STUART, Fla. — A Stuart business owner says a permit for a storage building has turned into a nearly two-year battle with the city, costing her tens of thousands of dollars and leaving her frustrated with the permitting process.
Janet Milici, co-owner of Natural Flow Impact Windows and Doors, shared her concerns with WPTV reporter Brooke Chau after attending a recent Let's Hear It community meet-up in Jensen Beach.
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Milici said she first applied in 2024 for a permit to build a 30-by-40-foot storage building in the back of her business property.
According to Milici, the structure is intended to provide a secure place to store materials used by her business and is not part of an expansion project.
Along the way, she says she's been required to complete engineering studies, environmental reviews, traffic analyses, and even pay for turtle relocation.
"People try to cut corners and do things without permitting, but we are trying to do everything right," Milici said.
Milici estimates she has spent nearly $40,000 navigating the process and says while she understands permitting requirements, she believes the process has become excessive.
"All I am trying to do is improve my property. I am trying to improve the service we can give our customers, and it's like the city is shooting us down at every turn," she said.
She said the delays have created additional concerns as hurricane season is now underway, leaving materials exposed outdoors while the business waits to complete the project.
"The thing that bothers me is that hurricane season is here, and if I can't put my materials in a safe place, then it's going to cost me—it's going to put me out of business if you really want to know," Milici said.
Milici said the permit has recently been approved, but additional city fees continue as the project moves through its final stages.
"It's been a process, and I thought that this should be brought to everyone's attention who lives in this area," she said.
WPTV has reached out to the City of Stuart's Planning and Zoning department and is still waiting to hear back about the process of obtaining a permit for a storage building within city limits.
