WATCH REPLAY: Port Canaveral Commission Votes 5-0 to Purchase 9.6 Acre Jetty Park Land For $862,950

By  //  May 30, 2018

'This is a great victory for our community'

WATCH REPLAY – CANAVERAL PORT AUTHORITY MEETING:  The Port Canaveral commission will consider approval of accepting the offer of the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners to purchase fee simple title to the 9.6 acre Brevard County owned parcel in Jetty Park for the purchase price of $862,950 and authorize the Staff, Port Attorney and Commission Officers to close the transaction.

CLICK HERE for the Meeting Agenda

BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – The five-member Canaveral Port Authority commission voted unanimously Wednesday evening to purchase for $863,950 the 9.6 acres of Jetty Park property owned by Brevard County.

“This is a great victory for our community and it shows that this is still the people’s port,” said Mac McLouth, who had championed the purchase of the property.

McLouth who is running for the Port Commission District 5 seat, has been encouraging the port to purchase the land for two years.

“The port and the county have worked together for over 51 years to develop Jetty Park and they should take joint pride in its existence for being such a high quality, jewel of a public park and in the way that it serves Brevard.”

Fifteen Brevard County citizens took the time to attend the meeting and all spoke passionately about how the port should purchase the land from the county at the asking price of $863,950, which was the price that the county paid for the property 20 years ago.

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The first speaker, Jack Crockett, encouraged the purchase.

“This is a great deal for the port,” said Crockett.

Susan Hodge said this is a way for the port to give back and not lose any more irreplaceable land.

“It’s time to heal this dispute with the county and preserve this parcel for our children and future generations,” said Hodge.

Sue Ford, former Port commissioner, quoted Article 22 of the port’s charter and declaration of public purpose, to emphasize the point that the commissioner’s job is to benefit the people of Brevard County.

“It is not acceptable for this land to go away,” said Ford. “I am a realtor and I think it is worth at least three times what the county is asking for it. Make the right decision for the inhabitants of your district.”

Tim Sanders reiterated the sentiment of all the public speakers, saying, “This is an opportunity for the port to show that it cares about this community.”

Commissioner Micah Loyd made the motion to purchase the land from the county for $862,950, which was the asking price and the motion passed unanimously.

“We operate the park for the community and we take pride in our parks at the port,” said Loyd. “In my opinion, we don’t really have a choice and we need to buy this.”

The five-member Canaveral Port Authority commission voted unanimously Wednesday evening to purchase for $863,950 the 9.6 acres of Jetty Park property owned by Brevard County.

In an apparent 180 degrees change from his previous position, Commissioner Tom Weinberg, who had spoken at the last port meeting against paying the county any money for the land, seconded Micah Loyd’s motion to buy the property.

Commissioner Bob Harvey, who had taken time to visit with the community about the issue last week, made his opinion clear that the port should buy the property at the asking price.

Commissioner Jerry Allender said that Jetty Park is not in debate, rather a portion of the land of Jetty Park.

“I bet there are developers out there who are drooling that the port not buy the land (so they can buy it),” said Allender. “Do we want development next to Jetty Park?”

Commission Chairman Wayne Justice said, ” I concur with my fellow commissioners that it is unconscionable that the county would sell this land for private development. Jetty park must remain a park.”

CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS