It Takes a Village

During the next few months, the north end, and especially the village, may see the town commission proposing revisions to the existing town comprehensive plan and building codes to allow a major tourism development on the commercial land located at GMD and Broadway at the north end of Longboat Key.

I hope the north end community will participate in large numbers in this process. If the residents participate, there is much more likelihood that the land at the entrance to the Village will be developed with an intent to maintain and protect the ambiance of the neighborhood.  If the north end community does not choose to be an active part of the development planning, then what happens at the north end may not be in the best interests of the major stakeholders in the area, namely the homeowners.

Let's look at the difference in composition between shopping centers that cater to residents in a community, compared to shopping centers that cater to tourists. Are the two appreciably different? Perhaps we can compare two such shopping experiences located adjacent to the north end. One is the Center Shops on Longboat Key and the other is Bradenton Beach. Both are thriving, yet each caters to a different clientele.

The types of businesses located at the Center Shops rely on local customers to survive. The businesses include the well attended Longboat Key Education Center, a bank, three locally supported restaurants, a frame shop, an exercise center, a UPS store, several offices, dry cleaner, kitchen shop, window treatment store, etc.


Bradenton Beach enjoys two seasons, drawing patrons in the winter from Anna Maria Island and during the summer from beach goers and day tourists. The types of businesses in Bradenton Beach are largely tourist oriented. I do not think anyone believes the few residents of Bradenton Beach are capable of supporting such a robust group of tourist oriented businesses. Ed Cliles' Beach House restaurant is a major draw for Bradenton Beach and appears to enjoy a year-round clientele.

The unique location of the north end commercial property, its relatively low cost, and its access to the north end beaches might attract a developer interested in creating a day tourist destination. Such a development could be a lot more fun than Coquina Beach on a year-round basis for tourists and Manatee County residents. However, I cannot see how local residents and day tourists share similarities in lifestyle. I am trying to imagine what types of businesses would attract beach going day tourists and young people to a commercial center on the north end of Longboat Key.

In recent studies it has been found, that when commercial tourism is introduced into a previously residential community, the local residents tend to lose territory, as they retreat from tourist activities.

The composition of the proposed commercial overlay district at the north end is a question of who's interests will be favored. If it is residential taxpayers, then there will be restrictions as to what sorts of businesses can be located within the overlay district. If it is simply finding a way of resuscitating a failed commercial center, then a more open approach will most likely be considered. Reference: ordinance 2012-06 Future Land Use Elements GOPS discusses north end overlay district.

Last evening, at the Observer/PIC debate, Commissioner Brenner stated that "retail does not work" at Whitney Plaza, and we've seen that that has been the case for years. If retail does not work, what does work, and do we want it? 

The residents of the Village need to be involved.



 

The Last to Know

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 -

http://lbk-folk.blogspot.com/2011/05/newspeak-and-town-commission.html