VERO BEACH, Fla. — The Vero Beach City Council on Tuesday rejected an appeal to cancel a planned expansion of the Municipal Marina.
The city plans to spend more than $7 million on the project for the marina, which is on the east side of the Indian River Lagoon, just north of the Merrill Barber (Highway 60).
Plans are to construct a 21,355-square-foot dry storage building at 3599 Rio Vista Blvd.
The expansion will offer nearly three times the amount of boat storage that's currently available.
All of the slips are open to the public for rental on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
Environmental groups, including the Vero Beach Preservation Alliance, were opposed to the development deal, saying it will have a negative impact on wildlife in the Indian River Lagoon.
The discussion and public comments occupied much of the four-hour meeting.
Despite those claims, the City Council voted 4-0 to move forward with the plan.
In November, voters approved a referendum to turn the closed Vero Beach municipal power plant at the Three Corners intersection into a waterfront hotel, along with shopping and entertainment. The City Council approved a master plan in February for the 38-acre sites.