May 28, 2021  —

Four hotels are being proposed for Siesta Key:

• two in Siesta Key Village
• one at the Wells Fargo site
• one near the south bridge

All building proposals plan for 100 or more rooms of Transient (nightly) Accommodations, exceeding existing density limitations and the 35-foot height restriction.

The image (courtesy of Sarasota County) shows the location of the two proposed Village hotels, which are side by side.

Recent News:

A Virtual Neighborhood Workshop was held via Zoom on May 10, 2021  to discuss a proposal to redevelop the existing Siesta Key Beach Resort & Suites (located at 5311 Ocean Blvd. and 215 Calle Miramar)  into a new 170-room Resort Hotel.    

The application package may be obtained at: https://www.scgov.net/home/showpublisheddocument/50337/637538334367800000

To learn more about the workshop, Click Here  

Sarasota News Leader, April 9, 2021, Rachel Brown Hackney:  Forth hotel, with 100 rooms, proposed on Siesta Key where Wells Fargo Bank operated

None of these hotels, as proposed, are legal under current zoning regulations.  All proposals also violate the two critical barrier island protections prohibiting an increase in density and intensity of property use.  These hotels can only be built if the County Commissioners grant special exceptions and amendments to current zoning and regulations.

The SK Coalition, which includes the Siesta Key Association and the Siesta Key Condominium council, is a group of Siesta organizations and individuals who oppose this development outside the existing building regulations.  Visit the SK Coalition web site.

Current Hotel Status

A pre-application has been submitted for the proposed hotel at the Wells Fargo site .

Formal applications have been submitted to the County Planning Department and neighborhood workshops held for the other three  hotels.    No public hearings have been scheduled.   If you have thoughts about the hotel proposals, you can voice them to the County Commissioners at commissioners@scgov.net.

The  hotel proposals are:

1. Re-development of Siesta Key Resort

The first Village hotel is an expansion of Mike Holderness’ Siesta Key Resort on Ocean Blvd. from 55 rooms to 170 rooms.  The buildings would adhere to the 35-foot height regulation.  No public workshop has been held for this project.

 View plans for this expansion on the Sarasota County web site.

Sarasota News Leader, Rachel Brown Hackney, October 1, 2020:  Redevelopment of Siesta Key Beach Hotel and Suites

2. Siesta Key Hotel  (new hotel at Calle Miramar and Beach)

Robert Anderson is proposing the second Village hotel with its entrance on Calle Miramar.This hotel would sit on the vacant UPS store lot and an adjacent empty lot on Beach Road, and three lots behind them on Calle Miramar.  A 170-room, 100-foot building would replace existing single-story buildings.

A public workshop was held January 11, 2021.  A formal application has been filed.

View plans for the Siesta Key Hotel on the County website.

View Development Review Comments

3. Siesta Key Resort Hotel (Hotel and Parking Garage near South Bridge on Old Stickney Point)

The third hotel, proposed by Gary Kompothecras, is located near Siesta Key’s South Bridge on Old Stickney Point and Peacock Roads.  This hotel would be a new 120-room, 100-ft building. A separate parking garage would provide some parking for the hotel.  A public workshop was held on December 15, 2020.

View plans for the Siesta Key Resort Hotel on the County web site.

View Development Review Comments

4.  New Siesta Key Boutique Hotel

The fourth proposed hotel would be located at the Wells Fargo site.  The pre-application indicates that it will comply with the existing height regulations but will ask for 100 hotel rooms.

How will these development projects impact the Key?

These proposed hotels will add hundreds more cars driving daily on and off Siesta Key (in addition to extra traffic from the approved Promenade Hotel at US 41 and Stickney Point.)  Beach Access #5, in the Village, and beach access #12 near the Stickney Point Bridge will be overwhelmed with hundreds of extra visitors. Added transient accommodations will increase traffic, pedestrian, and beach congestion – how much can one little island absorb?

Another key component in the hotel proposals is a change to the County definition of Transient Accommodations.  Currently, for the barrier islands, including Siesta Key, Transient Accommodations are limited to 13 rooms/acre or 26 rooms/acre without a kitchen.  These hotel proposals include changes to zoning regulations that eliminate any restriction or allow much higher density.  More than 100 rooms per acre are proposed for each of the three hotels.   Proposals specifically state that certain property on Siesta Key may be developed “to contain transient accommodations which exceed the density restrictions of the zoning regulations.” This opens the flood gates for similar proposals on other Siesta Key commercial property.

