SEBASTIAN — A project that will include a private business owner making parking improvements on City property is moving ahead, after the Planning and Zoning Commission on Feb. 5 gave the go-ahead to River Park Plaza developer Joe Cataldo’s request for the unique arrangement.
The proposal was met with enthusiasm when Cataldo and project engineer Todd Howder first presented it to City Council in July. Instead of participating in the City’s Parking In Lieu program, whereby an applicant can purchase an exemption from standard parking requirements imposed on business owners by paying $3,200 per space into the City’s Parking Fund, Cataldo offered to make the actual Riverview Park improvements, at his own expense, without the exchange of funds.
The project includes 28 paved parking spaces on the grassy, south Riverview Park field adjacent to River Park Plaza, as well as six paved spaces on the Plaza property at Harrison Street and U.S. 1.
According to City staff, the existing Plaza site plan identifies a mix of uses, including retail, restaurant, a bar and medical offices.
Cataldo now provides 88 spaces, exceeding the City’s required 80, but with increasing occupancy, the need for more is anticipated.
The 28 new spaces at the park would remain “public parking,” and would also be available to Plaza customers.
Although not a part of the Parking In Lieu Program, the spaces will be credited on the site plan toward meeting the River View Plaza overall parking needs.
Newly re-elected Commission Chair Ed Dodd called the plan “a great public/private partnership” and praised Cataldo for “doing a great job cleaning the place up.”
“Mr. Cataldo takes pride in ownership,” Howder replied.
Although final cost figures have not yet been determined, Cataldo estimated somewhere between $75,000 and $85,000.
“I firmly believe a private contractor can do the 28 spaces for less than the City can,” opined Dodd.
In response to questions from the P&Z Commissioners, Cataldo and Howder said they understood that all the new spaces on City property would probably be filled by park goers during large-attendance events.
Howder explained that landscaping will be relocated or replaced according to City requirements and also agreed to change the four currently designated compact spaces into full size spaces.
The Commission asked to see the formal agreement between the City and the developer, which is currently being drafted to outline the terms of approval. This document should come before the City Council within the next couple of months.
