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Golden Sands Park relocation in Wabasso may be done by November
BY ELLIOTT JONES [email protected]
Monday, June 9, 2008
WABASSO — A north beach developer's relocation of Indian River County's Golden Sands Park is expected to be complete by November.
Windsor Properties Inc. is building the new beachfront park — immediately south of the existing park — in exchange for getting the original park lands for a residential development of several houses. The developer's also giving the county $1 million, said spokesman Luis Van Cotthem, which county officials said would be devoted to recreation.
Golden Sands is on State Road A1A, about 1 1/2 miles north of County Road 510.
The construction is all part of a deal initiated by the developer to consolidate its land holdings. The park separates the main part of Windsor's beachfront property, to the north, from 10 acres of undeveloped beachfront land Windsor owns to the south. Windsor officials said their goal is to bring their isolated parcel together with the main beach club area.
The park is being relocated onto the southern lands, which the developer will give to the county and state.
The existing park is 14.26 acres. The new park is 14.51 acres.
Windsor officials first approached the county about the swap in 2005. Since then, the County Commission changed the county's Comprehensive Plan to allow it and got state approval to move a strip of conservation land.
To get the county's approval, Windsor's consultants in January were given a list of tasks, such as making sure they correctly calculated the ability of the soils in the future park area to absorb rainfall.
"Oh yes, everything like that was addressed several months ago before we approved the site plan," county Senior Planner Brian Freeman said Friday. "There wasn't anything really unusual about this property."
People can continue using the current park until the new one is built, county officials said.
Use of the park is expected to increase in July because the county plans to close the neighboring Wabasso Beach Park for reconstruction, to replace facilities damaged by hurricanes in 2004. Users of Wabasso Beach park are advised to go to Golden Sands or to other county beach parks during the work that could last through December.
The county won't complete the Golden Sands Park land transfer until the construction meets the county's expectations and "we have use of it," county Public Works Director Jim Davis said.
A dune crossover is already in place. Clearing is now under way.
THE TRADE
• Windsor gives up 9.18 acres, plus $1 million in cash, and builds the county a new Golden Sands Park and, in return, gets 8.93 acres to consolidate with its main property for more development.
• Indian River County gives up 12.44 acres and gets the $1 million for recreation, new park equipment and 12.28 acres, which include the new park plus 0.69 acres to be kept in conservation.
• The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's ownership moves from a 1.32-acre strip, north of the current park, to a 1.73-acre strip south of the new park.
PARK FEATURES
• The new Golden Sands Beach Park will be shifted to the south, but keep the same entrance off State Road A1A and have similar but newer facilities including a boardwalk carrying beach-goers over the sand dunes, a picnic area, a playground for children, showers and restrooms.
• There will be 146 parking spaces, an increase from the current park's 106 spaces.
Treasure Coast Newspaper
BY ELLIOTT JONES [email protected]
Monday, June 9, 2008
WABASSO — A north beach developer's relocation of Indian River County's Golden Sands Park is expected to be complete by November.
Windsor Properties Inc. is building the new beachfront park — immediately south of the existing park — in exchange for getting the original park lands for a residential development of several houses. The developer's also giving the county $1 million, said spokesman Luis Van Cotthem, which county officials said would be devoted to recreation.
Golden Sands is on State Road A1A, about 1 1/2 miles north of County Road 510.
The construction is all part of a deal initiated by the developer to consolidate its land holdings. The park separates the main part of Windsor's beachfront property, to the north, from 10 acres of undeveloped beachfront land Windsor owns to the south. Windsor officials said their goal is to bring their isolated parcel together with the main beach club area.
The park is being relocated onto the southern lands, which the developer will give to the county and state.
The existing park is 14.26 acres. The new park is 14.51 acres.
Windsor officials first approached the county about the swap in 2005. Since then, the County Commission changed the county's Comprehensive Plan to allow it and got state approval to move a strip of conservation land.
To get the county's approval, Windsor's consultants in January were given a list of tasks, such as making sure they correctly calculated the ability of the soils in the future park area to absorb rainfall.
"Oh yes, everything like that was addressed several months ago before we approved the site plan," county Senior Planner Brian Freeman said Friday. "There wasn't anything really unusual about this property."
People can continue using the current park until the new one is built, county officials said.
Use of the park is expected to increase in July because the county plans to close the neighboring Wabasso Beach Park for reconstruction, to replace facilities damaged by hurricanes in 2004. Users of Wabasso Beach park are advised to go to Golden Sands or to other county beach parks during the work that could last through December.
The county won't complete the Golden Sands Park land transfer until the construction meets the county's expectations and "we have use of it," county Public Works Director Jim Davis said.
A dune crossover is already in place. Clearing is now under way.
THE TRADE
• Windsor gives up 9.18 acres, plus $1 million in cash, and builds the county a new Golden Sands Park and, in return, gets 8.93 acres to consolidate with its main property for more development.
• Indian River County gives up 12.44 acres and gets the $1 million for recreation, new park equipment and 12.28 acres, which include the new park plus 0.69 acres to be kept in conservation.
• The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's ownership moves from a 1.32-acre strip, north of the current park, to a 1.73-acre strip south of the new park.
PARK FEATURES
• The new Golden Sands Beach Park will be shifted to the south, but keep the same entrance off State Road A1A and have similar but newer facilities including a boardwalk carrying beach-goers over the sand dunes, a picnic area, a playground for children, showers and restrooms.
• There will be 146 parking spaces, an increase from the current park's 106 spaces.
Treasure Coast Newspaper
