FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Residents of Fort Pierce and others are calling on city commissioners to preserve a public access boat ramp they feel is threatened by its sale to a private development company.
The boat ramp at Fisherman's Wharf in downtown Fort Pierce has been a popular spot for boaters, families and both recreational and commercial fishermen for years.
Now, hundreds of residents have signed a petition to block the sale of 3.2 acres of land the boat ramp sits on to development company, Shelli Associates LLC.
"I personally have not had one person refuse to sign it," Mike Jenkins, one of the petition's organizers, said.
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According to both Jenkins and Chris Shelli, the head developer of the project, discussions surrounding the sale of the land started when Fort Pierce commissioners issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to redevelop the boat ramp.
Shelli said city commissioners chose his proposal, and in 2021, signed a contract with his development team to transform the boat ramp into a waterfront destination, which will include public docks, public access to a boardwalk, a green space, retail shops, restaurants, multi-family components and a fully-automated boat storage facility, which will replace the current boat ramp.
Instead, Shelli said the boat ramp will be relocated to Harbor Pointe, half a mile away. He says it will be one of the best and newest boat ramps compared to Martin, Indian River and St Lucie counties. The new boat ramp will be engineered to launch four to five boats. In comparison, Shelli said the boat ramp at Fisherman's Wharf can only launch two boats at a time.
Shelli said there will also be floating docks at the new location instead of rigid ones and added the ramps will be fully accessible even during King tides.
Still, Jenkins is passionately opposed to the project. He and his family have owned the land next to the boat ramp since the 1970s. He leases his land to the owner of a popular restaurant, 12A Buoy. He fears the sale of the land will threaten business and prevent the restaurant's long-term customers from coming in.
"This is where commercial fishermen come. We have boat captains with their clients that come to this restaurant," Jenkins said. "If you watch, they'll come out of the boat ramp, go right into the restaurant and eat. It's a win-win."
Shelli, however, said if the project goes through, it will benefit 12A Buoy and surrounding restaurants.
"This is a $75 million waterfront destination," Shelli said. "As a result of our project, not only 12A Buoy but all local businesses and business owners will extremely benefit financially, traffic flow, we're going to be bringing a lot of tourists to the area, and we're proud of that. We're looking forward to the financial win."
Jenkins, however, also said he fears the gridlock the waterfront destination will cause.
"This will ruin this place, and we can't have that," Jenkins said. "The traffic will be backed up all the way on the bridge, and we don't want to turn this place into Fort Lauderdale."
Others at the dock told WPTV they were opposed to the project for the same reasons, also citing fears the city's history wouldn't be preserved.
"I personally used to fish here every single night for about three years straight," Fort Pierce resident Rachel Torreson said. "It's like a sanctuary for me."
"It would destroy everything. It would cause more pollution. It would destroy the history of Fort Pierce," added Kaila Michaloski. "It's quiet. It's clean. I just really think it would disrupt the whole community as a whole."
Shelli told WPTV he's on the board of Marine Cleanup Initiative and is working with the county and Artificial Reef Program to create a Marine Cleanup Initiative, which would load artificial reefs onto barges in the area to preserve the wildlife.
"It's something I'm really passionate about," Shelli said.
WPTV contacted all five city commissioners and the city clerk's office but did not hear back Friday.
According to Jenkins and other residents, in 1954 the city of Fort Pierce received a land grant memorialized in Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund Deed Number 20808. According to the deed, there is a right of reverter clause, which means the city needs the approval of the state to sell the land to any private person, firm or corporation.
According to Jenkins, in May 2022, the city of Fort Pierce put forth a request for the removal of that restriction, which, if the approval is granted, would allow the city to officially go through with the sale. Again, WPTV contacted the commissioners for clarification on the status of that approval but are waiting to hear back.
Meanwhile, organizers of the petition are now planning a pop-up event in the parking lot of the boat ramp for March 18-19 in hopes of getting more signatures. They also plan to take the ones they have to city commissioners during the next meeting on March 6.