Riviera Beach council approves Barracuda Bay site for new police headquarters after heated debate

The Riviera Beach City Council voted Feb. 4 to approve ordinances that will allow construction of a new police headquarters at 1621 West Blue Heron Boulevard, the Barracuda Bay property, approving the land-use change and companion right-of-way abandonment needed to move the project forward.

Council members and staff framed the vote as the next step in a multi-year infrastructure program. Clarence Sermons, the city’s director of development services, told the council the item before them was a second and final reading and that there had been no changes since first reading. City Manager Jonathan Evans and staff said the design work for the project is complete, that roughly $3,500,000 has already been spent on design, and that a March council meeting will consider a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) that could allow construction to begin within 30 days of approval.

The project has been presented by staff as operationally necessary. Supporters, including Julie Botel and several residents who spoke during public comment, said the police department has been operating out of leased office space that is not designed…