- April 24, 2024
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For the Sarasota Planning Board, an apartment community built 1,500 feet from the end of the runway at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport just won’t fly.
Citing primarily noise concerns, the board last week voted 3-2 following a public hearing to not recommend to the City Commission a proposal, nor an enabling rezoning request, to build Aventon Sarasota, a 348-unit multifamily complex at the 26-acre site of the former Sarasota Kennel Club at University Parkway and Old Bradenton Road.
Planning Board Chair Terrill Salem and board member Damien Blumetti opposed two motions, first to recommend against rezoning from Community Commercial to Moderate Density Residential and second denial of the site plan for the apartments.
Raleigh, North Carolina-based real estate development company Aventon Cos. is already building an apartment community beneath the glide path a little farther from Orlando International Airport. Aventon Senior Development Director Sean Flanagan tried to convince board members the company has the expertise to mitigate — indoors only — decibel levels with the use of sound dampening materials during construction.
Board member Kathy Kelley Ohlrich was having none of it, citing studies suggesting that repeated, though not necessarily long-term, exposure to sound above 65 decibels lead to myriad physical and mental health issues. Sarasota-Bradenton Airport President Rick Piccolo — who admitted the airport was interested in the property pre-COVID but is in no financial position to acquire it now — told the board a commercial airliner at takeoff at the height it would fly over the apartments puts off about 100 decibels.
“I know when someone is thinking about purchasing a property, they don't look at it and say, ‘Oh good, I get to do a comp plan amendment and a rezone because this property's proximity is 1,500 feet away from the main runway of an international airport,” Ohlrich said. “I wonder what other uses you considered other than residential that you rejected?”
Consultant Joel Freedman, representing Aventon and property owner Jack Collins Jr. at the public hearing, said few suitors have expressed interest in the property since it was shuttered in 2020 after greyhound racing was ended via statewide referendum. It is currently being used as a COVID testing site.
“I've been involved with the property for a long time, and the owners tried to market this to anybody,” Freedman said. “The only people who came forward were residential developers. They did look at potentially an Amazon warehouse facility that ended up going farther north. There were some other things, but the only ones that really ended up making the offer were residential because I don't think the airport, from the residential point of view, is that bad of a situation because of the attenuation that can happen.”
Apart from the usual concerns about traffic — by-right uses such as retail, a Home Depot was cited as an example, could generate more vehicle trips than apartments — the discussion boiled down to concerns about the impact of aircraft noise on those who choose to live beneath an airport noise cone balanced against the need for reasonably priced housing in the city and the rights between an owner of land rendered non-viable by legislation and a willing buyer.
And, certainly, liability.
“Does the city have any liability in the event that this gets approved and the project fails due to noise?” Blumetti asked Development Review Senior Planner Tom Sacharski.
“No legal liability, but political liability is certainly plausible,” Sacharski said. “People are going to come and complain to the Planning Board and the City Commission that it's noisy in my house. But as far as legal liability, no. We're not going to have to write a check.”
While there is no liability, there is also no proof required after construction that the sound mitigation techniques actually reduce the noise by 25 to 30 decibels. What is required that construction follows Federal Administration Administration guidelines to achieve that outcome.
In rebuttal, Flanagan said a Google search revealed 60 decibels is the volume of a normal conversation, and a rock concert is 120 decibels. In general, he said decibel levels above 85 are harmful depending on length and frequency of exposure. Construction techniques can reduce noise by 25 to 30 decibels indoors, but while outdoors residents would be fully exposed.
Aventon’s confidence it can successfully operate next to the airport is evidenced by its investment, Flanagan told the board. The company put the property under contract in the second quarter of 2021, the close contingent upon approval of the rezoning and the apartment project.
“We're investing $60-$70 million into this project. We would not do that if we felt that it wasn't going to be successful,” Flanagan said. “We rely on happy residents because we want them to stay. They’re going to be told up front that this is airport-adjacent and you have an addendum to your lease that states that you acknowledge that and we're taking steps to address noise attenuation to get down below the 25- to 30-decibel levels reduction.
“The one in Orlando is a $58 million investment, We wouldn't make those kinds of investments lightly.”
Compatibility between apartments and adjacent uses was also questioned, with Freedman arguing that multifamily is an appropriate land use as a step-down from the commercial nature of University Parkway to single-family residential that surrounds the former kennel club … long-standing neighborhoods that are also in similar proximity to the airport.
One commercial use is already slated for the property. The northeastern corner of the site at the intersection of University Parkway and Old Bradenton Road has already been carved out for a convenience store.
“I don't really know how residential is not compatible with residential,” Blumetti said. “A Home Depot might be considered not compatible, but I don't know how residential is not compatible.
“It’s their property, and if they want to develop it as a residential property I feel like it's going to be their issue to deal with. It’s quite a big investment. It sounds like they've done the research and they have the right people to mitigate some of the issues that they're going to have with the sound.”
Salem vacillated between supporting and opposing the rezoning and the apartment project, weighing the need for additional rental units against potential noise issues.
The petitioners bolstered their case with fresh market data showing year-over-year rent increased 40% in Sarasota, which is indicative of short market supply. Additionally, a 2% to 3% vacancy rate is half of the historic local norm of 5% to 6%. Based on construction costs and area market comps, the Aventon Sarasota would open with an average rent of approximately $2,000 per month, smaller units less and larger units more.
“This one is this is tough because the developer came in and gave us some rental units. I’m not completely happy with the rent, but the numbers have got to work for the developer,” Salem said. "The noise is an issue, but this will add inventory that is much needed.”
The rezoning and site plan rejection does not stop the project. If it chooses, Aventon can bring it before the City Commission for consideration.
