Tequesta council approves Kimley‑Horn design authorization for Tequesta Park, members and residents raise long‑term funding concerns

TEQUESTA, Fla. — The Village of Tequesta Village Council voted April 10 to authorize a professional services agreement with Kimley‑Horn to prepare full construction plans and limited permitting services for Tequesta Park, using state appropriations and village capital funds for the design work.

Council approved the agreement after staff said the village received a state appropriation that will fund up to $682,000 of the park project and that the village’s share of the Kimley‑Horn design work will be approximately $202,000. The contract before council for design services totals $499,755; staff said the village has budgeted the amount from its capital program, not from the general fund.

The contract covers design development, site plan preparation, a traffic impact study, 100% construction plans and limited permitting coordination. Jonathan Hay of Kimley‑Horn attended the meeting to answer technical questions about the scope, staff said.

Council members discussed funding and schedule risks. One council member said they supported advancing design work using sales‑tax capital funds rather than ad valorem (property tax) revenue, but said they would oppose future construction spending without clearer funding commitments. The same member said the village must avoid developing plans that then “sit on the shelf” because construction dollars do not materialize.

Resident Marsha Nielsen urged council to delay the expenditure and reconsider the project, noting the park property is state‑owned and citing pending state policy changes and governor‑level initiatives that she said could affect local funding and park rules. Nielsen said the village should reassess before investing further: “Please ask yourselves... is it a good time to invest a quarter of a million dollars?” she told the council.

Resident Pat Watkins said she feared rising maintenance costs for village parks and asked how the village would sustain operations as parks and facilities increase in scale.

Staff and some council members pushed back that design work is needed to make the project shovel‑ready and to pursue additional state and grant funding. The village manager told council that lobbying and grant work is ongoing and that design completion would help position the village for future appropriations.

After public comment and council discussion, a motion to approve the Kimley‑Horn work authorization carried on a voice vote; council members responded “Aye.” The motion did not list a recorded roll‑call in the meeting transcript.

The design authorization is the next step in a multi‑phase effort that the village says depends on future grant awards and capital planning. Council members said the strategic plan includes funding strategies to pursue additional grants and partnerships.

If the village proceeds to construction, staff told council that additional agreements and budget approvals will return to council for separate votes.

Votes at a glance: the council approved the Kimley‑Horn design authorization on April 10; the vote was by voice and recorded in the meeting minutes as an affirmative carry.