Almost nothing stands in the way now of the controversial beachfront home plans at 105 Elm Ave., Anna Maria.
City commissioners voted 4-0 July 21 to grant final approval for a right-of-way use permit to construct a public drive connecting Elm Avenue to the vacant lot.
Commissioner Deanie Sebring was absent for the vote.
The 12-foot-wide and 68-foot-long access drive will connect Elm to a proposed 2,144-square-foot three-story single-family home on Fedora Campbell’s lot.
Campbell hired Anna Maria-based Gagne Construction to build the home for $1.635 million but has faced opposition from several neighbors due to the lot’s seaward location in the city’s conservation zone, which allows limited development.
The proposed home will be situated seaward of any existing home on the roadway.
A few neighbors litigated the matter in an attempt to stop development, but an administrative law judge ruled in 2021 to uphold a building permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The same neighbors also spoke in opposition to the development during city discussions of Campbell’s right-of-way use permit application.
That opposition might have played a part when the planning and zoning board’s May 16 motion to recommend city commission approval of the permit failed on a 2-2 vote.
Despite a mixed bag of public comments, city commissioners unanimously voted June 9 to grant the permit but stipulated that final approval would depend on additional plans to better address drainage and changes to the beach access path at the end of Elm.
Gagne Construction office manager Madison Larkin presented those plans July 21.
Larkin said the revised plan involves excavating the access drive and setting a 30-inch-thick layer of crushed granite topped with a 6-inch-thick layer of rock mix, separated by a layer of filter fabric.
The original plan only included a 12-inch-thick layer of rock for the access drive.
To account for displacing the entrance to the existing beach access path, the plan involves creating a new entryway by adding a 3-foot-wide sand path along the access drive.
The footpath will stretch along the north side of the drive before branching off to the northwest, where beach-compatible sand will connect to the existing beach walkway.
Sea oats will be planted in the section of the existing beach access path cut off by the new drive and beach walkway.
The wooden walkover currently at the entrance of the beach access path will be removed.
Mayor Dan Murphy said city staff reviewed the revised plans and recommended approval.
Commissioner Robert Kingan called the plans “fantastic” and applauded the applicant’s efforts to address the commission’s concerns. He said that since the new beach walkway would be narrower than the existing path, the plans will result in a net gain of vegetation.
He added that the plans could serve as a blueprint if the city faces similar proposals in the future.
Commissioner Jonathan Crane said he was concerned the development will preclude potential development at 103 Elm Ave., the undeveloped lot seaward of 105 Elm Ave.
Murphy said the proposed development would not preclude such development. He added that it is too early to know if 103 Elm Ave. is a buildable lot, but any issues would be addressed if plans to develop it were brought to the city.
There was no public comment.
Kingan moved to approve the right-of-way use permit.
Commissioner Mark Short seconded the motion, which passed.