Proposed Improvements to Marco Beach Accesses

At the December 3, 2025, Beautification Advisory Committee meeting, Kimley-Horn consultants presented a proposal for the improvements of the Winterberry and Maple Avenue beach access. They noted these observations to address the worn-out sites and deteriorating furniture:

• Shade Opportunities. Add overhead wooden trellis to provide shelter from the hot sun and add new benches for sitting.
• Settling enhancement. Replace settling walkway pavers for safety and aesthetics. Kimley Horn shared that they intend to fix the pavers more on a “spot location” vs. re-doing everything.
• Screening enhancements with murals and fence wraps.
• Cement walls will be enhanced with art murals.
• Bike racks will be updated with new thematic or sculptural bike racks racks in the shape of dolphins or sharks.
• Improving walkway landscape – remove and replace aging and dead vegetation.
• Mural wraps for utility boxes.
• Sea Turtle lighting bollards for both beach access walkways (144 for Winterberry and 131 for Maple Avenue Beach Access).
• Provide new transformers, as it is too shady for solar.

BAC member Victoria Myers expressed concern with the need for a trellis to cover the walkway, providing shade to beachgoers, and commented that “one of the more expensive things is shade. These are beach access points. All these people are going to the beach and they all have suntan lotion on and they are all going to spend the day in the sun. I don’t understand the drive behind providing a trellis for shade.” Myers also added that their priorities are safety, education, beauty, and shade with trees, if preferable to a trellis.

Kimley Horn added that the project could be done in phases, based on funding availability from the City and Tourist Development Committee. Kimley-Horn will come back with a refined proposal based on members’ feedback before bringing it before City Council for approval. The total cost was not discussed.

According to Kimley-Horn, the next steps include:

• Approval of Concept Plans.
• Construction Documents (January-February 2026).
• Permitting – Spring 2026.
• Construction – after high season - summer 2026.