At their monthly meeting on Thursday, the BAC heard from Mr. Peterson, representing the company developing the Marlin Bay Project, who presented the design changes for the Marlin Bay Apartment Complex which mainly consisted of reducing part of the building to 3 stories. Mr. Davenport, chair of BAC, cautioned commission members and visitors that zoning questions such as density were not within the purview of the BAC. They were to address compliance with the Shore Drive Corridor Plan and Design Guidelines. Mr. Bob Magoon, chair of the Design Committee, gave a summary of the pros and cons of the project. The Design Committee recommended non approval. After hearing from the commission members and from many residents, the commission voted overwhelmingly not to approve the project. Mr. Magoon made recommendations including eliminating the fourth floor from the rest of the project. Mr. Peterson’s response was that would render the project unprofitable. BAC approval for a project is not required for approval from Planning Commission or City Council.
Many residents spoke against the project at the virtual meeting. Apparently many more residents were not able to join the meeting. Mr. Mark Shea, Comprehensive Planning Coordinator COVB, said that the noon deadline had been set and noted in the meeting sign up so that there wouldn’t be a flurry of activity during the meeting. He apologized to those who could not enter and attempts were made to let people in. At the end of the meeting, he said that the May meeting would be in person.
OPCL will keep residents updated as new steps are taken in regard to this development. Stay tuned!!
Ocean Park Civic League 
is the Marlin Bay apt complex “still” set for four stories containing 197-units, or has that been reduced?
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197 units is the reduced number of units for the Marlin Bay Project. When it went before the BAC the first time, it had 222 units. The complex is still mostly four stories. They reduced a portion of one wing that fronts onto Shore Dr. to three stories but most of the complex is still four stories. The part that overlooks the adjacent homes on Ocean Tides Dr., Clipper Bay Dr. and Whispering Sands Lane is four stories.
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Thanks for the info. Hope the water pressure can accommodate the neighbourhood Increase.
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The units backing up to Ocean tides should only be 3 stories if this plan is approved. The homes on ocean tides do not deserve to have their privacy invaded daily by people looking down into their back yards. These people have worked hard and own their homes which pay taxes.
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We agree! We are working hard to oppose approval. It is the most unfair to the people who live adjacent but it also will affect the whole neighborhood. The project was not approved by the Bayfront Advisory Commission- which is appointed by the city to provide recommendations-for exactly the reason you state: “ the massing and scale of the project make it incompatible with the Design Guidelines for Shore Dr.” The BAC made the suggestion that at least the entire complex be 3 stories instead of only a small part of one wing. The developers answer was that then it would be profitable enough. This project is not ‘compatible infill’ as laid out in the Comprehensive Plan and in other Staff Planner recommendations for recent projects in Ocean Park which use these criteria for approval of those projects: the units represent “density compatible to the surrounding area”, and the “ lowest reasonable density”. At 31.77 units per acre this project is inconsistent in the extreme with the adjacent homes and other recent projects on Shore Dr. nearby. For opposition to be successful, residents need to show up and as many as possible speak at the Planning Commission meeting on June 9 and the City Council Meeting that will follow probably in July. Many letters and emails have been received , now we have to show up! There will be more posts about how to sign up to speak at the June 9 meeting. Each person only gets 2 min. but it will make a crucial difference.
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