Questions Raised Over Proposed Mixed-Use Development Project

On Friday, April 28, developers proposing a mixed-use project on their property at 711-731 South Collier Boulevard, which presently includes the Public Turtle Parking lot, met with neighbors in that area to discuss their plans. This type of neighborhood information meeting (NIM) is designed to hear comments and discuss possible solutions to the issues which are raised.

The present Public Turtle Parking lot accommodates 80 vehicles. The developer is proposing a total of 141 pay-for parking spots, an increase of 61 spots for beach parking. The total number of spaces within the parking garage area will be 251. Turtle Lot parking is also paid parking.

The breakdown of the 251 parking spots includes 28 spaces (two each) for the residential units, 81 spots for the restaurant facilities (one spot for every four seats per present code), and one spot for security, with the balance going for the paid public beach parking.

Several questions were left for the developer’s team to answer, such as: How will the loading/unloading be facilitated for the restaurant/bar facilities without blocking Muspa Way, which is directly behind the proposed building? How will the residential units be designated? The units, some of which range upwards to 3,400 square feet with three bedrooms and three baths, are split between two floors. Will they be condominiums or hotel resort-type residential units? Who will control how they will be operated? Would rentals be daily, three-day, or be used by owners as condominiums?

Would there be any control over the parking, and how will it be enforced? Is it fair to the neighbors to think that an inadequate parking plan won’t spill out into the neighborhoods?

Owners at the Seawinds, Sandpiper and the Somerset Condos came forward to question how the extra stress of the beach would be handled. “Who will be cleaning up the trash?”  Some would also comment that the idea that the extra people this would bring without adequate sanitary facilities on the beach would force those additional visitors to walk back to the single bathroom in the parking garage shows a lack of understanding of human nature. “They already use our bushes as a bathroom without reservation,” said a woman after the meeting.

Some spoke in favor of the project, citing more beach parking and praising the additional restaurant facilities at the south end of the island.

The Planning Board has canceled its May 5 meeting, so the earliest this can come forward to them would be the June 2 meeting for a hearing.