Marina Village Phase 2 moves toward developer selection as residents press for resilience and community benefits

Riviera Beach officials said Feb. 11 they will move forward with selecting a developer for Marina Village Phase 2 after an evaluation committee meeting was delayed, while residents urged stronger, enforceable commitments on resilience, local hiring and public access.

Executive Director Bridal Mercius told the CRA that the evaluation committee planned to meet to rank developer proposals but the committee meeting did not occur because one member failed to appear. To prevent future delays, staff proposed adding an alternate to the seven-member panel ("7 plus 1") and said reminders and phone calls had been made to committee members.

Staff asked the board to indicate availability for presentations and selection; commissioners discussed using either a Feb. 25 special slot (currently reserved for a city workshop) or the March 11 CRA meeting to hear presentations and make a decision. "If there's any questions that you all have within those presentations ... the board will make their decisions," Mercius said.

Three residents who spoke at public comment urged strong contractual requirements. Julie Botel of Sustainable Palm Beach County asked that the board require developers to align proposals with the city's vulnerability assessment, specify sea-level rise projections and storm-surge assumptions, and protect critical electrical and life-safety systems so projects can return to operation quickly after storms. "As you make your selection, I respectfully request that you direct staff to ensure the chosen developer clearly demonstrates how this project addresses the city's vulnerability findings and that those requirements are embedded in future approvals and agreements," Botel said.

Captain Bob Silva, a Riviera Beach resident, urged binding community benefits: additional affordable and workforce housing beyond current plans, clear local‑hiring expectations for construction and permanent jobs, lease structures that enable small and local businesses to participate rather than national brands, and guaranteed public access to the waterfront and public spaces. "Community benefits work best when they are clearly defined, contractual, committed, transparently enforced," Silva said.

Staff responded that sustainability, sea-level and environmental concerns will be addressed and that the city is working on a community benefits policy to be applied to developments. Commissioners suggested including FEMA resiliency standards and performance expectations in future solicitations and agreements; one commissioner noted funding for such projects is often contingent on meeting strict resiliency requirements.

The board agreed to set dates for developer presentations and asked staff to reconstitute the evaluation committee with an alternate member to avoid future scheduling delays. No final selection was made at the meeting; staff will circulate proposed dates and return with presentations and evaluation results for a decision at a future meeting.