VERO BEACH — The Vero Beach City Council on Tuesday voted to place a question on the Nov. 4 ballot asking voters whether or not they want to protect 26 city-owned parcels.
If approved, the charter amendment would require a referendum to sell, trade or give away the various properties, which include active and passive parks, a retention area, utility plant sites, city buildings, athletic fields, Crestlawn Cemetery and an an adjacent plot of land referred to as the “old city nursery.”
Last fall, a controversy arose over fees at the cemetery and the fact that the city sometimes operates the facility at a financial loss.
It was suggested that the cemetery be privatized and long-time families with loved ones buried there vigorously opposed, forming a group to protest any action by the city to change the way the cemetery is operated.
It had come as a bit of a surprise to members of the public and the council alike that the cemetery could even legally be sold.
Councilwoman Amelia Graves and former councilman Ken Daige embarked upon a research project with city staff to clarify names and legal descriptions of city lands and to determine which ones were and were not protected by the city charter.
Over the course of several months, deed descriptions decades old were “cleaned up,” with boundaries of the parks and other lands made clear and names assigned that corresponded with what locals historically called the parcels. The list of properties to be protected was discussed and honed somewhat to a list of 26.
The council made one change, moving Crestlawn Cemetery and the old city nursery property to the top of the list, at the insistence of Councilwoman Pilar Turner.
“Certainly these places definitely do provide us with a sense of place, my main interest is transparency,” Turner said. “All I ask is for us to be as open and clear as we can.”
The only reason the nursery property is on the list, Turner said, as it is not a park, is because it is thought to be a prime site for a possible expansion of the cemetery, should the city require more space.
There had been some consternation about whether or not the city would be able to continue to issue deeds for burial plots if the cemetery was protected from sale in the charter, but City Attorney Wayne Coment advised adjusting the city code slightly to continue to sell “burial rights” on the property, which do not convey ownership, only the right to inter the owner of the plot.
Several members of the public spoke in favor of the charter amendment, including long-time residents, veterans’ advocates and Dan Lamson, executive director of the Indian River Neighborhood Association.
Retired Col. Tony Young, chairman of the city’s Veterans Memorial Island group, described Vero’s public lands as “part of what makes Vero Beach and Indian River County so fantastic.”
Tuesday’s unanimous vote was the final council action needed to get the ballot question included in the Nov. 4 election, in which city voters will choose three council members, as well as decide the race for governor and many local, state and federal offices.
The city-owned properties to be placed on the ballot for consideration are:
- Crestlawn Cemetery
- Old City Nursery
- Pocahantas Park
- Humiston Beach Park
- Jaycee Beach Park
- South Beach Park
- Alex MacWilliam Park
- Riverside Park
- Veterans Memorial Island Sanctuary
- Troy Moody Park
- Municipal Marina
- Young Park
- Bob Summers Park
- Power Plant site
- Wastewater Treatment Plant site
- Block Manor Park
- Charles Park
- Jacoby Park
- Alex MacWilliam Boat Basin Park
- Piece of Pie Park
- Pine Terrace Park
- Royal Palm Pointe Park
- Vero Beach Park
- Lake Rose
- Leisure Square
- Michael Field
