A letter to the editor was received Thursday, May 11, 2023. If you would like to send a letter, email it to info@sebastiandaily.com.
New Homes2Suite Hotel Near Sebastian
Does Hilton/Homes2Suite Franchise really want to anger the voting residents and environmentalists in the City of Sebastian and Indian River County?
The story published in Sebastian Daily regarding a 3-Story, Home2 Suites Hotel Proposed on Indian River Lagoon near Sebastian raises concerns.
The proposed address for the hotel is 11360 S. Indian River Drive.
Should they allow (under franchise) the Wynne Building Corp and Joel Wynne (Wynne Ranch family and Spanish Lakes developer) to proceed with “shoehorning” a large 3-story 96-room commercial onto a narrow waterfront lot on picturesque Indian River Drive?
Major issues for the city:
- (lack of) Stormwater Management
- (total lack of ) Green Space
- Clearcutting and not equally replacing 115, old native Florida trees
- significant traffic problems
- current applicant-created and flawed traffic study does not come close to reflecting what that impact will be
The City cannot control the end approvals because the property is 88 yards from the City Limits and therefore controlled by Indian River County.
Why should Hilton/Homes2Suite care?
As you know, the City of Sebastian made national news (by being the first in the country) when 90 plus % of the voters recalled 3 of 5 city council members in 2020. Hilton does not need an uprising in Sebastian because of their Named hotel.
The Good News.
This proposed hotel could be a good addition to Sebastian in a suitable location, like at any available property anywhere on US1 from Rt 510 to the Brevard County line.
Just not on the Indian River Drive.
The same hotel being built on 9075 Americana Way, at SR60 and Rt 95 has been carefully thought out by a separate developer. That developer:
- Purchased 2 adjacent lots for a third of the price of what Wynne paid for the waterfront park-like setting
- By purchasing 2 lots Dan Patel of Vero Beach Hotel LLC has sufficient stormwater accommodations and 360-degree access to the large hotel in an appropriate setting for Hilton.
- The LLC chose a location that fits the vision of Hilton/Home2Suites as they march up Rt 95 in Florida, always picking high traffic heavy commercial locations https://tinyurl.com/H2S-Florida, Interchanges, Airports, cruise ports
- They are never located in environmentally sensitive undersized waterfront locations.
Maybe Hilton will rethink this decision. Perhaps Indian River County will look closer at this application.
Terry McGinn
Sebastian
