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Commissioners direct staff on Higgs Beach lease assignment and new rent terms to return for approval
Summary
The board gave staff direction to approve assignment of the Higgs Beach restaurant lease to the proposed buyer and to return next month with contract language reflecting a staff-recommended blended rent model (proposed $10,000/month + 4% of gross with a $20,000 minimum effective August 2028), contingent on seller/buyer agreement.
The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners directed staff to return with contract documents to allow assignment of the Higgs Beach food-and-beverage concession lease and to implement a revised rent structure at the next renewal period, with the change effective at the beginning of the next renewal in August 2028.
Pat, a county staff member who presented the options, summarized the choices and the staff recommendation for a blended model: "What we proposed is $10,000 fixed monthly rent plus 4% of the gross sales... and a minimum monthly payment of $20,000." Patrick Stevens, an attorney representing the prospective buyers, told the board the buyers need the longer renewal term to secure SBA financing and asked the commission to approve the five-year extension under current terms to support the sale. "We're asking that the commission approve the 5 year lease," Stevens said.
Commissioners discussed whether to lock in a new rent structure now or to adopt the new terms effective with the next renewal. Several members, including Commissioner Cates, said the staff recommendation struck a reasonable balance between protecting county land value and giving the buyer a glide path to operation. The board moved and seconded a motion giving staff direction to prepare contract language reflecting the blended rent model and to return at the next meeting for formal action, with final terms contingent on the buyer and seller reaching agreement during due diligence.
Next steps: staff will draft the assignment/renewal contract, notify the parties, and bring the item back for formal approval. The board did not finalize an executed contract at the Jan. 28 meeting; the approval hinges on buyer and seller agreement and the written contract returned to the commission.
