Sarasota commission upholds appeal, overturns staff approval for 1260 N. Palm ‘Obsidian’ project

The Sarasota City Commission on May 13 granted an appeal and overturned administrative approval of the proposed “Obsidian” development at 1260 North Palm Avenue, voting 4–1 to deny the site plan and the related adjustment requests.

The decision followed a de novo quasi‑judicial hearing during which applicants, staff, appellants and dozens of affected residents and business owners presented testimony. The proposal called for replacing a one‑story commercial building on a 12,377‑square‑foot parcel with an 18‑story residential tower containing 14 units and about 5,900 square feet of commercial space, supported by 39 vehicle parking spaces.

Supporters, including the applicant’s architect Gary Hoyt and agent Joel Friedman, told the commission the project complies with the Downtown Bayfront zoning and the Sarasota City Plan and argued the adjustments requested were modest and typical of downtown redevelopment. “The staff report concludes the proposed development is compliant with all development standards of the zoning code, including height, parking, and façade requirements,” Hoyt said during his presentation.

Opponents — led by Bay Plaza residents and a coalition of downtown condominium associations — said the tower’s mass, height and lot‑line configuration…