The Cocoa Beach City Commission voted to designate a portion of Minuteman Causeway as a park, enabling the city to pursue grants and other funding streams for improvements such as lighting, invasive-species removal and pedestrian upgrades.

Commissioner Tim Tomlenty introduced the proposal to designate the corridor as a park, describing potential benefits including better lighting and removal of invasive vegetation that currently blocks water views. "If all those power lines on Minuteman Causeway were underground, that would be spectacular," a commissioner said during discussion.

Commission discussion emphasized that designation alone does not obligate the city to immediate spending. Commissioners said the park status could unlock state grants and Tourist Development Council funds for future improvements. "By designating it a park, you now have other revenue streams, whether it's state grants, TDC money," a commissioner said.

Some commissioners asked staff to verify property ownership and flagged traffic congestion near Roosevelt Elementary School as a design consideration before constructing improvements. The motion directed staff to return with a defined boundary and suggested formation of a review through the Leisure Advisory or Sustainable Land committees to develop a plan for grants and improvements.

The motion passed unanimously as recorded in the transcript, and commissioners said they will pursue grant opportunities and further design work through standing advisory groups.