Sims Creek Preserve is a 2.81 acre passive open space property owned by the Town of Jupiter on the northeast intersection of Center Street and Indiantown Road. As part of the city’s Open Space Program this project supports the goal of providing a system of parks, recreation, and open space throughout the Town. With this in mind, the project consisted of adding a new kayak launch and the required parking to the site while maintaining and enhancing its existing natural character. The overall project consists of adding a grass pave surface parking lot, walking paths, picnic areas, and the kayak launch. As a consultant for the Town of Jupiter, WGI provided conceptual engineering, site design, and landscape planting design.

Due to the adjacent creek bank being heavily planted with mangrove trees, the kayak launch was carefully sited in a corner of the property where there is an existing break in the vegetation and small slope to the water. The use of this launch will be limited to boats without mechanical propulsion, such as kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. The surface parking lot and walking paths were carefully sited to preserve the dense planting of mature Live Oaks. The lot and sidewalks will be constructed of pervious pavement to minimize impact to those trees. The proposed planting plan is entirely Florida native vegetation which is compatible with the existing upland plant palette.

A future phase of development will involve incorporating an adjacent Florida Department of Transportation parcel that contains an on-site retention pond into the park design through the use of a bio-swale.