The Bay Park Improvement Board voted unanimously to recommend that the City of Sarasota and Sarasota County approve $16 million for Centennial Park resiliency improvements (3A) and $4 million for planning the park center (3B).

The recommendation, moved and seconded during the board’s regular meeting and forwarded to the two commissions for final funding decisions, directs money toward shoreline hardening, new stormwater treatment, expanded trailer parking and boat-launch capacity, and early design work for a terraced central park and associated parking garage.

Board members and Bay Park Conservancy leaders framed the funding request as a resilience-first approach. “Conservation, preservation and restoration — and then the user experience — is how we approach every acre on this site,” Emily Walsh, secretary of the Bay Park Conservancy board of directors, told the board. Walsh and other conservancy leaders emphasized that stormwater treatment and shoreline protection are the primary drivers of the Centennial Park scope.

Why it matters

The Bay Park site totals 53 acres and serves multiple uses including the Van Weisel Performing Arts Hall, municipal auditorium and a heavily used public boat basin. Conservancy staff said phase 1 (roughly 10 acres) currently treats about 70,000,000 gallons of polluted runoff annually; the site receives substantially more runoff overall. Board members said the proposed 3A/3B investments are intended to reduce pollution, raise vulnerable areas and improve everyday access — especially for boaters — while protecting downtown Sarasota from storm surge.

What the board approved and next steps

The board’s motion asks the city and county to consider a three-way cost-share approach (conservancy, city, county), and the conservancy said it will pursue grants and private donations to cover roughly one-third of the request. Jennifer Jorgensen, governmental affairs director for the City of Sarasota, said the city is administering a major competitive solicitation tied to a federal CDBG-MIT grant of roughly $10 million and that the solicitation package is now under state review. "We will post the solicitation for 30 days as soon as the state finishes its review," Jorgensen said.

Board materials and presenters recommend carrying out the Centennial Park upland work first (parking reconfiguration, walkways, green space) in 2026, with marine infrastructure (seawalls, additional launch lanes, floating day docks) following in 2027. Conservancy staff said they expect to complete all phase‑2 projects by 2027 and that certain city bond timing means as much work as possible should be expensed by May 2026.

Key project elements discussed

- Resilient shoreline and stormwater: Conservancy staff described a ‘‘stormwater excellence’’ plan that uses natural and engineered treatment trains (bioswales, infiltration chambers, baffle boxes and holding ponds) to reduce pollutant loads before water reaches the bay. The south side of the existing canal district received seawall rehabilitation and floating day docks, and staff said the resilient shoreline work north of Van Weisel will raise edges and add rain gardens.

- Centennial Park (3A) scope and costs: The board recommended $16,000,000 for 3A, with roughly $13.5–14 million described as hard construction costs and the remainder for design and contingencies. Proposed changes include replacing failing seawalls, adding one additional boat basin (two launch lanes) — a roughly 33% increase in launch capacity — and expanding trailer parking capacity by about 50 percent.

- Central park / parking (3B) planning: The board recommended $4,000,000 to advance planning for the park center and a parking solution that staff described as a ‘‘layered’’ or terraced park above parking structure(s). Staff described options ranging from a 3-level garage (roughly 750 spaces) up to a 4-level design that could approach 900 spaces; they advised a 3-level solution would meet current needs while providing resiliency elevation and space for playgrounds, water features and restaurants in the park core.

- Boating and operations: Staff and board members discussed operational rules for day docks (paid short-term docking, restrictions on overnight stays), potential dock-master staffing on busy days, and continuing discussions about charter/commercial use versus recreational access. Conservancy and city staff said improved communications with the boating community is a priority during construction phasing.

Funding sources and outreach

Conservancy and staff presented a mix of funding sources: private donations (already significant in earlier phases), Tax Increment Financing (TIF) proceeds used by the county, a City contribution that included capital and maintenance support, and grant programs (including the CDBG-MIT federal grant routed through the Florida Department of Commerce, a WCIND grant opportunity mentioned by staff, and Florida Fish & Wildlife grants). The conservancy said a combination of private, grant and local public funds will be pursued and that each public partner will ultimately decide whether and how to fund its share.

Timeline and deliverables

Conservancy presenters said design through 60 percent could be completed by the end of the year for Centennial Park, with upland construction beginning in early 2026 and marine infrastructure staged for 2027. The resilient shoreline solicitation is with Florida Commerce for review; staff hoped to post the bid package before Thanksgiving 2025 and keep it open for 30 days.

Votes at a glance

- Recommendation to city and county for $16,000,000 for Centennial Park (3A) and $4,000,000 for central park planning (3B) — Motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved unanimously; forwarded to City Commission and County Commission for their consideration and funding decisions.

- Reappointment of community member John Thaxton to the Bay Park Improvement Board — nomination moved and seconded earlier in the meeting; outcome: approved unanimously.

Quotes and attributions

"This past weekend, I visited the St. Pete Pier and I was struck by how many people were using and enjoying what is in essence, a 26 acre concrete attraction," Emily Walsh said, using the example to underline potential for Bay Park. "Together, we're building something lasting, not just a park, but a place where people can gather for many generations and will enrich our community."

"We have intentionality for every acre of the 53 acres to use it as a way to improve water quality," Diana Shaheen, chief operating officer for the Bay Park Conservancy, said during the presentation on stormwater planning.

"Because the majority of a major grant comes to the city, the city is managing the solicitation," Jennifer Jorgensen said about the resilient shoreline procurement and the CDBG-MIT funding.

Ending

Board members asked staff to return the recommended funding packages to the City of Sarasota and Sarasota County for formal consideration; conservancy staff said they will continue grant applications and private fundraising to meet the one‑third funding target the conservancy proposed. The city’s and county’s final decisions and precise funding methods — including use of TIF, penny‑surtax proceeds and bond or reserve balances — will determine whether the board’s recommendations move to construction on the proposed schedule.

(Reporting note: numeric tallies for the two unanimous approvals were not specified in the meeting transcript; both motions were recorded as passing unanimously and will be posted in the city and county agendas for the upcoming commission meetings.)