Group asks to scrap Lido Beach Pool and Pavilion project following community backlash

SARASOTA — A group of citizens who forcefully opposed a major facelift to the aging Lido Beach Pool and Pavilion celebrated a victory Monday after the developers behind the proposed renovations requested to pull out of the project because of the overwhelming backlash from the community.

A lawyer representing the party planning to renovate the deteriorating pool and pavilion alerted City Attorney Bob Fournier on Friday of their wishes to abandon the project, terminate its lease with the city and seek reimbursement for planning costs, Fournier said at a Monday meeting that drew hundreds of opponents donning red attire in a show of solidarity. Even if the project were approved by the City Commission on Monday, the fierce opposition would likely create legal hurdles and appeals, the developers' lawyer said.

"Sadly, they were invited to this process … and over a long period of time even significantly reduced the intensity,” said Bill Merrill, a lawyer representing developers, Lido Beach Development Partners.

“Even though we feel we have a very strong case and we have plenty of competent substantial evidence that would require approval of the conditional use and the site plan, they feel in the best interest of the community and themselves … the inevitable litigation that’s going to occur from one side or the other, or both, that the timing and so forth, we feel it very beneficial to have some time to work something out with the city,” Merrill also said, adding he did not have a cost estimate of how much the group spent planning the project.

The commission voted 4-0 to continue the meeting to Feb. 19 to give the city and Merrill time to negotiate the terms of a potential lease termination. Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch was absent.

Renovation plans proposed by Lido Beach Development Partners, a group shared by Daiquiri Deck locations owners Troy Syprett and Gavin Meshad, called for the addition of shade structures around the pool and dining area, cabanas, a splash pad, three playgrounds, a tiki bar, recreation lawn and 40 additional seats to an existing 160-seat restaurant.

By Monday, roughly 5,400 people signed a petition opposing the changes.

“Over-improving Lido Pavilion will detract from the laid-back, accessible beach experience that Sarasota visitors and residents appreciate and expect at Lido,” the petition, titled “Save Lido Pavilion" on ipeitions.com, states. “Unreasonable fees and monopolized parking will prevent Sarasota families from enjoying a facility that belongs to them.”

'Simply inappropriate'

Along with community opposition, two other parties represented by lawyers objected to the renovations. Lawyers representing two private citizens who live close by and the owner of nearby Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach applauded Syprett and Meshad’s lease termination offer.

Plans to transform the aging Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach — long known as the Helmsley Sandcastle — into a luxury contemporary resort were rubber-stamped by the commission in November. John Patterson, a lawyer representing the project, insisted that his client didn’t oppose the Lido pavilion renovations because of the competition it could have created with the resort.

“It was simply inappropriate for all of Lido Key, and you can tell by the number of people who opposed it ... Did they wish to have live entertainment next door amplified till 10:30 p.m.? Of course not, but nobody else wanted it either,” Patterson said, adding his client is willing to donate $175,000 to host a community fundraiser to create an appropriate renovation project everyone can agree on.

The Planning Board in September recommended denial of the project during a meeting that lasted more than five hours, with dozens of residents speaking against the project. Opponents claimed the plans will attract a rowdy crowd, loud music and more traffic. A majority of the planning board agreed with citizen complaints that a destination restaurant and tiki bar with live music that serves alcohol until 10 p.m. or later was incompatible with the area and would be too drastic of a change from the family friendly ambiance of the current site.

Before the Planning Commission recommended that the commission deny the project, Syprett anticipated receiving the required permits for the project by this month or next, with project completion this summer.

The City Commission leased the pavilion and pool to the private group in exchange for the long-awaited upgrades to the aging concession spot at the city’s main public beach access. The 10-year lease was to begin once the project was approved. Rent was to start at $80,000 the first year, increasing to $90,000 the second year and going to $100,000, or 3.5 percent of gross sales, whichever was greater, according to city documents.

Syprett and Meshad estimated an eventual $4 million in gross sales, which would equate to about $140,000 in lease payments.