Phased Key Club project in the works

There’s not a site plan, rendering or even an explanation of what Ocean Properties wants to renovate or build on its Longboat Key Club property.

But that didn’t stop plans for a future renovation and expansion project within Islandside on the southern tip of the Key to take center stage at Monday’s Longboat Key Town Commission regular workshop and special meeting.

Ocean Properties officials have been working with town staff for months on hang-ups in the town’s codes and Outline Development Plan that are preventing them from submitting a site-plan application for a future project.

The town has been working with Bill Spikowski, of Spikowski Planning Associates, to create a stopgap measure in the code and ODP process to allow a project to move forward while the town makes wide-sweeping changes to the code and Comprehensive Plan.

The larger modifications are the result of Sarasota Judge Lee Haworth’s November 2012 ruling, in which he granted declaratory relief to the Islandside Property Owners Coalition (IPOC) in its challenge of code changes the town made to accommodate the Key Club’s former $400 million Islandside application. That project was approved in 2010 and quashed in 2011 by the Lakeland-based 2nd District Court of Appeals.

Haworth’s ruling means the town must make changes to its code and Comprehensive Plan before considering a future Islandside project.

Some commissioners commented the process is similar to the process of updating the town’s codes a few years ago to accommodate the last Key Club project.

Spikowski said the recent changes made to accommodate Ocean Properties “were pulled out to address” Ocean Properties’ two Longboat Key assets. Ocean Properties’ other hotel is the former Longboat Key Hilton Beachfront Resort, which could break ground on a new renovation project later this summer.

“We think we have a good package here for them to get started with,” Spikowski said.

Ocean Properties Vice President Mark Walsh, son of Ocean Properties’ founder Tom Walsh, wanted the town to approve a change to allow the company an open-ended date to start work on a project once a site plan is submitted.

Currently, town code mandates a project must begin work within two years of submitting a site plan, or the site plan expires.

“We’re not comfortable leaving it open-ended,” said Planning, Zoning and Building Director Alaina Ray.

Walsh told the commission his company is requesting a longer timeline because the Chart House property the company acquired last year is part of the project, however, there’s a long lease on that site that must play out.

Mayor Jim Brown asked Walsh what kind of timeline he needed.

“We’re dancing around this timeline for a project we haven’t seen,” Brown said.

Although no visuals have been presented, comments about moving Longboat Club Road make commissioners believe work is being planned primarily on the southern part of the Key Club property.

That’s a move that would shift development away from more heavily residential areas of Islandside.
Walsh did confirm it’s a phased development, with future development on the Chart House site occurring last.

Commissioner Irwin Pastor said he thinks Ocean Properties “has the cart before the horse” and urged Walsh to produce a visual concept plan for the town and IPOC President Bob White to vet.

Pastor, though, urged the process of modifying codes and the ODP process to continue, while asking for more communication with owners to avoid the litigation that occurred the last time a project was submitted.

“Keep the process moving, but get the support you need from those involved,” Pastor said.

On Tuesday, Ocean Properties attorney John Patterson said there has been open dialogue with IPOC and White “from day one.”

“There’s just nothing else to show IPOC right now except a very preliminary conceptual drawing they have seen,” Patterson said.

Staff worked on revised language for the changes before a special meeting that convened after the workshop, during which commissioners unanimously approved the changes on first reading and public hearing.

The changes give compatibility mandates for tourism and business uses near existing residential buildings. The changes also will give Ocean Properties a 10-year timeline to build its project, or the opportunity to ask for an extension longer than 10 years for a specific phased project with timelines.

To assuage concerns from White and others, the commission also agreed on language that solidifies how many units are left that can be built in Islandside.

That language, outlined in a memo by Assistant Town Attorney Kelly Fernandez, states Islandside has 696 units left that haven’t been built out of a total of 1,588 total units.

“Assuming the acreage is more than 20 acres, the comparable density is something we can work with,” said Commissioner Phill Younger.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected]