Seafarer’s parking lot project remains idle
The property formerly known as Seafarer’s Mall has been in a holding pattern since the fence went up around the perimeter of it months ago.
Those hoping for the projected at-grade parking lot to be built in the near future at the County-owned site shouldn’t hold their collective breath.
County officials are reviewing paperwork for a rezoning process and other related issues surrounding the property. The work interruption appears to be involved in the previous developers’ agreement nearly 10 years ago, according to County Construction and Design Manager Damon Grant.
“Our County attorney’s office is reviewing the developers’ agreement and looking into the necessary process to move forward,” he said. “There are a couple different ways to go about it. You can get back with each entity of this developers’ agreement and get permission to rezone it or wait for the developers’ agreement to sunset which, to my understanding, those rights that were given under that agreement would be null and void. Then, we would only have to worry about the rezoning portion of the process.”
Damon stated the previous developers’ agreement originated in 2002. He believes the sunset agreement expires in April 2012. If County attorneys cannot find a quick solution and the sunset agreement does end, processes for rezoning and construction of the at-grade parking lot may be a year away.
“Once that occurs, we will be jumping right in to get it rezoned,” he said. “There are several consultants that are very familiar with that area. We will either bid that work out or use one of our general consultants, depending on the cost, by bringing somebody in to walk us through the entire re-zoning process to include the public hearings, local planning agency and presentations to the Town officials for approval of the rezoning.
“The best case scenario would be this time next year. It would be great to have that area up and running for tourism season (late November) next year. That may be optimistic, but could be a goal of ours.”
County and Town officials met back in September to review the previous developers’ agreement between officials from Seafarer’s Mall, Helmerick Mall (behind Seafarer’s) and the Town of Fort Myers Beach.
“We had these three players involved and certain rights were involved and certain easements were established with that developers’ agreement,” said Grant, a former Public Works Director for the Town of Fort Myers Beach.
At a Town workshop in Santini Marina Plaza last Monday, Town Manager Terry Stewart responded to a question about the parking lot construction holdup. He confirmed that County officials have not contacted the Town for permitting.
“At this point, County officials have to come to the Town and apply for permits and changes to the Commercial Plan Development that exists at that site,” he said. ‘They must modify the CPD because a parking site is not a part of the approved uses, so they must go through the CPD process. Until they do that, it will not be possible for them to accomplish anything.”
Other questions about the Seafarer’s property at the Town workshop involved egress and ingress for the proposed parking lot entrance.
“Unless something changes, the entrance has to come off of Fifth Street. It cannot come off Estero Boulevard,” said Stewart. “One of the reasons you see a fence around there right now is that there will be one way in and out off of Fifth and a pedestrian exit to get out of there will be where the light is (on Estero Boulevard).”
The Seafarer’s Mall property at 1113 Estero Blvd. cost the county $980,000. It was part of a package deal that involved the now open Crescent Park Family Park located across the street at 1080 and 1130 Estero Blvd. The purchase price of the properties as $5.6 million.
During and after the purchasing of the Seafarer’s property, Council members have tried to take it off the hands of County officials. At the workshop, Mayor Larry Kiker stated the recently completed Right Of Way study could be utilized if the property were to be looked at to be a possibility to help solve traffic congestion with a re-routing of Estero Boulevard either around it or through it.
“This Council approached the commissioners and said it would be more than happy to take over the property and manage it,” said Kiker. “There have been some really creative designs for splitting the lanes. I personally do not want it to become a weed patch until something is done.”
Grant also does not want to see an idle property at the foot of Matanzas Bridge. He said while the surface of the property is usable, there are still some possible issues below the site. Grease storage tanks from establishments that were housed in the building prior to it being razed have been removed.
“Nobody wants to come off the bridge to the “doorway” of Fort Myers Beach and see an empty lot. We are aware of that,” he said. “We want to move it forward just as quickly as anybody else, but we also want to make sure the process goes through the right channels.”