MARK SCHUMANN

Laughing off suggestions their Town needs to raise cash, and dismissing concerns from residents wanting to preserve public land and pedestrian beach access, the five members of the Indian River Shores Town Council voted unanimously yesterday to rezone 5.4 acres of land east of A1A. The land was first acquired by the Shores in the early 1990s for public use.

The issue may not have been put to rest with yesterday’s Council vote, though. A number of residents have hired local attorney Michael O’Haire. Shores resident, Judy Orcutt, also cautioned the Town Council that at least one legal hurdle to the rezoning and sale of public land is currently being studied by the County Attorney’s office.

During a break from the meeting yesterday, Councilman Tom Slater all but accosted a representative of the Indian River Neighborhood Association, insisting he be given the names, addresses, phone numbers and copies of emails from Town residents who called on the INRA to weigh in on the issue.

While the information Slater demanded of the IRNA is not subject to public records laws, certainly the Town, its employees and elected officials must operate in compliance with the Sunshine Law. Already this past year, Mayor Brian Barefoot and Councilman Richard Haverland found themselves before Judge David Morgan answering for Sunshine Law violations.

During yesterdays’ Council meeting, Town Attorney Chester Clem gave the second and final reading of land development code revisions designated as Ordinance 522. Some speculate the revisions having to do with coastal development are related to plans for development of the 5.4 acres now slated for sale.

In response to concerns about what some perceived to be a lack of transparency in the Shores Town Council’s decision to rezone public land for sale, InsideVero.com today made the following public records request of Town Clerk Laura Aldrich.

“Please accept this as a public records request for copies of all documents, calendar entries, notice of and/or evidence of meetings relevant to the Town’s 5-plus acres of land located on the east side of south A1A. I am requesting records for the time period June 16, 2015 through June 20, 2016.  Regarding the same Town-owned property on south A1A, and for the same time period, I am requesting copies of all documents, correspondence and calendar entries relating to communication between and/or meeting with any Town elected officials or staff, and any officer, partner agent or employee of any general contracting firm, real estate firm, property development firm, legal or accounting professional or property appraisal firm, including any representative of the Proctor Construction Company or Collins Brown Barkett law firm.”

If Shores residents opposed to the sale of their town’s public land do take legal action, more public records requests will likely follow.

Related coverage:

Indian River Shores = Access Denied!

Shores leaders move to sell beachfront land first acquired as open space