What's Happening Now
Up-to-the-minute news about what's going on in the Isles and the surrounding area.
We will try to keep you up to date on what is happening with Value Place.
9/1/08; Per vote at last LICIA Board Meeting a letter of rejection was drafted to be sent to the city commission regarding the Value Place project.
Rejection Letter
3/20/08: Last night (3/19) the Planning and Zoning Board unanymously rejected the Value Place Plat Request.
See Item 4 at:
http://info.ci.ftlaud.fl.us/documents/pzb/2008/031908pzb_results.pdf
The letter and plan below are in PDF format and you will
need the Adobe reader to access them. If you do not have it, you can download it
free by clicking the logo. 
Mark Engels' DRC Comments pdf Plan markups pdf
The following are comments posted on the Yahoo forum by
Isles residents with their concerns about the proposed Value Place
Hotel. (
Posted: 2/15/2008
Neighbors,
I think we all have the same goal and for the most part are all saying
the same thing in different ways, so lets summarize so that we can focus on what
needs to be done next. There are two issues that are currently
preventing Value Place from moving forward with their approval process (a) they
do not meet the technical definition of a hotel, and (b) they do not satisfy
neighborhood compatibility. Under no circumstances should we disregard
either of our positions on a belief that the other is an absolute defense.
As the legal counsel for a large developer, I can tell you that neither of
these issues on their own will withstand a determined developer without a strong
public showing. These are at best grey area issues that can be easily
influenced by the political process of land use. The commission (and
underlying agencies) will only act in the best interest of a neighborhood
for so long as they believe their constituents will hold them accountable for
it. Accordingly, we need to strongly present our opposition to the
development in a public manner so that we remain a visible objector to the
approvals.
I think the next step is to organize
every neighborhood and civic association in Riverland so they are fully apprised
of the proposed development. That covers about half of the homes.
Then we need to find a way to educate the other half of the homes not
represented by an association. I can tell you that the residents of the
wooded streets such as mine (28th Way) have no visibility to this issue and have
no idea what is being proposed for this parcel. If not for Mark, I would
have never known what was being proposed. We should probably also get
all of the school PTAs involved, as children and transients do not
make a good mix.
The neighborhood coalition should
strongly consider hiring a land use counsel to represent its interests.
Land use is more a political process than a legal process, and you need someone
connected to the municipality who can represents our interests here. While
there are hotel issues at stake, I interpret both of our positions as
zoning and land use issues, that only collaterally involve hotel and transient
housing issues. There may also be other land use defenses we
have not even considered yet, that would only serve to strengthen our position.
Either way, we first need to organize our neighborhoods into a coherent front so
that we can educate our peers and raise a fund to engage whatever counsel
or media we feel appropriate. If we wait until it becomes absolutely
necessary, it will be too late.
To date the commission has been our ally and
taken a hard line stance against approving this project. If we are
lucky, their opposition will be sustained until Value Place gives up. If
it does not, we need to have very clear objectives as to what other strategies
we may have to frustrate the development. Concessions are a perfect
example. I have been involved in a lot of land use challenges, and
they always ending up costing the developer money. If we cannot
succeed in outright preventing the approval, the next step is to make it as
expensive as possible for the developer and to get as many neighborhood
concessions built into the approval as possible. I have been forced to
build schools, fire stations, buy school buses and the like. This
may sound conciliatory when it appears we are winning, but land use battles
are not over until they are over and you have to be prepared with a lot of
different strategies to successfully oppose them.
I apologize that I have not been able to
take a more active role in the meetings that have transpired to date, but my
business frequently takes me out of town during the middle of the week. My
wife and I, and several of my neighbors are also motivated to be involved.
If we would like to have a planning meeting to organize our resistance, I am
happy to host such an event.
Brian R. Wilson
Legal Counsel
The Bainbridge Companies
12765 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 1307
Wellington, Florida 33414
Phone: (561) 333-3669
Fax: (561) 793-6095
Email: bwilson@...
Posted: 2/15/2008
In
response to Brian Wilson’s comments in regard to an action plan:
1.
Project Endorsement: I agree 100%.
