A Stuart business owner is speaking out about what she describes as an unnecessarily complicated permit approval process for a storage building project. Janet Milici, who co-owns Natural Flow Impact Windows and Doors, decided to share her experience after attending a community meeting in Jensen Beach. She filed her initial application in 2024 to construct a 30-by-40-foot storage building at the back of her business property. The structure was designed to store materials used in her day-to-day operations, not to expand the business itself.
Throughout the permitting process, Milici faced multiple requirements that she believes went beyond what was necessary for a simple storage building. The city required her to complete engineering studies, environmental reviews, and traffic analyses. She was also required to pay for turtle relocation. All of these additional steps added up financially, with Milici estimating she has spent approximately $40,000 to navigate the approval process. While she understands that permitting requirements exist for good reasons, Milici believes the demands placed on her project have been excessive. "All I am trying to do is improve my property. I am trying to improve the service we can give our customers, and it's like the city is shooting us down at every turn," she said.
The timing of the delays has created a significant problem for her business operations. With hurricane season now underway, materials that should be stored safely inside the building remain exposed outdoors. This vulnerability concerns Milici, who worries about potential damage and the financial impact on her company. "The thing that bothers me is that hurricane season is here, and if I can't put my materials in a safe place, then it's going to cost me—it's going to put me out of business if you really want to know," she said. Despite her frustrations with the process, Milici emphasized that she chose to pursue proper permitting rather than cut corners. "People try to cut corners and do things without permitting, but we are trying to do everything right," she noted.
The permit has recently received approval, but Milici still faces additional city fees as the project enters its final stages. She felt her situation was important enough to bring to public attention, hoping others in the area would become aware of the challenges involved in the local permitting process. WPTV reached out to the City of Stuart's Planning and Zoning department for comment on the permit procedures for storage buildings within city limits but has not yet received a response.