VERO BEACH — Outdoor dining at the Vero Beach Mulligan’s restaurant at Sexton Plaza will be allowed to stay, after a tied 2-2 vote to overturn the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission ruling permitting the 3,800-square-foot expansion.
Councilwoman Pilar Turner left the meeting prior to the vote, leaving Mayor Dick Winger and Councilman Craig Fletcher pitted against Vice Mayor Jay Kramer and Councilwoman Amelia Graves.
Winger and Fletcher wanted to overturn the Commission’s decision while Kramer and Graves were willing to uphold the Commission. No other compromise motions were offered, so Mulligan’s gets to keep its extra seating.
Neighbors Charles Replogle and Mark Tripson of the Ocean Grill, Cathy Padgett of Veranda, Nancy Cook of the Twig shop and attorney E. Steven Lauer filed the appeal. Lauer, who introduced himself as the owner of the office building just north of the Holiday Inn, served as spokesman for those pursuing the appeal, but clarified that he was not getting paid to act as their attorney.
Lauer argued five points, including a lack of notice to adjacent property owners, a wrong interpretation of city code, a failure to consider the rights of neighbors, and the fact that Mulligan’s actions exacerbated an already bad parking problem. He also questioned whether city officials could do anything about the ropes and signs guarding the Holiday Inn parking lot – which Petite Shop owner Laurie Connelly testified sometimes sits half-empty when there is not a parking space from The Village Spires all the way to Humiston Park along Ocean Drive.