150 room hotel from Google search
Why were the residents of the village and the north end of Longboat Key the last to know about the "150-room boutique hotel" that Michael Drake revealed is being proposed at the north end of Longboat Key at last week's village association meeting?
Why is a south end resident, Randall Clair, who was voted out of office by the electorate, on Spoll's, commission mandated, Chamber of Commerce sponsored, stealth revitalization committee, telling north end residents what will be done with their property, when the long-standing president of a north end condominium association was not invited to join the committee or the planning group at the art center last Saturday? For that matter, since I was elected by the people to replace Clair, why wasn't I asked to be on Spoll's secretive group, that meets on town property without advertising, virtually closed to the public, and attended by town staff at taxpayer expense?
What is being allowed to occur at town hall may be in violation of town government rules and may even be in violation of state law. We don't need a new community center if the commission is willing to allow private, business sponsored, groups to use town property and town resources, staff and utilities for private functions.
It is interesting to note that several members of Spoll's committee are, or have recently been, on the boards of PIC, the Garden Club and, of course, the Chamber of Commerce. Please note that the town staff has no official list of exactly who is on the committee, even though the committee meets on town property, and is allowed to schedule space as a private exofficio group that has access to town employees. This group, which seems to want to have a lot of say, and arguably has some clout about development on the key, is not subject to the sunshine laws.
Back to the 150-room hotel proposal that no one at the north end knew was happening for the past 6 - 8 months. Why did the Planning and Zoning Board gratuitously offer to add an additional floor to any development at Whitney Plaza at one of their meetings some months ago, after a developer had already discussed a hotel project with the then town planning director? Did the town staff relay what should have been private information to members of the PZB? The timing and coincidence of the hotel proposal and the PZB discussion need to be explained satisfactorily to the residents. I believe the north end residents have a right to know what went on during this entire process spanning at least seven months.
Spoll's committee concocted an amateurish narrative north end development survey, which Michael Drake then asked a few of the residents to complete. Interestingly, Mr. Drake did not offer to inform those residents about the hotel project being put forward by some developers. Commission Brenner has been asked about development on the north end also. He has twice assured constituents that nothing is happening. It could be assumed Spoll's committee will find that his survey demonstrates that no one at the north end objects to a tall hotel at the north end. Of course, that is because no one knew about it. This entire process is ready-made for the lawyers. To save our community still more legal strife and probable stalled movement at the north end, as we have with the Key Club, I am requesting the Spoll's phony survey be nullified and that a new survey be created by credible professionals, not undergraduates, after the community has been adequately informed about the possibility of a 150-room hotel on the property north of Whitney Plaza.
The village association has a history of political bias where Mr. Brenner has been repeatedly granted opportunities to campaign, while political opponents do not appear for some reason, no matter who is the opponent. Mr. Welly appeared before the village association for a lengthy presentation, and the village association held another discussion about the Key Club led by the then president. I am not aware that IPOC was ever invited by the association to make a presentation to the village residents. I am sad that the village association has such a recent unattractive political history. It was not that way a few years ago. Many villagers have quit the association in the past four years.
Who knew what when? Until this question has been fully vetted, there will probably be a lot of resistance from north end residents who will object to 18 year-old undergraduates telling 80 year-old PhD's, CEO's, etc. what they can and cannot do with their property.
The town, by allowing, and condoning, a private, commercially sponsored, group to repeatedly use town resources, meeting rooms and staff, may be placing the community in jeopardy. This group may have overstepped their mandated authority concerning what has happened at the north end. No resident deserves to be misled. The residents at the north end should have been informed about what people at town hall, and others associated with town government and exofficio committees, may have been aware of, before any survey was distributed. The entire survey process is unscientific and therefore invalid.
Spoll should be embarrassed. If I am not mistaken, Spoll was on the commission that denied Bob Dawson access to town hall to hold community meetings, saying it was against the town rules. Perhaps the commission needs to remove Spoll's ommittee from town hall. Perhaps they can find somewhere to meet like the rest of us. The village association has been reduced to meeting in peoples' garages since the art center was acquired by a private concern, introducing legitimate staff and insurance problems.
Look at previous article about an hotel at Whitney Plaza -
Longboat Key appears to be going to the dogs.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many places for sale on the island that it is a shame to build more housing until the economy picks up. Further, people on the north end of the island like their small town atmosphere and to build another gigantic facility will ruin the area. I'm glad we sold our home there.
