Palmetto looks at next step to improve Riverside Park

PALMETTO -- As the almost $900,000 Riverside Park boat ramp and dock improvements continue, Palmetto officials are looking at how to make the waterfront park an even better city amenity.

At the Community Redevelopment Agency and city commission meeting Monday, officials will begin discussing how best to use an existing 1,200-square-foot building and 1,000 square feet of open space.

The building is now used for restrooms, but CRA Director Jeff Burton said the majority of square footage is not being used. Burton is pitching the idea of a possible bait shop and concession stand the city could lease to private vendors.

"It would make an excellent service point to the public, but the building needs some help and the restrooms need to be remodeled," Burton said.

He said the additional land is ideal for a pavilion.

"In the same line of quality we have at Sutton Park and keeping the same theme," he said.

Also being suggested is a 2- to 3-foot deck area near the shoreline to allow people to enjoy the view of Manatee River over the mangroves. Burton said it would tie in well with a concession-style service area so people could

"grab a cup of coffee and look out over Regatta Point and enjoy watching the birds. We could even have a vendor in there who could clean and cook people's fresh catch and they can sit out there and enjoy their dinner."

Vice Mayor Jonathan Davis is pushing the project but, at a prior commission meeting, Ward 2 Commissioner Tambra Varnadore put the brakes on spending $70,000 on a redevelopment design without seeing a conceptual plan and Ward 3 Commissioner Brian Williams expressed concern about the city getting into the landlord business.

"There are some things to work through with the commissioners," said Burton. "What I will be doing on Monday is presenting a list of potential ideas for uses and getting their feedback. From there we will put together a conceptual design that will maximize the value of the space there to make it a really neat place for people to go and hang out."

If the commission can agree on proposed improvements, Burton said the funds would be used for a redevelopment design to be submitted in a grant application to the West Coast Inland Navigation District -- which funded the boat ramp improvements along with the CRA and Southwest Florida Management District .

"That process will take awhile," said Burton. "I hope to make the application by February, but it could very well be two to three years out before we see anything happen. We have to start somewhere though."

The city will also consider placing an electronic sign at its waterfront gateway near the Riverside Park entrance. The 42-square-foot sign exceeds city ordinances limiting signs to 40 square feet, but can be approved with a conditional use permit. The agenda indicates the sign would be located near an existing vacant, but landscaped property to mark the city's southern boundary.

The sign will largely be used to welcome visitors into Palmetto with various messages, but can also be used for public messages related to emergencies. Staff is expected to recommend approval.

Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041 or follow him on Twitter @urbanmark2014.

This story was originally published December 1, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Palmetto looks at next step to improve Riverside Park ."