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Sebastian Council buys land to redesign intersection
By TONY JUDNICH
tony.judnich @scripps.com
December 15, 2006
SEBASTIAN — A 0.12 -acre parcel east of Main Street and Indian River Drive doesn't have much parking space for a
commercial business, says city resident Louise Kautenburg.
And not many people would want the property because it's next to the busy Main Street Boat Ramp, city resident
Eugene Wolff said.
But the City Council Wednesday agreed with Kautenburg the city would be the best owner for the parcel at 1302
Indian River Drive, along with its 0.14 -acre of submerged land in the adjacent Indian River Lagoon. Sitting as the
Community Redevelopment Agency, the council unanimously approved paying $395,000 for the land from Vero
Beach businesswoman Bettina Boudrot.
City officials said they could try to fill in the submerged section, and the 0.12 -acre portion would help complete a
major redesign of the Main Street - Indian River Drive intersection. Construction of the estimated $1.5 million project
could start next fall and be completed by March 2008.
Boudrot said she used part of the small, single - family home on the parcel as a photography studio until it was
damaged by the 2004 hurricanes. Now, city officials plan to knock down the house before realigning Main Street and
Indian River Drive to improve boater, vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
The work also will include:
• Widening Main Street from two to five lanes in the block between U.S. 1 and Indian River Drive. A median would
separate two eastbound lanes from three westbound lanes, including a left -hand turn lane onto U.S. 1.
• Eliminating on- street parking spots on the west side of Main Street.
• Realigning Indian River Drive to curve to the west at its intersection with Main Street, creating some room for boat -
trailer parking next to the boat ramp. Indian River Drive would remain a north -south road connected to Main Street.
City Manager Al Minner told the council the city paid about $6,500 for two appraisals of Boudrot's property. The two
appraisals reported the value of the 0.12 -acre section at $300,000 and $322,000 respectively.
Minner said there were several reasons the city should pay $395,000, or $73,000 more than the higher appraised
value: the appraisals didn't include the 0.14 -acre section, which city officials say will be "buildable" property if it can
get state permits to fill it in.
And he said the overall site is surrounded by city property and a key component of the redesign project.
The council approved paying $395,000 only after being assured by Boudrot's attorney, Kevin Doty, of Vero Beach,
that she would remove a contingency. Worried the city might use the land for commercial businesses, Boudrot
wanted the city to accept a deed restriction requiring the land "only be used in conjunction with parks, cultural or
waterfront recreational activities" for 30 years.
But Councilman Nate McCollum said he's "not comfortable with paralyzing a future council" that might want to use
the land for other purposes, and the other council members agreed.
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TCPalm: Real Estate
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The $395,000 will come from $801,242 in community redevelopment money budgeted for the overall redesign
project, leaving $406,242 for design and construction work.
Minner said the almost $700,000 needed to complete the project could come from the Community Redevelopment
Agency Fund, or the city could take out a short -term loan. Revenue in this year's fund is projected to be almost $1.26
million.
• December - January: Prepare request for proposals for contractors to design the project.
• February- March: Review proposals, award design contract.
• June -July: Conduct public workshops as design work continues.
• July- August: Project bidding.
• September- October: Begin construction.
• February-March 2008: Complete construction.
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