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Condo component of funding proposal causes debate
Some support,
some bash idea to sell land
BY TIMOTHY O'HARA
keysnews.com
KEY WEST — The
recommendations of a nonprofit group of land-use and financial experts
last week have raised old fears among some about Key West's Truman
Waterfront falling into the hands of private developers. But others see
a means to bankroll projects on the waterfront and elsewhere that
benefit the public.
Urban Land
Institute officials were in town last week to listen to ideas and give
recommendations on the development of the Truman Waterfront — 33 acres
of oceanfront property obtained from the Navy in 2002 under the Defense
Department's Base Realignment and Closure Program.
Among the
panel's recommendations was for the city to allow development of posh
homes on nearly 3 acres of the property, which it estimated would
generate more than $30 million in net revenue to be used for public
projects.
Some residents
and city officials believe the idea has merit and see it as a way of
paying for more affordable housing, ballfields and other much-needed
city projects.
"As an
individual, I think they brought up some valuable alternatives," said
Margaret Domanski, who attended the group's meeting as a representative
of Last Stand, a Key West environmental group. "People need to put their
emotional attachment aside. We need to come up with realistic and
pragmatic funding sources for developing and maintaining our park
space."
Institute
planners listened to comments from several business owners and city
officials, who stressed the need for more city parks, a senior center
and affordable housing.
"There's not
as much usable property out there as people think," said John Luolan of
the Key West Association of Realtors. "We need to look at what would
work best on the property and what's going to benefit the entire
community."
The city
agreed to set aside 60 percent of the property as open space, leaving
roughly 12 acres for other uses such as affordable housing, an assisted
living center for seniors and commercial development. The city already
has agreed to set aside 4 acres for an assisted-living center.
Institute
planners urged city officials to think outside the box.
"There's not
enough property there to do everything people want to be done there,"
said Mike Buchanan, a retired real estate banker who volunteers with the
institute. "There are a lot of demands, a lot of ideas and a small piece
of property. ... The city needs to be creative in its approach."
Back in the
late '80s, many people were outraged when an adjacent parcel of Navy
property slated for a city redevelopment project was instead auctioned
to developer Pritam Singh, who built an upscale, gated community.
"The whole
reason we bought the property is because we didn't want to see another
Truman Annex out there," said City Commissioner Tom Oosterhoudt, who
represents the area. "The last thing we need is more millionaire
housing. The whole permit was to build housing there for people who need
it and might not be able to afford waterfront property."
Urban Land
Institute was brought in because it specializes in helping solve
difficult land-use issues and has worked on complicated projects
throughout Florida, said Rodel Foundation Executive Director Ann
Henderson, whose group organized the group's visit to Key West. The
group could be objective because it has no ties to the community and its
members cannot give advice on project that they intend to work on, she
said.
City
Commissioner Harry Bethel questions the process, citing that Rodel did
not hold any public forums last week, and Rodel selected the community
members who meet with the experts. Bethel also said he disagrees with
the idea of selling any of the property.
"We held
workshops and public forums about this for years and we decided what we
wanted to see out there. No one ever said they wanted to sell any of the
property out there," Bethel said.
Many of the
ideas brought up by the group mirror what residents and city
commissioners have sought in the past, and what the Navy and city have
agreed upon — a marina and ferry terminal, parks and a continuous
pedestrian and bike path around the island. The planners recommended
building the marina first, which would allow the city to quickly begin
making money on fuel sales and boat slip rentals.
Mayor Jimmy
Weekley, City Planner Ty Symroski and Doug Bradshaw, director of the
Local Redevelopment Authority for the Naval Properties, agreed that the
city needs to come up with funding sources. And although they believe
the group came up creative ideas, they said not all of those ideas
comply with the city's and the Navy's agreement on the property.
The Navy gave
the property to the city, but the deal came with requirements on what
can be placed on Truman Waterfront. Changes to the plan must be approved
by the Navy.
Waterfront subject of long
debate BY TIMOTHY O'HARA
keysnews.com
KEY WEST — For
the past eight years, the city has wrestled with the idea of what to do
with 33 acres of prime oceanfront property at the Truman Waterfront.
There has been a
series of workshops, surveys and studies to determine what is the best
use for the property, which some have called the most important city
land acquisition in the past three decades.
The property has
been treated as sacred ground, being the only large open space on the
island that is not covered by stores, bars or high-priced homes.
While the jury
is still out on what exactly will go there, the city has come up with
six goals for the property:
* Create
recreation and open space.
* Have
uninterrupted public access around the waterfront.
* Build
affordable housing.
* Create quaint
Bahama-style shops.
* Maintain
historical structures.
* Keep an active
port and marina.
* Create
multiple entrances and exits.
More recently,
the city has agreed to place an assisted-living center on 4 acres of the
property.
Last week, a
nonprofit group of land-use and financial experts offered its
recommendations. But the advice raised old fears about Truman Waterfront
falling into the hands of private developers, who would build more homes
for the wealthy.
The city lost
out in 1986, when officials could not come up with a plan for another
parcel of Navy land, Truman Annex. Instead of becoming a city
redevelopment project, that land was sold to developer Pritam Singh for
nearly $17 million. It is now a gated community of upscale homes.
Some see the
next incarnation of plan to put more high-priced homes on Truman
Waterfront.
Land-use experts
with the Washington-based Urban Land Institute told local residents that
this land acquisition will not solve all the city's problems and it
can't house everything people want to see out there. The forum
reaffirmed the idea that the city needs to generate money to fund
ballfields and affordable housing and upgrade sewer lines and other
infrastructure needs.
"It's going to
be expensive, but there are ways to do it," said Doug Bradshaw, head of
the city's redevelopment agency for Truman Waterfront. "The city has
been very successful in getting grants."
In May 1996, the
Navy, under the guidelines of the Base Realignment and Closure program,
declared eight areas in Key West as excess property, including the
Truman Waterfront. The properties were made available to the city for
park space, affordable housing and other projects to benefit the
community.
Later that year,
the city created the Local Redevelopment Authority for the Naval
Properties to guide acquisition of the Truman Waterfront. By Sept. 8,
1999, the city came up with its base reuse plan, Bradshaw said.
The Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation was given a building and 3 acres,
which will be turned into a visitor center, research library, theater
and regional office for sanctuary workers.
The Sept. 11
terrorist attacks altered the Navy's plans, and ultimately the Defense
Department decided to retain ownership of the Outer Mole Pier. On Nov.
22, 2002, the Navy handed over the remaining part of the property to the
city.
The city's next
move is to create a master plan for the property and start look at
funding sources.
tohara@keysnews.com |
