Editorial: Ground Fort Pierce's port cargo growth

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July 30, 2006

Gov. Jeb Bush and the Florida Cabinet should deny a request to expand commercial cargo operations at the Port of Fort Pierce.

Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County and organized citizens had planned to travel to Tallahassee tomorrow and to meet with state officials Tuesday, urging them to withhold the granting of a submerged land lease requested by port property owner Lloyd Bell that would open an additional berth at the port.

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On Friday, however, the Department of Environmental Protection withdrew Bell's request from the governor's agenda, saying more time was needed to study the issue.

According to public records, Bell hopes to expand his existing cargo operations at the port that would involve the shipment of rocks and other hardened aggravate materials carried by ships with an average length of 225 feet.

Local officials and citizens have long opposed cargo expansions at the port, fearing pollution, damage to the environmentally sensitive Indian River Lagoon, reduced aesthetics along the waterfront and a potential reduction in neighboring property values. More recently, concerns have been raised about potential security threats from additional cargo operations.

In 2000, Bell became the largest property owner at the port with his purchase of 67 acres for $5.5 million. Two years later, St. Lucie County offered to buy Bell's property for $11.7 million — a tidy profit — during talks of developing a hotel, retail and a $174 million mega-yacht facility at the port.

With Bell unwilling to sell, the county began discussion of acquiring his property through eminent domain. Those efforts fell through when Bell claimed he was negotiating with private investors willing to purchase his property for $31.2 million and when county officials learned there may not be state funding support for the project if the Bell property were to be acquired by eminent domain.

For the past couple of years, the controversy over the future of the port has been relatively dormant — until Bell sought state approval for expansion of cargo operations.

During a meeting this month, officials with DEP told the Fort Pierce Harbor Advisory Committee that it would likely recommend Bell's request to open an additional berth — so-called Berth 4.

County Commissioner Doug Coward said, "It does not make sense why we would have a government entity approve a project that is inconsistent with the comprehensive plan and is detrimental to the environment. The community has spoken loud and clear on this issue and totally opposes it."

A defiant Bell claims a conspiracy is trying to limit his use of his port property.

"The whole pressure behind stopping this port is they can't stand losing their monopolies," he said. "Any time they do something that is beyond the normal and in restraint of free trade, they're subject to the damages. I'm keeping record of who's doing this so I can sue them. I'm going after them as individuals. They better mind their own business and stay out of free trade enterprise."

Bell has been a thorn in the side of city and county officials and environmentalists since his arrival on the scene. His refusal to seriously consider development of his property to its best use for the people of Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County and his light regard for the environmental impact his operations could have on the entire Treasure Coast have undermined years of efforts by the community to preserve and enhance some of the area's most significant assets.

State officials should block his efforts to expand cargo operations and city and county officials should do all within their power to block those efforts, also.

Perhaps recognizing the roadblocks that may lie ahead for his self-serving plans, Bell will sell his property — likely at an outrageous profit — to investors who recognize the vision that the community has for the port and how that vision can be far more profitable for the investors — and for the community as a whole — than anything Bell has indicated he might do.