Paul Dritenbas floated the idea of a ramp for large boats, up to 35 feet, south of the 17th street causeway at a recent city council meeting. He said other boat ramps in Vero, including those in Riverside Park and MacWilliam Park, have defects that make it difficult to launch bigger boats.
Dritenbas, a Vero Beach architect and fishing guide who represents Indian River County on the Florida Inland Navigation District commission, said a ramp and parking area could be engineered on the grounds of the city wastewater treatment plant, where the Youth Sailing Foundation and Indian River Rowing Club have facilities.
Councilmembers Amelia Graves and Craig Fletcher seemed to like the idea and Vice-Mayor Jay Kramer said it was worth consideration, but the discussion ended on an ambiguous note when Councilwoman Pilar Turner said she wasn’t sure there was a need for another ramp and suggested any such project should be part of a more comprehensive plan for the waterfront.
That is what Dritenbas thinks, too.
He believes a large-boat ramp may be needed and could bring economic benefit to the city, if boat owners fueled up and bought supplies in Vero instead of motoring south to Fort Pierce to put their cruisers in the water.
But his larger point is that the city should be thinking ahead about what to do with the 33 acres where the electric plant and water plant are now located, beginning the master-planning process now instead of waiting until one or both plants are removed.
And he knows where the city can get half the money for planning and making actual improvements, such as the ramp for large boats, which could be built and used even while the utility buildings are still in place.
“FIND has money available for maritime master planning,” Dritenbas said in an interview with Vero Beach 32963. “There is a document that explains eligibility and details the application process the city could use to request a 50-percent matching grant up to $100,000 to do a plan just for the area where the utility plants are or for the entire city.”
FIND’s assistant executive director Janet Zimmerman confirmed the availability of grant money for maritime master planning and boat ramp construction. She said FIND would work with Vero if it decided to apply for funds.
“Master planning can be a ten-year process,” Dritenbas said. “The city needs to be thinking about this now. The best way to get it initiated would be for the council to direct Monte Falls to look at the check list of items to see if the city qualifies for a grant.”
Roland DeBlois, head of the county’s environmental and code enforcement operation, said the county has not developed a maritime master plan, so the city has the opportunity to lead the way on this issue and figure out the type of waterfront development that would be best for Vero Beach.
A maritime master plan should include a needs analysis to see if a new ramp for large boats is necessary, according to Dritenbas, but it would encompasses much more and provide an opportunity to think creatively and concretely about the best uses for 33 acres of prime waterfront land that will be available if the city does finally move its wastewater and electric plants, as has been proposed.
Every town between Cocoa Beach and Stuart benefits from a picturesque waterfront on the lagoon that adds to commercial and residential property values, provides amenities for residents and draws visitors who spend money at local restaurants, stores, hotels, gas stations and other venues.
Except Vero.
A beautiful waterfront on the lagoon would transform Vero Beach and make it much more attractive to tourists and locals alike.
Vero Beach City Manager Jim O’Connor said he has not taken any action on Dritenbas’ idea because he has not received direction from the city council, but all it would take is three councilmembers who like the idea of a maritime master plan – and possibly a new boat ramp – to get an application underway.
Dritenbas says grant money from FIND could be used to pay for staff time spent on planning and engineering work, or for an outside consultant brought in to do the research, data analysis and deep thinking needed to come up with a winning maritime master plan that could serve the city for decades to come – and possibly add impetus to efforts to get the utility plants off the shore of the lagoon.
