Riviera Beach officials, designers present Singer Island beach upgrade concepts; boardwalk could cost millions

At a town hall on Singer Island, Riviera Beach officials and private consultants presented conceptual plans for upgrades to the Municipal Beach Park and solicited public input on designs that include a raised boardwalk, additional picnic pavilions, new sports courts and improved pedestrian circulation.

The meeting, led by Councilperson Spears and attended by Councilman Tradrick McCoy, Casey Young (parks and recreation director) and representatives of 2GHO Inc., focused on accessibility, safety and funding. George Gentile and Dan Simpson of 2GHO outlined six project areas — north courts and top lot, north picnic area, a central entry/ shade-sail area, south picnic area and sports courts, and a dune pathway or raised boardwalk — and asked residents to mark preferences on display boards and sticky notes.

“This was my suggestion…to build a boardwalk, right next…in back of the dune so that people can come up and not have to go on the beach to look at the ocean,” Councilperson Spears said, describing the accessibility rationale for a raised structure that would let people view the ocean without walking on the sand.

Nut graf: The town hall matters because the proposals would change how residents and visitors access and use Riviera Beach’s municipal shoreline, rely on a mix of public and potential private funding, and intersect with separate zoning and development pressures at the adjacent Ocean Walk Mall and Sands Hotel parcels. City leaders said plans remain conceptual and will be revised after community input.

Consultants described the boardwalk as a raised, ramped structure that could meet the second-story level of the existing beachfront building, include shaded kiosks or vendor space above and a pedestrian pathway below, and be sized to allow emergency vehicles such as utility “gators” (consultants said full ambulance access would raise costs). Dan Simpson said the drawings are a “first blush” and “nothing’s fully baked.”

Cost and funding: Speakers said funding sources under consideration include a community-approved bond that has earmarked $3,000,000 for the Municipal Beach Park, impact fees from future development, federal programs such as the Department of Interior urban parks program, targeted appropriations from members of Congress and potential private contributions from developers. Consultants gave a high-level estimate for the boardwalk of roughly $10,000,000 to $45,000,000 depending on construction type and coastal requirements. The consultants did not provide a clear, finalized figure for the other areas (A–E) during the meeting.

Parking and revenue debate: Parking was a recurring concern. Councilperson Spears said he opposed charging for parking and would “do everything I can to fight that.” Meeting remarks referenced an early proposal that would have charged as much as $30 per day at some beach-side spots (with the first two hours free under that proposal); speakers said any parking revenue would be restricted to mobility-related uses. City staff and residents warned that parking fees could affect nearby businesses and beach access.

Zoning and development pressures: Residents pressed officials about proposed development near the Ocean Walk Mall and the Sands Hotel site. Councilperson Spears said the city charter limits building height to five stories in the mall area and that developers were seeking to use adjacent Planned Unit Development (ICPUD) zoning — which can allow taller buildings with council approval — to pursue higher towers. Spears said he has pressed developers for commitments to support the beach project and that he plans to request a council discussion about a moratorium on actions in the ICPUD zoning district until the city updates its comprehensive plan and zoning ordinances; he said that discussion may come to the council agenda on Feb. 19. The mayor, speakers said, is a nonvoting official in Riviera Beach’s “weak mayor” form of government.

Safety and maintenance: Residents raised security concerns tied to sheltered spaces and homelessness at the park. Consultants said designs would incorporate CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design) principles and would be developed in coordination with first responders. City staff said two restrooms currently exist at the site and that restroom upgrades would use designs common to public county parks to improve accessibility and maintenance. Speakers described existing janitorial and parks staff coverage and said enforcement and offers for shelter have been used recently in some cases.

Community engagement and next steps: Designers and staff asked attendees to sign in and leave written comments on display boards. City staff said the team will document comments, revise plans, and return with more refined design and cost estimates. Councilperson Spears encouraged residents to attend upcoming council meetings to comment on zoning and development matters.

Ending: No formal decisions or votes were taken at the town hall. Staff and consultants said designs remain conceptual; the next steps are to compile public feedback, refine designs and cost estimates, and bring matters back to the council and community for follow-up review.