Amendment 3, Hobart Scrub, Early Voting, and More
October 24, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
Above: A mailer from the Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of Indian River County.
Amendment 3: What Police and Firefighters Are Saying
Amendment 3 would cut deep into the money that pays for local public safety, and Florida’s first responders are sounding the alarm. Property taxes are the largest funding source for sheriff’s offices and fire rescue, covering everything from deputies and paramedics to fire stations, equipment, and 911 dispatch. Both the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida Professional Firefighters are urging a no vote, warning of fewer deputies on patrol, longer waits for an ambulance, and hard choices about what gets cut. Watch their videos below.
Watch from the Florida Sheriffs Association.
Watch from Florida Professional Firefighters.
Amendment 3: What Florida’s Newspapers Are Saying
As you prepare to vote (and there’s more information below!), we wanted to share this article at the top of the newsletter showing how Florida newspapers, including TCPalm, are encouraging their readers to vote on Amendment 3. Please check it out and consider it as you head to the polls.
How to vote on Florida Amendment 3, according to 4 newspapers (TCPalm) - Four major Florida newspaper editorial boards recommend voting no on Amendment 3, the 2026 constitutional measure on homestead property tax exemptions and limits on local government revenue.
Hobart Scrub: The County Made the Right Call
Hobart Scrub won’t be bought with conservation bond money, at least not at the seller’s price. On October 20, the County Commission passed on the 161.87-acre purchase after the owner held firm at $25 million, well above the roughly $19.35 million the county’s two independent appraisals supported. Taking the deal would have spent half of the $50 million Environmental Lands Acquisition Bond on a single property.
That’s disappointing for a beautiful piece of scrub, but it was the right decision, and the commission deserves credit for making it.
IRNA worked alongside the Indian River Land Trust, Pelican Island Audubon Society and others to pass that bond in 2022. Voters approved it by 78.2% to protect water and habitat across the whole county, not to overpay for one tract. Spending half the fund here would have meant passing on other sensitive land down the road. Holding to the appraisals protects taxpayers and keeps the program credible. In fact, Florida law and county policy don’t allow the county to pay more than the average of its independent appraisals.
Hobart Scrub is still worth saving. Its deep sand soaks rain into the aquifer instead of sending runoff toward the lagoon, and it’s home to Florida scrub-jays and gopher tortoises, whose burrows shelter hundreds of other species. Florida has already lost most of its scrub to development.
The owner says the property is a good deal for development. Maybe so. He has it under contract with Pulte Homes for that same $25 million, but most of Pulte’s money isn’t due until 2028 and 2029, only if the property gets rezoned, and the owner keeps 19 acres for 340 apartments. The county was asked to pay the full price up front for all of it. If development goes forward, expect some very nice (and expensive) homes once you factor in relocating gopher tortoises from at least 285 burrows and grading a sand ridge. Good luck in this housing market.
If the price comes back down to earth, we hope the county returns to the table. In the meantime, the bond money is still there for other priority lands, which is exactly how it should be. And as the owner’s rezoning request heads toward public hearings, IRNA will be reading it closely.
Thank you to the commission and county staff for being good stewards of the bond voters trusted them with.
PFAS Well Water Testing
IRNA is offering free, certified lab testing for PFAS ("forever chemicals") in private drinking water wells. Sign up, submit your water sample, and get your results, plus learn what they mean for your health.
We are especially searching for wells at or near Blue Cypress Lake, Fellsmere, Gifford, and Wabasso.
There are only a few tests left! Reach out today!
Open to Indian River County home and business owners on private wells only (not connected to municipal water). Questions? Contact Missy@IndianRiverNA.com
Gifford Dock Park Gets a Pavilion
Thanks to City-County Teamwork
Gifford Dock Park is getting a new pavilion, and the City of Vero Beach is helping pay for it. On October 20, the County Commission approved an interlocal agreement under which the city will put $50,000 toward the pavilion as part of a larger round of county improvements at the park.
