| Shore News ❮ Prev |
Advertisers Next ❯ |
South Patrick Residents Association
Supporting Community & Accountability
Supporting Community & Accountability
South Patrick Residents Association (SPRA) is a 501 (c) (4) nonprofit that represents residents in South Patrick Shores. SPRA was first incorporated in 1965 and has been actively involved in community service for over 50 years.
SPRA serves households located within County Commission District 4 in unincorporated Brevard County and works closely with county elected officials, state elected officials, and government agencies, in order to further the best interests of our community. Our all-volunteer association continues to be a powerful and influential voice representing our area’s interests in local government affairs, as well as helping to make needed improvements in our community. We also communicate directly with the homeowner associations located within South Patrick Shores to ensure that there is a solid working relationship and a united voice on issues that impact the entire area.
In addition, a strong membership helps support our united effort to enhance the SPRA area and to further assure that our voices are heard and that we maintain a quality location in which to live, work, and play.
South Patrick Shores Updates
-
FUDS: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began field work on the disposal site the week of April 14th and will be ongoing for 4 to 6 weeks. The project is scheduled to proceed as follows:
- dig test pits
- monitor the air quality
- determine if any debris found is military-related debris and if so determine the type
- collect soil and/or water samples
- address any risks found
- Temporary Closure of the Parking Lot at South Patrick Community Park: The South Patrick Community Park parking lot located at 249 Sea Park Blvd. will be temporarily closed to the public beginning Wednesday, April 23. The closure is due to the test pit digging scheduled by the US Army Corps of Engineers. This project and the planned parking lot resurfacing are estimated to last two to three days. Questions regarding the project can be directed to (321) 633-2046.
- Grand Canal Dredging Update: Dredging began in March in the canal between Skylark and Sandpiper and continues in the canal between Sandpiper and Cardinal. After that, there is some cleanup planned at the Grand Canal and Penguin location. Gator Dredging will move to the north/south canals at the end of the Grand Canal to continue to dredge Thrush, Sparrow, Eagle & Finch. After that, the Berkeley Canal is scheduled to be dredged.
- Berkeley Canal stormwater concrete flume: The flume along Jolly Rodger is broken on the northeast side of the Jolly Roger bridge. It is dislodged and not allowing proper drainage into the Berkeley Canal. SPRA reported this issue to Commissioner Feltner’s office for assessment and repair.
- Boating/Watercraft Reminder: The legal wake zones throughout our canals are slow speed minimum wake zones, especially with the seasonal dredging that began in March. This slow speed helps to protect wildlife, mangrove vegetation, and property along our waterways.
- Community Projects: Project suggestions through area directors are welcome.
No Motor Vehicles Sidewalk Signs
Brevard County recently installed five, 2-sided signs at selected sidewalk locations stating that No Motor Vehicles are permitted to drive on South Patrick Shores sidewalks.
Golf carts are not lawfully permitted on our local sidewalks, with the intent to ensure safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and others using these sidewalks.
The map below indicates the location of these new signs.
South Patrick Drive (S.R. 513) Road Improvements
Financial Project Identification (FPID) Number: 448792-1
Financial Project Identification (FPID) Number: 448792-1
https://www.cflroads.com/project/448792-1
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is proposing improvements on South Patrick Drive (StateRoad (S.R.) 513) from Eau Gallie Boulevard (S.R. 518) to Patrick Space Force Base for a distance of 5.253 miles. The purpose of the project is to extend the life of the existing roadway by resurfacing the pavement. To enhance safety and mobility, FDOT also plans to narrow certain travel lanes to accommodate bicycle lanes, as well as reconstruct and upgrade curbs and pedestrian curb ramps to comply with current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
Project Contact Information: Samuel Jumber, P.E., FDOT Project Manager 1-386-943-5244 Samuel.Jumber@dot.state.fl.us
Satellite Beach-Imposed Fees at Hightower/Pelican Parks Won't Come at Cost for County Residents
BREVARD COUNTY, FL. – Brevard County residents are eligible for free parking and beach access at Hightower Beach Park and Pelican Beach Park even as the City of Satellite Beach implements a Beach Parking Fee Program for out-of-town visitors to its beachside parks.
Annual Parking Permits are available online effective today (Friday, Sept. 1.) Permit applications require a minimum of 72 hours to be processed. The hourly and daily parking rates will be implemented on Friday, Sept, 15.
