Charity Lewis, civic engagement supervisor for the City of West Palm Beach, presented a high‑level overview of the two‑year Your Waterfront Your Way community engagement and technical study, telling commissioners the report synthesizes public surveys, walkabouts, stakeholder interviews and data analysis into a blueprint for the downtown waterfront.

The report covers the area between the Flagler Memorial Bridge and the Royal Park Bridge, Olive Avenue to the west, and the Intracoastal Waterway to the east. Lewis told the commission the study combined survey responses, behavioral data and economic indicators and identified three broad themes — implementing quick impact initiatives, envisioning the waterfront as a unified premier open space, and adopting a waterfront stewardship model.

Consultants said outreach included more than 1,605 survey responses, roughly 1,300 door‑to‑door visits, 1,500 unique website visitors, 17 days of staffed presence at large waterfront events (boat show, art festival), and tens of thousands of email contacts. "Our waterfront is a waterfront for all," Lewis said, summarizing the engagement aim to capture diverse resident and visitor perspectives.

Urbanist Tony Garcia of Street Plans outlined ten major ideas the team recommends. Short‑term steps include visible maintenance and quick capital fixes (improving restrooms and fountains, adding shade and seating, better sight lines), movable kiosks and temporary play features to increase everyday activation, and coordinated branding and vendor standards so waterfront events and installations appear unified. Garcia also emphasized tactical street changes and traffic calming along Flagler Drive to narrow crossings and improve pedestrian access.

On stewardship, the report recommends establishing a single point of responsibility for the waterfront — an entity or city position that would coordinate maintenance, programming, permitting and operations across departments and outside partners. Commissioners broadly supported the idea. Mayor James proposed creating a full‑time waterfront "quarterback" (also described in discussion as a "czar") who would develop an implementation plan and a business case for staffing and funding; he said a job description would be the next step.

Commissioners pressed consultants and staff on several implementation details. Tony Garcia said the team did not recommend additional docks or a new marina: "No. No additional docks. No marina." On water quality and safety, Garcia said the report examined pollutants and found enforcement of existing regulations "light," and that detailed design and feasibility for increased edge access (swimming, small‑craft engagement) would require follow‑up study.

Staff and commissioners also discussed recent DDA‑led trash pickup efforts; Garcia said the DDA action post‑dated the report's work and he had not reviewed that implementation but welcomed it as aligned with recommendations that emphasized better daily maintenance. City staff agreed to identify low‑hanging initiatives already underway and to supply the commission with an update alongside next steps for pursuing the waterfront coordinator idea.

The commission did not take formal action during the session. Mayor James pledged the report "won't be a report that just sits on the shelf and collects dust" and urged administration to return with a job description and suggestions for immediate, visible improvements as the longer process of creating a stewardship model proceeds.