LETSTALKVERO is a volunteer-run website by Vero Beach residents Irina Woelfle (2019 Speak Up Vero Beach! Community Engagement Lead) and Vicky Gould (Chair, Three Corners Steering Committee) intended to help voters, especially new residents, taxpayers and thousands of Speak Up Vero Beach! participants re-visit the plan before they cast their votes on November 8.  The master plan, designed by Andres Duany of DPZ CoDESIGN and now officially called The Community Plan, was adopted by the City of Vero Beach in February of 2022 after nearly three years of community engagement and over 5,000 residents uniting to create a shared vision for the future of the now defunct power plant, informally known as Three Corners.

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THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FACING VERO BEACH VOTERS IN 2022 -- MAKING SENSE OF COMPETING REFERENDUMS

While the original intent of our efforts was to refresh and educate about the most recent plan for Three Corners, the pros, cons and complexities of developing the site and generally energize and reunite the community around this shared vision, the confusing and last-minute referendum placed on the ballot by The Vero Beach Preservation Alliance (VBPA) makes it essential we expand that conversation.  Thus, LETSTALKVERO.  

 

Vero Beach voters must look very closely at the motivations behind the VBPA and their 11th hour referendum, which now sits with a judge to decide whether it should be tossed.  The language is considered vague and confusing and has severe implications for the City of Vero Beach for the decades to come. Please click here to watch the issues being discussed at the City Council Special Call meeting held on August 25 or here to quickly read the minutes. 

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We also bring your attention to the growing number of in-depth news stories that capture well the potential implications of the VBPA referendum and how it could impact Vero Beach for the next 100 years!  Read this 32963 article.  And this in TC Palm, and this Op Ed by Indian River County 

Neighborhood Association Chair Mike Johannsen.

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The VBPA referendum originally was about the boat basin expansion at the city owned marina, which most everyone was fine with.  But when it morphed to include all 26+ charter-protected properties, we realized how important it is to make sure voters have the most up-to-date and accurate information so they may cast informed votes.  We've done our best to condense much information into this "repository" site and will be updating daily.  We are only sorry the need to do so even exists; it's not fair to Vero Beach voters.

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The court filing states:

• The Vero Beach Preservation Alliance engaged in a “deliberate attempt to deceive voters.” 

• The ballot summary is “misleading” and “omits the material fact that, if adopted, would have a detrimental and substantial negative impact on development of the Three Corners project.” 

• The “problem lies not with what the ballot summary says, but, rather, what it does not say."

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THE THREE CORNERS STANDING OVATION PLAN WILL REQUIRE YOUR VOTE YES TO GRANT PERMISSION TO AMEND THE CHARTER (exact replica of ballot to be posted soon)

Adopting the plan, as happened earlier this year, is not enough.   Because Three Corners is one of the City’s 26+ charter-protected properties, if the vision is to be realized, voters must give permission by VOTING YES to the referendum on the ballot asking to amend the charter, in this instance to allow shops, waterfront restaurants, a boutique hotel and similar uses as described and in the spirit of the The Community Plan.  If you wish to see the old power plant station become a charming waterfront destination with dining, retail, social and recreational activities for residents and visitors alike, you must vote yes for the charter amendment to activate the former power plant. Also, bear in mind, given the vagueness of the VBPA referendum, a vote YES for the Marina would cancel your vote YES for Three Corners. This is not a year to sit on the sidelines.

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As of this writing, the referendum will be on the ballot, and it will be confusing, so if you support Three Corners, you must vote NO to the South Marina Dry Storage referendum and YES to activating the former power plant site.

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We encourage you to do your own research by visiting the VBPA website at www.vbpreservationalliance.org.

 

VBPA organizers are firm in their position that their referendum in no way affects Three Corners. However, as you will see in news articles, meeting minutes, and video replays, a multitude of respected attorneys, former Vero Beach elected officials and Vero Beach residents disagree vehemently or remain entirely unsure of the implications of this last-minute referendum.  

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We will be updating our News section regularly to keep you abreast of developments.  

 

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LETSTALKVERO is not in any way connected to the City of Vero Beach, does not receive remuneration from the City of Vero Beach or DPZ CoDESIGN and is not a 501c3 or PAC.