Both Hightower Beach Park and Pelican Beach Park are former county-owned properties, which were deeded to the City of Satellite Beach in 2013. Parking at these locations will remain free for all Brevard County residents with proper passes, which can be obtained at the City of Satellite Beach parking website. Passes will be required for other Satellite Beach beachside parking areas.
Satellite Beach is implementing these daily parking rates (effective Sept. 15):
- Brevard County residents are eligible to obtain a free annual pass that will allow parking at Hightower Beach East Parking Lot and Pelican Beach Park without being required to pay the daily parking rates.
- For anyone residing outside of Satellite Beach city limits, the annual pass rate is $75 for access to ALL of the beach parking areas within the City of Satellite Beach, or $2.50 per hour with a maximum of $10 per day. A mobile phone convenience fee of $0.35 will be added to each mobile phone payment.
- Brevard County residents wishing to visit any other beachside park within Satellite Beach will need to purchase an annual pass at the rate of $75, or pay $2.50 per hour with a maximum of $10 per day.
- City of Satellite Beach residents are eligible to obtain a free annual pass that will allow parking at all beach accesses and parking areas without being required to pay the daily parking rates.
All rate customers can pay either through an App, by phone, or through kiosks that will be provided at Pelican, Hightower, and Shell Street in Satellite Beach.
For questions on the Beach Parking Fee Program or how to obtain a beach parking pass, please call (321) 425-2522. Annual Parking Permits may be applied for any time of the year. (Public notice sent by Brevard County)
Tree Planting Community Project
The Tree Planting Community Project for Earth Day was held on April 8th, 2023 at 9:00 AM at the South Patrick Community Park, with many willing volunteers in attendance who prepared the soil and planted the trees. In addition, three residents stepped up to water the new plantings over the next several months. This project was funded by SPRA for the benefit of the South Patrick Shores community.
Conserving Hightower Beach Park – Our Oceanfront Legacy
Grant Award Agreements between FDEP, the City of Satellite Beach, and Brevard County for the Hightower Beach Park 18.5 acre site, set “restricted use” precedents. Obligations and responsibilities for activities and improvements on the oceanfront Park must be in accordance with use “restricted to public open space, limited recreation, and conservation use in perpetuity”. The following document was sent to the County Commissioners, County Manager, County Attorney, other relevant County staff, Florida Legislators, FDEP, FWC, and SJRWMD.It is critical to hold all parties, Brevard County, the City of Satellite Beach, and FDEP, accountable for their ongoing contractual obligations, and to ensure that the highest and best public interest is achieved with regard to Hightower Beach Park.
You are partners, who have obligated yourselves to purposeful, conservation efforts at Hightower, as well as to specified uses. These intended uses set the precedent for conservation and passive, public recreational uses enumerated in the two (2) page attachment citing these various contractual agreements by and between the three parties. They are the guiding documents that all signatories are obligated to follow in order to expedite the intended uses and to best serve the public interest and trust.
It is also important to view and understand that the totality of the oceanside beach park we know as Hightower Beach Park is crafted from several parcels, all of which adjoin each other with the expressed purpose of creating a unique, oceanfront park. This was intended to create a gestalt, where the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parcels. Thus, if development impinges on any portion of the Park, it impacts these contiguous properties as well.
Clearly, intended uses do not include an aerial walkway over SR A1A, with an estimated 440 square foot foundation on the east side of SR A1A and east of the sidewalk at Hightower. This would negatively impact Hightower Beach Park, in order to meet the developer’s demands and desires, as well as benefit the developer, not Hightower Beach Park conservation efforts, nor the public. It has been suggested that such a structure would provide safety for the general public, but instead, it would provide a walkway specifically designed for hotel customers. SR A1A already has a reduced speed limit at 35 MPH, as well as superior crosswalks in place for safety. Constructing this looming, aerial structure and foundation footprint would work in direct opposition to the intent of the existing contractural agreements and the public trust.
In addition to the legitimate concerns expressed above, impacts from lighting on nesting turtles (FWC oversight) and amplified, stormwater impacts (SJRWMD oversight) can negatively impact the park area, if this concrete behemoth is constructed on the east side of SR A1A.
The Park is for the use of all Florida residents and tourists alike, where no discrimination should be made with regard to use, access, or fees, irrespective of jurisdictional boundaries.
Now, our residents look forward, with promise, for all parties to assume their appropriate responsibilities to follow, enforce, and preserve the expressed intent of these agreements and the pledges made, in order not to diminish the value of Hightower Beach Park and to provide a natural legacy for the future.
Ayn Marie Samuelson MS, MPA, president SPRA
A 501 (c)(4) Supporting Community & Accountability