MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. — The Madeira Beach Commission voted Thursday to move forward with a $3.5 million purchase of a narrow waterfront property at the entrance of the city.

The property is located at 545 150th Avenue and currently splits two lots the city owns. Last October, the city bought 4.6 acres of vacant land to the west for $18 million and owns the property to the east, which includes a marina and public works facility.

Mayor Anne-Marie Brooks said it’s an exciting opportunity for the city to own a continuous piece of property and reimagine the entrance to the city. Many residents support the purchase, according to Mayor Brooks.

“It was our residents who stood up and said, ‘Hey, can you buy that property so that we can own it all?’,” she said. “It is a fish house… where fishing boats go. It’ll give the city the opportunity to have a full 10 acres to develop.”

The commission approved the sale contract on a 4-1 vote, with Commissioner Housh Ghovaee voting against it. Ghovaee said he supports parts of the purchase but believes the price is too high.

“In my mind, it doesn’t bring as much benefit as we think. So that’s why I voted against it,” Ghovaee said. “I feel that the $3.5 million that we’re spending is too much.”

The city manager must get two appraisals and an environmental study completed before bringing the sale back to the commission for a final vote in 60 days. Ghovaee said he would support the sale if the price were lower.

“In most aspects, I’m okay with the purchase,” he said. “Except that I think we’re probably spending $1 million too much.”

The city manager said that without the land purchase, Madeira Beach would not be able to have boat slips on all three sides of the larger vacant property.

Brooks said she did independent research and believes the price is worth it.

“Prior to doing an official appraisal, we did look at, independently I did, at what the value of the property would come in at,” Brooks said. “So I think that the city’s value for the property is great.”

Brooks said that if the due diligence process does not show any major problems, she expects the commission to approve the purchase.