Proposed Old Marco Restaurant and Parking Going To Mediation Hearing

Residents of Old Marco may have thought their battle over preserving the character of their neighborhood might be behind them. However, a mediation hearing under the Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act process may be a spoiler event in that effort.

The Old Marco area of the island may well hold a special significance to those who reside there, however that area may soon change should the owners of the property at 1202 Bald Eagle manage to have the City Council’s rejection of their desires overturned. The new owners of the 1202 Bald Eagle Property purchased the Marco Resort and Club property which was formerly there for $4,250,000 in September of 2020.

City council recently rejected an off-site agreement for shared parking with properties located at 1117 and 1123 Bald Eagle Drive. The off-site-agreement would have allowed the new owners the ability to build a multi-story restaurant/bar with a capacity for 268 seats.

During the last several months considerable behind-the-scenes discussions relative to potential acquisitions of more property in that area have been ongoing, which might possibly change the sleepy Old Marco section of the island in a permanent way.

In addition to those discussions, potential acquisition by the city of the North Marco Utility Company may be a key component to those changes. Presently the North Marco Utility is in initial discussions with the city for its takeover. North Marco Utility treats no wastewater products, but instead simply pumps that effluent to the city’s wastewater treatment plant on East Elkcam Circle 

The mediation hearing will be held at 9:00 AM in council chambers on Tuesday, October 18 and is open to the public.