AGENDA ITEM REPORT
TITLE:
title
AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE SPECIAL LAND USE APPLICATION FOR THE PROJECT KNOWN AS WOODSPRING HOTEL AT STRADA FOR A FOUR STORY, 122 ROOM HOTEL LOCATED AT 4888 COCONUT CREEK PARKWAY, PURSUANT TO SECTION 13-35, CODE OF ORDINANCES. (QUASI-JUDICIAL)(FIRST PUBLIC HEARING) (POSTPONED AT APPLICANT’S REQUEST)
body
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is part of the Hale Planned Commerce District (PCD), which is approximately 20+/- acres overall and includes the existing Walgreens Pharmacy, Dave Thomas Education Center and Strada Development, generally located at the southwest corner of Coconut Creek Parkway and Lyons Road.
In 2005, a master site plan for the Strada development was approved by the Planning and Zoning Board that excluded both the pharmacy and the school. The Strada master site plan, approximately 7.96 acres, included multiple retail/office buildings, a bank, and a four-story hotel with 86 rooms. Because the hotel was proposed as four stories, it required the City Commission to review and adopt a special land use application. The hotel that was the subject of the special land use application was proposed to contain 86 rooms. The hotel was never built. To date, a medical office building and a bank have been constructed on the Strada site.
DISCUSSION:
As required, the applicant, Craven Thompson & Associates, is currently seeking special land use approval for the development of an extended stay, four-story, 122 room hotel on the subject property known as the Woodspring Hotel at Strada. If approved, the Woodspring Hotel at Strada proposes an increase of 36 hotel rooms, a 42% increase from the previous hotel special land use approval. Please note for the purpose of the analysis, the application was evaluated in total. The new hotel is proposed to be located at the rear of the subject property as was originally shown on the Strada master site plan. This is proposed as a limited service hotel where there is not night time front desk personnel and comparable reviews indicate that there is no night time staffing. This area warrants further discussion with the applicant because of security concerns. The front desk hours are 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. in information provided from the applicant. The website and reviews contradict this information. The distinction related to the length of occupancy (tenancy) and the potential need for evictions of problematic residents is still being investigated.
PUBLIC INVOLVMENT:
As part of the public involvement process, the City has received hundreds of emails related to this proposal. The majority of the emails relate to concerns over increased crime and decreased property values. Based on these concerns, staff has evaluated the specific brand of hotel and extended stay hotels in general. We find that there is cause for concern and have asked the Police Department to analyze similar properties as they relate to crime statistics.
Over the last few weeks, based on the overwhelming negative sentiment presented by concerned residents citywide through telephone calls, CRM’s, emails, letters and meetings, staff has had several conversations with the applicant’s representative expressing our concerns and urging the applicant to address these community concerns. City staff, as professional land planners, have a special responsibility to serve the public interest and to give the public an opportunity to have a meaningful impact on development plans. We do not believe the community concerns have been addressed by the applicant at this time.
Per Section 13-35 (c), property owners within 500 feet of the subject property were notified by mail of the special land use request and invited to attend the City Commission meeting. One hundred and twenty-five (125) notices were mailed by the City on June 14, 2018.
In addition to the above Code required public notices and as part of the application review process, the applicant was required to perform community outreach in an effort to provide project information to neighboring property owners and neighborhood associations, as well as hear and address concerns and issues raised through this process. The applicant has submitted a Community Outreach Summary for this project, which is included as part of the agenda backup for this application. Outreach included a meeting with the Wynmoor Community Council, the Coco Parc Condominium Board, and a community meeting held at the City’s Community Center, which was intended to provide a forum for the residents of South Creek, but was open to the community at large. For this meeting, the applicant sent out notices to South Creek property owners within a 1500 foot radius of the subject property and all property owners within the Coco Parc community.
Following the Planning and Zoning Board Meeting where this item was considered, community interest in the project escalated to a point where information was being received and responded to on a daily basis. All written inquiries, comments, and information shared by the community has been assembled by staff. This information has been shared with the City Commission and the applicant for reference and is part of the record.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff has asked the applicant to defer their application because of the need for additional community involvement. To date, the applicant has not agreed with this recommendation and would like to make a presentation before the City Commission.
The attached Ordinance is drafted by assuming an affirmative vote. The City Commission has four options:
1. Approve;
2. Approve with Conditions;
3. Deny; or
4. Table the Application.
FISCAL IMPACT: N/A