Sunrise city commissioners have voted down a master plan for a seven-story Hyatt-branded hotel and the rezoning of a local shopping plaza.
During a recent meeting, commissioners voted 3-2 to deny rezoning and 5-0 to deny a master plan, which would have relied on the rezoning proposal’s approval. Fifteen acres, including the Indian Trace Center and a vacant plot that would have hosted the hotel, would have been rezoned from a community business district to a planned development district, or PDD.
Development company H&M’s master plan for the PDD included a first phase for hotel construction and plaza improvements, and a second phase allowing further development for “residential, commercial, and office uses.”
Officials opposed to rezoning and the master plan variously cited residents’ traffic concerns, potential population density issues, and hotel visibility as key reasons for their votes.
“While the hotel and plaza improvements could bring economic benefit, the potential negative effects on daily life, safety and neighborhood character outweigh them,” Deputy Mayor Jacqueline Guzman said at the March 3 meeting. “Quality of life must come first.”
Assistant Deputy Mayor LaToya Clarke and Commissioner Neil Kerch, who expressed support for much of the hotel plan, joined Guzman’s vote to deny the rezoning proposal. Sunrise Mayor Michael Ryan and Commissioner Joey Scuotto voted against the denial.
Across the span of multiple City Commission meetings in the past two months, developers have presented their plans and evidence of its benefits, while dozens of Sunrise residents spoke about the potential negative impacts. Some business owners in the plaza have expressed approval of the hotel, citing the prospect of increased foot traffic.
Officials who voted not to deny rezoning said they would have preferred to host another City Commission meeting to hear arguments from developers and residents on the issue.
Most commissioners voting on either side cited concerns about Florida’s Live Local Act, an affordable housing law that has allowed developers to bypass certain approvals from cities if they include workforce housing in their plans, among other requirements.
Ryan said he was “terrified” of Live Local, warning community members that the city would have little power to negotiate for concessions with developers.
“I fear that we win a battle and lose the war,” Ryan said.
Prior to the vote, H&M had agreed to waive their right to invoke Live Local in their development plan as a condition of the PDD’s approval.
Two days following commissioners’ vote to deny rezoning, H&M principal Daniel Masveyraud declined to comment on whether the company will consider relying on Live Local moving forward.
“In any case, we look forward to being a responsible neighbor and will be sharing future plans for the property at a later date,” Masveyraud wrote.