Protect waterfront access in Stuart, Martin County

Stuart's decision to choose associates of Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga to develop a marina on city property southwest of the Roosevelt Bridge could be a good one. But the city and Mr. Huizenga's group will have to agree to make public access to the waterfront the project's No. 1 priority.

Mr. Huizenga did an excellent job with plans for the Rybovich Spencer boatyard in a residential section of West Palm Beach. The makeover not only includes the 220 condos, restaurant and marine stores that will be moneymakers but also expands the public docks and adds a public promenade.

Stuart and Martin County need to pay attention to protecting the public's waterfront rights as Mr. Huizenga and his corporations take over more and more of the Treasure Coast. Mr. Huizenga now has major landholdings in Port St. Lucie and waterfront property in Jensen Beach and Stuart. Last week, a firm headed by Mr. Huizenga's son bought out Vought Aircraft Industries to become the major tenant at Witham Field, Martin County's airport.

The city's selection of Mr. Huizenga's group to develop the Stuart marina, on the site of the former Rayz Restaurant at the foot of the bridge, is the start of a long process. The preliminary proposal includes a marina with more than 100 slips, a small amphitheater, one building for a restaurant and retail shops, and possibly a second building with more shops.

But Stuart City Manager Dave Collier accurately pinpoints the problems with making a place truly open to the public. Public should not mean, for example, that docks and restaurants are open only to those who can afford the price. Stuart commissioners also have expressed a desire to make the restaurant open to casually dressed diners rather than an expensive eatery with valet parking, catering only to the rich.

"It is public land," Commissioner Mary Hutchinson said, "so we have to work on keeping it open to the public. One of my goals is to keep a vista, a green space so you still can see the river from the sidewalk... it has to be a place everybody can go."

That's the right spirit for negotiating an agreement with the developers. Stuart also could work with Martin County for more ideas on protection. Martin officials are developing plans to protect existing marinas and land zoned for commercial waterfront use with a "no net loss" policy. If marina land converts to residential use (usually condominiums), the developer must provide comparable waterfront land nearby to replace the lost marina.

While the growth boom continues, Martin County and Stuart must be extra vigilant in protecting the public's waterfront rights.