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Board recommends sale of Spanish River Park easement for undersea cable; residents seek construction assurances
Summary
Planning board recommended approval of subterranean easements in Spanish River Park to a private undersea cable operator (Telxius) after staff reported a third‑party appraisal valuing the easement at $2,684,000 and receipt of the 10% deposit; nearby residents asked about visibility, construction timing and noise.
The Planning and Zoning Board on Thursday recommended that City Council approve the conveyance of two subterranean telecommunications easements totaling about 0.493 acres within Spanish River Park to a private undersea cable operator.
Anne Hathaway, property specialist for Development Services, said the Urban Group appraised the easement at $2,684,000 and the applicant provided the required 10% deposit. She described two easement segments—one on the west side of A1A (~0.282 acres) and one on the east side (~0.211 acres)—and said the easements would allow underground fiber to reach an existing connection point in Spanish River Park.
Residents who live adjacent to the park asked whether the project would change park sightlines or introduce aboveground equipment. Kenneth Curatori of the San Remo Club asked whether the green space and pedestrian access points would look different after construction; the applicant, Guillermo Kanete for Telxius, said the cable work is underground and “you will not notice that there is anything” after completion. Another commenter raised concerns about permitting for the intercoastal portion and past litigation; staff and the applicant said this item covers only the city easement and that construction permits would follow separate review.
After questions, the board voted 6–0 to recommend forwarding the ordinance to City Council for introduction and first reading on the dates staff provided.
