Community board approves rezoning for proposed hotel at 255 SW Sixth Street

A majority of the City of Stuart Community Redevelopment Board voted to approve a rezoning recommendation for a 0.33-acre parcel at 255 Southwest Sixth Street that the applicant has combined into a single title and plans to redevelop as a hotel.

The board’s action concerned Ordinance No. 2537-2025, which would amend the official zoning map to change the parcel’s designation from Urban Waterfront to Urban Highway. Development Director Jody Coogler told the board the change would make the property “consistent with the land use pattern and … zoning pattern and development pattern” that exists along the U.S. 1 corridor.

Coogler said the property is vacant and lies inside the Urban Overlay District and the community redevelopment area, and that both Urban Waterfront and Urban Highway permit hotel uses. She told members the practical difference was design guidance: Urban Waterfront generally pushes buildings to the rear with front parking, whereas Urban Highway pushes building mass toward U.S. 1 with parking behind the building. “To make the pattern the development pattern consistent, staff had … recommended the applicant consider doing an amendment to rezone the property,” Coogler said.

The city attorney, Lee Baggett, reminded the board that the hearing was quasi‑judicial and that members must disclose any ex parte contacts. Board members individually stated on the record that they had none and were “here with an open mind.”

Coogler said surrounding property owners had raised concerns at earlier hearings; while the city cannot condition a rezoning, the applicant had agreed to meet with owners along Fraser Creek and Channel Avenue “to go over the plans” and address neighborhood concerns once a revised site plan is submitted. Coogler also told the board that proposals under 50,000 square feet typically are approved administratively, but design guidelines apply regardless of approval pathway.

After questions from members clarifying that the rezoning would not change allowed density or add new allowed uses (both zoning districts permit hotels), a motion to approve the rezoning carried on a roll-call vote. The board recorded its votes as: Board member Frederick James — yes; Board member Jeff Manera — yes; Chair Mark Breckbill — yes; Vice Chair Bonnie Moser — yes; Board member Clay Scherer — yes; Board member Scott Whelan — yes.

The rezoning recommendation will be forwarded to the City Commission for final action.

Details from the hearing that the board and staff emphasized included the parcel’s size (0.33 acre), the applicant’s unity of title combining three parcels, and staff’s citation of the Stewart Land Development Code (section 11.01 0.09) as the standard used to evaluate the petition. Coogler also noted the parcel was part of a larger corridor pattern that has largely been designated Urban Highway since the city’s urban code adoption in 2002.

The hearing included an oath for those giving testimony, a staff presentation of maps and design differences between districts, and a public‑notice process that earlier drew comments from nearby residents; no members of the public spoke during the board’s final deliberation on the rezoning.

The board’s formal motion and roll call are part of the meeting record; staff said the applicant must still submit detailed site and design plans and that affected neighbors will be invited to a neighborhood meeting before final administrative review of any site plan under the city’s process.