City Council reduces Naples Pier makeover, eliminates concessions.

The City Council has altered its mind on redesigning the Naples Pier.

Following a project report on Monday, the council unanimously voted to delete new concessions and extra seating on the landward side.

The council voiced concern about the unforeseen repercussions of the planned enhancements for both visitors and residents, including their closest neighbors.

The need to safeguard property values and public safety, according to Mayor Teresa Heitmann, is a contributing factor in the decision, according to a recent article by Laura Layden of Naples Daily News.

“Our community is changing,” she explained. “Our visitors are changing, and the one thing we want to ensure is that we protect the space inside the pier. It is a historical pier.”

Several council members believed the enhancements would do more harm than good, increasing congestion at the popular attraction’s entrance and creating sights, sounds, and odors that the surrounding community might not appreciate.

Some councilors stated that they had received complaints from people regarding the harshness of the proposals.

It is unclear how the architectural revisions would affect the project’s timetable, which has already been delayed due in large part to the government approval and regulatory process. Hurricane Ian devastated the pier in September 2022, necessitating a reconstruction.

Before council agreed to revise the design, it learned from municipal administration that construction would not begin until at least December, and maybe not until spring 2025. Construction is planned to last 18 months.

“What we’ve heard today is a pivot,” said Jay Boodheshwar, the municipal manager.

The city attorney said he’d return to council with a “game plan” for how to proceed.

The Council’s surprising turnaround on the design will necessitate further discussions with architects, the selected building contractor, and government agencies, including FEMA.

Boodheshwar underlined the need for a permission adjustment.

“That may have some timing impacts,” he stated. “Hopefully, it’s not huge.”

He emphasized that while the adjustments will reduce the project’s cost, there were lost design expenditures that could not be recovered.

The construction cost estimate has risen to well over $26.35 million, including contingency, engineering, and inspection services provided by an outside consultant. A stacked finance strategy had already been developed, with at least $7 million coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Gary Young, the city’s chief financial officer, informed council that if the city begins construction on the project before an environmental evaluation and permits are given, FEMA will not provide compensation. Even demolition work cannot begin without endangering the full sum of money.

“That demolition will get the majority of the reimbursement,” Young said, not the redesign.

Other sources of money for the reconstruction include municipal and state grants, donations, and bonds.

Council will most likely decide to reduce back the design formal within a few weeks, giving city staff time to gather additional information and publish it as an action item on the board’s agenda, allowing for public feedback.

The first proposal produced following Ian incorporated concessions on the pier and over the Gulf of Mexico that existed prior to the storm’s destruction. However, after FEMA objected, citing risk, safety, and newer requirements, the commercial operations were moved onshore, allowing for a bigger footprint.

Before COVID, the existing concessions brought in roughly $100,000 per year for the city, Boodheshwar reminded council. They have been closed since Ian.

Councilman Bill Kramer, who was not on the board when it approved the plan with onshore concessions last year, said that FEMA’s requirement that the city take them off the pier was “a deal breaker for me.”

He pointed out that in a city-commissioned poll, few residents claimed they went to the pier to eat or that food was an important part of their experience.

While tourists may think it more essential, Kramer stated, “I represent the people of Naples.”

Councilwoman Beth Petrunoff stated she would prefer to “keep it simple.”

Although he agreed with removing the concessions to alleviate jams at the pier’s entrance, Bill Barton, another new council member, suggested that the city consider putting vending machines on-site to give drinks and snacks for individuals who do not plan beforehand.

In response, Boodheshwar stated, “That’s not a decision you need to make today.”

The city received three bids on the project. As required by FEMA, Shoreline Foundation Inc. was chosen as the lowest qualified bidder. The company’s proposal totaled around $23.46 million.

“They have built piers,” Boodheshwar confirmed. “So, they have satisfied that this project is well within their ability to build.”

The pier will be built stronger and taller, with new amenities such as more shaded spaces and chairs to enjoy the Gulf views.

During construction, the pier will be closed to the public, including the restrooms. It is now just partially open, with no fishing allowed.

“We want this pier rebuilt, but the reality is we don’t have false expectations, in terms of what it takes to get us to the groundbreaking,” Boodheshwar told reporters. “It’s going to take some time.”

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News