Last Tuesday, London Bay CEO Mark Wilson asked the Local Planning Agency for a continuance for his proposal on the old Outrigger property. That request came nearly two years after he pulled the project from an LPA agenda in August of 2024.
Wilson is clearly trying to tweak his plans enough to get them approved but not so much that his $38.2 million (including the Charlie’s property across the street) investment doesn’t pay off. Last week, the LPA agreed to hold a special meeting for London Bay on May 8th and yesterday the Town Council announced two special meetings on June 3rd and June 24th. The town does not hold any meetings in July. Town Council member Rebecca Link said yesterday, “I have heartburn about holding special meetings for one applicant. This is out of the ordinary.” The special London Bay meetings are in addition to 2 regular meetings.
Town Manager Will McKannay posted on our Facebook page: “The special Town Council meetings scheduled for June were established to ensure that other priority projects and essential operational decisions could receive adequate time and consideration. They were not intended to provide any preference or advantage to one applicant over others.”
After a 7 hour LPA meeting last week, with the only agenda item being London Bay, no decision was made because Wilson asked for a continuance when LPA members said they wanted him to reduce his highest building from 177 feet to 158. The 158 feet number was chosen because that is how tall the highest condo building is down the Boulevard.
There are 6 items Wilson wants LPA and the Town Council to approve, the most important item is a text amendment change to the town’s Comprehensive Plan that would create an Outrigger district. What London Bay wants to build on that 3.55 acres of property is not allowed within the town’s current rules, including height, density, and floor area ratio (also known as FAR). The 6 requests including 12 deviations, would allow London Bay to build their project. Town staff says the proposal does not meet the criteria of the LDC and attached 25 conditions to the proposal if the LPA considers approving.
The current proposal is for a total of 196 units (150 hotel/condominium and 46 multifamily) and 46,000 square feet of commercial use (private 26,000 SF and public 20,000 SF), and 340 parking spaces. The maximum proposed height is 195. It includes five buildings that range from 15 stories (including 2 stories of parking) to a residential condo and hotel/condominium ranging from 12 stories (with rooftop restaurant), 11, 9 and 3 stories, all including parking. The site plan also includes private club restaurants, a private beach club, an amenity area, and an open deck area.
Wilson’s sales pitch to the LPA is that Fort Myers Beach is in dire financial straits and a project of this magnitude is needed, especially on the south end where there are limited options to dine out or watch the sunset at a public restaurant on the beach. Wilson says part of the public benefit he’s offering is bringing back The Outrigger bar on the sand which would be open to the public.
Several members of the LPA seem to be fine with disregarding the island’s maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) max of 2.5. Wilson says his calculations bring the F.A.R. to a 3, although there’s a question as to whether they way he’s calculated it the way the town has made other properties calculate it. The bottom line is however it’s calculated it’s not 2.5. If the town allows London Bay to create its own “Outrigger” district, the calculation becomes meaningless.
Being that the tallest building is London Bay’s condo building, Wilson appeared to want some extra time to go back and see where he can make up that lost revenue from 8 condo units. Those two floors would have most likely have been his best selling condos. He may want to convert those 8 condo units to 24 more hotel rooms. He could do that based on the town’s multiplier from condo units to hotel rooms. The town code allows a property owner to convert one unit to 3 hotel rooms.
Wilson would also have to decide where to add the two floors he’s losing from the tallest building. The other 4 proposed buildings are all less than the 158 feet some LPA members are indicating they are ok with.
Another reason Wilson asked for the continuance was that LPA member Doug Eckman had to leave the meeting at 3PM. It appeared Eckman was leaning toward a YES vote on the project and Wilson doesn’t want to lose that vote. With Eckman out of the room, a vote was looking more like a 3-3 tie. A tied vote is a failed vote. Of course, Wilson can also decide he doesn’t like that the LPA lopped off 2 floors and go directly to the Town Council with his original plan. That’s exactly what Seagate did for the Red Coconut property and it passed 3-2.
The elephant in the room, and what some believe is driving the push for special meetings, is the November election. Three town council seats are on the ballot: John King’s seat, Rebecca Link’s seat, and John McLean’s seat. The going theory is that, after the recall over Seagate in which Karen Woodson and John King were recalled, those seats will be filled by people opposed to larger developments.
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