SEBASTIAN — After more than a month of debate and discussion, the non-profit group representing commercial fishermen on Sebastian’s waterfront finally has a new lease with the city.
The new lease with Fisherman’s Landing Sebastian, which must go before the Florida Communities Trust division at the state level for approval, calls for a 10-year term with an automatic 10-year renewal provided the non-profit is compliant with the lease.
Fisherman’s Landing Sebastian would be able to lease for $1 a month the commercial fishing facility on Indian River Drive adjacent to the Crab-E Bill’s fish market at the former Hurricane Harbor property.
Fisherman’s Landing Sebastian Board President Tim Adams told the Sebastian City Council Wednesday night that he, and the board, supports the lease, but requested the group have the ability to ask the city for an extra 3-day special event to raise funds for the organization.
“Basically, it’s the only source of income,” Adams said for the group to use to fix up the property.
Under the terms of the lease, the group can host two 3-day events at the working waterfront site, which consists of the former Hurricane Harbor and the fish house immediately south, commonly referred to as the Dabrowski site.
The approved lease calls for the non-profit group to be the managing arm of working waterfront project, raising funds to fix up the Dabrowski site and building ancillary structures to support commercial fishing – such as an ice house. The city would take back management of the Hurricane Harbor property, being Crab-E Bill’s landlord, and organizing a fishing museum and attracting a small eatery to the building.
The city would also be required to build a new fish house for the commercial fishermen within two years of the state’s approval of the lease.
“I’m very proud,” City Councilman Jim Hill said of the progress that’s been made with the working waterfront project. “It’s going to be a fantastic thing.”
Councilwoman Andrea Coy, who last month voiced concerns about moving forward with Fisherman’s Landing Sebastian, reversed course Wednesday, fully supporting the lease and the non-profit.
She pointed to the group’s recent meetings with the commercial fishermen and the non-profit’s willingness to invite members of council and city staff to attend the meetings.
Coy reminded the public that the purpose of the working waterfront project is to preserve dock space for commercial fishermen as well as the history of fishing in the area.
“You know the value” of waterfront land with dock access, Coy said. “It’s going sky-high.”
She explained that property owners could make so much more money selling it to residential development – anything other than fishing.
“We always say we’re the old fishing village,” Coy said – the project helps to realize that goal.
