Madeira Beach city commissioners gave final approval to the long-debated John’s Pass Village Hotel project July 8, despite continuing concerns from business owners and neighbors about traffic, safety and parking costs.
The approvals clear the way for JPV Hotel Property LLC to build a five-story development with an 87-room hotel, 7,550 square feet of retail and restaurant space, a rooftop venue and a public park.
With Commissioner David Tagliarini absent, the four remaining commissioners had to vote unanimously to pass the hotel measures — a high legal bar the project cleared.
The board approved the project after the city agreed to hand over a public alleyway to the developer in exchange for a new community park. Under the deal, the city will give up a 3,300-square-foot section of Fisherman’s Alley, and the developer will grant the city a 16,000-square-foot permanent public easement to build a green space and park for community events.
Brian Aungst Jr., an attorney for the developer, assured the public that the popular boardwalk and nearby East End Lane will stay open during construction.
“It’s 16,000 square feet of perpetual easements in exchange for 3,300 square feet of vacation for Fisherman’s Way,” Aungst said. “We’ve agreed to incorporate the historical signage for Fisherman’s Way and also the ingress egress signage for public access ... through the parking garage as needed.”
The commission then voted 4-0 to rezone the 1.457-acre property along Boardwalk Place East and 129th Avenue East as a Planned Development, the designation required for construction.
Though the board was aligned, the project drew heavy scrutiny from nearby property owners who fear the new layout will snarl traffic and create safety hazards.
Sean Nguyen, who lives on East End Lane, said closing public access to Fisherman’s Alley would cut off one of only two ways he can drive home. He urged the city to convert part of East End Lane into a two-way street so residents have an escape route when delivery trucks block the main boardwalk.
Sue Zirneskie, who has run Walt’z Fish Shak for 22 years, raised similar concerns about emergency vehicle access and abrupt traffic changes.
“It makes me nervous as Walt’z Fish Shak to go from four streets to basically one because what we’re doing is we’re extending Pelican Lane and it’s only going to be one way,” Zirneskie told the board. “I think the hotel is great. ... It’s just the access of watching people go one way the wrong way all the time on East End, and now there’s only going to be two options.”
Senior planner Kathryn Younkin said converting East End Lane into a two-way street was not feasible without eliminating parking for nearby businesses.
“The parking for Walt’z Fish Shak and the parking for 12801 East End Lane are primarily within the right-of-way,” Younkin said. “So if we widen the paved right-of-way, it would take out their parking. So that did not seem to be a viable solution ... there’s literally not enough right-of-way to do that.”
Engineer Sean Cashen said utility lines and water mains inside the alley would not be shut off or removed until relocated lines were built and running, limiting service interruptions for nearby shops.
In its final vote, the commission approved a development agreement that locks in how the hotel must operate, including what it will charge the public to park.
The hotel garage will offer 92 spaces to the public, but at rates higher than standard city parking. City Attorney Tom Trask read the terms aloud.
“What it says is developer is including 92 additional parking spaces which will be offered to the public at a rate which is the higher of $5.50 an hour or $1 more than the average rate being offered by the city within John’s Pass Village Activity Center,” Trask said.
Trask also addressed residents’ fears that future hotel owners could change the rules, saying neighbors’ right to drive through the garage to reach their properties is bound to the land permanently.
“It is a perpetual easement,” he said. “So it will be an easement that runs with the land regardless of the ownership in perpetuity ... and it’s enforceable in court.”
Mayor Anne-Marie Brooks, noting that the new road layout could hide some businesses from tourists, said the city manager is developing a directional signage plan. It would place signs around the pass to guide visitors to tucked-away spots such as Walt’z Fish Shak, Woody’s Watersports and Don’s Dock.