COCOA BEACH, Fla. – As Cocoa Beach brings in new hotels, and a food hall to the coast, a big project that’s been in the works for years is moving forward.
For two years, Westgate Resorts has been working with the city on plans to build a six-story hotel with a parking garage and swimming pools.
The project, which would dramatically change the look of the Cocoa Beach Pier, passed a new hurdle this week.
Cocoa Beach’s planning board voted to forward Westgate’s request to rezone the pier so the hotel and garage can be built, to the city commission.
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In 2022, commissioners approved the first two steps toward building the project.
Obstructing the view of the pier is part of why some locals really don’t like the idea. Another big reason is they’re concerned about the traffic.
In a meeting Monday, Westgate told the planning board the garage would double the parking spaces there now.
One resident not supportive of the proposal compared growth in Cocoa Beach to South Florida.
“Why are we ‘Fort Lauderdale-ing’ our beautiful Cocoa Beach,” she asked the board.
The director of the city’s building department responded that only limited growth is being allowed.
“We’re not ‘Miami-ing.’ We’re not ‘Fort Lauderdale-ing.’ We’re not doing anything of that nature to Cocoa Beach,” said Director Randy Stevenson.
On Friday, Mayor Keith Capizzi told News 6′s James Sparvero that he thinks the parking additions can help decrease traffic congestion.
“That way you don’t have to wait to try to find parking,” Capizzi said.
The mayor said the city hasn’t had what he called ”real growth” in the last 20 years.
“So if you want to keep taxes down, we’re going to need some good planned development,” he said. “This is something that could possibly be that.”
Westgate said there would still be public access to the beach by the pier, and it would be widening the sidewalk without getting rid of the bike lane.
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