INDIAN RIVER SHORES — The Indian River Shores Town Council Thursday unanimously approved plans for landscaping and parking lot renovations at the Village Shops, clearing the way for contractors in the employ of Shops owner Jay McLaughlin to pull permits and begin construction.
Shores building official Jose Guanch said permits will be issued quickly.
Approval required a number of variances and came with several special conditions. All of the variances and conditions had been approved ahead of time by the Planning, Zoning and Variance Board, according to Board Chairman Bill Beardslee.
He said the variances were needed because of the unusual nature and situation of the property, one of the few commercial sites in Indian River Shores. For instance, a 10-foot setback from the DOT right-of-way along A1A that is required by code would have eliminated parking in front of the shops if it were enforced.
Work will include raising sections of the parking lot about a foot, repaving with concrete in some places and pavers in others, planting hedges and doing other miscellaneous improvements to spruce up the iconic property in time for the upcoming season.
One live oak, which is directly in a lane of traffic in the parking lot north of the Bank of America building, will be removed. Beardslee said town Tree Protection Officer Gary Doyle had approved the action.
Mayor Brian Barefoot pointed out that McLaughlin and his contactors had violated the letter of the code by removing old landscaping before permits were secured but said he thought the action was based on a misunderstanding between the Shores building department and the property owner, not willful disregard for law.
“I understand how things like that happen,” he said. “We wish Jay all the luck in the world.”
The mayor’s sentiment seemed to be shared by other councilmembers and Beardslee, who walked the council through details of the variances approved by planning and zoning in a manner that encouraged approval by councilmembers.
Several contractors addressed the council as well, answering questions posed by Councilmember Gerard Weick about drainage and setbacks.
The quaint, oak tree-shaded Village Shops plaza sits on 3.13 acres of land on the east side of A1A north of Fred R. Tuerk Drive. It includes approximately 24,000 square feet of retail and office space in seven buildings.
The shopping center was developed by Lola Maroon of Maroon Development Company, beginning in the mid-1970s. Buildings were added and remodeled through the 1980s.
McLaughlin bought the property in April for $3.85 million, according to public records, putting down $1.5 million in cash and securing a balloon mortgage for the balance. The sellers, who hold the mortgage, are members of the Smith family that owns Vero Beach citrus packing company Leroy Smith, Inc.
Shortly after the purchase McLaughlin raised rental rates and a number of long-time shop owners closed their businesses or moved elsewhere.
Project architect David N. Moulton, A.I.A. said work on the parking lots and landscaping should be complete by the end of year. He added that a second phase of renovation that may include minor alterations to some of the village buildings is being negotiated.
