June 3, 2023
Join us for the Treasure Coast's premier wine event -- one night only!
Engel & Völkers Grand Wine Tasting
Hosted by Bob and Claire Higgins
with
Rob Wayne, Proprietor of Varietals and More
Jerusha Stewart, Founder of Vero Beach Wine & Film Festival
Bob Stanley, Wine Director at Vero Beach Film Festival
on
Friday, June 9, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
The Historic Vero Beach Heritage Center
2140 14th Avenue
Swirl, Sip & Savor wines from around the world at the annual Vero Beach Film Festival.
Engel & Völkers Grand Wine Tasting, the wine event of the summer season!
Visiting vintners will present medal winners, unique vintages, and cellar reserves.
Introducing the bespoke home portfolio of Engel & Völkers accompanied by distinctively labeled wine bottles to dress up your next dinner.
Win the chance to take home elegance in reds and whites with the Engel & Völkers Select Gift Box.
Bob Stanley, Vero Beach Film Festival Wine Director, wine educator, and former TV Host of Seller to Cellar, will test your knowledge of wine trivia and tease your palette at the “Blind Tasting Table”.
Rob Wayne, Proprietor of Varietals and More, will assist you with your wine selections and provide exclusive vintner discounts. Wine jury award winners and tasting notes will tempt you to stock your cellar.
An evening devoted to the spirit of vino veritas awaits you!
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May 22, 2023
Exciting outcomes to report from last week's special workshop meeting.
First, a shout out to City Manager Monte Falls and Planning Director Jason Jeffries, along with Mayor John Cotugno, Vice Mayor Linda Moore, and Council Members John Carroll, Rey Neville, and Tracey Zudans. Their diligence and commitment are unparalleled.
Together, they are moving mountains to advance a visionary master plan to revitalize downtown, beginning with the restoration and reactivation of Pocahontas Park.
Expect to see more lighting, additional patrols, the benches returned, enhanced views of the grounds surrounding the Heritage Center, and other improvements -- maybe even a band shell in the future! The park has for some time been plagued by safety and public health concerns. I'm delighted to report we learned there are new public/private partnerships forming to enact real change. Let's hope we see more.
First, to great applause, John Calcagno, President and CEO of Piper Aircraft announced that Piper is committed financially to being a lead sponsor in the revitalization of Pocahontas Park. Thank you, Piper Aircraft!
Second, Anthony Zorbaugh, Executive Director of The Source announced that beginning June 1 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 am - 1 pm, you will see members of The Source community sweeping, power washing and generally leading clean-up efforts to beautify downtown and the park -- all part of a program called "Community Works" aimed at teaching Source community members the skills they need to become employable and to lead them out of homelessness. Take a moment to thank them. As Anthony pointed out, "housing will never solve homelessness, but community will."
Last but not least, what better way to celebrate the beginning of downtown's revitalization than to join Engel & Völkers hosts Claire and Bob Higgins on Friday, June 9 from 6 - 8:00 p.m. for the Engel & Völkers Grand Wine Tasting to support the Vero Beach Film Festival.
Let's Talk Vero members receive 25% off the ticket price using the code EVVBFF25 (all caps) -- register here.
Vero Beach Film Festival Grand Wine Tasting
presented by
Engel & Völkers
Friday, June 9, 2023, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
The Historic Vero Beach Heritage Center
Swirl, Sip & Savor wines from around the world at the annual Vero Beach Film Festival Grand Wine Tasting, the wine event of the summer season!
Visiting vintners will present medal winners, unique vintages, and cellar reserves. Introducing the bespoke home portfolio of Engel & Völkers accompanied by distinctively labeled wine bottles to dress up your next dinner. Win the chance to take home elegance in reds and whites with the Engel & Völkers Select Gift Box. Bob Stanley, Vero Beach Film Festival Wine Director, wine educator, and former TV Host of Seller to Cellar will test your knowledge of wine trivia at the “Blind Tasting Table." Wine jury selections and tasting notes provided to assist you in stocking your cellar. Wines available for purchase at exclusive discounts from Varietals & More. An evening devoted to the spirit of vino veritas awaits you!
Hope to see you all there!
Let's Talk Vero is powered by

May 1, 2023
Hello everyone -- great news:
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As you may have seen in TC Palm/Thomas Weber's recent story (here), a six-month moratorium has been placed on permits for self-storage units, pending permanent legislation. Hooray!
