Just when some voters in Riviera Beach, Florida thought the proposed megayacht marina in their city was killed at the polls, they’re being asked to vote on the idea once again.
Last week, the city council approved two questions about the marina to be placed on ballots for the March 8 city election. The first will ask whether changes to the city charter, which affected the property and were voted in favor of on November 2, should be repealed. The second will ask whether a megayacht service yard similar to the one that Rybovich wanted to build there should be approved.
On Election Day in November, more than 4,000 voters cast ballots in favor of changing the city’s charter to prohibit leasing space to Rybovich for a new refit and repair yard. It was put to a public vote after residents collected enough signatures on a petition. The ballot item requested voter input on whether the laws should be changed to prevent an existing marina from being used for a “commercial boat repair operation.” They were also be asked to vote yes or no on restricting the use of submerged lands, so that Riviera Beach would own and operate the marina and the existing properties. On November 5, Rybovich announced it would no longer pursue the marina project, issuing this statement: “While the Rybovich Boat Co. was deeply disappointed by the results of the final vote, we respect the wishes of the majority.”
So why did the city council approve new marina questions? According to the Palm Beach Post, there’s confusion over exactly what the wording of the charter change meant. It read, in part, that the marina and surrounding land would be “owned, managed, and operated solely by the city of Riviera Beach for municipal and public uses.” According to the newspaper, Dawn Pardo, the city council chairwoman, says that some voters thought “yes” meant blocking Rybovich’s use of the marina and surrounding property, while others thought it meant approving the facility. Meanwhile, Riviera Beach officials believe that the charter change blocks the renewal of existing leases there.
Sylvia Blue, representing the Committee for a Better Riviera Beach, agrees with Pardo’s assessment and adds that further confusion stemmed from some groups that pushed for the change. In the Palm Beach Post article, Blue states that some voters were lead to believe that “no” would mean the city would lose all claims to the marina and surrounding property.
Not everyone is in favor of the new ballot questions. Shelby Lowe, a councilman, argued against them, stating, “It’s a slap in the face to voters,” according to the paper. “It’s like we’re going to ask them until we get the answer that favors the boat yard.”
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