So much for Plan B. The St. Lucie West Services District is most likely back to building a permanent office at 450 SW Utility Drive.
“It’s going back to Plan A,” said Dennis Pickle, manager and utilities director. “The board would have to accept that on June 5.”
The district’s board of supervisors’ next regular monthly meeting is on June 5 (at 9 a.m. at the district’s current office on Utility Drive). The district was looking at opening a customer-service office at the St. Lucie Trail Golf Club clubhouse, a move that could have saved it about $100,000.
CGI St. Lucie recently purchased the golf club. It offered the district an opportunity to purchase the clubhouse and about five acres, along with about 10 acres of easement to build a stormwater pond that would also serve as an aqua range, a driving range at which the balls land in water. The district offered $1.1 million. “At this time, the new owners said they have a lessee to take over the building, the clubhouse,” Pickle said. “We sent back an offer to buy 13 acres of property to improve our water projects.”
Partner Tom DeShazo said CGI is moving forward with a lease-purchase plan for the 22,000-square foot clubhouse with a caterer.
“It’s better for us and the community,” he said. “It’s better for the water district.”
About 75 attended a special district board meeting in March to discuss the proposed move to the clubhouse.
Many expressed concerns the district office being at the golf club would greatly increase heavy-vehicle traffic at Country Club Estates. Pickle said that wouldn’t have been the case – the district was going to continue using the Utility Drive location for work vehicles.
Nevertheless, DeShazo and Pickle said it had become clear that the best option for everybody was for the district to gain land for water-storage projects and build a permanent office on Utility Drive.
“We have a great relationship with the district and will give them water storage,” DeShazo said. “In the last couple days it’s been made evident it’s needed.”
At press time, subtropical storm Alberto was passing Florida and dumping rain on St. Lucie County.
Previously Pickle said The Enclave at St. Lucie West and Lake Forest at St. Lucie West would benefit greatly by the proposed additional storm-water storage. Additionally, Lake Forest Pointe and Country Club Estates would benefit. The biggest benefit, however, is Cashmere Boulevard between Heatherwood and St. Lucie West boulevards.
If the board approves, the district will offer $166,650 for the water-storage acres.
Until recently, the district had been designing a $1.2 million permanent office. Pickle said the designs are about 80 percent complete. He will recommend to the board it increase the size of the meeting room.