Developers unveil 58‑page conceptual plan for Atlantic Beach redevelopment; council raises mass, access and sea‑turtle concerns

Developers representing Fountain Blue Development, Discovery Land Company, Starwood Capital and architect Ramza presented a 58‑page conceptual plan for a consolidated redevelopment of 250 and 300 Beach Road, telling the Village Council the design was intended to be “contextual” and to break the project into legible masses rather than one monolithic block.

“My name is Anthony Stahl, head of development for Fountain Blue Development,” said Anthony Stahl, introducing the team and the project’s intent to create “pedestrian spaces, arcades, water features and a human scale” along Beach Road. Architect Johnny Cruz of Ramza described the building as organized into three masses with a central carved opening to allow light and view corridors to the ocean. “We want to be good neighbors,” Cruz said, adding that the project includes hanging roof gardens, stepped terraces and a deliberate material palette.

The presentation emphasized design principles in the village’s Beach Road design guidelines and described efforts to engage neighbors and the Beach Road Association since February. The applicants said the proposal would be residential condominiums rather than a hotel or rental resort; one partner confirmed buyers would have the option to purchase a membership at a separate Discovery Land Club but membership reciprocity would be one‑way.

Council members welcomed the collaboration but repeatedly flagged the project’s scale and potential impacts. “It’s a big parcel … I have to get comfortable with the overall size of it,” a councilor said, noting earlier approvals on neighboring sites and the visual impression when driving over the nearby bridge. Another member urged the applicants to make designs “as to scale as possible” for public review and to ensure transparency around parking, service access and guest circulation.

Beach access and environmental protections were central topics. Council asked where public beach access would be located; the applicants said the design includes a north‑side beach easement and a private easement through the site for an adjacent parcel, with an ADA ramp, stairs and proposed shower and restroom accommodations. In response to sea‑turtle concerns raised by residents, an applicant said the team would comply with Florida Fish and Wildlife and DEP regulations, including low‑lighting standards and amber lights during nesting season.

Public comment included both support and requests for caution. Terry Herman, who lives across the street, asked specifically about accommodating sea‑turtle nesting on the site, saying “behind 250 is a very busy nesting season.” Linda Smith, who said she attended a Beach Road Association meeting, called the new design “fresh, classic and clean” and praised developer communication. A local broker and other neighbors commended the developer team’s track record but asked for details about construction staging, setbacks and long‑term operations.

Council did not vote on the proposal. The village attorney and community development director reminded those present that the conceptual presentation is nonbinding: any formal site‑plan application would be subject to detailed engineering, environmental review and a development‑review committee process, then to planning and zoning review and final council action.

Next steps: developers may submit a formal site‑plan application for review by the village’s development review committee, at which point technical matters—setbacks, service access, parking counts, environmental studies and mitigation for sea‑turtle habitat—will be examined in detail.