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Moore Haven reviews $500,000 Brownfields assessment grant and marina reuse plan
Summary
Council workshop heard a presentation on a $500,000 EPA assessment grant that funds a site-specific reuse plan for Moore Haven Marina and six waterfront parcels; plan will be shared with the city and county and funding options include reapplying for Brownfields funds or pursuing EDA support.
Moore Haven council members on June 15 reviewed a Brownfields site-reuse proposal tied to a $500,000 EPA assessment grant that funds a site-specific reuse plan for the City of Moore Haven Marina and six waterfront parcels.
"EPA defines Brownfields as real property," said Alex during the presentation, noting that legacy industrial and non-industrial uses can leave complex soil and groundwater contamination while also offering redevelopment advantages such as proximity to roads, waterways and rail. Alice, a second presenter, said, "When we are cleaning up Brownfields sites, we are improving the environment as we are removing that pollution," and outlined typical cleanup steps: scoping the problem, a qualified environmental professional conducting site assessment and investigation, cleanup, and then redevelopment.
A deputy director from the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council told the workshop the regional assessment grant—awarded to support planning work across six counties—covers six waterfront parcels and several parcels north of U.S. 27 and Avenue J. The presenter said the four-year grant began in 2022, has a $500,000 award for assessment and planning work, and that the current award period ends Sept. 30. The reuse plan will be shared with the city and county and then reopened for public and elected-official discussion.
Council members and attendees clarified parcel ownership during the meeting: "The County owns two acres where the pound is and the five acres where the hotel was are included in this," said Carlise. A participant identified as Patterson asked whether cleanup responsibility falls to landowners once the study is complete; the deputy director said the regional council plans to reapply for future Brownfields funding and will also explore EDA and other redevelopment funding opportunities once the city and county select a reuse plan.
The presentation emphasized both environmental and economic benefits from redeveloping Brownfields—improved air and soil quality, potential green infrastructure such as micro-forests, and job creation that can increase tax revenue. The workshop did not take formal action on redevelopment direction; next steps are finalizing the reuse plan, circulating it to local officials, and pursuing follow-on funding as appropriate.
