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Property owner backs off quest to obtain easement

By JADE JACKSON LLOYD
Published February 13, 2005

TREASURE ISLAND - On Tuesday night, two things happened that prevented the political maelstrom of three years ago: three city commissioners said they wouldn't vote on land use changes until after the March 8 election and the one applying for the change withdrew his application.

Sid Rice, whose family owns much of the city's real estate, recently applied for the vacation of a city right of way at a property he owns at 12504 First St. W. He wanted the 50-foot easement in exchange for $10,000 and the creation of Sunshine Beach's first public park. He would have also maintained the 50-foot right of way, he said.

"Also, the building would have been built within my existing property to code," he said. "The public's overall beach access was not being affected at all."

When discussed at a Feb. 1 workshop, the issue drew the ire of residents afraid of losing access to the beach and angry that the sale had not been advertised.

Tuesday night, Commissioners Alan Bildz, Ed Gayton and Vice Mayor Richard Kraus all expressed their reluctance to move forward with the application until after the election. Mayor Mary Maloof asked the developer if there was a presentation and Rice came forward and handed out letters, detailing his withdrawal. He read the letter aloud at the podium.

"My proposal was a win-win for the city," he read. "Your city administration agreed. ... The current RFM 50 zoning allows Rice to build three condos or 12 hotel rooms with accessory use of a restaurant on the property.

He also passed out booklets of "The Treasure Island Story," a historical look at the city, to all of those present at the meeting. He read a passage from Page 19 about the danger of letting the city be "run by referendum." He told those gathered to "keep it as a souvenir."

"We, the citizens, vote to put government in place to direct our city," he said. "If we let citizens run our city by referendum, why do we have city commissioners?"

Rice repeatedly cited "negative naysayers" as the reason for his actions.

Reiter, president of the Isle of Capri's homeowners association, spoke after Rice left the meeting.

"I think that's what this forum is right here, where all of us can get up and talk and not be intimidated," she said. "One place one cannot be intimidated is the voter's booth."

In a phone interview following the meeting, Reiter said she's happy he withdrew the application.

"It doesn't matter to me because I'm really glad he's not going to put everybody in the same situation we were in (three) years ago," she said.

Tuesday night, the drama of 2002 hovered over the proceedings like a fog.

Even if the words themselves aren't uttered, the discussions here typically involve the debate over tall buildings and how much say-so the electorate should have in the direction of the city.

In 2002, an effort to bring new luxury hotels to the beach divided the city into those favoring tall buildings and big development, and those who don't.

City officials wrote new development rules in late 2001 that would allow new hotels as high as 10 stories above parking, provided they met strict setback restrictions. Citizens rallied, gathering 2,000 petition signatures supporting a referendum that would give voters the power to approve future height and density increases.

Two weeks before the November referendum vote, the then-commissioners passed the new land development regulations. A lawsuit later filed by residents means the LDRs will never be enforced.

Mayor Maloof said she thinks the argument made for preserving beach access was blown out of proportion, and she thought residents of Sunshine Beach supported the change.

"We weren't giving something up without getting something back," she said, after the meeting. "The 50-foot easement will remain there. People will always have beach access. It's part of the agreement."

With the withdrawal, the city will lose a potential windfall, she said. "He was giving $10,000 back to the city, in addition to the lot," she said. "So are we cutting off our noses?"

[Last modified February 13, 2005, 01:07:16]