SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Provide direction on the proposed Development Agreement between Mainstream Partners VIII, LTD. (the property owner) and the City of Clearwater, providing for the allocation of 100 units from the Hotel Density Reserve under Beach by Design and confirm a second public hearing in City Council Chambers before City Council on September 18, 2014 at 6:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as may be heard. (HDA2013-08006; 405 Coronado Drive)
Body
SUMMARY:
Site Location and Existing Conditions:
The 1.32-acre site is bound by Coronado Drive (west), Hamden Drive (east) 5th Street (north) at the intersection Hamden Drive and Bayside Drive. The subject property is comprised of five parcels with a frontage of approximately 400 feet along Coronado Drive and 175 feet of frontage along Hamden Drive. The site is occupied by a parking lot along 5th Street (recently constructed) and the Gulf Beach Inn (along Coronado Drive) a 22 unit overnight accommodation use built in 1960 (according to Pinellas County Property Appraiser records). The subject property is zoned Tourist (T) District with an underlying Future Land Use Plan (FLUP) category of Resort Facilities High (RFH). The subject property is also located within the Small Motel District of Beach by Design.
Access to the site is generally provided by a drop curb along Fifth Street along the north side of the site. Non-compliant parking is provided along Hamden Drive. These parking spaces exist partially or wholly within and back out into the Hamden Drive right-of-way. The remaining buildings are located along Coronado Drive.
The larger area is characterized by a variety of uses including overnight accommodation, retail, outdoor recreation and entertainment, restaurant and attached dwelling uses with heights ranging from one to 15 stories. The immediate area is characterized by one to two story hotels. A five-story attached dwelling is located at the northeast corner of Bayside Drive and Hamden Drive. Detached dwellings are located farther along the length of Bayside Drive. The properties located along Hamden Drive around which the subject site wraps are developed with attached dwellings and overnight accommodation uses. The City's Beach Walk project, to the west, has been constructed transforming South Gulfview Boulevard to the north of this site into a winding beachside promenade with lush landscaping, artistic touches and clear views to Clearwater's award-winning beach and the water beyond. Coronado Drive has largely been improved according to Beach by Design.
Development Proposal:
The owners propose to utilize the otherwise permitted density of 50 units per acre or 66 units and incorporate an additional 100 units from the Hotel Density Reserve through Beach by Design resulting in a total of 166 units (126 units per acre).
The current proposal is to demolish all structures on the site and redevelop the site with a 166-unit overnight accommodation use (126 rooms per acre, including the allocation of 100 rooms from the Hotel Density Reserve). The building will be 100 feet (from Base Flood Elevation) to flat roof with the parking on the first three levels. The proposal includes a tropical modern architecture, which is consistent with and complements the tropical vernacular envisioned in Beach by Design.
The site will be accessed via a two-way driveway at the southeast corner of the property which will provide access to the parking garage component of the development. A one-way drop-off is provided along the north side of the site along 5th Street. The entrance is located at the northwest corner of the site and the drop-off exits into the parking garage driveway.
The northwest corner of the building at the ground floor will consist of retail space and the lobby will be located at the north side of the building. As noted, the first three floors of the building will contain a parking garage as well as miscellaneous back-of-house components such as maintenance rooms and laundry facilities. The fourth floor will include a pool and pool deck (over parking at the southwest quadrant of the building. The remainder of the floor will be dedicated to dining, meeting space, exercise room, an upper lobby, six hotel rooms and miscellaneous back-of-house components. Floors five through nine will be dedicated almost entirely to hotel rooms (32 per floor).
Consistency with the Community Development Code (CDC):
Minimum Lot Area and Width:
Pursuant to CDC Table 2-802, the minimum required lot area and width for an Overnight Accommodation use is 20,000 square feet and between 100 and 150 feet, respectively. The subject property is 57,499 square feet in area and approximately 400 feet wide. The site is consistent with these Code provisions.
