- November 22, 2024
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When the proposed One Park condominium in The Quay eventually makes its way back before the Sarasota Planning Board, it will do so before two new board members.
On Monday, the Sarasota City Commission dismissed a suggestion from City Attorney Robert Fournier and City Manager Marlon Brown that appointments for two seats being vacated by Kathy Kelly Olrich and Damien Blumetti — whose terms expired in June — be delayed because those two members will not have the same level of knowledge of the controversial project.
During the public comments portion of the meeting, attorney Matt Brockway, who represents One Park developer Property Markets Group of Miami, objected to the delay.
“The stated reason for this proposal is that the application is so complex and it will take new members too long to get up to speed,” Brockway said. "This is simply false. The complexity of the development agreement application has been greatly exaggerated. The amendment only affects two subsections of the development agreement and clarifies one single issue that building can be constructed over Quay Commons between and adjacent to blocks 1 and 9.”
Additionally, Brockway said the testimony and backup documentation for the first portion of a legislative public hearing held March 8, which has yet to be continued due to lingering legal matters, are all available online and are readily accessible. That hearing was over an amendment to the general development agreement for The Quay that would allow consideration of One Park to be built as proposed.
“The administrative site plan application will eventually also come before the Planning Board for review and approval,” Brockway said. “It makes all the sense in the world that the Planning Board members voting on the development agreement amendment will also hear and vote on the site plan.”
Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch said the city does have the ability to extend the terms of citizen board members beyond their terms so they may serve until they are officially replaced, and suggested the terms be extended until One Park hearings are complete. She received no support, though, from the rest of the commission.
“I would be concerned about what Commissioner Ahearn-Koch said because in delaying the appointment of the two new Planning Board members, the old Planning Board members will start hearing new stuff over the next couple of months, which will then complicate things for the new ones who will not have heard that,” said Commissioner Debbie Trice. “I don't think that Commissioner Ahearn-Koch’s suggestion will be helpful.”
Vice Mayor Liz Alpert agreed.
“It's no different than after an election,” she said. “There's often a new commission, so if you apply for that, part of the job is that you need to see what came before and learn what's going on and get yourself caught up in what needs to be done and what you need to vote on.”
With that, commissioners set about nominating and selecting two new Planning Board members, Daniel Deleo and Shane Lamay.
Ahearn-Koch nominated and advocated for current Planning Board alternate member Douglas Christy, who has served in that capacity for a year, but Alpert raised the issue of Christy having to recuse himself from future One Park hearings and votes because his wife, an attorney, represents some buyers in purchasing at One Park.
In that event, an alternate could step in. The problem is, because Christy's term remains active, there was no advertisement for applications for the alternate position. For that reason, Christy was removed from consideration and, if he so chooses can remain as the alternate.
Other applicants were Carl Shoffstall, David Lewis, Michael Tatro and Jordan Allison.
Monday’s meeting, the first in more than a month, also brought seven speakers in opposition to Obsidian, the 18-story, 342-foot tall condominium tower at 1260 Palm Ave. that is working its way through the city’s administrative approval process.
Before they stated speaking, Commissioner Erik Arroyo pointed out that the City Commission will have no say in whether Obsidian is built as proposed.
"As of right now this project isn't coming before us,” Arroyo said. “It is all going to be reviewed administratively.”
That didn’t stop those in opposition from speaking, and addressing the more than 3,500 petitions signed by residents of surrounding condominium towers who oppose the project primarily because of its height. It would be the tallest building in downtown by some 100 feet.
“The administrative approval process for this project allows no opportunity for direct public input and engagement except for emails with our city officials,” said Ron Shapiro. “So we have no choice but to communicate our concerns during these three-minute talks this morning.”
Other speakers cited exemptions sought by developer Matt Kihnke, which include allowing trash collection on Palm Avenue and reduction of required commercial space on the street level as reasons the planning department should reject Obsidian as proposed.
Obsidian has received partial sign-off from the city’s Development Review Committee. Should it receive sign-off from remaining departments in the administrative review process, final approval rests with Development Services Director Lucia Panica.
