Martin County Commissioner Ed Ciampi has asked county staff to begin conversations with Brightline leadership about relocating the planned train station from its current proposed location in downtown Stuart. The station had been previously agreed upon to be built on a parking lot site across from the courthouse in downtown Stuart. Ciampi suggested the fairgrounds as a potential alternative location, citing parking issues and other concerns at the downtown site.
The request comes in response to opposition from the FEC, which sent a letter to then-Stuart Mayor Christopher Collins stating it does not support a Brightline station in Stuart. The FEC indicated that the proposed station would violate U.S. Coast Guard regulations because it would require the St. Lucie River Railroad bridge to remain down while the train is stopped at the station. Ciampi explained his reasoning for the potential relocation, saying that if the station is deemed too close to navigational channels by the Army Corps of Engineers or the U.S. Coast Guard, he would prefer to take the downtown location off the table entirely. He argued that moving the station further south to the fairgrounds would eliminate this regulatory issue altogether.
Community response to Ciampi's proposal has been mixed. Resident Paul Gedwed supported the idea, describing it as well-thought-out and noting the significant congestion that would occur at the proposed downtown location. However, Steven Vitale, owner of the Colorado Inn, disagreed with the fairgrounds option. He questioned the logic of building a train station that people cannot walk to, emphasizing that most visitors would want access to downtown Stuart's attractions and businesses. Lisa Freitas, owner of Lisa Gay Fashion, took a pragmatic approach, saying she believes her downtown store will benefit from the Brightline project regardless of the station's final location, as long as it remains in Martin County.
County officials clarified that Ciampi's comments do not constitute official direction for staff to pursue changes at this time. The full county board would need to discuss and vote on the proposal before staff can take action to explore alternative locations. The project remains in a holding pattern as the county awaits news on its grant application to fund the Brightline station before moving forward with any construction plans.