IPC approves design & site plans for Island hotel and townhomes
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By Pamela Permar- Shierling
Rendering of the Oak St. Hotel by ZLF Design Company, LLC
St. Simons Island will soon have a three story luxury hotel at the corner of Oak St. and Ocean Blvd. as well as a three unit townhome on Arnold Road.
Last week (May 26) the Islands Planning Commission (IPC) approved a village preservation design plan and a site plan for construction of a new 24,607 sq. ft. three story luxury boutique hotel at 315 Oak St. and 560 Ocean Blvd.
The property is zoned VMU (Village Mixed Use) and Island Preservation Overlay and is owned by Sega USA Properties, LLC. The current use is residential and the two houses will be torn down to make way for the hotel.
According to staff the two existing homes to be demolished were constructed in 1948 and do not have any architectural or historical designations or restrictions.
A public hearing was held at the April 21 meeting and the design plan and site plan were deferred to the May 26 meeting.
The changes to the site plan included moving the building footprint 19 ft. away from a 54” live oak tree; moving the trash enclosure from Ocean Blvd. to Oak St.; exterior style designed to be more coastal colonial to fit the Village; landscape planting added; improved views in south corner; oversized parking space added along Oak St. for loading and overflow parking; demolition plan added; update tree plan added; lighting and irrigation plan added.
There are 19 parking spaces to accommodate 12 rooms. The entrance to the hotel is off Ocean Blvd. with six parking spaces on either side of the entrance.
While a public hearing on this site plan had taken place in April, Chairman Joe Nash allowed for a public hearing but no one spoke.
The vote to approve was unanimous.
The three unit townhome will be built on Arnold Road right behind Ocean Motion where Forest Street dead ends into Arnold Rd. Oak St. borders the east side of the property.
The single family home on the property will be demolished. Two live oaks on the property will be preserved. Zoning district is Resort Residential.
There will be a total of six sleeping rooms. Each unit will have a one car garage.
No one spoke during the public hearing and the vote to approve was unanimous.
The IPC approved a design plan for an addition to a single family home at 609 Ocean Blvd. zoned Village Mixed Use (VMU) and Island Preservation Overlay.
No one spoke at the public hearing and the vote to approve was unanimous.
Also approved was a Special Use Permit for the new owners of Wine, Body, and Soul located in Redfern Village. The existing zoning is Highway Commercial which requires a Special Use Permit for a drinking establishment.
