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Judge gives green light to Jabour's plan challengers
BY TIMOTHY O'HARA
Citizen Staff Writer
KEY WEST —
Judge Richard Payne ruled Monday that a group of homeowners can proceed
with a lawsuit against the developers of a luxury three-bedroom
condominium complex at the site of Jabour's Trailer Court.
Everett Atwell
and a group of developers calling themselves the Caroline Street
Partners are planning to build 32 condominiums at the Key West Bight.
Despite being scaled back, the development is being challenged by
downtown residents Barbara Bowers, Maureen Bramlage, Jim Butters and
Elizabeth Uiterwyck, who claim the project is too big and out of
character with the rest of the neighborhood.
The Historic
Architectural Review Commission recently approved a trimmed-down version
of the proposed condominium complex. The city commission approved a
settlement agreement that allows 32 short-term rentals on the property,
and the transfer of building rights for 48 additional units to other
locations. The city previously had agreed to allow 101 rentals at the
Jabour's property, but two separate resident groups and the state
Department of Community Affairs challenged the agreement.
Caroline
Street Partners attorney Jim Hendrick wanted the judge to dismiss the
case because the lawsuit challenged the first settlement agreement. The
judge ruled that the residents only have to amend the lawsuit to change
the number of units.
The partners
first brought the 32-unit project before the board last month, but were
told to go back to drawing board. The group reduced the height of the
buildings from 42 feet to 40 feet, and cut the number of floors from
three stories over parking to 21/2 over parking. The partners took one
of the proposed large buildings and turned it into two smaller
buildings.
tohara@keysnews.com
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