Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Coastal Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners approve Englewood Beach boardwalk design procurement; staff to explore resiliency and parking options
Summary
The board selected a top-ranked consultant to design the replacement of the Englewood Beach timber boardwalk and walkovers and instructed staff to negotiate a scope that includes resiliency and options for materials and lengths. The motion passed unanimously.
Charlotte County commissioners on June 24 authorized staff to enter negotiations with the top-ranked consultant for design and permitting of the Englewood Beach boardwalk and associated dune walkovers, a project the county is prioritizing for resiliency upgrades and possible FEMA funding.
Tommy Scott, community services director, told the board the consultant’s scope includes schematic design, design development, permitting and the option to incorporate hazard-mitigation elements for storm resiliency. The project description in the solicitation called out replacement or repair of approximately 10,000 square feet of fixed timber boardwalk, three overlook pavilions, five dune walkovers and shower areas.
Commissioners pressed staff on whether the contract required a like-for-like replacement and were told the solicitation included a full scope to describe original conditions and quantities but negotiations would allow evaluation of alternatives — for example smaller boardwalk length, different materials (concrete vs. timber), or partial replacement — and whether site planning steps (parking reconfiguration, small master-plan elements) should be pursued under a separate contract.
Commissioner Chris Constance said the board should at least evaluate options that might increase parking capacity; Deputy County Administrator Emily Lewis and staff reported they have begun collecting vacant-land comparables for a parcel north of the beach that is for sale (listing price mentioned at about $1.3 million) and said an appraisal would cost roughly $4,000–$5,000 if the board wanted a formal valuation.
The motion to advance parts A and B of the item (design/negotiation) passed unanimously. Staff said they would negotiate a contract consistent with the RFP and bring the negotiated scope and price back to the board for final approval; the solicitation was intentionally specific about the boardwalk elements so respondents could bid against a defined scope while allowing negotiated adjustments.
What happens next: staff will complete negotiations with the top-ranked firm, clarify exactly which resiliency elements and material options will be included in the design phase, and return a negotiated contract or alternate procurement if the board asks for a broader master-plan scope.
