MARTIN COUNTY — County commissioners have approved a series of changes to the Newfield development, a more than 3,000-acre planned community, including adjustments to conservation land, infrastructure planning and utility placement.
The project, first approved in 2020, drew attention for dedicating more than 70% of its land to open space and conservation. The latest amendment modifies portions of that agreement while increasing the overall amount of protected land.
County planners outlined that a small portion of land would be removed from the existing conservation easement to accommodate development needs and infrastructure.
“A total of 21.99 acres is proposed to be removed from the open space conservation easement. This consists of 8.76 acres within the Crossroads neighborhood and SDW workplace area. These areas were designated for development on the regulating plan and article 11 land development regulations. 5.6 acres near the C-23 Canal and Turnpike will accommodate an FPL substation, so those areas would also be removed. 7.63 acres south of Newfield Parkway for the future 84th Avenue right-of-way,” said John Sinnott, a principal planner with the county.
In exchange, the developer, Mattamy Homes, proposed adding more land into conservation, with officials pointing to both the size and quality of the replacement acreage.
“To offset the removed areas, the applicant will include 33.35 acres of additional property within the open space easement. Based on an evaluation by EW Consultants, the proposed areas are of higher habitat quality than the removed areas. A 32.18 acre area is slated to be a replacement area for the old space,” Sinnott said.
An environmental analysis provided to the county supports that conclusion, describing the replacement land as high-quality native pine flatwoods with wetlands and minimal disturbance. The report states the new conservation areas are contiguous with existing preserve lands and offer greater ecological value than the parcels being removed, which were largely impacted by past agricultural use and development.
The amendment also addresses long-standing planning details, including correcting portions of land that were mistakenly included in the original conservation easement and finalizing the alignment of Southwest 84th Avenue to avoid wetland impacts.
Another key component of the changes involves setting aside land for a future Florida Power & Light substation, which representatives said is necessary to support the development’s infrastructure.
Project representatives emphasized the location was selected to minimize its visibility and maximize efficiency.
“It is in the northeastern most corner of the property, tucked away, so it’s not a visual impact. It is very far from the neighborhood context, and so we think from an aesthetic perspective, that’s ideal,” said James Fitzgerald, a representative of Mattamy Homes. “Secondly, this substation is located in relative proximity to FPL’s other substations, so it’s a very efficient and economical solution.”
Utility officials said relocating the substation elsewhere would present challenges.
“We would have to seek other locations for the substation. This is definitely an ideal location for us with our planning strategies on the power delivery side. So this would be the preferred location — we’d have to start over if it were not,” said Rachel Falcone, a project manager with Florida Power & Light.
The proposal received support from county commissioners, including Commissioner Stacey Hetherington.
“I like that it includes additional conservation land and I will support it,” she said.
The board voted unanimously to approve the amendment, which also includes corrections to the legal description in the original conservation easement agreement.