In Your Corner


The MCTPA is closely following Martin County's examination of 20 acre "ranchette" development. The Martin County Comprehensive Plan allows this development pattern over all the lands outside the Urban Service Area. It appears to us that the adopted Sustainable Vision for Martin County is in direct conflict with this development pattern.

The market for these developments is growing stronger, and it seems a new proposal to subdivide agricultural land for this purpose is made monthly. So far most of these subdivisions have been about 50 lots on 1000 acres of land. Now we hear the Harmony Ranch project proposes 230 lots on 4600 acres of land. Under the current Comprehensive Plan, these subdivisions are legal and must be approved.

Our discussions with Property Appraiser staff indicate every 20 acre lot outside the Urban Service Area is eligible for agricultural exemption with minimal effort by the landowner. Although state law seems to require these lots be valued at market rates ($250,000 and up) for property tax purposes, the case law established by the state courts enables a lot owner with a few goats, cows or horses to claim and obtain agricultural exemption tax rates on all property except the house and its fenced yard.

Imagine 10,000 dwellings spread evenly over 200,000 acres of land, each demanding government services but each also sheltering $250,000 worth of property value from taxes. Readers may have seen a recent Letter to the Editor in the Stuart News, in which a purchaser of a home in far west Martin County bitterly complained of the 15 minute response time for Emergency Medical Services.

This is a major taxation threat to residents within the Urban Services Area. As the numbers of 20 acre ranchettes grow, so will the inequities for those of us on the coast who will pay for subsidizing services for grossly low density sprawl. These folks will need and have schools, garbage service, police, fire and ambulance protection, to name a few.

We find it interesting that groups such as Martin County Conservation Alliance express no concern over the conflict between what our Comprehensive Plan allows now, and the Sustainable Vision for Martin County. Does anyone really believe that interconnected ecological systems in western Martin County will remain intact after large tracts of land are sold off in 20 acre lots, all accessed by private roads behind private gates?

There are many different ways to preserve agricultural land uses and discourage 20 acre ranchettes. We do not advocate any particular strategy, only that the potential problem be well understood and effectively dealt with. It is imperative that Martin County’s Taxpayers not be required to subsidize this type of sprawl. We continue to support the BOCC's efforts to understand these issues and come to terms with them.

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Springtime is here. As usual, accompanying it are new life, new growth, and new tentative budgets from the Martin County government. These budgets typically reflect the costs to maintain or improve upon a level of service that is real or imagined. Often little, if any, emphasis is given as to our government's relative efficiency in the delivery of these services or to how compelling the need may be. The daunting taxes many taxpayers paid 'up north' to support bloated bureaucracies is no excuse for local Taxpayer apathy. The Taxpayers Association currently has a shortage of people willing to donate their time, energy and motivation as fiscal watchdogs. This makes it difficult to comprehensively research and evaluate how well or poorly our tax dollars are being spent in may areas. We do know there is plenty of opportunities to research and evaluate specific departments and policies.

How many acres of parks, tennis courts, baseball diamonds, etc. does a county of this size need? How many additional new deputies are required since 9/11 and where? How many soccer fields need deputies to "keep the peace"? How much should it cost, and how long should it take to obtain a building permit for a commercial building? What is the cost-justification process, or is there one, for hiring new employees or contracting for outside consultants? Why should our firefighters be paid more than teachers and nurses? Are some of the new park facilities (skate board rink, interactive fountain) really necessary? Do they compete with potential private business, and do they create potential liability exposure to taxpayers?

The above does not even scratch the surface, but is indicative of the hundreds of questions waiting to be studied and answered. As a MCTA watchdog, you can participate in meeting this challenge by contacting our organization using the information at the end of this article.