- November 7, 2024
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County staff is still not ready to start the formal review process for the Siesta Promenade and said the most recent materials are “insufficient” and “incomplete” once again.
Benderson Development submitted a Critical Area Plan, or a request to increase the density on its property, and a rezoning petition for the property at Stickney Point Road and U.S. 41. The proposal: a 24-acre multiuse development that includes 140,000 square feet of retail, 415 residential units and a 130-room hotel.
Benderson Director of Development Todd Mathes said he hopes to re-submit materials that address the county’s comments by the end of February.
“It’s taken a little longer than we initially anticipated to work through a few issues, but not significantly longer,” he said. “We knew there were probably a few outstanding issues.”
Some of the things staff pointed out were: images needed to be enlarged to provide more clear detail; there were some inconsistencies in the presented plans; there were some issues with landscaping; and some things were mislabeled or formatted incorrectly.
County staff also noted the density on the application is incorrect, which is something opponents of the project have been pointing out since the summer.
The current density allowed on the property is 13 units per acre. To build the proposed residential structures, the company needs a density of more than 17 units per acre, which is what was noted on the plans.
However, according to County Planner Todd Dary, Benderson must include the 130 proposed hotel units in the density calculation. With it, the density increases to more than 20 units per acre.
The materials do not include the hotel rooms in the calculation. However, Mathes disagrees with the assertion that the density was incorrectly calculated.
“We’ve already had a proper calculation of density,” he said. “That’s always been clear, I believe.”
Further, the materials request that portions of Crestwood Avenue, in the Pine Shores Neighborhood adjacent to the development, be vacated and the street be realigned. Under the current plans, a portion of Crestwood runs through a corner of the Siesta Promenade, which would be used as a driveway to enter the property from U.S. 41.
In their response, staff noted that any street vacations will have to be considered separately, and before a public hearing about the entire development occurs. Mathes said the company is beginning that process.
Additionally, the county asked Benderson to provide an updated traffic impact analysis that reflects a January meeting with the county and FDOT.
Once the company submits a response to the county’s comments, it typically takes about 30 days to respond again. If the new materials get approved, the formal review can begin, including neighborhood workshops and public hearings.
Area residents, such as Pine Shores resident Sura Kochman, want to see a final plan, but are uninterested in intense development in the congested area.
“It is remarkable that for a developer who supposedly has so much expertise ... that they just can’t get this right,” Kochman said. “Get this thing organized. Get it done.”
The last round of materials Benderson submitted in late December showed a move by the developer to address traffic concerns in the nearby neighborhoods. A revised plan for the put commercial property closer to U.S. 41 and Stickney Point Road, and residential units against the existing neighborhoods.
