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Commission directs appraisal and P3/RFP exploration for 1.54-acre waterfront parcel in Millville
Summary
The commission voted 5-0 on Feb. 11 to obtain appraisals and pursue requests for proposals or public-private partnership options for a 1.54-acre city-owned waterfront parcel. Commissioners asked staff to include adjacent vacant lots in the RFP, preserve public water access in any redevelopment plan and to return recommended terms.
Panama City commissioners voted unanimously (5-0) on Feb. 11 to obtain two appraisals and pursue a request-for-proposals or public-private partnership (P3) process for city-owned waterfront parcel 20248-000-000, a 1.54-acre Millville lot the staff recommended selling or redeveloping.
City staff said the property was purchased in 2004 for a potential federal courthouse and has remained largely unused. Commissioners and members of the public discussed options including direct sale, auction and a public-private partnership focused on mixed use with some preserved public waterfront access. The mayor and several commissioners said the city should avoid sitting on underused parcels, but they also asked that any RFP or developer solicitation explicitly preserve public water access or show an overriding public interest if waterfront access is altered.
The commission directed staff to obtain two appraisals, include the nearby 11–12 lots on Harmon/Beck Avenue that the city owns in the solicitation, and to draft an RFP that allows P3 development while preserving a public-access component. Commissioners asked the city attorney and staff to ensure any RFP language notes the comprehensive-plan requirement that the city should not sell waterfront access unless there is a compelling public interest or replacement access is provided.
Staff agreed to return recommended appraisal summaries and a draft RFP for commissioner review before pursuing a sale or formal agreement. The vote authorizing appraisals and the RFP process was unanimous.
