Residents of Loxahatchee Groves say that development across the area has eroded the town’s rural identity, according to a new corridor study. But the creators of the study are recommending ways that town officials can work to restore it.
Representatives from the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council (TCRPC) presented the Loxahatchee Groves Town Council with a draft Southern Blvd. Corridor Study at a special meeting on Tuesday, June 16.
The study contains a series of recommendations that the council can use to design future developments along the major roadway to maintain the town’s rural, agricultural character. It is part of a $75,000 Community Planning Technical Assistance Grant from FloridaCommerce that the town acquired.
“In this study, we are not changing anybody’s zoning or land uses through this process,” said Jessica Seymour, principal program coordinator at the TCRPC. “What the grant did ask us to look at was public input in a particular area. The traffic infrastructure in that area, public safety and drainage, equestrian/pedestrian safety, gateway identity, and then also look at any physical and zoning strategies that would be appropriate for the area.”
In March, the organization held two public workshop meetings to gather input on what residents believe development along Southern Blvd. should look like. Representatives of the organization also opened an online survey to collect more data.
Among the study’s top recommendations were for town officials to follow its comprehensive plan, provide greater consistency within zoning, codify improved architectural and landscape standards, announce the town’s values and character at every opportunity, and invest in long-term infrastructure through strategic grant funding.
“What we heard from the community was that the reason why we were here is that development has diluted the town with generic architecture and landscaping, that the infrastructure is aging and facing new challenges, and there’s a general concern about the quality of life in Loxahatchee Groves,” Seymour said.
Seymour pointed out that there is strong support for limiting commercial development, and the town already has two policies that restrict development in some areas that officials should continue to use.
The study recommended landscaping standards to plant different types of vegetation that would provide natural habitats and improve water quality. Town officials can announce the community’s identity through its gateways by conducting improvements on certain roads and trails. Moreover, the town’s identity can be further reinforced through signage.
To fund infrastructure investment, the study detailed grants that town officials can pursue. It recommended investments in Collecting Canal, in the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District, and the creation of a business or neighborhood improvement district.
Seymour emphasized that all the recommendations within the study are advisory. The town council can decide to use as much or as little of it at their own discretion.
“I just want to reiterate that this is all information for the town,” Seymour said. “Each piece of this is something that can be acted upon either slowly or not at all.”
The council passed a motion 4-1 to receive and file the study, with Vice Mayor Manish Sood dissenting. It will now be submitted to the state to meet the grant’s requirements.
