022 referendum with 79% voter support, envisions a vibrant destination. The site could feature a preserved and revitalized power plant, a hotel, retail spaces, public plazas, recreational areas, and a sailing center operated by the Youth Sailing Foundation. These elements aim to transform the property into a cultural and economic hub while maintaining public access to the Indian River Lagoon.
The city revamped the bidding process following the previous round’s challenges, which included disqualifications and complaints about transparency. City officials hope this round, with its streamlined guidelines, will proceed more smoothly. The proposals were made public on Jan. 16 here, with the selection committee set to rank the bids in March and make a recommendation to the City Council.
City leaders have expressed disappointment at the limited number of proposals but remain optimistic about the project’s potential. As Vero Beach works toward realizing this ambitious plan, all eyes are on the selection process to ensure the city secures a transformative and sustainable outcome for its community.
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Join the Indian River Neighborhood Association’s Lunch and Learn
"Critical Condition: Florida’s Waterways in Crisis — and How to Save Them"
Keynote Speaker: Eve Samples, Executive Director of the Friends of the Everglades
Where: Vero Beach Country Club: 800 30th St, Vero Beach, FL 32960
When: January 29 at noon
How Much: $45/pp payable at the door (cash or check) or online here. This luncheon will also serve as a fundraiser for the IRNA and part of the cost of lunch will be tax deductible.
RSVPs are required.
Questions? Email: Info@IndianRiverNA.com
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Humiston Beach boardwalk in Vero Beach to be rebuilt using donations (TCPalm) - Vero Beach reversed its plan to replace the storm-damaged Humiston Beach boardwalk with a sidewalk, opting instead to rebuild a durable, concrete boardwalk near the ocean, contingent on raising $2.3 million through public and private funding efforts.
Vero Beach Three Corners concept dates to pre-FPL days. Why? | Opinion (TCPalm) - The Three Corners project in Vero Beach, nearly two decades in the making, aims to transform three key waterfront parcels into a master-planned area with public and private uses, reflecting years of community input, patient planning, and voter-approved visions for the city's most valuable undeveloped land.
North Atlantic right whales off Jensen Beach (TCPalm) - Martin County lifeguards posted this video of North Atlantic right whales off Jensen Beach on Jan. 12, 2025.
Freezing cold weather in Stuart, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, PSL (TCPalm) - The coldest day on record for the Treasure Coast occurred on January 22, 1985, with temperatures plunging to 19°F in St. Lucie County, 21°F in Indian River County, and 23°F in Martin County, far colder than this winter's low in Vero Beach!
Section of C.R. 512 in Fellsmere reopens after collapse from Hurricane Milton (Vero News) - County Road 512 in Fellsmere, a major evacuation route damaged by heavy rainfall from Hurricane Milton, has reopened after a $1.65 million project replaced the rusted culvert with two 60-inch concrete pipes to improve drainage and ensure long-term resilience.
Brightline trains: Hits, deaths, accidents Stuart, Vero Beach, St. Lucie (TCPalm) - Since Brightline trains began operating on the Treasure Coast in September 2023, there have been 14 incidents, including six fatalities, with the latest involving a woman whose arm was nearly severed while walking along the tracks in Indian River County.
Special Meeting of the Legislature Called
Governor Ron DeSantis’s call for a special legislative session on illegal immigration has sparked criticism from both sides of the aisle, raising questions about the state’s priorities. While DeSantis frames this session as a crucial step to align Florida with the incoming Trump administration’s immigration policies, opponents argue immigration is primarily a federal issue and doesn’t require state-level legislative intervention—especially in a state that doesn’t share a land border.
DeSantis’s proposed measures, such as mandating participation in the federal 287(g) program and repealing in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants, reflect a hardline stance. Critics, however, contend these policies could harm Florida’s economy by targeting immigrant communities that play a vital role in industries like agriculture, tourism, and construction. Some view the governor’s push as political posturing rather than addressing the state’s most urgent needs.
Even Republican leaders in the Legislature rebuked the governor’s call for the session, calling it “premature” and criticizing the lack of specific details or proposed bill language. House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton emphasized their support for President-elect Trump but argued that uninformed or poorly timed state action could undermine future federal efforts. This rare dissent from GOP leadership signals growing tensions between the governor’s office and the Legislature.
The timing of the session has also drawn scrutiny. With Florida reeling from recent hurricanes, a housing crisis driven by new condo safety regulations, and skyrocketing insurance costs, many question why immigration is being prioritized. DeSantis’s inclusion of other topics—such as constitutional amendment reforms and disaster relief—has also been met with skepticism. Legislative leaders noted that disaster funds are already available, and complex issues like ballot initiatives and condo regulations are better suited for the regular legislative session.
