PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A proposed land use change in Tradition is heading back before Port St. Lucie City Council as one family continues to voice concerns about how future development could impact their neighborhood.
Joseph and Margaret Mucciolo live along the edge of the nearly 9.5-acre property near Crosstown Parkway and SW Fairgreen Drive.
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Two months ago, they told WPTV they feared changing the land from residential to commercial could alter the character of the community they moved to call home.
"I hate to say this but if these things come to pass, we may seek other grounds and other places to go," Joseph Mucciolo said.
Now, the proposal is scheduled for a second reading and final vote before city council Monday.
The request, submitted by Winding River Crosstown, LLC, would amend the Tradition Master Planned Unit Development plan by removing the property from a residential designation and creating a new parcel designated for retail and office uses.
The city says the change would allow for future commercial development on the site, but any future project would still need to go through additional review and approval processes.
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For the Mucciolos, the concern is not only what could be built — but how it could change the feel of their neighborhood.
"This is our backyard. This is where we spend the majority of our day," Mucciolo said. "It's going to be gone, and if they put up a wall it's going to look like a prison."
The family says they worry losing the open space behind their home could impact the quality of life they value.
The Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval of the amendment with those conditions in May.
Those conditions include a 10-foot enhanced landscape buffer and architectural wall along portions of the property bordering residential areas, requirements to limit lighting impacts, and eliminating a possible future connection to SW Glenbrook Drive.
Still, the Mucciolos say they want city leaders to consider their concerns before making a final decision.
"We do not want over development," Margaret Mucciolo said.