Some Siesta Key Residents have asked what people can rely on when making a purchasing decision, if the Comprehensive Plan, Sarasota zoning code, and the SKOD regulations can be changed at a request for personal gain.  What protection can homeowners count on from the County?

Siesta Key Association continues to oppose special exceptions, variances, and amendments to the Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan, Unified Development Code (UDC), or Siesta Key Overlay District (SKOD) for current and future development projects that increase the density, or intensity of property use on Siesta Key.

 

Read extensive articles on hotel proposals:

Sarasota News Leader, February 12, 2021, Rachel Brown Hackney:  Numerous deficiencies cited by Sarasota County staff in application for eight-story, 170-room hotel proposed on edge of Siesta Village

Sarasota News Leader, February 5, 2021, Rachel Brown Hackney: Condominium Council encouraging members to join Siesta Key Coalition

Siesta Sand, February 2, 2021, Rachel Brown Hackney:  Traffic analysis completed on proposed south Siesta Key expansion

Siesta Sand, February 2, 2021, Rachel Brown Hackney:  Protests aplenty aired over proposal for 170-room, eight-story hotel on edge of Siesta Village

Sarasota News Leader, January 28, 2021, Rachel Brown Hackney:  Sarasota residents fail in quest to prevent county staff review of proposed changes to barrier island density regulations outside normal cycle

Siesta Key Observer, January 27, 2021, Brynn Mechem:  Commission approves out of cycle hotel proposals

Herald-Tribune, January 27, 2021, Tim Fanning:  Sarasota County to press ahead with review of hotel proposals on Siesta Key

Sarasota News Leader, January 22, 2021, Rachel Brown Hackney:  Siesta Key Coalition calling for county staff to review three island hotel proposals in one general review

ABC7 TV WWSB, January 17, 2021, Seshmi Hayes:  Siesta Key Hotel Controversy

Sarasota News Leader, January 14, 2021, Rachel Brown Hackney:  Protests aplenty aired over proposal for 170-room, eight-story hotel on edge of Siesta Village

Sarasota News Leader, January 14, 2021, Rachel Brown Hackney:   Only 92 Extra Vehicles Expected to be Associated with 120-room Hotel and 203-space Garage proposed near Stickney Point Road on Siesta Key

Siesta KeyObserver, January 13, 2021, Brynn Mechem:  Hotel Workshop Draws Siesta Key Concerns

SNNTV, January 12, 2021:  Siesta Key residents want commissioners to be vigilant on hotels

Sarasota Herald-Tribune, January 11, 2021, Tim Fanning:  Residents Slam Effort to Fast Track Large Siesta Key Hotel Proposals

ABC7 TV WWSB, January 11, 2021, Seshmi Hayes: Hotel Developers to hear from Siesta Key residents

ABC7 TV WWSB, January 11, 2021, 5pm News Live, Seshmi Hayes: Siesta Key Coalition

Siesta Sand, January 4, 2021, Rachael Brown Hackney:   “Residents Voice Strong Opposition to proposed Stickney Point hotel and Garage”

Siesta Key Observer, December 10, 2020, Brynn Mechem: “Hotel workshop draws complaints over density, traffic”

Siesta Key Observer, October 22, 2020, Brynn Mechem:  “Residents worry hotel proposals will change Siesta”

Sarasota Herald-Tribune, October 20, 2020, “Siesta Key Hotels should be Viewed Through Prism of Climate Change”

SNN News, October 16, 2020:  “High Rise Hotels Possibly Headed for Siesta Key”

Sarasota Herald-Tribune, October 15, Timothy Fanning:  “High-rise hotel proposals would ‘open the floodgates’ on Siesta Key, opponent says” 

Sarasota News Leader, Rachel Brown Hackney:   South Bridge Hotel, Calle Miramar and South Bridge Hotel Proposals, Calle Miramar Hotel

Siesta Sand:   Calle Miramar Hotel, South Bridge Hotel

 

Check back for further information on these hotel projects.