Port St. Lucie is planning for decades of growth with a new mobility plan that outlines roads, bicycle facilities and other transportation improvements through 2050, but officials say the city faces a significant funding gap.
The plan is based on a projected $2.2 billion in transportation improvements, according to Jonathan Paul, a planner with NUE Urban Concepts. About $1.7 billion of that funding is not currently covered by the city's mobility fees.
The mobility fee system is being updated alongside the 2050 Mobility Plan and a 2025 technical report. Under the proposed changes, the fees are charged to new development and redevelopment rather than directly to existing taxpayers.
Paul said the current fee structure does not provide enough money to cover the transportation improvements identified in the plan, leaving the city to consider other options in the future.
“The mobility fee will come short as of right now for funding it. Maybe opportunities in the future for sales tax or to revisit the plan again in four years. It is something that will be updated. Hopefully in four years, maybe there's some changes to statute as it relates to funding,” he said.
The plan is intended to address the transportation demands associated with Port St. Lucie's continued development while expanding options beyond automobile travel. The ordinance identifies bicycle lanes, pedestrian facilities, transit and other multimodal improvements among the city's transportation goals.
Although developers are the ones charged mobility fees, Paul said the limitations on those fees mean other members of the community could ultimately bear some of the cost of addressing transportation needs.
“I mean, ultimately, it would be the property owners in the community and the overall community itself. Traffic isn't necessarily going to go away. It really is a need that is generated. It's artificially kept low because of the legislation that's out there. But ultimately, it would be borne by people other than developers,” he said.
Mayor Shannon Martin said the city's ability to fund transportation improvements is constrained by limits imposed at the state level.
“Growth is never going to pay for itself because we are always capped. There's a thumb on us in terms of what we can do and what we can't do from the state level. I think the conversation to continue is important,” she said. “Unfortunately, people aren't listening. And we also know that the costs are never going to go down.”
The updated mobility system is designed around improvements identified in the 2050 plan, with the city saying the fees are intended to address transportation demands generated by new development and redevelopment.
Councilman Anthony Bonna said the city also had to consider how higher fees could affect housing costs when determining the new rates.
“If we raise them excessively, it can affect the cost of housing and drive up the price of new housing stock, but also existing housing stock. And that has a lot of implications too, as we're concerned about affordable housing,” he said. “I think we have found the sweet spot because it's important for Port St. Lucie to ensure that developers are paying their fair share. But I don't think we're doing anything that's going to have devastating effects on housing affordability.”
The mobility plan looks ahead to 2050 as Port St. Lucie continues to grow. More than 65,000 people have moved to the city in the last six years, according to the information provided for the plan.
The ordinance also calls for the mobility fee system to be reviewed and updated periodically, at least every four years.
The ordinance adopting the 2050 Mobility Plan, 2025 Mobility Fee Technical Report and related changes to the city's mobility fee code states that it would take effect Dec. 31, 2026.