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Residents press council on Holmes Park plan, small-business support and high taxes
Summary
Public commenters urged the council to preserve Holmes Park rather than spend $300,000 on new amphitheater planning; speakers also asked for more support for minority-owned businesses and said a roadway island has blocked access to a long-standing gas station, hurting sales.
During the public‑comment period the April 28 meeting, multiple residents raised neighborhood and small‑business concerns.
Alfredo Fernandez (introduced by the mayor) urged council to reconsider a proposed $300,000 planning expenditure related to Holmes Park, calling the park historically valuable and warning that replacing it with an amphitheater could reduce everyday public use and parking. "Holmes Park already has historical value… we should focus on improving what we already have for everyday use," Fernandez said. He asked council for follow‑up and accountability on the issue and requested a response from staff.
Crystal Plane, a small‑business owner and nonprofit founder, described disparities affecting Black entrepreneurs—citing lower startup capital and limited access to loans—and introduced "Black Brilliance on the Rooftop," a nonprofit that provides free workshops and networking to minority business owners. She asked council to help publicize and partner with the program.
Michael Cinti spoke on behalf of a Marathon gas‑station owner in South Melbourne, saying a traffic island now limits access from the south and has reduced business by roughly half. He said the Department of Transportation indicated an ingress through the island may be permitted but the owner might have to pay to construct it. Council members and staff agreed to pursue the permit and to coordinate with the Space Coast TPO and DOT to explore funding or technical options.
Councilmembers acknowledged the concerns, directed staff to follow up with the speakers and scheduled additional staff-level coordination for park and access issues.
