Commissioner Rene Garcia, who chairs the Recreation, Tourism and Resiliency Committee, told reporters that the lease agreement was delivered to committee members only hours before Tuesday's meeting, leaving little opportunity for scrutiny.

"I didn't think it was appropriate moving this lease agreement without giving the public enough ample time to see what's in it," Garcia said.

The committee's decision to defer the item keeps the lease from advancing to the full county commission for now. The proposal is tied to Terra Group's plans to transform the former marine park into a year-round waterfront destination featuring an aquarium without marine mammals, marine research and education facilities, restaurants, a marina and expanded public access to Biscayne Bay.

Terra CEO David Martin presented the company's vision to commissioners during Tuesday's meeting. The plan includes environmental restoration efforts focused on coral and seagrass, water quality improvements and protections for marine habitats.

Garcia said the developer has made significant efforts to address environmental concerns raised by community stakeholders.

"The project itself went a long way to meet the environment's needs," he said. "They met with the environmentalists, they had coral restoration, they have seagrass restoration, trying to protect the seagrass and have it restored."

He also pointed to proposed water filtration improvements and the protection of sponges as important components of the plan.

Despite those measures, environmental concerns and the specific terms of the lease remain part of the broader public discussion. Garcia said the delay was intended to give residents a chance to understand what the county is being asked to approve and to potentially negotiate better terms.

"I think it's imperative that we give the public ample time in the sake of transparency to make sure that they know what's in there and then we can try and negotiate some better terms," he said.

Asked when the proposal could return, Garcia said the committee chairman could call a special meeting, or the item could go directly before the full county commission.

"The chairman could always call for a special meeting, and we could bring this back up either through the committee process or as the full board," Garcia said. "I think it should go to the full board and give everyone the ability to look at this contract, see what's in it, see what's not."

The delay comes with a significant deadline looming. A federal bankruptcy judge previously approved the assignment of the Seaquarium lease from the operating subsidiary of the Dolphin Company to Terra Group, pending Miami-Dade County approval. Terra has said it must close on its purchase of the lease by Dec. 30, a deadline established by the bankruptcy court and creditors.

Garcia acknowledged the time pressure but said he believes Terra is a developer the county can work with.

"I was not involved in the negotiations, but seeing what we have before us right now, could we get a better deal? Absolutely, you could always get a better deal, but we have a much better deal than what we had with the previous owners," he said.

He also noted that the bankruptcy court, not the county, determined who would receive the lease. The county's role, he said, was to negotiate with the new leaseholder.

Garcia said he hopes commissioners can reach an agreement before the end of the year, warning that further delays could create uncertainty over who ultimately takes control of the property. He pointed to the proposed $100 million investment and the promise of public access to the waterfront as reasons the redevelopment deserves consideration.

For decades, access to the Seaquarium waterfront required visitors to purchase admission to the attraction. Garcia said opening the property to the public would be an important change.

"For me, having public access for our waterways is extremely important," he said.

The county commission is scheduled to hold its final regular meeting of the year next week, leaving questions about whether the lease could return for consideration before the Dec. 30 deadline. The county commission chairman's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether a special meeting will be called in December. Wednesday is a county holiday in observance of Veterans Day.