Cocoa Beach is emerging from a period of limited development and growth. The City hired Dover, Kohl & Partners, assisted by Spikowski Planning Associates, EPR, and Community Design Associates to help reverse this trend and encourage private investment to attract more visitors, businesses, sales, and, ultimately, tax revenue. The City’s Charter, Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code have intermingling development restrictions that resulted in decades of practically no development. The plan includes suggested revisions of the most stringent regulations, permitting new growth.

The Gateways Master Plan is comprised of three distinct study areas, each of which has under-utilized spaces that have the potential to become great centers of activity.  The plan looks at key development areas and provides sample plans that create a  sense of arrival at each of the northern entrances to the City.

A five-day design charrette was held in January 2014 which brought together community members, community leaders, elected officials, property owners, and the design team to work together toward a common vision for Cocoa Beach. The design team helped to establish local consensus and worked with the community to see the potential that Cocoa Beach has to offer through hands-on design exercises. Forming a general consensus establishes a base for future public support which is often necessary to erase roadblocks in the regulations and enable the desired types development.