A Holmes Beach developer seeking site plan approval from the building department for property at 5306 Holmes Blvd. has yet to provide enough parking to move forward.
How the parking equation adds up is in dispute.
AMI Plaza owner Mike Hynds maintains he has sufficient parking.
City attorney Patricia Petruff, in a letter dated June 21, informed him he does not.
The apparent parking shortage developed after Hynds was approved by the Holmes Beach City Commission in an April 25 resolution to add four second-story residential rental units to the AMI Plaza building once he provides the required parking.
The site plan dispute became more critical for Hynds after Lobstah’s restaurant, the AMI Plaza anchor, closed June 20.
“We have closed Lobstah’s restaurant on the island this week,” said Hynds. “It has been a very successful concept but we have decided to reduce the square-footage space and we are currently cleaning, painting and resizing the location.”
Hynds could reduce seating by 40 in his new restaurant to gain the necessary parking, Petruff said.
“In order to meet the parking requirements for the new units, other uses need to be modified,” Petruff wrote. “You must provide parking for your tenants.”
Hynds said his plans include a smaller “gastro pub” in place of Lobstah’s.
Emails underscore Hynds’ impatience with building department officials. An example is an email Hynds sent June 10: “Someone needs to decide how to proceed rather than simply ignoring the issues,” Hynds wrote. “… I have invested tens of thousands of dollars in this project and I am not about to let it fall apart.”
Hynds said his frustration stems from a combination of factors, including a perceived lack of communication from city code enforcement officials and preservation of existing parking for the successor to Lobstah’s.
Petruff noted occupancies of several nearby retail spaces have changed to restaurants and some retail businesses are staying open longer, which means less parking for Hynds’ businesses.
“His space per five seats is being honored for suites 500 and 600 as opposed to the more restrictive one space per three seats,” Petruff said. “There is only so much parking available. He controls the leases but he can’t rent space without parking.”
AMI Plaza includes a deli and a mix of retail tenants.
City clerk Stacey Johnston confirmed commissioners approved the site-plan resolution for Hynds residential project, which allowed the restaurant 140 inside seats and 40 outside seats.
The resolution left Hynds unsatisfied, which is why he hasn’t signed or had it recorded yet.
“The parking plan and opening hours plan in your resolution is now totally incorrect and contradicts itself,” he emailed the city. “This is a disgrace.”
Hynds still needs city permits to move forward with his renovations, but he said construction of smaller retail units and an outdoor restaurant and bar could be completed by February 2018.
Hynds said he remains in contact with Holmes Beach to clarify terms set out in the resolution.
“We cannot comment further until these meetings are complete,” Hynds wrote in a June 22 email.
AMI Plaza at a glance
Owner: Mike Hynds
Address: 5306 Holmes Blvd., Suite 820
Anchor tenant: Lobstah’s restaurant, now closed at 5337 Gulf Drive.
Plaza appraisal: Sept. 22, 2016, $1.1 million. In May, an appraiser placed market value at $1.45 million.
Sad to see the closure…one of my favorites!