JUPITER, Fla. — A plan to add more than 500 apartments in Jupiter, including 20% considered affordable housing, will not move forward after four Town Council members declared their support against the project.
The decision Tuesday night means the housing supply will not increase with a development project along Island Way and west of Limestone Creek Road, east of Interstate 95. According to Zumper, the rent for a one-bedroom apartment increased by 14% over the last 12 months in Jupiter.
According to town documents, developers Josh Simon and Michael Nortman can still build restaurants without a drive-thru, a hotel/conference center and doctors' offices while making other changes to the property. However, the group applied for new regulations to add housing with some units having rents tied to the area's median income.
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Joshua Smith, who said he owns a business in Jupiter, said Tuesday night he believes the housing is necessary because employees need a place to live close to work in Jupiter. He said it's becoming difficult for employees to find housing.
"The employees have to live somewhere," Smith said. "They can't live in Martin County. They can't live in Port St. Lucie. You can't bring them up here from Lake Worth. So, you know, you're putting employers in a really difficult position."
The Town Council shot down the proposal for various reasons, including the effects on the population of Jupiter Community High School, the possibility of bringing more jobs to the area and traffic.
Remy Torsiello, who lives in Jupiter, said she was concerned the increase in population would stop her children from attending Jupiter Community High School. She also said she's concerned about traffic.
"We all know the Island Way and Indian Road intersection is one of the busiest in the area," Torsiello said. "Five-hundred-and-twenty-five residential units would add thousands of trips per day."
Simon said he doesn't know the next steps they'll take on the project after the Town Council made the decision on the housing aspect.