A proposed redevelopment of the former Cemex property in Tavernier to a Publix Supermarket and more than 80 affordable housing units received resounding opposition from local residents during an Aug. 18 community meeting.
Some 15 property owners speaking on the project say they fear more traffic, noise and change to the small community’s character would be the result.
Inside the Murray Nelson Government Center, residents heard from the applicant’s agent, Bart Smith, for the first time since the plans were issued to the county planning department earlier in the year. A project application was submitted by Blackstone Group – Tavernier 925 LLC, and owners Andrew, Richard and John Toppino, Luis Perez and Mary Hurwitz.
The application was sent to the county planning department simultaneously with a proposed text amendment to the Monroe County Land Development regulations that creates a “Tavernier Key Commercial Overlay District.” The overlay would amend provisions in the county’s land development regulations to allow nonresidential development of up to 70,000 square feet in that area.
Applicants are seeking to construct a 64,000-square-foot supermarket, including a liquor store, and 263 parking spaces. The project also proposes construction of 12 one-bedroom units, 42 two-bedroom units and 32 three-bedroom units with a total of 204 parking spaces.
Property is still under the ownership of Cemex, but it’s under contract to be bought by the Toppinos, Smith said.
“The proposal we’re here today on is the actual overlay, which is the overlay that would allow for allocation of nonresidential square footage above 10,000 square feet and allow for a building that exceeds 50,000 square feet,” he said.
“In order to get the (non ROGO), it requires to be urban commercial or have an overlay. In this instance, the election was to proceed with an overlay because of the exact size.”
Architectural designs show a grocery store at the front of the 19-acre property using the existing entry and exit with U.S. 1. Smith said there are plans for a deceleration lane going into the property with parking in the front. Toward the back of the property sits the affordable housing complex. No traffic from the development would spill out to neighboring streets, Smith said.
A brief presentation on the project was followed with questions and public comment on the project. Resident Holly Smith said she lives about 3 miles from the property. She questioned why the community would let one company come in and build such a large structure.
“You’ve opened a can of the worms. There’s going to be the next person coming in going, ‘Well they got it, why can’t we?’ It’s something that you can’t stop once you let it out the can,” she said. “How many signatures would it take on a petition to make this stop?”
Emily Schemper, county planning director, said there’s no official number of signatures that would stop anything. There’s a procedure in county code, however, that would require a supermajority vote, which is based on signatures.
Richard Barreto is a resident of Urban Drive and a member of the Tavernier Community Association, a non-profit corporation whose mission is to represent the needs and desires of the Tavernier community for those matters the community deems important. For over four years, Barreto said the TCA worked diligently with county planning to develop a master plan from Tavernier Creek and north to mile marker 97. This was undertaken through the “Livable CommuniKeys” planning program and incorporated into the county’s comprehensive plan as Tavernier’s master plan.
Barreto said the designation of a new commercial overlay district is in conflict within goal three in Tavernier’s Liveable CommmuniKeys master plan, which “prohibits the designation of new commercial land use districts beyond that contained in this master plan in order to protect the existing viability of the U.S. 1 corridor area and community and prevent further sprawl or strip commercial zoning.”
“The proposed development will in fact change the existing zoning requirements drastically,” Barreto said. “It will increase the size of a proposed commercial building by a factor of seven. It will fundamentally alter a small-town community character, a quality that has attracted people from many places to visit and to call this special place home.”
Barreto added that Winn-Dixie is located roughly one mile to the south, while a Publix in Islamorada sits about 9 miles south. To the north, Publix is about 9 miles away, while Winn-Dixie in Key Largo is about 13 miles. Between those stores in Key Largo and Islamorada are a number of convenience stores, he said.
“There’s no prevailing need for additional access to groceries,” he said. “Some will argue it will be a convenience. The same could be said for a car dealership, a Home Depot or any other major development.”
Former county commissioner Sylvia Murphy lives on Jo-Jean Way in Tavernier. She asked where the ROGOs would be coming from for the affordable housing project. Smith said they’re looking at different sources.
“Right now, we would look to the county for a portion of them,” Smith said. “Then we would look through interlocal agreements with, say the village of Islamorada, for a portion of them as well because the village of Islamorada has certainly provided affordable housing.”
Chris Sante owns property near Cemex. He said he doesn’t see how the proposed development is viable for the area that sees traffic congestion with the new light at Burton Drive.
“There’s already a tremendous traffic burden in that area,” he said. “I don’t understand how you can come here without a traffic study or some method showing us what your thought is to how you can get out 300 cars a day in and out of that property without causing a traffic jam.”
Smith said they’re in the middle of a traffic study.
Dottie Moses, president of the Island of Key Largo Federation, said the mission statement within Tavernier’s CommuniKeys outlines a commitment to preserving its heritage, natural setting and stands of tropical hardwood hammock, improvements to the U.S. 1 corridor and limited redevelopment of commercial properties where residents have access to the water and recreational facilities.
“This is not that. This is a big industrial shopping center and it won’t maintain the character of the community. And that is what this overlay is going to do,” she said.
With the community meeting complete, the county’s development review committee will gather in September to review the overlay district proposal for compliance with land development regulations, comprehensive plan and Livable CommuniKeys Plan. Schemper said the virtual meeting will be open for public comment.
The Monroe County Planning Commission would then meet to hear from the applicant, county staff and the public on the proposal and provide a recommendation to the board of county commissioners. The BOCC would then take up the proposal for approval or disapproval.
There’s a separate process for the project itself due to the size and scope. Since it’s considered a major conditional use, the proposal would go through a similar review for compliance with the land development regulations and comprehensive plan. A community meeting, development review committee meeting and a planning commission meeting would take place to consider the proposal. The planning commission would ultimately give approval or disapproval on the use.
