Petitioner Seeks Variance to Accommodate 130’ Yacht

The Marco Island Planning Board will have a short agenda on Friday, September 3, starting at 9 am, but the one item on their agenda is one which mirrors issues that have been perplexing waterfront property owners for a number of years.

The owners at 986 Sundrop Court are requesting a variance to allow a 10-foot extension to their dock to allow the accommodation of a new, larger vessel, which they have or shortly will purchase.

Owners on either side of the home located along the Marco River oppose this “variance,” as suggested by staff in their report to the Planning Board.

Over the years, issues regarding “dock variances” have created some angst between neighbors due to the granting of variances which unintentionally have created problems regarding the ability of adjoining properties to continue to fully utilize their dockage areas. 

Letters of objection regarding the agenda have been forwarded to the city’s Planning Board from owners on both sides of the property at 986 Sundrop Court. The property located at 983 Sundrop, which has been in the same ownership since 1975 when that home was constructed, and the owners of 980 Sundrop, are objecting to the variance being requested. Both objections reference obstruction of the views of the Marco River and the Jolley Bridge all three property owners enjoy.

The McBride family which owns the property at 980 Sundrop requested they be allowed to testify electronically. They were denied that request and have been feverishly working to provide city officials with written testimony and recently called out five objections to the proceeding this Friday.

They first objected to the fact that they were never provided notification as required. They went on to list another four issues which, if found to be accurate, may call into question the city staff’s recommendations regarding the approval for the variance.

Property owners who have objected to the loss of their “views” in similar requests have failed to prevail over the last several years. Owners at the Angler’s Cove Condo Complex failed in their arguments when they objected to the construction of the new boat storage facility at the Rose Marco River Marina.  Another more recent issue came about when the Marco Island Yacht Club came before the Planning Board and the City Council when they sought final approval for the new docks presently being constructed. Owners on Martinique Court protested potential blockage of their views due to that project.

The Planning Board will convene Friday to determine the outcome of this most recent request.