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The city has retained world class designers and place makers -- Dover Kohl & Partners, DPZ CoDESIGN, and Bob Gibbs (among others) to be at the ready for future planning and development initiatives for Vero Beach. This is cause for celebration! And further evidence our city Staff and Council are listening, working diligently and committed to creating a safe, resilient and more livable, lovable Vero Beach for all. Lots to be happy about here!
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Matt Haynes of Main Street Vero Beach recently presented a comprehensive overview of what business owners are seeing in downtown -- the findings are illuminating, if not a bit shocking. Matt is committed to working with Staff and Council to find solutions to clean up and beautify downtown to ensure it feels vibrant and safe for everyone to enjoy. Have a listen to representatives of Southern Social, Vintage Vero, Blue Dog, Edgewood Eatery, the Brackett family, Buggy Bunch and more. Great to see this group coming together, joining forces and sharing actionable insights. You can watch those clips here.
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Wanted to share with you Council members' vision for the future of downtown -- their presentations were amazing! Check out the timestamps below for each of the council members:
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Scroll forward in this link to:
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44:10 - Ray Neville
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57.40 - John Carroll
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1:15:57 - Linda Moore
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1:22:02 - John Cotugno
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1:27:02 - Public Comment
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Last, but not least, there's a Council meeting tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. -- join if you can in person or from home/office via Channel 13. Of special note is Item K on the consent agenda. You can see it here. And the full agenda here.
Will stay in touch on future important dates and developments, this for now.
Best,
Irina
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April 14, 2023
Hello everyone,
Thanks to all of you for coming out for our ZOOM call Wednesday -- we had over 100 attendees and lots of smart comments and tough questions from the audience. Thank you, Jason Jeffries! The replay can be found at the end of this email.
The agenda for the regularly scheduled council meeting on Tuesday the 18th is here. Click on this link -- Three Corners matters -- to see discussion topics concerningThree Corners.
Also, if your schedule allows, do try and attend the special call workshop coming up on April 19 at 1:30 p.m. at City Hall -- lots of you have been eager to see if we can get a Trader Joe's and they will be talking about getting a retail market study done as part of a new downtown master plan, among other things. The full agenda is here.
As promised, you may find the replay of the conversation with Jason Jeffries covering current and future development and planning projects here.
All for now -- I'll send a summary of the two meetings above on the 21st or 22nd.
Let's Talk Vero is made possible with support from
Engel & Völkers Vero Beach
Globally Connected, Locally Committed
April 3, 2023
Quick update:
Lots of social media activity over the weekend expressing outrage about the storage unit going up on Route 60.
A ZOOM call detailing the facts surrounding just "how" that happened -- and what's in the works to make sure it doesn't occur again -- will take place on April 12 via ZOOM from 6 - 8 p.m.
There are lots of planning projects under way in Vero Beach. If you're concerned, or just curious about plans for future development of Vero Beach, you won't want to miss this call. Be sure to register here. Or click the red RSVP button below.
Share this email with friends, family and neighbors who care about preserving the charm of Vero Beach, enhancing livability and improving quality of life for all residents -- now and for decades to come. An engaged community is a thriving community.
REGISTER NOW – April 12
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
CONVERSATION AND Q&A
with
Jason Jeffries, City of Vero Beach Planning Director
Ask questions and hear all about current planning and development projects under way shaping the future of Vero Beach
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Three Corners
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Downtown Revitalization/Master Plan
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Twin Pairs
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Neighborhood Protection and Preservation
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Commercial Zoning District Revisions
All Vero Beach City and County Residents Welcome
This Let's Talk Conversation is made possible with support from
Engel & Völkers Vero Beach
Globally Connected, Locally Committed
March 26, 2023
SAVE THE DATE – April 12
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
CONVERSATION AND Q&A
with
Jason Jeffries, City of Vero Beach Planning Director
Ask questions and hear all about planning and development projects in the works shaping the future of Vero Beach
-
Three Corners
-
Downtown Revitalization/Master Plan
-
Twin Pairs
-
Neighborhood Protection and Preservation
-
Commercial Zoning District Revisions
All Vero Beach City and County Residents Welcome
This Let's Talk Conversation is made possible with support from
Engel & Völkers Vero Beach
Globally Connected, Locally Committed
March 8, 2023
Many exciting things in the works -- from Three Corners, Twin Pairs, Downtown Revitalization and other plans -- to New York's Lincoln Center coming to Vero Beach.
