St. Lucie County OKs Project Orchid land‑use package, imposes air‑monitoring and permitting conditions for foundry

The St. Lucie County Board of County Commissioners on May 5 approved a package of land‑use actions to allow the construction of a large, enclosed manufacturing and distribution complex known as Project Orchid, including a small‑scale future land‑use amendment and rezoning that will permit limited portions of the project to rise to 80 feet.

County planning staff described the development as a vertically integrated complex up to about 1,400,000 square feet, with a two‑story office and a manufacturing footprint that the applicant says will create roughly 1,000 jobs and about $553 million in estimated annual payroll. The board approved the map amendment (agenda item 10A1), the rezoning (10A2) and the site plan (11A1) by voice votes.

The most contested element at the hearing was a conditional‑use permit for a 76,000‑square‑foot foundry component. Commissioners pressed the applicant and staff on potential noise, vibration, stack emissions and filtration. Planning staff and the applicant emphasized that most processes would be enclosed and that scrubbers and fume‑treatment systems were planned; they also pointed to required state air permits.

To address community concerns, the board attached conditions to the conditional‑use approval requiring the applicant to provide copies of initial EPA and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) permit applications and subsequent permits, to implement enclosed handling practices (no dry sweeping) and to conduct 90 days of baseline air‑quality monitoring before operations begin. The applicant agreed to share permitting records and the monitoring reports with county staff.

Staff also outlined transportation mitigation that the developer must help fund and implement. That package includes turn lanes at Orange Avenue and Rock Road, a possible traffic signal when warrants are met, and the expansion of Orange Avenue to two lanes in each direction between Kings Highway and Rock Road. The development agreement will require the developer to lead right‑of‑way acquisition efforts and — if negotiated purchases fail — contribute up to 150% of appraised fair market value to facilitate projects.

Planning and Zoning Commission members had recommended unanimous approval of the land‑use items. Board members voiced support for the economic benefits while reserving enforcement and reporting measures to the conditional‑use permit and the development‑agreement amendment, which the board scheduled for a second reading and public hearing on May 19, 2026.

Commissioner Clasby, who moved approval of the map amendment and later the conditional‑use permit, said the conditions were intended to provide transparency and guardrails for neighbors. “I’d like to have the 90 days of baseline air quality monitoring done ahead so we have that baseline,” the commissioner said during deliberations.

The board approved the Project Orchid items with no recorded opposing votes; one commissioner was absent for medical reasons.