Steve Rose’s nonprofit Eco Discovery Park has been working to expand and upgrade the Jamestown Yacht Basin since leasing the property in 2011.
James City County is exploring the option of selling land where Eco Discovery Park is currently located, seeking groups that may be interested in buying it.
On June 18, the county issued a request for interested buyers to submit bids by July 21 for the 37.08-acre Jamestown Yacht Basin at 2054 Jamestown Road near Jamestown Settlement.
The county will “consider all reasonable proposals” as it has not set an amount it hopes to gain from selling the property it purchased in 2006, according to the request.
“A marina is not really a function of local government, so we have tried to keep it going as best as we can,” said Acting County Administrator Doug Powell. “I think it does take resources for us to keep operating it, and I think a lot of people just don’t see it as a governmental function.”
Powell said the county will evaluate the proposals it receives and then decide how to move forward. It could end up deciding to keep the property.
Williamsburg Event Rentals Owner Steve Rose worked for years to establish the nonprofit Eco Discovery Park, which is operated on Jamestown Yacht Basin property the supervisors agreed to lease to him in 2011. Rose signed a three-year lease, which runs out at the end of this year, but gives the option of a two-year lease extension.
Rose approached the county earlier this year to discuss the possibility of buying the land, which he said sparked the bid process. The county could come to an agreement with Rose to extend the lease by two years, but then Rose would face the same risk he has for the past few years: The county could sell the property, which would give Eco Discovery Park a new landlord. Rose does not want to be put in that situation, he said.
Eco Discovery Park has been expanding and changing over its two-and-a-half years of operation as Rose gains donations and volunteer support. He said the long-term plans he has for the park require grant funding, which he can only obtain if he owns the property or has a long lease on it.
Rose said he plans on writing a proposal to purchase the property, and he hopes the county will weigh the work he has already accomplished when considering all the bids received.
“There’s always the option of someone coming along and putting a bid in, but I believe it’s not solely based on someone putting in a large amount of money or something like that,” Rose said. “I think all the aspects of what the piece of property means to the community and how many people can enjoy it will be taken into account. Hopefully we’ll be successful. We put a lot of effort into the property already.”
Guernsey-Tingle Architects created a rendering of a possible development at the Jamestown Yacht Basin for James City County’s 2009 master plan for the property.
Eco Discovery Park hosted two community meetings in February 2013 at which Rose went over plans for the property. He planned an expanded building with a café and deck area, trails throughout the park, a demonstration garden, three geocaches – hidden containers locatable by GPS – and educational exhibits in recycled shipping containers.
Volunteers were working on the garden last year, and the geocaches are already in place. Rose has added two new bathrooms to the building, which he said will be operational within the next few weeks.
The bathrooms created the walls and space for the café, which Rose said would be the next project if he is approved to purchase the property. He has already acquired shipping containers, which are located at Eco Discovery Park but have not yet been converted to exhibit space.
Though Eco Discovery Park is facing an uncertain future, Rose said he plans on continuing with his plans as much as possible.
Rose has continued to operate the marina, which provides Hampton Marine Service work in boat repair and maintenance. Rose has added kayak, stand-up paddleboard and bike rentals to Eco Discovery Park.
The environmental education nonprofit Chesapeake Experience has moved its headquarters to the property, and Jamestown Discovery Boat Tours operates out of the marina.
Each of the four businesses at the yacht basin is eligible for upheaval if someone other than Eco Discovery Park buys the property, Rose said.
Master Marine formerly ran the marina and was ousted when the Board of Supervisors voted to lease the yacht basin to Rose in 2011. The county’s administrator said at the time the county could not “split the baby” to make Rose and Master Marine owner Brett Trimbeth share the property.
According to the county’s request for a purchaser, it plans to review proposals in August, gain supervisor approval for the sale in September and sign a sales contract in October. The timeline could change, and all offers are required to be valid for a minimum of one year, according to the request.
The county will use four criteria to judge purchase proposals: the overall quality and completeness; effects on surrounding property; public benefit and compatibility with the county’s 2009 plans for the property; and the proposed selling price.
The county in December 2009 issued a master plan, which encompassed the Jamestown Yacht Basin. The Board of Supervisors voted to approve a mixed-use development that included an upgraded marina, stores, restaurants and office space at the yacht basin. Allowing “public access to portions of the site for active and passive recreational activities including kayaking and canoeing” was identified as a primary focus, according to the plan.
Powell said at this point the county is open to hearing any proposals, and the request gives groups flexibility in their plans. Any new development would likely have to adhere to the master plan, but the property is not required to provide public access, he said.