Madeira Beach Holds Town Hall Meetings To Plan Development of Waterfront Property

Madeira Beach hosted town hall sessions today, Feb. 3. Another meeting is scheduled for Feb. 7. Officials want to hear what residents think about plans for 4.6 acres of waterfront land the city purchased in October, paying $18 million for the empty site at 555 150th Ave. on the Tom Stuart Causeway.

Ideas have poured in from citizens, including green spaces, wet slips where boats can dock, a spot for fishing, a water playground, a parking garage, and restaurants. The first town hall sessions took place last November.

Caitlin Beaird lives in the area and wants a museum dedicated to the fishing village roots of Madeira Beach. She believes the town has shifted toward becoming a fishing resort destination in recent years.

"I really would like to see some type of museum exhibit," Beaird said, according to Bay News 9. "Featuring the maritime history of the area and the ecology of the area."

Beaird also thinks waterfront dining is missing. "There are other beach towns up and down that have restaurants on the waterway that we can pull our boat right up to," she said. "And we don't have that yet in Madeira Beach."

Pam Koewing-Rasmussen, another resident, plans to attend the next meetings. She wants a parking garage topped with a restaurant. Ground-level parking has maxed out, she says.

"We've got all the ground surface parking we need in Madeira Beach. We can't get much more," Koewing-Rasmussen said. "Let's go up two or four stories … so you have a good view."

Koewing-Rasmussen hopes for something that brings money back into city coffers to offset what they spent on the land. She mentioned a boardwalk setup similar to John's Pass, maybe stretching under Tom Stuart and connecting to Patriot Park.

Both residents want green space included. Think Coachman Park in Clearwater or the St. Pete Pier. Beaird says a walkway along the water would matter.

"The possibilities are super exciting," Beaird said. "It's going to be really nice to see something we can all be really proud of as we cross over into our lovely city."

The second town hall happens Feb. 7 at 11 a.m. at City Hall. Today's meeting kicks off at 6 p.m.