Arches Bayfront hotel project approved by LPA
The Town of Fort Myers Beach Local Planning Agency (LPA) unanimously approved the Arches Bayfront hotel project at Moss Marina with a Comprehensive Plan amendment and Commercial Planned Development rezoning. The project includes an 81-feet high, 263-room hotel and other commercial uses. The project required eight deviations from the town’s local development code, including deviations from the town’s height restrictions and for a parking reduction of 50%. The project had been recommended for denial by town planning staff. The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council must still hold hearings on the development.
The approvals occurred near the end of a nearly nine-hour meeting. The developers had previously proposed a 400-room hotel at the site and pulled back their plans before bringing in their new plans. This was the first meeting by the LPA on the new plans.
The new plans call for several buildings, with the tallest reaching seven stories.
As part of the approvals, Chair Anita Cereceda asked that the developers bring forth new plans to provide more buffering from the project for several neighbors who had spoke up at the hearing to oppose the project.
“Your project is going to change things dramatically,” Cereceda said. “It’s going to change their neighborhood.”
Cereceda said that it was a difficult decision for her to arrive at, after initially opposing the original plans. Cereceda voted to approve the plans along with the rest of the board and said that while the project is “high, it’s dense,” but said “I think I am doing the right thing.”
The developers were represented by The Neighborhood Company, planning consultants headed by Patrick Vanasse, a former Local Planning Agency board member. A day earlier, the firm recently helped win approvals for a food truck park near the Pelican Watch condo building.
Vanasse responded to concerns by Cereceda about creating more of a buffer between the development and neighbors by saying he would come back with plans for plantings.
Chris Mosteiro, a neighbor of the proposed development who said he lives about two dozen feet from Moss Marina, said there should be more public benefits. Mostero said storm drainage is a major problem in the area and expressed concerns about flooding issues. Mostero said the buildings would tower over his home. Mostero said the project would “drastically change our neighborhood.”
Mosteiro said the project’s buildings were even taller than originally proposed and wasn’t responsible for a neighborhood with limited access “and little thoughtfulness to the neighbors.”
Mosteiro said the new plans don’t address concerns residents had raised previously in the original plans about the size of the buildings, access and concerns about “balconies facing our homes.”
Mosteiro said an application by Moss Marina in the 1980’s to expand was denied by Lee County due to a lack of access. “The roads have not gotten any bigger,” Mosteiro said. “There is no good access for this size development today. What they are calling a linear park is laughable. It is a required buffer which is going to become a pedestrian highway in our backyards. What is currently a quiet, enclosed boat shed 25 feet from my house is going to be balconies and gathering places.”
Mosteiro said the buffer should be at least 25 feet with a park with larger green space. “Where are the public benefits?”
Robin Atwood, another neighbor in close proximity to Moss Marina, said he was never contacted by the Freeland family proposing the development.
Atwood expects a large increase in vehicular traffic which she said would interfere with the local, downtown pedestrian traffic. Atwood complained of a lack of a buffer in the Arches Bayfront plans between her property and the site of the project.
Atwood also expressed concern about a proposed bar on site, which she said would turn into an ongoing party near her home. “If there is a bar, and people are vacationing there is a loud party,” she said.
“My view is of a marina. For 30 years it’s been my view. Now it will be people looking back at us at our homes.” Atwood said the plans of Arches Bayfront has “balconies looking down on our homes.”
Dale Bonema, a neighbor of the property, said he believed the project would devalue his home and that the LPA did not follow the directives of the town’s professional planners that recommended denial of the project.
“It’s very disappointing. Having lived here through that whole Margaritaville battle which went on for years,” Bonema said. Bonema said he couldn’t understand how the Arches Bayfront project (which is approximately 30 feet taller) was allowed so much quicker, while closer to more residential properties. “It’s a different time. Build big. It will probably be nicer than Fort Lauderdale.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Fort Myers Beach Observer Editor Nathan Mayberg can be reached at NMayberg@breezenewspapers.com