BEYOND the
BOUNDARY
A community-led initiative examining whether the Martin–Palm Beach County boundary still matches the way residents in this area live, travel, receive services and pay local taxes.
What is Beyond the Boundary?
Many families and businesses in this part of Martin County routinely travel into Palm Beach County for work, shopping, healthcare, worship, recreation and other everyday needs.
Many residents on the Martin County side of the boundary rely on Palm Beach County for a substantial share of their daily destinations and services.
Does the boundary still make sense today?
It determines who makes decisions about your property, where your tax dollars go, which services you receive, and how your community grows.
No higher local tax burden. That is a threshold condition.
Beyond the Boundary will not support a final boundary change unless the public tax analysis shows that affected residents would face no increase in their overall local tax burden. The objective is simple: tax-neutral or lower. Applicable millage rates, taxing districts, special assessments, exemptions and transition provisions should be known and made public before any binding vote.
Taxes are the first test.
Beyond the Boundary will not support a boundary change that raises the overall local tax burden on affected residents. Our proposal starts with a simple goal: tax-neutral or lower — and the fire-rescue structure may provide a path to a lower rate.
No tax increase. Period.
This initiative will not support, in any way, shape, or form, a final boundary change that increases the overall local tax burden on affected residents. Before any binding vote, the full structure — millage, special districts, non-ad valorem assessments, exemptions and transition provisions — must be documented publicly. The minimum acceptable result is tax-neutral; lower is better.
The math is straightforward.
Start with the FY2027 PBC unincorporated comparison, remove the regular 3.4581 Fire Rescue MSTU, and substitute the 1.7251 rate PBC used for Jupiter:
This proposal scenario: 14.4862 mills / $14,486.20.
Difference: $968.70 less per year.
Because Palm Beach County actually charged Jupiter that fire-rescue rate.
For FY2026, Palm Beach County’s adopted Jupiter Fire/Rescue MSTU was 1.7251 mills. The regular PBC Fire Rescue MSTU was 3.4581 mills. The 1.7251 figure is therefore a documented PBC rate that existed for Jupiter — not a number invented for this proposal.
Same county. Two fire-rescue millage rates.
These were Palm Beach County’s adopted rates for the regular Fire Rescue MSTU and the separate Jupiter Fire/Rescue MSTU.
Important: Palm Beach County has not agreed to apply 1.7251 mills to this boundary area. This is the structure Beyond the Boundary proposes exploring. Any final plan must be documented publicly and must be tax-neutral or lower before this initiative will support it.
What happens without the proposed fire-rescue structure?
The example below uses a $1,000,000 taxable value. One mill equals $1 of tax for every $1,000 of taxable value, so at $1 million taxable value each 1.0000 mill equals $1,000 per year.
Martin County • District 3
Palm Beach County • Standard unincorporated structure
FY2022 through FY2027
Rates move from year to year. The table shows the comparable total millage used for this analysis rather than relying on a single snapshot. “Difference” is PBC minus Martin; a negative number means the PBC figure was lower that year.
| Fiscal year | Martin D3 | PBC unincorp. | Difference | Difference on $1M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2022 | 17.2990 | 17.3690 | +0.0700 | +$70.00 |
| FY2023 | 16.6216 | 16.8381 | +0.2165 | +$216.50 |
| FY2024 | 16.6565 | 16.4196 | −0.2369 | −$236.90 |
| FY2025 | 16.4008 | 16.2764 | −0.1244 | −$124.40 |
| FY2026 | 15.7549 | 16.2652 | +0.5103 | +$510.30 |
| FY2027 | 15.4549 | 16.2192 | +0.7643 | +$764.30 |
About the year labels: Florida property-tax rolls and local-government fiscal years overlap. This page uses the fiscal year label for consistency with county budget documents. The comparison is intended to show the tax structure applicable to the relevant unincorporated areas, not to estimate a particular parcel’s bill.
The final number has to include everything.
Taxable value ≠ market value
The $1 million example assumes $1,000,000 of taxable value after the applicable assessment rules and exemptions. It is not a $1 million sale-price example.
Special districts matter
The 16.2192 PBC figure is the comparable unincorporated base used here. Geography-specific districts can change a parcel’s total. For example, the Jupiter Inlet District can add a separate millage where applicable.
Millage is not the whole bill
Non-ad valorem assessments are not captured by a simple millage comparison. Any real proposal must identify and compare those charges too.
