City commissioners are moving ahead with a $750,000 renovation of Tom & Kitty Stuart Park despite residents’ claims that the redesign violates a 1987 deed restricting the land to public use.
The conflict centers on a small parcel next to Caddy’s restaurant, where residents say public green space is being sacrificed for private commercial parking. At an April 8 meeting, the commission took no action to halt construction, and the city maintains the project fulfills long-standing agreements.
The project includes a $200,000 restroom facility that, to comply with FEMA requirements after Hurricane Helene, must be elevated to 9.3 feet. The footprint needed for an ADA-compliant ramp and stairs will reshape the lot, eliminating two golf cart spaces and one compact vehicle space…