By Margie Plunkett DELRAY BEACH — There may be no harnessing the power of the sea, but the Beach Property Owners Association would at least like to design around it. The Beach Property Owners Association proposed to Delray Beach commissioners during a June workshop that they support an effort to create a master plan for the beach area, to set a design and concept for the oceanfront park as the city has done with areas like Pineapple Grove. Commissioners embraced the concept of creating a master plan. “It’s a good idea. We have a lot of jewels in our city, and the beach is certainly one of them,” Commissioner Adam Frankel said. Commissioner Fred Fetzer agreed, adding, “I would be very supportive of working on the beach master plan.” The objective of the master plan is to establish a sense of place through design elements reflecting the unique charter of the beach, Andy Katz, vice president of the Beach Property Owners Association, told commissioners during his presentation.

Pointing to Pineapple Grove as visually successfully, Katz said that in design, even the small touches count, such as attractive trash cans and benches. Attractive turquoise metal trash cans adorn Pineapple Grove, he said. Clicking through his PowerPoint presentation, Katz showed a current trash can at the beach; he described this one as resembling a roll of toilet paper. The master plan would incorporate, among many things, a balance in design elements with manmade features and landscaping complementing the natural setting of open ocean vistas, according to the presentation. The association also envisions wide, unobstructed eastern sidewalks with naturalistic art-scapes, nature and science displays and historical markers. The east side could also include beach showers, gazebo and pavilion, exercise stations and a public meeting place, Katz said, and beach entrances could be made more inviting. These, as well as a host of other issues — including official beach park designation and naming — would be addressed under the master plan, according to Katz. As the Delray Beach area has grown more upscale over the years, “patrons appreciate a little more polished neighborhood, too,” Katz said. Residents, city officials, other local organizations and businesses, along with the Beach Property Owners Association, are possible participants in creating the master plan. Funding for the park could come from grants; business and public donations; and county, state and federal money, Katz said. “This is the most important park we have in town,” said Bob Currie, a Beach Property Owners Association trustee.
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