No decision based on a promise
The initiative’s condition is based on the documented final structure, not an estimate or verbal assurance. If the final overall local burden is higher, the initiative will not support the boundary change.
Tax-neutral or lower — or no support.
Taxes are the first gate, not an afterthought. Any boundary proposal must show residents the complete math before a binding vote. If the documented final result increases the overall local tax burden, Beyond the Boundary will not support it.
Official sources
The figures above are compiled from county budget documents and property-appraiser tax-roll materials. Rates should be rechecked against the final taxing-district assignments before any formal boundary action.
Does the current boundary still match the community?
The Martin County boundary was drawn decades ago, long before the community we know today existed. Today, many residents cross that line for everyday services, work, school, healthcare, shopping and recreation.
The Question
The initiative focuses on how the current boundary affects residents, businesses, service access, planning and future growth.
Communities divided
The county line separates nearby neighborhoods whose daily travel and service patterns often cross it.
Dependency on Palm Beach County
Many people on the Martin County side rely on Palm Beach County for work, play, shopping, healthcare, and more.
Tax dollars and local service use do not always align
Property taxes are paid into Martin County and other taxing districts, while many day-to-day destinations and services used by residents are located to the south in Palm Beach County.
Nearby services across the line
Residents often cross the county line to reach nearby schools, healthcare, shopping, recreation and other services.
Planning across the line
The initiative argues that the current boundary complicates planning for growth, investment, and local services.
By the Numbers
Approx. 3,400 homes
Are located in the Martin County communities north of the Loxahatchee River within the area being discussed.
Daily connections
Residents drive into Palm Beach County for work, school, healthcare, shopping, dining, recreation, and nearly everything in between.
Approx. $2.6 billion in taxable value
Those funds enter the countywide tax base. Any boundary proposal would need a public comparison of taxes, assessments and services before a formal vote occurs. This initiative will not support a final proposal that increases the overall local tax burden on affected residents; the objective is tax-neutral or lower.
One community
A shared river, shared interests, and a shared future—divided by a line.
The decision should come after the facts
Beyond the Boundary is asking residents and public officials to examine whether the current county line still matches the way this community functions today. Any final proposal should be evaluated on taxes, services, geography, legal requirements and resident input. A no-increase tax result is a condition of this initiative’s support.
Real communities. A boundary concept for discussion.
Explore the current county line, a rough discussion concept for a possible adjusted boundary, and nearby community connections. The gold line is not a final proposal.
Neighborhoods may be included or excluded as the discussion develops. The intent is not to split an HOA or established neighborhood between two counties. Any final boundary would require resident input, legal and intergovernmental review, and the applicable public process.
Interactive map unavailable. Showing the project map instead.
Use Layers and Compare for optional information. Each panel can be closed with ×; only one panel opens at a time on smaller screens.
What the map shows
The blue dashed line marks the current Martin–Palm Beach County boundary. The gold line is a rough discussion sketch showing one possible way to group residential communities north of the current line while leaving the Tanah Keeta Scout Reservation in Martin County and generally following the south side of Jonathan Dickinson State Park. It is expected to change as neighborhood input, tax analysis, service questions and legal requirements are evaluated.
A simple way to hear from your residents
HOAs and neighborhood associations can help document what residents actually think—without committing the community to a final boundary that does not yet exist.
No HOA is being asked to endorse a final map.
There is no final map. The purpose of this toolkit is to make resident input easy to collect, transparent to report, and useful to public officials if the association chooses to share it.
A clean four-step process
1 · Share the same information
Send residents the website link, explain that the map is only a rough concept, and make clear that the initiative’s tax condition is tax-neutral or lower.
2 · Ask a short resident poll
Use the neutral survey below or adapt it to your association’s normal voting platform. Give residents a support, oppose and undecided option.
3 · Publish the totals
Report how many households were invited, how many responded, and the exact count for each answer. Separate resident results from any later board position.
4 · Decide what to do with the result
The board can simply keep the results, send them to this initiative, or provide them to relevant public officials. The survey itself does not bind the HOA to any future proposal.
Suggested resident survey
This is intentionally short and balanced. An HOA can add its own deadline and voting instructions.
[COMMUNITY NAME] — Resident Boundary Study Survey
Background: Beyond the Boundary is an independent community initiative examining whether the Martin–Palm Beach County boundary should be reconsidered for residential communities north of the Loxahatchee River. The map at BeyondTheBoundaryMC.org is a rough discussion sketch only; no final boundary has been proposed. The initiative states that it will not support a final boundary change that increases the overall local tax burden on affected residents. Its stated objective is tax-neutral or lower.
