TO: The Honorable Board of County Commissioners
THROUGH: John A. Titkanich, Jr., County Administrator
Michael C. Zito, Deputy County Administrator
Beth Powell, Parks Recreation & Conservation Director
FROM: Wendy Swindell, Parks, Recreation & Conservation Assistant Director
DATE: March 19, 2025
SUBJECT: Draft Coastal Technology Corporation Boat Ramp Siting Study - Work Order Number 1
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BACKGROUND
On May 31, 2024, the County Administrator approved Work Order Number 1 with Coastal Technology Corporation (Coastal Tech) to complete a South County Boat Ramp Assessment (Study) to assess the potential for additional boater access locations in the southern portion of the Indian River Lagoon. The Work Order was approved within the Administrator’s signing authority in the amount of $29,890. The Study Area included the area between Wabasso Causeway (north) to the St. Lucie County line (south) on the western banks of the Indian River Lagoon (Study Area).
There are seven public boat ramps located within Indian River County along the Indian River Lagoon. These ramps include: (1) Captain Robert Hardee Boat Launch; (2) Sebastian Yacht Club; (3) Wabasso Causeway Boat Ramp; (4) Alex McWilliam Boat Basin Park; (5) Riverside Park Boat Ramp; (6) Oslo Boat Ramp; and (7) Round Island Park Boat Ramp.
ANALYSIS
The Study included two separate tasks. Task 1 was to complete a desktop screening assessment that included a specific set of criteria provided by the County. The Task 1 screening included a description of the elements of the project: (1) ramp information; (2) parking requirements; and (3) sufficient area for stormwater treatment and buffers. Task 1 also included specific criteria relevant to development and permitting considerations: (1) proximity to the Intra-Coastal Waterway; (2) depth for vessel clearance; (3) benthic resources such as seagrass; (4) proximity to existing lau...
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