WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The West Palm Beach City Commission unanimously voted Monday to terminate negotiations with City Harbor to develop a marina downtown.
Several residents vocally against the project showed up at the meeting.
An online petition organized by the West Palm Beach Downtown Neighborhood Association encouraged commissioners to reconsider the proposal. Residents are upset super-sized yachts of the wealthy will block views and access to the area.
No resolution was on the agenda about the project, but the vote came during mayor/commissioners' comments.
Commissioner Kathleen Ward originally introduced a motion to postpone negotiations with the developer until meetings with residents were completed. Then, she amended her motion to terminate the project after a rule clarification.
Near the start of the meeting, Mayor Keith James described plans to organize a waterway community partnership for a master plan on the waterfront. He said it would include experts and community leaders, plus comments from citizens across "all four corners" of the city.
He said the first of several meetings will begin in two weeks.
"The marina project is not the entire waterfront across the city," the mayor said.
After the vote, James said that he isn't giving up on improving the waterfront.
"I am still committed to a full-blown waterfront-envisioning process," he said.
The development would have included an 84-slip marina stretching from Clematis Street to Fern Street.
Residents had claimed they didn't have an opportunity to provide input on the project. However, James said Monday that plans for the marina had been two years in the making.
City Harbor made a presentation to commissioners on June 5, winning the bid.
