STUART, Fla. — Officials in Martin County are concerned that lawmakers in Tallahassee are considering bills that would give their elected leaders less control in their community.
The group held a Friday news conference to address these concerns with residents.
At the center of the dispute is Senate Bill 102, also known as the "Live Local Act," which contains a clause that, if passed, seems to suggest it would remove the local government's authority to limit how high and how large future buildings can be built.
The big message from county commissioners was that they share those concerns from residents, and they plan to take them to Tallahassee. They said while they are in favor of finding a solution to improve affordable housing, they called some of the bills potentially catastrophic for Martin County.
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Many in the county fear that the proposed legislation would impact the county's ability to maintain the wetland, water quality and four-story height limit.
"We are confident that we can structure something with our representatives in Tallahassee that will work for everyone, whether you're a large county or a smaller county," Martin County Commission Chairman Ed Ciampi said. "Whether you are embracing the thousands of people that moved to Florida every day and are glad to have them, or if you're looking to keep your quality of life and the nuances that make your county so special."
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Commissioners are also putting the call out for Martin County residents to get informed and contact their legislators on the impact the bills will have on them.