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Commission authorizes engineering for Sixth Avenue boat ramp after Planning & Zoning recommends seawall repair and modest dock
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Summary
After months of community meetings and a Planning & Zoning study, the Melbourne Beach Commission voted 5-0 to authorize up to $3,500 for engineering to scope seawall repairs and possible dock options at the Sixth Avenue boat ramp.
The Melbourne Beach Town Commission on Tuesday authorized up to $3,500 for engineering to produce bid-ready plans for repairs and optional improvements at the Sixth Avenue boat ramp, voting 5-0 to begin a formal procurement and bidding process.
Planning & Zoning (P&Z) presented a months-long review that included a public workshop and site visits. Todd Albert, an alternate on the Planning & Zoning board, summarized the panel’s recommendations and the constraints: “I am here to present our recommendations on the Sixth Avenue boat ramp,” Albert said, and outlined concerns about limited parking, shallow water depth, and a failing seawall adjacent to private yards.
Nut graf: The commission’s vote authorizes engineers to prepare specifications and an RFP so the town can solicit competitive bids for a seawall replacement, ramp grading and optional dock and gate designs. Supporters said the step will allow the town to compare costs for narrowly scoped choices ranging from seawall repair alone to combinations that include a small dock and removable storm gate.
Body: P&Z recommended a modest 10-foot-by-4-foot dock with embedded pilings and “flow-through” plastic decking, a rebuilt seawall tied to the Atkinson seawall, approach grading to reduce a central hump on the ramp, and a removable gate to help limit surge water intrusion in major storms. P&Z’s packet listed an estimated $46,000 for a seawall option from a contractor identified in the packet as Michael Ashens. Presenters also recommended signage changes, parking restrictions around the ramp and a standing piling for stern lines.
Residents who use the ramp described a mix of safety and privacy concerns. William Stevens, a nearby homeowner and participant in neighborhood workshops, said the compromise proposed by P&Z — a small dock for safe loading and a rebuilt seawall — would meet multiple needs without creating a larger public ramp. Opponents and some neighbors urged caution and emphasized that replacing the failing seawall and removing the sharp coquina rock should be the town’s priority before any dock installation.
Commissioners asked staff to have the town’s three on-contract engineering firms prepare bid specifications that separate seawall, ramp/grading, and dock options so the town could accept parts or all of a bid package. Public Works Director Tom Davis will coordinate with P&Z and the selected engineer.
Ending: With engineering authorization approved, the town will proceed to receive formal cost estimates and then return to the commission to decide which options to fund. Commissioners and P&Z members said they expect the engineering work to clarify whether seawall replacement alone would address the immediate hazards and how much a dock would add to cost and maintenance.
Votes at the meeting: The commission voted 5-0 to authorize up to $3,500 for engineering and RFP preparation for the Sixth Avenue boat ramp, seawall and dock project.
