Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/108313
Sarasota News Leader February 8, 2013 GOODWILL GETS A CO Fournier's second legal tangle was how to grant a final certificate of occupancy to the new Goodwill store on the North Tamiami Trail. The builder was sued by neighbors in the 12th Judicial Circuit Court after the Sarasota Planning Board gave its approval to the site plan. Circuit Judge Lee Haworth found the neighbors did not have standing to file the suit and dismissed it. The neighbors then appealed to the District Court of Appeal, which agreed to rule on the case. While the court case(s) were ongoing, the developer decided — at his own risk — to continue construction of the store. He and the city signed an "agreement to issue permits." Now construction is complete, and a temporary certificate of occupancy has been issued. But that is not good enough for the developer to get financing on the completed building. At the same time, the tenant — Goodwill — would like to move in and get its business up and running, but it is leery of operating in a building with a temporary occupancy permit. Page 14 City Commissioner Terry Turner moved to withhold the final certificate of occupancy until the city receives a letter from the bank's lawyer acknowledging the issue is in the courts, or put a stamp on the certificate saying the same thing. The motion passed unanimously. LAUREL PARK PLAT, PARKING PLANS OK'D It is the first new "subdivision" plat to be filed in years, and it was approved unanimously for one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. "The Homes of Laurel Park" will provide 18 platted lots for new single-family homes. The area can be explosively touchy for a developer, but only two people showed up on the issue, and both blessed the new subdivision. Former Laurel Park President Kate Lowman said, "To date it seems they have every intention of doing a good project that will add to the neighborhood." In another neighborhood matter, the city commissioners spurned a unanimous Planning Board negative vote and approved "tandem Fournier said he does not normally sec- parking" for Golden Gate Point. ond-guess judicial decisions, but it is possible "There are many properties that could use tanthe appeals court could rule in the neighbors' dem parking," said Commissioner Turner. favor and send the case back to Circuit Court The commissioners also approved a zoning for trial. In turn, that could result in a judge code change that allows people to park cars again finding in favor of the neighbors — one-behind-the-other, as many families do in meaning the building could possibly be torn narrow driveways. down or repurposed to a legal use. And that would probably violate the financing agree- Golden Gate's neighborhood association opposed tandem parking, saying it would lead ments.