The deal grew out of an earlier favor. The county granted the city a utility easement through Gifford Dock Park so Vero Beach could install a reclaimed water pipeline serving barrier island residents. In return, the city offered to cover the cost of the pavilion. Vero Beach signed off in September, and the commission’s vote completes the agreement.
The terms are simple. The city pays within 15 days of signing, the money can only be used for the Gifford Dock project, and the county handles construction and contractors. If the county hasn’t started building within three years, the city can walk away.
It was a small item on a long agenda this past week, but it’s the kind of cooperation we’d like to see more of. City-county relations here too often make news over turf battles. This time, two governments traded what each had (an easement on one side, cash on the other) and residents come out ahead on both ends: better water infrastructure on the island and a better public park in Gifford.
The reclaimed water piece is important too. Using treated wastewater for irrigation eases demand on our drinking water supply and puts that water to use instead of disposing of it.
Thank you to the County Commission, Vero Beach City Council, and county and city staff for getting this done.
Parking fines double – but no one’s getting a ticket! (Vero News) - Although the Vero Beach City Council doubled overtime parking fines in Central Beach from $20 to $40, drivers currently face little risk of receiving citations because the city's sole parking enforcement officer recently transferred to another role, leaving the position temporarily vacant.
8 candidates contend for 3 seats on Vero Beach City Council (Vero News) - Early voting is underway in Indian River County. Here’s a rundown of all eight candidates running for three Vero Beach City Council seats. Learn about where they stand, then make your voice heard.
Citrus history trail to grow (hometownnewstc.com) - The Indian River County Commission voted unanimously to collaborate with the Vero Beach Heritage Center on adding historical markers to the Freight Label Trail, expanding the public art initiative that celebrates the region's citrus packing heritage and promotes local agritourism.
Closest hotels to Vero Beach Airport may soon include a Marriott hotel (TCPalm) - The Vero Beach City Council approved a 40-year lease for a $34 million, 116-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott to be built on Vero Beach Regional Airport property with an expected opening by 2028.
Cleveland Clinic adding emergency departments in this Florida county (TCPalm) - Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital plans to construct two freestanding 13,000-square-foot emergency departments in northern and southern Indian River County for approximately $30 million to expand emergency care access as another group pursues approval for a separate third hospital in the area.
Early voting is open in Indian River County. Voters can cast their ballots in person for the November 3 General Election from October 19 through October 31, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, with extended hours until 6 p.m. on Thursdays.
You can vote at any of the four early voting sites, no matter where you live in the county:
Sebastian City Hall Council Chambers, 1225 Main Street, Sebastian
Indian River County Main Library, 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach
Supervisor of Elections Office, 4375 43rd Avenue, Vero Beach
Intergenerational Recreation Center (Room 112), 1590 9th Street SW, Vero Beach
Bring photo and signature identification (a Florida driver’s license works, as do a U.S. passport, military ID, etc.). If your photo ID doesn’t have a signature, you’ll be asked for a second ID that does.
Voting by mail instead? Your ballot must reach the Supervisor of Elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, and you can drop it at a secure ballot intake station at any early voting site during early voting hours. Don’t wait on the mail this late in the game.
If you plan to vote on Election Day, polls are open November 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at your assigned precinct. For sample ballots, live wait times, and more, visit voteindianriver.gov or call (772) 226-4700.
See where City Council Candidates stand on important issues here.
Indian River County's Planning & Development Services Department invites residents, property owners, and interested community members to attend a public workshop to discuss proposed amendments to the County's Land Development Regulations related to the West Oslo Overlay District.
The workshop will provide an opportunity for residents, property owners, and other interested community members to learn more about the proposed regulations, ask questions, and provide feedback. Feedback received during the workshop will help staff evaluate potential revisions to the proposed regulations before they are brought for formal consideration.
Thursday, November 5thIntergenerational Recreation Center
5:00 PM
Community input is an important part of the planning process. We encourage residents, business owners, property owners, and other interested parties to attend, ask questions, and share their perspectives on the proposed regulations.
For more information, please contact:
Logan Woody, Special Projects
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