THREE CORNERS UPDATE
As you know, the hiring of a project manager is key to realizing Three Corners. Interviews with qualified candidates are under way with final decision set for on or about June 1. Anticipated timeline below:
March, 2023: Write RFP and engage planning consultants to revise the comprehensive plan and development regulations for the site
April - Sept, 2023: Traffic and environmental analysis
May, 2023: Issue RFP for Master Developer
June, 2023: Three Corners Project manager on board
Fall, 2023: Selection of Master Developer
October, 2023: Planning staff review
November, 2023: Planning and zoning board public hearing
December, 2023: State review
February, 2024: City Council Approval
Summer, 2028: Grand Opening
TWIN PAIRS UPDATE
Yesterday Council approved moving ahead with the Kimley-Horn study of the Twin Pairs to see if it supports lane reduction. My understanding is it's the FDOT schedule that is driving this and since the study has to be done anyway as part of a multi-faceted downtown master plan in the works, it was approved. The Twin Pairs has been an ongoing issue for years. It was recommended the city address the Twin Pair arterials that bisect downtown as a key strategy to enhance the pedestrian nature of the district as far back as 2005 in the Vision Plan adopted that same year. You can see that vision plan here.
Since then, it's been hotly debated with much of the dialogue being led by opinion writers Larry Reisman (TC Palm) and Ray McNulty (32963). Whether you are for or against lane reduction, it is imperative you become informed and engage at the public meetings to be scheduled by Kimley-Horn. FDOT has made it clear they want to be ensured the community has buy-in. I do not have the Kimley-Horn meeting dates yet, but as soon as I do, will share.
Also, with support from Engel & Völkers, we will work to bring you via ZOOM and where possible, in person, the nation's leading experts on street design, Victor Dover, author of Street Design: The Secret to Great Cities and Towns and Jeff Speck, author of Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time come to mind. And of course, Andres Duany. They can help to answer your questions and address your concerns about the pros, cons and especially the complexities of such an undertaking, how it intersects with the other planning projects under way, and its implications in terms of walkability, traffic, safety, home values, thriving downtown, etc.
OTHER COMMUNITY PLANNING PROJECTS
Many of you have been concerned about the sprouting up of car washes, storage facilities, etc. The storage facility was not "approved" by the city; that use is legal within our current zoning codes, so the codes must be revised if the city is to have more control. Council members are working diligently to prevent those sorts of things from happening in the future and are engaging in a number of other planning projects as well. Each of the following may turn into major planning studies or reports, all of which will benefit from your involvement:
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Revisions to Commercial Zoning Districts
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Beachside Overlay District
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Downtown Master Plan
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Old Dixie Land Use Study
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Neighborhood Protection and Preservation
We are working with the city to propose a ZOOM town hall type of session where either a council member or city staff member will explain the rationale behind the above-referenced initiatives and answer questions like:
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What is an overlay and why do we need it?
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What is a master plan and how will it make downtown more vibrant?
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What will the land use study tell us?
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How do all these initiatives protect the charm and character of Vero Beach?
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How are these projects inter-related and what is the ultimate vision for Vero Beach?
We hope to have this call sometime in May to coincide with public input meetings held by Kimley-Horn. If are interested in attending a ZOOM call like this, please reply YES to this email so I can let Council know we do have a lot of interest. Also, if you wish to unsubscribe to these emails, hit the unsubscribe button below or reply here with the word "Unsubscribe."
CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
Early on in the design process of Three Corners, the community championed the idea of a state-of-the-art visual and performing arts center. Local resident and architect Scott Johnson and then steering committee member John Cotugno have been working diligently with Lincoln Center to add musicians of this caliber to our city's esteemed cultural offerings.
Don't miss "Brahms & Arensky" March 20 at 7 pm at The Community Church -- click here for a spectacular preview. Tickets can be purchased here.
Shout-out to Kate Shanaphy and Gifford Youth Orchestra for organizing and special thanks to Engel & Völkers' Claire and Bob Higgins for their generosity in making it possible for the entire Gifford Youth Orchestra student body to attend -- including tickets, transportation and the opportunity to meet the artists in person. Read the 32963 feature story about Engel & Völkers here.
This Let's Talk Vero update is made possible with support from Engel & Völkers
Let's Talk Vero is not affiliated with the City of Vero Beach