This is an informal HOA resident survey, not a government referendum. Report results with the number of households invited, total responses, survey dates and exact totals for each answer.
How to report an HOA poll
If your association chooses to share its result, send the community name, survey dates, number of households invited, total responses, and the exact count for each answer. If the board later adopts its own position, report that separately from the resident poll.
THE COMMUNITY.
Beyond the Boundary is intended to be a community-led discussion—not a claim that every resident already agrees. Support, opposition, questions, corrections and better ideas are all welcome.
This should be bigger than one person
The website may have started with one resident asking questions, but a county-boundary discussion should be judged on public facts and community input. Residents, HOAs, businesses, local organizations and public officials should all be able to examine the same information and say where they agree or disagree.
Residents first
No neighborhood should be treated as a line on a map. The views of the people who live there should be documented before any final proposal is advanced.
Disagreement is welcome
This site welcomes people who support the idea, oppose it, or simply want better answers about taxes, services and legal process.
No final boundary yet
The gold map is deliberately rough. Neighborhoods may be included or excluded, and the intent is not to split an HOA or established neighborhood.
Tax-neutral or lower
The initiative will not support a final boundary change that increases the overall local tax burden on affected residents. The tax numbers must be public before any binding vote.
Who built the website? Cory Beaton.
Cory Beaton created this website after a long-running dispute with Martin County over his family’s attempt to build a single-family home on property along the Loxahatchee River. The dispute has involved the County’s application of minimum-lot-size rules, the treatment of privately owned submerged land, administrative review, and multiple County Commission proceedings.
That experience prompted a broader question: Why is this area in Martin County in the first place? For many residents in the communities north of the Loxahatchee River, daily life often points south toward Jupiter and Tequesta for shopping, healthcare, recreation, utilities, employment and other services. The question became whether the county boundary still matches those present-day connections.
The broader boundary question should stand or fall on taxes, services, geography, legal requirements, and what residents actually want. Cory’s individual property dispute remains separate from that analysis.
Make the community record stronger
If something on this site is incomplete or wrong, say so. If your neighborhood has a different view, share it. If your HOA conducts a resident poll, report the results exactly as they came in. A credible public discussion should be able to show both support and opposition.
The land before the line
The boundary was drawn in 1925—before the world around it changed. Over the next quarter century, this area followed very different paths north and south of the line.
A timeline of change
Private land
Before Camp Murphy, the land that later became Jonathan Dickinson State Park was privately owned by multiple landowners and companies.
County boundary is drawn
Martin County is created by the Legislature from portions of Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties. At the time, this area was sparsely developed and the boundary reflected the communities and transportation network of that era.
Camp Murphy is built
The U.S. Army transforms the landscape into a massive secret radar-training installation.
- 1,000+ buildings
- 6,000+ personnel
- Power plants, sewer system, church, theater and more
The camp closes
After only two years, Camp Murphy is deactivated. The future of this enormous tract is suddenly wide open.
What should this land become?
Florida considers converting part of the former military installation into a tuberculosis sanatorium. The proposal does not move forward, and surplus Camp Murphy property and equipment are disposed of after the war.
Florida buys Camp Murphy
By 1947, Florida had acquired roughly 7,900 acres of former Camp Murphy property for a state park and related public purposes.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park opens
The property opens as a state park and is later renamed Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
Another vision
“Holy Land U.S.A.,” a Christian-themed attraction, is proposed on park land. It does not happen.
The land changed. The community changed. The line didn’t.
Many daily trips and community connections run south toward Jupiter and Tequesta while the county boundary remains in place.
Two paths. Opposite directions.
North of our community
Thousands of acres become Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
- 1942 — Camp Murphy
- 1947 — State acquisition
- 1950 — State park established
- About 10,500 acres in today’s state park
South of our community
Jupiter and Tequesta grow into vibrant communities.
- 1926 — U.S. 1 bridge crosses the Loxahatchee
- 1955 — Tequesta development begins
- 1957 — Tequesta incorporates
- 1959 — Jupiter Inlet Colony forms
Why does Martin County exist?
In 1925, residents around Stuart felt Palm Beach County government was not adequately serving their community. They believed too little road investment was reaching them. They petitioned the Legislature, and Martin County was created.
The boundary then. The question now.
When Martin County was created in 1925, north-south road and railroad connections linked this area to Hobe Sound and Stuart. Today, the 10,500-acre Jonathan Dickinson State Park occupies a large area immediately north of the communities discussed here.
