Photo: CHUYN / iStock Unreleased / Getty Images
Martin County Commissioners have voted to approve a Brightline station.
After a more than two-hour discussion today, Commissioners voted unanimously to build a train station in the downtown Stuart area.
The vote came after the city of Stuart backed out of a deal with the high-speed rail line and at today's meeting there were some residents who disapproved of the plan.
"I'm not anti-Brightline...I'm just anti-Martin County paying for it."
The county is on the hook for up to $15 million on construction costs, with the rest of the estimated $60 million total being covered by federal and state grants. The county would own the land while Brightline leases it.
If the county can't obtain grant money before June of 2027, the company can walk away from the deal. That has some residents concerned that taxpayers would be on the hook for the whole thing.
"We still continue on this fantasy land that Brightline is going to save Stuart and if we don't get a grant, then it's going to fall on taxpayers."
Others said they look forward to having the train station in town.
"Brightline station would benefit the citizens here in Martin County and Jupiter. Fort Pierce would come down and use it, go to Miami."
In the end, the vote was 5-0 in favor of the proposal.
Click Here for more on this story.