For the past couple of months, a few residents have asked why their tax dollars went to build a parking lot at Fisherman’s Landing. They argued on social media that it was a waste of taxpayers’ money for a parking lot they can’t use.
When Mayor Ed Dodd got wind of it, he went on social media and offered to meet with them and answer their questions. Unfortunately, they ignored his request and suggested the city had something to hide since they won’t address questions online.
Social media has never been a platform for city officials to comment. However, residents can get their questions answered via sending an email, making a phone call, or going to City Council meetings.
Lisa Frazier, Community Development Director for the City of Sebastian, made the presentation at the meeting.
Fisherman’s Landing is a working waterfront that secured funding from the Stan Mayfield Working Waterfront program administered through the Florida Communities Trust (FCT).
Frazier said the property containing Crab E Bills and the new parking area are a loading/unloading zone for fishermen.
“We purchased this property back in 2009 to 2010 with funding from the Florida community’s trust in regards to their Stan Mayfield working waterfront program. It was specifically purchased as a working waterfront,” Frazier said.
“In addition, the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) has provided significant funding to the city for many of the improvements that you find on this property,” Frazier added.
The property itself protects and promotes commercial fishing by providing dockage for licensed commercial fishing vessels. In addition, the area near the new parking area is a loading zone for the packing and shipping of freshly caught seafood and aquaculture products. The commercial fishermen are leasing the property and the loading zone, and it has been that way since day one.
The objective is to rebuild the historic fish house, which will once again serve the area with seafood/aquaculture. It is also used to showcase local seafood at the fish market/eatery at Crab E. Bills.
“Our city was founded on commercial fishing; we want to support that industry. It is one of our economic drivers. We are very fortunate and lucky that we have this property, and we have two very well-known distributors working out of this facility,” Frazier said at the meeting.
The City of Sebastian provides an annual revenue report to the FCT as part of the management plan.
Read the Fisherman’s Landing Working Waterfront PDF file that explains everything about the project for more information.
