Martin County LPA approves excavation standards for Newfield planned mixed‑use village
February 20, 2026 | Martin County, Florida
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The Martin County Local Planning Agency on Thursday approved a text amendment to add excavation standards to Article 11 of the county Land Development Regulations for the Newfield planned mixed‑use village.
John Sennett, principal planner with Growth Management, told the board the amendment sets a maximum excavation depth of 40 feet, requires the bottom of excavations to remain at least 30 feet above the confining unit of the Upper Floridan Aquifer and Hawthorn Group, and restricts material removed below 15 feet to sand. Sennett said the proposal also establishes setbacks from rights of way, property lines, wells and septic systems and includes sampling, reporting and monitoring requirements consistent with existing excavation and fill standards in Division 8, Article 4 of the LDR.
"The amendment proposes a maximum excavation depth of 40 feet," Sennett said during his presentation. He noted Article 11 was originally adopted in 2018 through Ordinance 10‑83 and governs the Newfield project (formerly known as Pineland Prairie), which encompasses just over 3,400 acres in western Palm City south of the C‑23 Canal.
Kristen Spake, counsel for the applicant at Gunster Law Firm, said the requested change would apply only to Newfield and that the language is adapted from provisions already vetted by the Board of County Commissioners. "It will be solely for Newfield," Spake said, emphasizing the amendment is not a general change to the county's mixed‑use village rules.
A board member moved to approve staff's recommendation and another member seconded. The chair confirmed there were no members of the public wishing to comment. The LPA voted by voice; the chair announced, "Motion passes unanimously." The record contains no roll‑call vote; no abstentions were stated.
Paul Schilling, Growth Management director, spoke later about upcoming agenda items for the March 5 meeting and asked members to confirm availability at that meeting.
The amendment as adopted adds a site‑specific excavation protocol to Article 11 that staff recommended approving and which the LPA adopted after brief discussion; there was no public comment and no amendments to the text during the meeting.
John Sennett, principal planner with Growth Management, told the board the amendment sets a maximum excavation depth of 40 feet, requires the bottom of excavations to remain at least 30 feet above the confining unit of the Upper Floridan Aquifer and Hawthorn Group, and restricts material removed below 15 feet to sand. Sennett said the proposal also establishes setbacks from rights of way, property lines, wells and septic systems and includes sampling, reporting and monitoring requirements consistent with existing excavation and fill standards in Division 8, Article 4 of the LDR.
"The amendment proposes a maximum excavation depth of 40 feet," Sennett said during his presentation. He noted Article 11 was originally adopted in 2018 through Ordinance 10‑83 and governs the Newfield project (formerly known as Pineland Prairie), which encompasses just over 3,400 acres in western Palm City south of the C‑23 Canal.
Kristen Spake, counsel for the applicant at Gunster Law Firm, said the requested change would apply only to Newfield and that the language is adapted from provisions already vetted by the Board of County Commissioners. "It will be solely for Newfield," Spake said, emphasizing the amendment is not a general change to the county's mixed‑use village rules.
A board member moved to approve staff's recommendation and another member seconded. The chair confirmed there were no members of the public wishing to comment. The LPA voted by voice; the chair announced, "Motion passes unanimously." The record contains no roll‑call vote; no abstentions were stated.
Paul Schilling, Growth Management director, spoke later about upcoming agenda items for the March 5 meeting and asked members to confirm availability at that meeting.
The amendment as adopted adds a site‑specific excavation protocol to Article 11 that staff recommended approving and which the LPA adopted after brief discussion; there was no public comment and no amendments to the text during the meeting.
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