Ultimately, this special session may serve more as a platform to bolster DeSantis’s national profile than to address Floridians’ immediate concerns. Whether the governor’s proposals will help or hinder the state remains a contentious debate.
Can we finish Everglades projects faster - without cutting corners? (VoteWater.org) - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposed expediting Everglades restoration by transferring federal permitting authority to the state, promising faster progress but raising concerns about potential environmental risks and cutting corners, as seen in past regulatory challenges.
Report: Riviera Beach employees hid and altered water quality tests (WPBF) - Riviera Beach employees concealed or altered over 130 water contamination test results in 2023, potentially exposing residents to unsafe drinking water, prompting increased monitoring, staff training, and a referral for potential criminal charges.
Floating solar panels could support US energy goals (ScienceDaily) - Floating solar panels installed on federally regulated reservoirs in the U.S. could generate up to 1,476 terawatt hours of energy annually, enough to power 100 million homes, while conserving water and complementing hydropower systems, though challenges like environmental impacts and site conditions must still be addressed.
Fed Officials Will Keep Manatee 'Threatened,' Not Endangered (FlaglerLive) - Disappointing. Federal officials have opted to keep Florida manatees classified as "threatened" rather than "endangered," despite conservationists' concerns over high mortality rates linked to starvation, seagrass loss, and other threats, while granting endangered status to Antillean manatees in Puerto Rico.
Miami Property Appraiser: Climate change should mean lower taxes (Miami Herald) - Miami-Dade's newly elected property appraiser, Tomás Regalado, plans to incorporate climate change risks into property valuations, potentially lowering taxes for vulnerable areas.
Apalachicola drilling project foolishly expands as DEP ‘takes out the trash’ (Florida Politics) - FDEP quietly approved permits for additional oil drilling near the Apalachicola River, sparking outrage over potential environmental harm to the region's struggling waterways and industries, with calls for legislative or executive intervention to halt the project and protect the Panhandle's resources.
FPL Plans Rate Increases Through 2029
Florida Power & Light (FPL) has announced plans to increase residential power rates by an average of 2.5% annually through 2029. The proposal includes a $1.55 billion hike in 2026 and $930 million in 2027, with additional increases expected in 2028 and 2029 for solar and battery projects. Specific details for those later years are yet to be provided.
The utility attributes the increases to rapid customer growth and rising costs for infrastructure improvements like poles, wires, and transformers, which it says have been impacted by inflation. The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) will begin reviewing the proposal in 2025, with opportunities for public input.
FPL’s current four-year rate plan, approved in 2021, ends in 2025. Critics and consumer advocates are expected to scrutinize the new proposal closely, given its potential impact on household budgets. FPL serves approximately 6 million accounts, making it Florida’s largest utility.
Herbicide threatens manatee immune systems, UF study finds (News4Jax) - A University of Florida study found that glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, can reduce manatees' immune cell activity by over 27%, raising concerns about its impact on the health of the already vulnerable species, which faces threats like seagrass loss, water pollution, and habitat degradation.
Mangrove Loss in Acapulco Likely Worsened the Devastation of Hurricane Otis (Environmental News Network) - Research from UC San Diego reveals that mangrove deforestation in Acapulco, driven by urbanization and tourism, significantly weakened natural defenses against Hurricane Otis, exacerbating the storm's devastation and highlighting the critical role of mangroves in mitigating climate impacts.
Climate change threatens the mental well-being of youths. Here’s how to help them cope. (Grist) - Youth anxiety about climate change is rising globally, with many feeling helpless about the future, but experts suggest that open communication, family activities, community advocacy, and reframing worry as a call to action can help young people cope and foster resilience.
The Dichotomy of a Deadly Paradise—How Urban Sprawl and Climate Change Fuel LA’s Fires (Inside Climate News) - Fueled by drought, dry vegetation, and urban sprawl into fire-prone areas, devastating wildfires across Los Angeles County have destroyed thousands of structures, highlighting the need for climate-resilient planning, stricter building regulations, and community support to mitigate future risks.
Another Polar Vortex Is Blasting the U.S. With Harsh Winter Weather. So How Is Climate Change Involved? (Inside Climate News) - Recent research links climate change to more frequent disruptions of the polar vortex, causing harsh winter weather like freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall in the central U.S., though the scientific community remains divided over the strength of this connection.
Why Do Birds Make So Many Different Sounds? A New UW–Madison Study Gets at the Underlying Factors (Environmental News Network) - A global study from the University of Wisconsin–Madison analyzed over 100,000 bird sound recordings and found that factors like habitat, geography, body size, and beak shape significantly influence the diversity and frequency of bird vocalizations.
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