What's Going Up Here

Stuart and Martin County · City of Stuart

Fairfield Inn site, 255 SW 6th St, Stuart: hotel rezoning back after a court ruling

Stuart denied rezoning a 0.33-acre piece of the old funeral home site at 255 SW 6th Street for a hotel in 2025. A judge sent it back, and the City Commission reheard it on 2026-09-28. That outcome isn't posted yet.

255 SW 6th Street, Stuart, FL (part of 505 SW Federal Highway) on the map

Where it stands

The City Commission reheard this on 2026-09-28. The result isn't public yet, because the minutes haven't been posted. We'll update this page when they are.

How it got here:

  • Denied in February 2025. On second reading, a motion to approve died without a second, and the commission voted to deny.
  • The owner went to court. On 2025-12-19 a circuit judge found the city "departed from the essential requirements of law" and sent the case back for a new hearing.
  • Delayed once. The rehearing was set for 2026-04-13 and postponed at the applicant's request.

What's proposed

Rezone a 0.33-acre piece of the old funeral home site, at 255 SW 6th Street, from Urban Waterfront to Urban Highway, so the whole property falls in one zoning district. The owner says the goal is a hotel.

  • Hotels are allowed in both districts. Staff say the rezoning mainly fixes conflicting parking rules between the two.
  • No hotel plan is attached. There's no site plan, room count or height in this request.

Why it matters to neighbors

  • Homes back onto the property. At earlier hearings, residents asked for buffers and raised lighting, noise and where the dumpster goes.

What city staff said

Approve. Every board that has heard it recommended approval: the Local Planning Agency (unanimous, 2025-01-16) and the Community Redevelopment Board (unanimous, 2025-02-04).

Who's behind it

  • Applicant and owner: Polk Street Hotels, Inc.
  • Agent: Law Offices of Marc R. Gaylord, P.A.

Hearings

Board Date Outcome
Local Planning Agency 2025-01-16 Recommended approval, unanimous
City Commission, first reading 2025-01-27 Approved, unanimous
Community Redevelopment Board 2025-02-04 Recommended approval, unanimous
City Commission, second reading 2025-02-10 Denied
Circuit Court 2025-12-19 Denial overturned, sent back for a new hearing
City Commission 2026-04-13 Postponed at the applicant's request
City Commission, rehearing 2026-09-28 Not yet recorded

Sources

Written from the staff report, the ordinance and past minutes. Last checked 2026-10-21.

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