New Holdup Further Delays Humiston Park Project

A handful of vocal residents, together with at least one Vero Beach City Council member, appear to have once again succeeded in delaying the Humiston Park revitalization project on Ocean Drive.

On Friday, June 19th at 5:00 pm, Vero Beach city officials held a conference call with Linda Reeves, a representative with the State Division of Parks and Recreation, and learned that the state had decided not to approve the planned beachside renovations.

Division of Parks and Recreation approval of the more than $1 million in changes planned for Humiston Park is required as a condition of a $63,500 grant the city received from the state 22 years ago for construction of a new restroom and other improvements.

During last week’s City Council meeting, Public Works Director Monte Falls told members he was concerned the state might be overreacting to 173 e-mails, letters and calls received over the past few weeks opposing the project, which was approved by the Council for a second time on April 22nd.

“Before I spoke with Ms. Reeves at the Department, I was confident that improvements were consistent with our grants and since that time I’ve had numerous contacts with her and everything seemed to be very positive,” Falls said.

“But she told me that she had received a lot of interest from residents," he added. "I told her that she needed factual information instead of hearsay."

While the city had hoped to have the revitalization of the park completed by November, Council Member Sabe Abel said “we have already lost eight weeks and the whole area is torn-up” waiting for the state, and Falls said the decision “could delay the improvements to the park and parking at least another year.”

The battle over changes to Humiston Park, closely linked to the neighboring $25 million Ocean Park development of a restaurant, shops and luxury oceanfront condominiums on the site of the former Crusty’s restaurant (shown above), has raged on for well over a year.

While the majority of residents and business owners on Ocean Drive are in favor of the project, and the Council approved it last August and then reaffirmed its approval in April, opponents have continued to fight a rearguard action, focusing on changes to the park.

The makeover plan would reduce the grassy area of the 4.2 acre park by about a half-acre, but a $1 million contribution by the Ocean Park developer would add landscaping, play and picnic facilities, and convert the existing sidewalk in front of the park to a winding walkway suitable for weekend art exhibits.

The plan also would add a total of 36 parking spaces, some gained as a result of a switch to diagonal parking along the Ocean Drive side of the park and the remainder in an expanded lot to the south of the park (shown at left) that will be sheltered by more than 100 new palm trees.

Council Member Debra Fromang said the state decision to withhold approval "will not effectively stop the project, but the delay will cost the City and the taxpayers thousands of dollars.

“It will be devastating to the business community on Ocean Drive," Fromang said. "They depend on this parking and access particularly in season.”

While the identities of those who sent the emails to the state were not known, Mayor Tom White indicated during the Council meeting that one Council member had contacted the State Division of Recreation and Parks opposing the renovations.

City Manager Jim Gabbard said he would like to go to Tallahassee with Falls and meet with Ms Reeves to give her factual information about the project and counter the misinformation she had received from opponents.

“We’re just trying to give her an accurate picture,” Gabbard said.

But the angriest participant at the meeting was Council Member Abel.

“If this process is delayed, we have voted on it twice and we’re causing this area to lose more money, and it looks like it could be another year – that is criminal,” he said.