CLEARWATER - The Island Estates Civic Association has filed an appeal of the Community Development Board's approval of a 71-foot tall condominium building on Skiff Point.

The CDB's decision was rendered during its third hearing of the application on June 21. The CDB was divided on the application, with a majority of its regular members having expressed their opposition. However two opponents were absent during the decisive meeting, resulting in the seating of an alternate member and the boards 4-2 vote for approval.

The IECA's appeal was filed on Thursday, June 30. It claims that the Skiff Point Condo application fails to comply with several sections of Clearwater's Community Development Code, and that the CDB failed to follow its own rules of procedure during the third and final hearing.

The appeal claims that the Skiff Point Condo application is non-compliant with two of the seven "Flexible Development Criteria" established for residential infill projects. The code requires that the application prove that redevelopment of the site would be impractical without deviations from development standards. But the IECA claims that other projects could be developed without the need for the requested variances in setbacks and height.

The code's flexible development criteria also require that the application demonstrate "benefits to community character and the immediate vicinity of the parcel." But instead of benefits, the IECA claims that the project will create a fire and rescue safety hazard on Skiff Point because cul de sac is too small to support the size and density of the project.

The IECA also claims that the project fails to satisfy five of the six criteria necessary to obtain Level Two approval:

• Its 71-foot height is out of in harmony with the scale, bulk, coverage, density, and character of adjacent 30-foot tall properties
• It will reduce the fair market value of the abutting Skiff Harbour Town Homes, casting a shadow over its pool, reducing sunlight, pool temperatures and property value
• Because only 1.5 parking spaces per unit are planned, the project will worsen Skiff Point's already difficult on-street parking issues, and create, not minimize, traffic congestion
• The project is inconsistent with the community character already established on Skiff Point
• The project fails to minimize visual impacts, blocking water views of the visual corridor of adjacent residents.

Finally, the appeal claims that the CDB violated its own rules of procedure, denying the requests made by Frank Dame, President of the IECA, and Neil Spillane during the June 21st hearing to cross-examine witnesses who had testified during earlier hearings.

A hearing date had not been set at the time this story was written.

Return to Home Page

Return to Current Edition

Contact us