Sources, maps and public information
This page identifies the public sources used for core historical and map information and separates official records from the project’s proposed boundary concept.
Primary sources
Martin County
Martin County states that it was established by an act of the Florida Legislature in 1925.
Martin County — About Martin County ↗City of Stuart — Historic Survey (county-creation context) ↗Jonathan Dickinson State Park
Florida State Parks documents Camp Murphy, more than 1,000 buildings, more than 6,000 personnel, deactivation in 1944 and the park’s establishment in 1950.
Florida State Parks — History ↗Tequesta
The Village of Tequesta’s historical summary records its incorporation on June 4, 1957.
Village of Tequesta — History ↗Fire-rescue transition
The Town of Jupiter states that Jupiter Fire Rescue begins service October 1, 2026. Palm Beach County materials document the corresponding end of County service inside the Town.
Town of Jupiter — Fire Rescue ↗Palm Beach County Fire Rescue — Stations ↗Current county line
The interactive map requests current Martin County boundary geometry from the County’s public ArcGIS service.
Martin County GIS boundary service ↗Project figures & methodology
Figures describing the discussion area, taxable value, travel patterns or service use are project estimates unless an official source is linked. They should be updated when newer public records become available. The gold boundary on this site is a rough discussion sketch, not a final proposal, and it has not been adopted by Martin County, Palm Beach County or the State of Florida. Neighborhoods may be included or excluded as the concept is evaluated, with the stated intent not to split an HOA or established neighborhood.
Corrections are welcome
If you find an error, a newer government record, or a source that points in a different direction, send it to BeyondTheBoundaryMC@gmail.com.
Questions about the boundary
Short answers to the questions residents are most likely to ask.
Is this a government website?
No. Beyond the Boundary is an independent community initiative. It is not an adopted plan of Martin County, Palm Beach County or the State of Florida.
What is Beyond the Boundary?
It is a community-led initiative examining whether the Martin–Palm Beach County boundary still matches the way residential communities north of the Loxahatchee River live, travel, receive services and pay local taxes.
Is the gold line on the map the final proposed boundary?
No. It is a very rough discussion sketch. Neighborhoods may be included or excluded as the concept is evaluated. The stated intent is not to split an HOA or established neighborhood between two counties. Any final boundary would require resident input, legal and intergovernmental review, and the applicable public process.
What area is being discussed?
The current concept focuses on residential communities immediately north of the existing county line and south of Jonathan Dickinson State Park. The rough project map keeps the Tanah Keeta Scout Reservation in Martin County, but the exact residential boundary is open to refinement.
Would taxes change?
They could, depending on the final boundary terms and the taxing districts that would apply. Beyond the Boundary’s stated condition is that it will not support a final boundary change that increases the overall local tax burden on affected residents. The objective is tax-neutral or lower. Before any binding vote or action, the applicable millage rates, taxing districts, special assessments, exemptions and transition provisions should be established, compared and made public.
Who is behind this?
The website was created by Cory Beaton and is intended to support a broader community-led discussion. The initiative does not claim that every resident agrees. Support, opposition, corrections and questions are welcome. See the “Who’s Behind This?” page for the origin of the project.
How can an HOA or neighborhood participate?
The HOA Communities page provides a short resident survey and a transparent way to report results. Associations can use it simply to measure resident opinion; conducting a poll does not require the board to endorse a final boundary proposal.
Would schools and services change automatically?
No. School assignment, fire-rescue, utilities, roads and other services are governed by separate public agencies and would have to be addressed through the applicable legal and intergovernmental process.
What happens to Jonathan Dickinson State Park?
The boundary concept shown on this site leaves Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Martin County. The discussion is focused on developed residential communities south of the park.
How can I send a correction or comment?
Use the Get Involved page or email BeyondTheBoundaryMC@gmail.com. Feedback supporting, opposing or correcting information on the site is welcome.
Share your perspective
Questions, comments, corrections, historical information, or a different point of view are welcome.
Contact Beyond the Boundary
Email the project directly from your phone. The message will open in your normal mail app.
BeyondTheBoundaryMC@gmail.comWhat to send
You can send questions about the map, historical documents, service information, corrections, or your own perspective on the county boundary. If you live in the affected area, you can also describe which schools, parks, businesses, healthcare providers, utilities, and public services your household uses most often.
HOA or neighborhood leader?
Use the HOA Communities page to share a neutral resident poll, document the result and keep any board position separate from resident vote totals.
Open the HOA Toolkit