BY ANN HENSON

Citizen Staff

Two controversial development deals that the late County Commissioner Murray Nelson was negotiating may face obstacles without his support.

Commissioner George Neugent, who has vowed to fight a Big Pine Key trailer park redevelopment, said he will ask the board to postpone taking action on the project at today's meeting.

The agenda calls for "discussion, guidance to staff and conceptual approval of proposed agreement to redevelop Seahorse Trailer Park and Rowell's Marina ."

Boca Developers want to raze Seahorse RV Park and build affordable housing in exchange for expedited approval to build Marine Grande, a high-end luxury condo project at the former Rowell's Marina in Key Largo .

"I will write the first check for $500 to secure an attorney to fight this," Neugent said, claiming Nelson and County Administrator Tom Willi were guiding the project to bypass the Growth Management Department and Planning Commission. "The agreement between Willi and Murray was the most one-sided agreement for the developer that I've ever seen."

The county is under a moratorium on trailer park redevelopment through July. However, the commission left a loophole for developers: If they agree to devote 30 percent of the total units to affordable housing, they can proceed with their plans.

In Seahorse's case, the Deerfield Beach developer proposed building 100 affordable housing units on Big Pine Key to get approval for 130 high-end Key West homes in Key Largo . Transferring units from one part of the county to another is prohibited, unless the developer and county strike a "380 agreement," which essentially is a variance, Neugent said.

Neugent said Key Largo residents oppose the deal and Big Pine Key residents had no say in it. He said he recently met with Tom Williams of the Craig Cos., representing the developer.

"I suggested to Williams that he request it be taken off the agenda because I thought the potential for embarrassment on his part is great. How can we vote on this?" Neugent asked.

Neugent said he has a problem with another controversial redevelopment project that is not on today's agenda.

Waters Edge owner John Isaksen of Itnor Corp. has agreed to build affordable housing — either onsite or offsite — in order to build condos that would displace 48 Stock Island residents.

Neugent said he's concerned the agreement, which the Planning Commission has approved, does not mention a specific site for affordable housing.

"Since it's in the Lower Keys, I thought it would stay within those boundaries," Neugent said. Willi and Planning Commission Chairman Jim Cameron insinuated in a meeting with Neugent that the plan was just like the Seahorse project, Neugent said.

"For me, if it stays within the development boundaries and is agreed upon by the County Commission , then I might support that," he said.

ahenson@keysnews.com

Key West Citizen 4-19-06