Stovalls Landing suffers setback

New owners had hoped to use the property for vacations for policy holders. Snell residents were appalled and fought back.

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 20, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- Snell Isle residents won the first round in their battle to prevent a British company from turning the Stovalls Landing apartment complex into a vacation getaway for its policy-holders.

The Board of Adjustment, overruling a previous decision by city staff, denied the variances needed to build a three-story, three-unit apartment building. The board did approve two variances that would allow expansion of the complex's pool and pool deck.

The issue is not dead, however, since Holiday Property Bond Management Inc. of the Isle of Man and Newmarket, England, can replat the property -- which would eliminate the need for variances to build a new unit.

Then, the property owners would return to the Board of Adjustment -- not for a variance, but simply for permission to tear down a garage and carports where the new building would be located. City codes allow grandfathered properties to be renovated or expanded to the maximum of their permitted use.

"We'll replat the property," said Joel H. Feldman, attorney for the property owners. Replatting will take about six months to complete, he said. Feldman said the Landing is one of many worldwide properties owned by the British insurance firm, which then offers two-week to month-long vacations to its policy-holders.

A number of residents opposed the variance, arguing that converting the apartment complex into what they view as a hybrid time-share/motel would adversely affect the single-family residential neighborhood.

"I don't want to see (Coffee Pot) bayou disturbed every 10 days by people who want to see the manatees," said Werner Von Rosenstiel. "With this sort of attention, very soon, the manatees will be gone. I don't want to see this area destroyed because it's one of the great spots in St. Petersburg."

Barbara Heck, president of the Snell Isle Property Owners Association, said neighbors object primarily to the planned use of the property. "If this issue had come up in public session two years ago (when the city legal department wrote a letter approving the proposed use), you would have had the entire Snell Isle population there," she said. "We are very appalled that through a technicality this use is being allowed."

Todd Timmerman, an attorney representing resident Richard Gahn, argued that the proposed use violates city residential codes. Stovalls Landing is located in a single-family area but is grandfathered for multi-family residential use. The city's code book defines "residential" as any housing structure where people live (or rent) for more than a month at a time.

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