SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Provide direction on the proposed Development Agreement between Alanik Properties; Anco Holdings, LLC; Nikana Holdings, LLC (the property owners) 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. (HDA2014-06004)
Body
SUMMARY:
Site Location and Existing Conditions:
The 1.994-acre site is bound by South Gulfview Boulevard (west), Coronado Drive (east), and 5th Street (north). The subject property is comprised of five parcels with a frontage of approximately 350 feet along South Gulfview Boulevard, 450 feet along Coronado Drive and 213 feet of frontage along 5th Street. The site is occupied by two hotels with a combined total of 227 hotel rooms and a small retail store. 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 Beach Walk District of Beach by Design.
Access to the site is generally provided by several driveways along South Gulfview Boulevard (including the South Gulfview Boulevard frontage road) and Coronado Drive. A drop curb along 5th Street runs along the north side of the site providing to parking spaces which existing partially within and back out into the 5th Street right-of-way. Building frontage is generally located along South Gulfview Boulevard (and its frontage road) and 5th Street.
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 two to four 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 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 site was the subject of the Level II Flexible Development request approval (FLD2005-07068) which included, among other items, a request for a Termination of Status of Nonconformity to permit 127 hotel units (63.69 units per acre) to be considered conforming when the otherwise permitted number of hotel units was 97 units (50 units per acre). That portion of the request is considered vested. The owners propose to utilize the existing 127 hotel units and incorporate an additional 100 units from the Hotel Density Reserve through Beach by Design resulting in a total of 227 units (114 units per acre).
The current proposal is to demolish all structures on the site and build a single 13-floor hotel with a 227 hotel rooms. The building will be 140 feet (from Base Flood Elevation) to flat roof with the parking on the first four 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 two, two-way driveways with one located at the southeast corner of the property along Coronado Drive and a second at the northwest corner of the site along 5th Street which will provide access to the parking garage component of the development. A service drive is located at the northeast corner of the building along Coronado Drive. The primary entrance and lobby of the building will be located along Coronado on the second floor.
As noted, the first four 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 lobby, restaurant, ballroom, pool and pool deck are located on second floor. In addition to parking spaces the third floor includes a variety of offices and back of house uses such as storage and an employee lounge. The fourth floor will include 14 hotel units, meeting space and an exercise room for guests in addition to parking spaces. The remaining floors will consist almost entirely of hotel units with floors five through 10 containing 28 hotel rooms each and floors 11 through 13 with 15 rooms each.
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 86,880 square feet in area and approximately 450 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 140 feet in height as measured from BFE where a height of up to 150 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,
The proposal provides for a building which exceeds 100 feet in height. The applicant has demonstrated that there are no more than two structures which exceed 100 feet within 500 feet thereby fulfilling the requirements of Option 1, above. In addition, the applicant has demonstrated that there are no more than four structures which exceed 100 feet within 800 feet thereby fulfilling the requirements of Option 2, above.
The height of the proposed building is consistent with the guidelines of Beach by Design.
Minimum Off-Street Parking:
The 227-room overnight accommodation use requires a minimum of 272 off-street parking spaces. A parking garage located on the first four levels of the building will provide a minimum of 272 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 street frontages. 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.