Community needs to hire a land use attorney. Community support is all well and
good, but the addition of an attorney is far better.
2.
Community Support: The SOUTHWEST
COALITION can add a lot of weight to this matter. The coalition represents 13
civic associations in the area of the project and can lend us support.
3.
Association Support: Lauderdale
Isles Civic Improvement Association will be most directly impacted should this
project be approved. I have copied Charles Love on this email. I’m not writing
LICIA checks here but the LICIA has political clout and cash reserves that I
suggest be put to good use. Financial contribution and political support from
the LICIA will require approval at a general meeting. This takes some time.
4.
Funding Coordination: LICIA and
the Southwest Coalition exist for the improvement and protection of their
community. These groups can coordinate fundraising activities.
5.
Rapid Funding: Political
fundraising activities don’t need Association’s membership approval so finds
collected by political action committees can supply cash to a cause as soon as
funds are collected.
6.
Letters of Community Opposition:
LICIA and the Southwest Coalition should have their membership approve and
prepare letters of opposition based upon neighborhood compatibility issues and
submit to Planning.
7.
Contributions: When an attorney is
hired to oppose value Place, count me in for funding. As a resident of
Lauderdale Isles, I’ll provide a check for $100.00.
I’m retired now and I travel a lot but I
still own a residence in Lauderdale Isles. As a past president of the
Lauderdale Isles Civic Improvement Association I have a clear understanding of
the value of a community united. Our community needs to unite now and keep Value
Place out of our community.
Sincerely, Gary Starkweather
What's happening at 441 and Riverland Road ?
441 and
By Charles Love
On Thursday night December 20, 2007 the Sovereign Development Group IX Inc / Value Place LLC 15-P-07 was on the agenda of the city’s Planning and Zoning Board, requesting approval of the Plat for this property. The attorney for Value Place LLC was Robert B. Lochrie III made the presentation suggesting that the P&Z board was required to approve this Plat. Lochrie brought with him a number of experts in their respective fields to testify the Plat was in compliance with all of the County’s and City’s requirements. It was noted that all that testified were part of the developers design team and not independent consultants. At the end of the presentation the members of the board had an opportunity make some statements and ask questions of Mr. Lochrie. There was a great deal of concern over the term hotel and its use and also interest in the site plan and the style of the building. Mr Lochrie continued to explain that the only issue before the board at this time was the Plat and not the site plan which may not be required to go before the Planning and Zoning Board in the future.
The chairman of the board Mr. Ed Curtis then opened the meeting to the public for comments. There were a number of local residents speaking in opposition to the proposed development,. Each had three minutes and all made valid points. Rudy Herman was the first to speak followed by Dave Bayer, Scot Di Setfano, George Counts, Jack Haire , Elizabeth Hayes and a few others. Also speaking in general terms was our County Commissioner John Rodstrom and his wife or the City Commissioner for district II Charlotte Rodstrom. At the conclusion of this agenda item the board of nine members voted unanimously not to approve the Plat at this time, but to postpone approval for ninety days. The two issues requiring additional information is a traffic study by an independent consultant and whether the property was correctly zoned many years ago. In conclusion it is the onion of the writer the little guy has the upper hand but for how long.
Excerpt from October's General Meeting:
The President informed the attendees that a flyer regarding plans for a Value Motel/Extended Stay was distributed by local residents not LICIA. Charles contacted the developer and informed the group that they were not required to be present at our meeting but agreed to attend.
This project would be on one third of a parcel of land on
Rooms will not face residential areas. The building would
be 100 feet from
1,200 to 1,500 hotels of this type will be built in the next five years. Another resident stated this type of hotel is the low end of an Extended Stay hotel and we do not need to attract undesirables in our residential community with crime being a factor. A resident business person said she would not like to stay in this type of hotel when there are many other nicer ones to stay in. Another resident indicated we have day labor issues here and what will happen if this hotel is sold 3–5 years down the road. We have no guarantees and do not need this to become a one night stay hotel.
A resident stated this project seems better than the high rise apartment complex that was previously proposed.
It was suggested to call City Commissioner, Cindi Hutchinson and put this issue on a future agenda.