Would you give Vero Beach City Council carte blanche to develop waterfront property?

Val Zudans isn’t running in the November election for Vero Beach City Council, but he’s doing his best to make one issue the focus: what the city should do with the so-called Three Corners at Indian River Boulevard and 17th Street.

The election season will heat up in earnest at 3 p.m. Tuesday when council meets in what could be a marathon session to discuss not only a controversial Zudans proposal on the Three Corners, but three other issues former Mayor Dick Winger warned residents about in an email blast.

Winger’s concerns — council discussions on use of the Riverhouse in MacWilliam Park, sale of the downtown post office and legal services — don’t concern me as much as the future of the Three Corners.

The Riverhouse issue, wherein Zudans and fellow council members Harry Howle and Lange Sykes directed the city to negotiate a lease with Orchid Island Brewery, seems moot. Alden Bing, the micobrewery’s owner, texted me Thursday night saying he was no longer interested in the property because of flooding concerns.

Orchid Island and Bing, a Vero Beach native and visionary brewer trying to help the city by making Riverhouse profitable, have been unfairly criticized by opponents of the proposal.

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But the future of 38 taxpayer-owned acres, most of which sit on the west side of the Indian River Lagoon, is a major issue. It’s time the city finally figure out what it wants to do with the old power plant, sewer plant and former postal annex across the street.

Zudans agrees.

“I want the people who are running to have to answer the question of what do you want at the Three Corners," Zudans told me last week, noting he thinks development there should occur sooner rather than later. "The people say they want us to do something there."

Where Zudans and I disagree, at least for now, is how and when to determine the Three Corners’ future.

On Tuesday, he’ll ask council to hold a referendum asking voters to let council lease or sell the waterfront property used by city utilities. 

Getting permission, Zudans said, would give the coming year’s council an opportunity to seek proposals for the property and possibly rezone it. Such action would spur quicker demolition of the power plant and relocation of the sewer plant. Redevelopment would occur quicker.

It's good Zudans wants to get the redevelopment ball rolling. For too long the Three Corners has sat on the back burner. 

But council has largely avoided the issue.

Almost three years ago I wrote that a proposal to put a gasoline station on the southwest corner of the intersection was shortsighted. I argued residents should tell the city what they wanted so it could devise a vision — as hackneyed as that phrase may seem — for the Three Corners.

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Residents have pitched ideas numerous times  during the past three years. The ideas range from a massive park to condominiums.

Other proposals include a spot for the Youth Sailing Foundation, which has offered to build a community sailing center; turning the power plant into a tennis center; a convention center, and development where the east side provides public water access and the west provides stores, restaurants and perhaps some hotel rooms.

One thing’s for sure: Not everyone will agree on what should happen. I’d like to think there’s a creative planner who can take public input and use all three pieces to create something — including marine, park and commercial uses — most city residents think would enhance our quality of life. 

I worry about giving council, especially one that turns over so frequently, carte blanche to do what it wants with the land without our OK at a referendum.

Yes, coming up with a plan first might delay redevelopment. I’m more concerned with getting it right than doing it quickly.

But council can’t afford to delay any longer on the corners.

The good news is residents’ electric rates will come down when the city's electric operation is sold to Florida Power & Light Co. in a few weeks. The city will then have to make up the $5.4 million annually it used from electric proceeds to prop up its general fund.

Having some kind of commerce at the Three Corners will add to the city’s tax base and cushion the financial blow.

Regardless, there should be vigorous debate on Zudans’ proposal. Voters will decide sooner or later.

This column reflects the opinion of Laurence Reisman. Contact him via email at larry.reisman@tcpalm.com, phone at 772-978-2223, Facebook.com/larryreisman or Twitter @LaurenceReisman.