The City of Clermont
In advance of the March 8 community meeting, we wanted to provide a preview of the preliminary concept for the redevelopment of the 8th Street Pier and the surrounding area.
Meet Us In The Middle Plaza & Clermont 8th Street Docks
Clermont’s perfect location along the beautiful shores of Lake Minneola and at the midpoint of the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail (C2C), the proposed project includes the enhancement and redevelopment of the 8th Street area.
Florida’s C2C Trail spans approximately 250 miles and links the varied communities between St. Petersburg and Titusville, allowing multimodal users to enjoy the best of Florida. It is part of the Florida Greenway and Trails System plan that recognizes the economic impact to communities along the trail.
The preliminary plans include seating, picnic areas, restrooms and an enhanced flow of pedestrian and bicycle traffic on the trail. An artistic monument recognizing the entire trail and highlighting Clermont’s history as a model community for tail users is also included.
Additionally, the project calls for the installation of a docking facility for a maximum of 76 boats and eight dedicated jet-ski slips. Currently, there are no public day-use docking facilities on the Clermont Chain of Lakes.
The new docking facility would replace the aging and damaged existing 8th street pier that is currently closed for safety reasons. The docks would feature a dedicated fishing area and a breakwater. It will serve as a transitory day-use only with no overnight mooring. It is not a boat ramp nor a marina and will prohibit commercial use, fueling and repairs.
This project will create an attraction to celebrate the first trail of its kind in the United States as well as provide access to the C2C from the waterways, spur economic development for local businesses and provide enhanced tourism opportunities.
This is not a new idea or plan. The enhancement and development of the 8th Street Plaza to include the addition of a docking facility was first approved by the City Council in 2015 as part of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) plan and the award-winning Clermont Downtown Master Plan that is being implemented. It was most recently set as a Council Priority in 2021.
Both the Master Plan and the CRA Plan were developed to keep our growing community connected and to protect the very charms that have drawn hundreds of thousands of people to our city which is internationally recognized as one of the nation’s top places to live.
Meet Us In The Middle Plaza and the 8th Street Docks project will continue to enhance the City of Clermont, Lake County and Florida and will serve as a destination attracting locals and visitors alike.
City staff and the design team will be on hand to walk through the project during the March 8th meeting at the Clermont City Center beginning at 6 p.m.
