Lunch on Sprawl and Density, Annexation Action, and much more!
- IRNA
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
April 25, 2026 Weekly Newsletter
How does Indian River County grow without becoming something we don't recognize?
That's the question we're bringing to our May 27 Lunch and Learn and we've got the right person to dig into it with us.
We're welcoming Thomas Lanahan, Executive Director of the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, for a candid conversation on suburban sprawl, urban density, and what regional planning actually looks like on the ground here on the Treasure Coast.
Tom has spent decades working on and around local planning and state-level mandates. He'll give us a "high-altitude" look at where we're headed, and what choices we still have.
📅 May 27
📍 IG Center on Oslo Rd.
🕛 Noon
💵 $25/pp
Register at IndianRiverNA.com/tickets
Seats are limited. If you've been watching the Urban Services Boundary debate and wondering what comes next, this is the conversation to be in.
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 hosting a series of upcoming informational webinars concerning this PFAS study on April 28 at 6pm. Visit https://www.indianriverna.com/pfas-testing to register.
Open to Indian River County home and business owners on private wells only (not connected to municipal water). Questions? Contact Missy@IndianRiverNA.com
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Stand with the IRNA and help us amplify our community's voice. Your support fuels the fight to protect our natural resources, hold elected officials accountable, and drive the real change our neighborhoods deserve. Together, we don't just speak up, we make an impact that lasts.
Take Action: Tell Sebastian to Plan Before It Annexes
The City of Sebastian is moving fast. Over the past few years it has annexed thousands of acres of land adjacent to the St. Sebastian River watershed and now it wants more. IRNA is asking Indian River County residents to say enough is enough.
A petition has been launched calling on the Sebastian City Council to halt further voluntary annexations until a real growth management framework is in place. We need binding commitments--with teeth.
The concerns are straightforward. Indian River County has formally warned that it cannot guarantee water or sewer service to newly annexed areas. Extending that infrastructure will cost ratepayers. Roads already under pressure will absorb thousands of additional daily trips. Schools and emergency services will be stretched further. And all of this development drains into the St. Sebastian River headwaters and ultimately into the Indian River Lagoon (a watershed already in crisis that cannot absorb the cumulative impact of unplanned growth.)
We are not asking Sebastian to stop growing. We are asking the city to plan first and annex later, with a funded utility plan, a comprehensive environmental review, and a genuine public process before any new land is brought inside city limits.
Signing takes less than a minute. Add your name, and tell Sebastian City Council that we still care about managed growth.
Indian River County expands lagoon protection with mobile boat pump-out program (WQCS) - Indian River County is launching a free mobile boat pump-out program to reduce raw sewage discharge into the Indian River Lagoon by providing a vessel that travels directly to anchored boaters who lack easy access to traditional marina waste disposal systems. Kudos to Clean Water Coalition of Indian River County and the Indian River Land Trust for helping to fund this project!
Florida DEP, developer at impasse on mangrove removal, wetland filling (TCPalm) - A standoff between the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and a Sebastian landowner has stalled enforcement actions regarding the illegal destruction of over an acre of protected mangroves and wetlands intended for a residential development.
Spring Gardening Tips to Protect Plants from Future Freezes (Vero Beach Magazine) - The strategic use of mulch, deep watering, and layered plantings like banana trees and native shrubs can create resilient windbreaks and root protection for cold-sensitive Florida landscapes during winter freezes.
Windsor in deal to tap into county’s reclaimed water (Vero News) - The Windsor Club and Indian River County have entered a 10-year agreement to provide reclaimed wastewater for irrigation, a deal intended to improve water quality for the community while helping the county meet state-mandated water reuse goals and reduce nitrogen runoff into the Indian River Lagoon.
Will the Eleventh Circuit Allow the Endangered Species Act to Commandeer the Florida Department of Environmental Protection? (Reason) - The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals will consider whether the Endangered Species Act can constitutionally compel the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to implement stricter nitrogen regulations to protect manatee habitats without violating the anticommandeering doctrine.
A Great Earth Day at Riverview Park
This Earth Day weekend, the Indian River Neighborhood Association joined the City of Sebastian at Riverview Park for a wonderful day of community and celebration right along the Indian River Lagoon.
A big thank you to the City of Sebastian for hosting, to our amazing IRNA volunteers who staffed the tent, and to everyone who stopped by to say hello, learn a little, and share their love for this special place we call home. Your enthusiasm and support are what make events like this worthwhile.
Earth Day is always a good reminder of why we do this work (and why it matters), but it hits a little different when you're celebrating on a gorgeous day with the lagoon as your backdrop. There's no better way to honor our environment than by gathering together beside the very waterway we're working to protect.
We'll be back next year!
Vero Council approves airport lease transfers (Hometown News) - The Vero Beach City Council unanimously approved the transfer of five airport leases and a customs office indemnity agreement from long-time tenant Corporate Air to Infinity Aviation to facilitate the sale of the fixed base operation.
Redevelopment plan would add airport terminal (Vero News) - Diversified Realty Acquisitions has proposed a twenty million dollar private redevelopment plan to construct a twenty thousand square foot terminal and expanded parking at Vero Beach Regional Airport, though city officials expressed concerns regarding financial risks and the potential loss of future government grants.
Florida Attorney General: Why This Race Matters (VoteWater.org) - The 2026 Florida Attorney General race features Republican incumbent James Uthmeier, an appointee facing allegations of money laundering and environmental negligence, and Democratic challenger Jose Javier Rodriguez, a former state senator endorsed by environmental groups for his history of climate and water safety legislation.
Ron DeSantis PAC took $250,000 from Florida Power & Light after record-setting rate hike (Substack) - Governor Ron DeSantis's political action committee received substantial donations from major corporations, including Florida Power & Light and Mosaic, shortly after his administration or the state legislature took actions favorable to those companies' financial interests.
Manatee Mom Spotted in Florida With a Rare Set of Twins (Outdoors.com) - A local photographer in St. Petersburg captured rare images of a mother manatee with twin calves, a biological rarity confirmed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission due to the intense energy demands of the species' long gestation and nursing periods.
This publication is my “goto” for news regardin lagoon heath and politics? I also appreciate ALL the election information and where our elected officials and candidates stand on water and lagoon issues! Keep up the excellent work.