Rendering of potential look provided by Bob Currie
By Tim Pallesen
A “world-class” appearance has been ordered for the city’s municipal beach — possibly with an open vista to the ocean at Atlantic Avenue.
City commissioners on Sept. 16 directed staff to implement a beach master plan that the city approved in 2010 but delayed because of the economic recession.
“Delray Beach is blessed to have an authentic main street and an accessible public beach, but we’ve taken for granted that the beach will continue to support the town as it has,” Mayor Cary Glickstein said.
“If you look at what neighboring cities have done, the distinction of a world-class beach melts away quickly,” the mayor said.
Commissioners Shelly Petrolia and Jordana Jarjura agreed. Commissioners Al Jacquet and Adam Frankel were absent from the workshop meeting.
“It doesn’t match the face of what should be our most valued resource,” Jarjura said. “It is a shame that the beach has languished so long.”
The action was urged by officers of the Beach Property Owners Association. The beach master plan was adopted four years ago after residents gave their visions at two community forums.
“This is where downtown meets the beach. This is our Main and Main,” BPOA vice president Andy Katz said of the Atlantic Avenue intersection with Ocean Boulevard. “But it’s gotten long in the tooth. It’s being ignored.”
BPOA director Scott Porten stressed the beach’s importance to Delray’s tourist economy. “We were given this gold goose and we need to protect it.”
New showers, benches and trash cans will be the first improvements. Two new gazebos will be built at Nassau and Laing streets. Designers will figure a way to move the parking meters and signs that impede pedestrians on the sidewalk.
Costs are unknown.
The most dramatic change called for in the master plan would be clearing vegetation to create an open vista to see the Atlantic Ocean.
“As you come up Atlantic Avenue, we would like to see the beach. We would like to know we are not in Kansas,” BPOA vice president Bob Currie said.
City commissioners didn’t commit to removing the vegetation, due to state and federal laws that protect sea turtles from the glare of lights.
“This is going to be a hard sell, but I think we’ve got some ideas so turtles will be safe during turtle season,” Currie said. He suggested canvas sails that could be turned to block car headlights at night.
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