SEBASTIAN — After a deferment from Nov. 20 to Dec. 2, the Sebastian City Council – sitting as the Board of Adjustment – heard and granted a request by Capt. Hiram’s for six variances relating to a planned 2-story, 16-unit motel on a .28-acre portion of its Indian River Drive Oyster Bay Condominium property.
The board approved the requests with a 4-1 vote. Councilman Richard Gillmor cast the lone dissenting vote.
The variances pertained to increased parking area, reductions of side yard and front yard set-backs, reduction of north side perimeter landscape strip, elimination of the north side perimeter hedge, reduction of drive aisle width from 25 to 21 feet and reduction of the parking stall length of standard and handicapped spaces from 20 to 19 feet.
Community Development Director Joe Griffin and Senior Planner Jan King, as well as Oyster Bay management and all other adjacent property owners had no objections to the proposal. Owners of property within a 300-foot radius of the subject property were notified of the meeting/public hearing, as per City requirement.
Objections to the project were voiced by resident Ruth Sullivan who called it “over-development of land on the riverfront” and a potential danger to the lagoon from contaminated run-off. “Anyone who wants to protect Sebastian’s lagoon from further destruction cannot vote to approve any part of this request,” she said.
Resident JoAnne White voiced concerns about parking and traffic safety issues, pointing out what she views as an already congested parking situation on the property.
Board member Gillmor voiced concerns regarding taking a 3-family-unit space and creating 16 motel units.
“We’re looking at 10 pounds of potatoes in a 5-pound sack,” he said.
He, too, raised concerns about drainage issues saying the project will “add more problems than we can shake a stick at. I can’t support this the way it is. ”
King explained that drainage issues would be taken up during the site plan review before the Planning and Zoning Board.
Board members Andrea Coy, Jerome Adams, Jim Hill and Mayor Bob McPartlan voted to grant the six variances.