Minimum Setbacks:
The conceptual site plan depicts setbacks of 15 feet along the front (north and east) along 5th Street and Hamden Drive, respectively and 10 feet to building along all other remaining sides of the site including along Coronado Drive. The proposed setbacks may be approved as part of a Level One (FLS) application, subject to meeting the applicable flexibility criteria of the Community Development Code.
Maximum Height:
Section B of the Design Guidelines within Beach by Design specifically addresses height. The proposal provides for a building 100 feet in height as measured from BFE where a height of up to 100 feet is permitted as prescribed by the CDC (subject to meeting the applicable flexibility criteria of the CDC and as approved as part of a Level II Flexible Development application) and limited by Beach by Design,
This section also requires that portions of any structures which exceed 100 feet are spaced at least 100 feet apart. This section also includes overall separation requirements for structures over 100 feet in height as two options: (1) no more than two structures which exceed 100 feet within 500 feet; or (2) no more than four structures which exceed 100 feet within 800 feet.
The proposal provides for a building which does not exceed 100 feet in height.
The height of the proposed building is consistent with the guidelines of Beach by Design.
Minimum Off-Street Parking:
The 166-room overnight accommodation use requires a minimum of 199 off-street parking spaces. A parking garage located on the first three levels of the building will provide 199 spaces. This is consistent with the applicable Sections of the CDC.
Landscaping:
While a formal landscape plan is not required to be submitted for review at this time, the conceptual landscape areas depicted on the site plan show that adequate spaces for foundation landscaping will be provided along all sides of the building. Since no perimeter landscape buffers are required in the Tourist (T) District, the proposed landscape areas meet or exceed what is required. It is noted, however, that flexibility may be requested/necessary as part of a Comprehensive Landscape Program which would be reviewed at time of formal site plan approval.
Consistency with Beach by Design:
Design Guidelines:
A review of the provided architectural elevations and massing study was conducted and the proposed building does appear to be generally consistent with the applicable Design Guidelines established in Beach by Design. It is noted, however, that a more formal review of these Guidelines will need to be conducted as part of the final site plan approval process.
Hotel Density Reserve:
The project has been reviewed for compliance with those criteria established within Beach by Design concerning the allocation of hotel rooms from the Reserve. The project appears to be generally consistent with those criteria, including that the development comply with the Metropolitan Planning Organization's (MPO) countywide approach to the application of traffic concurrency management for transportation facilities. The submitted Traffic Impact Study concludes that traffic operations at nearby intersections and on adjacent roadways would continue at acceptable levels of service.
Standards for Development Agreements:
The proposal is in compliance with the standards for development agreements, is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and furthers the vision of beach redevelopment set forth in Beach by Design. The proposed Development Agreement will be in effect for a period not to exceed ten years, meets the criteria for the allocation of rooms from the Hotel Density Reserve under Beach by Design and includes the following main provisions:
§ Provides for the allocation of 100 units from the Hotel Density Reserve;
§ Requires the developer to obtain building permits and certificates of occupancy in accordance with Community Development Code (CDC) Section 4-407;
§ Requires the return of any hotel unit obtained from the Hotel Density Reserve that is not constructed;
§ For units allocated from the Hotel Density Reserve, prohibits the conversion of any hotel unit to a residential use and requires the recording of a covenant restricting use of such hotel units to overnight accommodation usage; and
§ Requires a legally enforceable mandatory evacuation/closure covenant that the hotel will be closed as soon as practicable after a hurricane watch that includes Clearwater Beach is posted by the National Hurricane Center.
Changes to Development Agreements:
Pursuant to Section 4-606.I., CDC, a Development Agreement may be amended by mutual consent of the parties, provided the notice and public hearing requirements of Section 4-206 are followed. Revisions to conceptual site plans and/or architectural elevations attached as exhibits to this Development Agreement shall be governed by the provisions of Section 4-406, CDC. Minor revisions to such plans may be approved by the Community Development Coordinator. Other revisions not specified as minor shall require an amendment to this Development Agreement.