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Harry Berry Park is on the October 13th Planning & Development Board meeting agenda. Please email the P&D Board and let them know that while we would like improvements to Harry Berry Park, it should not be tied to a 30 story Live Local project on Azalea Terrace. The P&D Board should defer a vote about our park until after the lawsuit with 1301 is settled. Until the lawsuit is settled and we know what is happening with 1301 and our community center, nobody should be voting to remove the parking lot on the Harry Berry acre parcel or voting to allow a developer to change that area. Again, please ask for a deferral to 2027, when we will know for sure what’s happening with this entire area. Emails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Harry Berry Park is at Azalea Terrace (the same street where 1301 is located) was funded through Land and Water Conservation Funds for the purpose of public use, and is protected through the DEP. It is one acre, stretching from Surf Road to A1A, and includes restrooms, a playground, and a parking lot. Most residents feel that park improvements should not be tied to a 30 story “affordable” housing tower on public land. Many parks in the city have been improved without condo towers.
Originally, the City did not tell residents that this was a LWCF funded park and failed to place the appropriate signage in the park indicating that it was funded and protected this way. The original rendering showed Harry Berry Park moved on top of the dunes, but then it was moved off of the dunes after public uproar. Thank you to Cat Uden who identified Harry Berry Park as a LWCF park. Cat alerted the public and the proper authorities, and she advocated for the required signage to be placed in the park.
Many locals like this area of the beach because it is less crowded and less noisy than central beach, and it’s easy to load and unload water recreation equipment like kayaks here because of the wide open space, grassy medians, and street parking instead of a garage. The Outrigger Canoe teams are also able to drive trailers here and load/unload easily. Residents and visitors can legally paddle in and out all day at this spot, and there are near shore artificial reefs to snorkel here. This is also where Junior Lifeguard Camp and SEA Camp is held in the summer. Recreation and water recreation are essential for physical health, mental well-being, and community connection. Until we know FOR SURE what is happening at 1301, we can't be absolutely sure that the changes proposed for the Harry Berry Park acre parcel will be beneficial. Site plans/designs can always change, and there is a huge lack of trust with City Hall. With more development comes parking concerns, as residents are continuously losing accessibility to public lots with their annual citywide resident parking pass. Last year, the City took away our ability to park at Magnolia Terrace with our annual resident pass because "too many condo owners are parking there." Residents are concerned that this is exactly what will happen at Azalea Terrace if we add hundreds and hundreds of new residents.
There will be much more room for amazing public amenities at Azalea Terrace if there isn’t a giant private 30 story tower in the way. We don't need a condo tower to add a paddleboard wash station to a park. This area could be something that truly serves the public. The City could go out for recreational and resilience grants to help with the transformation of this area. Please ask the P&D Board to defer the vote to 2027. Thank you.
This site plan has not been for any public feedback sessions yet! You may speak at the meeting for up to 3 minutes. Sign up when you get there at 6 PM: https://hollywoodfl.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
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