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Treasure Island commissioners concerned about hotel design
By LEE DIEKEMPER
| Article published on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007 |
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TREASURE ISLAND – How to handle an appeal of a denial by the Treasure Island Planning and Zoning board to build a 31-unit hotel on a parcel of land at 290 107th Ave. was a leading topic at the Oct. 2 Treasure Island City Commission meeting.
Steve Erdmann, who represented the parties appealing the denial by the Planning and Zoning Board, appeared before the commission to speak on behalf of his clients.
The main issue of the denial was the proposed appearance of the new hotel. City commissioners suggested to Erdmann that since the project will be so close to downtown, and the city is currently investigating options for a downtown redevelopment project, in theory, it would have been best to have the hotel blend in with either the current ambiance of the Treasure Island waterfront, causeway bridge or try to be consistent with projects downtown.
Some citizens, including former Commissioner Richard Kraus, spoke during the public hearing, asking for the commission to deny the project under its current design.
“Once approved, we will have to live with this for a long, long time,” Kraus said.
Erdmann suggested this was hard to do since the city doesn’t have a firm plan for downtown.
“(The project) is two to three blocks from the proposed downtown redevelopment,” Erdmann said. “There are no guidelines on how it should look. It’s hard for an applicant (to build along guidelines) with no rules.”
Commissioner Phil Collins referred to the current hotel project design as “early penitentiary.”
Collins, as he has at previous meetings during disputes, acted as an arbitrator, trying to find a common agreement. He lauded Erdmann and his clients’ desire to build a hotel on Treasure Island but suggested there was an easy way to move forward. Collins suggested the design of the proposed hotel use the current design of the new causeway bridge as an influence.
“You could incorporate your design of your hotel with a reflection or flair of (the new causeway) bridge,” Collins said. “I don’t think that would create (an uproar). Your current design is, stark.
“I think this is a (dispute) that is easy to fix.” Commissioner Bob Minning echoed Collins statements.
“I too would like to see that site developed,” Minning said. “But the design as submitted doesn’t give a lot of people a warm and fuzzy feeling.”
Erdmann countered, “How can I design something for five people without any guidelines?”
“I don’t think you have to overcome an obstacle course,” Collins said.
Added Minning, “I don’t think overcoming this is a big stretch.”
Commissioner Ed Gayton also noted the design as opposed to the plan to build a hotel on the proposed site was the issue.
“Everyone in this city is working for more hotels, more accommodations,” Gayton said. “But we need something more than this.”
Dog parks
During the workshop portion of the meeting, Collins brought up the suggestion of adding dog parks to the city. He noted they are very popular for citizens of other communities.
“The ones I am familiar with are very successful,” Collins said.
Collins suggested adding the dog parks to current city parks such as Roselli Park on Isle of Capri.
City Manager Reid Silverboard suggested just adding an area for dogs is easier said than done. He did some research on the dog parks and noted that roughly an acre of land is needed and that dog parks generally set aside specific areas for larger dogs, smaller dogs and a “meet and greet” area for the canines where the dogs “can perform their rituals.”
Silverboard also said that fences for a dog park need to be high enough so that dogs cannot jump over them and potentially disrupt other adjacent park activities.
“I know they are popular, but there are drawbacks,” Silverboard said.
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Article published on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007
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