Please keep all of your mid rise and high rise buildings on the South end of LBK.
DeleteGene, It is very simple...why you were not on the list to ask...You are a quiter....you lasted not even half of your first term as a commissioner.....you have no credibility with anyone on this island. You are full of half truths and misguided information.....To top if off....you come to a LBVA meeting and become negative....You don't bring a appetizer like everyone else does....you eat, drink and fill the room with non-truths... and your NOT even a PAID member.....shame on you GENE......
ReplyDeleteTo the person who appears to really dislike me, I have the following response.
ReplyDelete1) If you check the facts you will find that I am a paid member of the LBVA and have been for over twenty years. Since you are so exercised about accuracy, I am surprised at your non-truths.
2) During those times, over the past two decades or more, when people have bought food to LBVA meetings, I have failed to do so once. Since I know who you are, I suggest you have a few of your close buddies bring food, as they seldom do so. And you know it.
3) I resigned from the commission because I was unwilling to be party to what I thought, and stated at the time, were illegal activities by the commission. Judge Roberts recently stated that the actions of the commission, I resigned from, had committed "a miscarriage of justice". I am sorry you feel that following one's moral compass is being a "quitter".
4) It seems you and I have differing views about what I feel is inappropriate development in the village since you feel any discussion of a massive hotel on Broadway is "negative".
Please attend the upcoming Planning and Zoning Board meeting, where the commission's north end tourist development overlay plan will be discussed. There will also be an opportunity to participate in the future of our community at the next commission meeting the first Monday in March.
Gene, you are frothing at the bit! 100 rooms not 150. also 4 stories high not 7. WE can use some commercial activity at the north end so that going off the key as we age does not become such a chore. Maybe you will realize this as you get older!Having lived on the key for over 30 years, I for one would appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteI checked with 5 people before writing the article. Michael Drake stated "150 room boutique hotel" at the village association meeting and raised a few eyebrows. Have you spoken with the developers? I would be happy to be mistaken about the number of rooms. The piece of land north of Whitney Plaza, including the bank building, where the hotel is supposed to be located, is a little over 2 acres. This does not seem like much land for a hotel development. There are a few single family homes in the area that have about 2 acres of land.
ReplyDeleteBrian Kinny has been unable to retain the few shops that were open when he acquired Whitney Plaza 2 years ago. I have been told that Brian is no longer at Whitney Plaza.
Everyone would most likely appreciate having a vibrant retail center at Whitney Plaza to replace the slow death that has been the reality at that location for the past 20 years. I am afraid that the past 20 years have demonstrated that there is north enough year-round business to support 3 shopping centers on Longboat Key. Is there was enough business, I suspect that Whitney Plaza would be full of thriving retail businesses, as there would be at the Publix center. I suspect we would also have 3 gas stations.
I once had a teacher who told me "If a butterfly prays to fly to the moon, its prayers are wasted".
Dear Gene,
ReplyDeleteI read with interest your blog and revelations about the 150 room hotel at the north end. Thank you for what you are doing.
As you what you said in your email:
"In the past a show of force has been very effective in molding the actions of the commissioners."
With all due respect, I disagree. I have lived on the Key since 1992 and owned on the Key since 1985. Since my full-time residence here I have been directly involved in two huge issues, the beach renourishment and the Christ Church project. In both of those issues, there were unprecedented "shows of force" by the neighborhood with legitimate and serious concerns. And in both cases, the commission only had their own interests in mind, or the interests of influential others. The interest of the residents was ignored. I have also watched this process with regard to other issues. These commissions make up their minds well before any "show of force." Then they try to stay awake in the meetings while they tolerate the public comments and input from residents, and then they continue on with what they already have decided. This is government on Longboat Key.
I am disillusioned.
Again, thank you for your efforts.
I am afraid the fix is in. There will be major tourism at the north end of the island whether local residents want it or not. The days are probably gone when north end residents controlled their neighborhoods. What has been a very costly legal residents battle with developers at the south end of the island, will not happen at the north end. No one has the money that IPOC has been willing to spend to fight for their property rights.
ReplyDeleteThere are some big names emerging as part of the development process. I doubt north end residents have much of a chance. I am sad.