Frequently Asked Questions

No - and his record proves it. But he's not anti-development either. He's pro-Stuart, and that's a meaningful difference. Merritt spent his time on the city commission as a brake on growth, not an accelerator. He believes development should clear a high bar: it should fit Stuart's character, pay its own way, and leave the community better off. Projects that don't meet that standard have to earn his vote - through reduced density, lower building heights, affordable housing commitments, or developer-funded infrastructure. And projects he simply didn't believe in? He voted no.

Only when the law required it - and never without a fight. Florida law requires commissioners to approve developments that meet existing zoning rules. When those boxes are checked, a no vote doesn't stop the project; it just invites a lawsuit the city will almost certainly lose. Where Merritt had real leverage, he used it: cutting density, requiring lower buildings, securing community benefits, and making developers fund infrastructure rather than passing the cost to taxpayers. Developers knew Merritt would be tough but fair. He never overstepped the law, but he used every inch of it to protect Stuart's interests, pushing hard to make sure the community always got the better end of the deal.

The Costco property was annexed into Stuart in 2016 — two years before Merritt joined the Commission, and long before he had any say. The previous Commission had the foresight to zone it in a way that required public hearings before any development could proceed.

When Costco's proposal came forward, Merritt negotiated 13 conditions - all of which had to be paid for by the developer - not taxpayers. Those conditions included a traffic signal on Kanner Highway, a landscaped connector road between Kanner Highway and Willoughby Boulevard lined with native plants and oaks, a roundabout and importantly, annual water quality testing.

The site had been poorly maintained by the previous owner for many years. Merritt saw an opportunity to get the development done right, and he took it. The transformation has been significant: Costco is now Stuart's largest commercial tax contributor, meaningfully diversifying the city's tax base.

LOSOM is the federal rulebook governing when water gets released from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers.

Those releases feed the algae blooms that kill seagrass, drive away fish, and hurt our fishing and tourism economy. During the original negotiations, Merritt was formally authorized by his fellow commissioners to represent Stuart before the Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District. He spent four years at that table - working alongside Congressman Mast's office and other stakeholders - and helped secure an agreement that limits major discharges unless the lake reaches a critical level. A new round of negotiations begins in 2027. Having a commissioner who already has the relationships, the history, and the technical knowledge in those talks matters enormously.

In 2019, Merritt helped write and champion a charter amendment that changed commissioner terms from two to four years, established a 12-year consecutive service limit, and required any sitting commissioner to resign before running for a different office. All three changes were bundled into one referendum. Merritt made the motion to put it to a vote - knowing it would constrain him as much as anyone else - because he believed it was the right thing for Stuart.

Martin County Forever is a land conservation initiative that Merritt co-founded to preserve open space and natural lands before they could be lost to development. It established a dedicated funding source (through a voter-approved sales tax ) for purchasing conservation land. The county has already used it to acquire more than 3,000 acres, with more in progress. Merritt continues to serve on the oversight committee that manages those acquisitions and ensures the land is protected for the long term.