DEVELOPMENT
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TCBusiness.com
Vero’s electric utility. Voters would have to
agree by referendum, approving removal
of those properties from the City Charter.
However, a waterfront development like
that proposed for the former H. D. King
power plant site in downtown Fort Pierce
would probably not be acceptable to Vero
Beach voters.
A third option could be a combination
of uses while maintaining public
ownership of the property, much like the
property surrounding Vero Beach Regional
Airport that is publicly owned and leased
to private enterprises.
In any event, the power plant property
will not be available for redevelopment
until FPL completes construction of its
substation on the postal annex property
and the existing power plant is dismantled,
which will take at least a year.
The wastewater treatment plant property
could take five years or more before it is
available. In the meantime, steps are being
taken to begin planning for the future.
That plan involves holding a charrette,
which is a series of planning sessions
involving citizens, designers and others
to share ideas and come up with a vision
for development. Charrettes have been
used in the past to help guide downtown
redevelopment.
This charrette will be led by an internationally
known, Miami-based consulting
firm, DPZ, whose principal is Andres
Duany. He is familiar locally for his firm’s
work in developing Windsor, north of Vero,
and other projects in Florida. DPZ has laid
out a timeline to conduct the charrette,
beginning in mid-November and ending
in early May, at which time DPZ will present
its findings to the City Council.
Council members would still have the
option to put aside these findings and pursue
a different course, but then they would
face the City Charter requirement that
any changes to the land use other than
public or civic purpose must be approved
by voter referendum. Presumably, plans
resulting from this charrette study could
receive voter support in a referendum.
HOPEFUL OUTCOME
Meanwhile, according to Vero Beach
City Manager Monte Falls, “FPL is transferring
the electric substation from its current
location at the decommissioned power
plant to the former postal annex property.
That should be completed in June or July
2020, and then salvage work can begin
to dismantle the power plant itself. How
much is dismantled and how much will
remain depends on the charrette findings
and City Council’s decisions on the future
of that land.”
The wastewater treatment property
could be more of a long-term process, >>
PARIS PRODUCTIONS
Alma Lee Loy, a lifetime resident and business
owner in Vero Beach, is optimistic and believes
public input will help with development plans.
The water treatment plant
at the west end of Alma
Lee Loy Bridge is slated for
updating or removal.
MILT THOMAS
/TCBusiness.com