L. Growth Management
County of Monroe
Growth Management Division
Marine Resources DepartmentBoard of County Commissioners
Suite #420 Mayor Charles McCoy, Dist. 3
2798 Overseas Highway Mayor Pro Tem Dixie Spehar, Dist. 1
Marathon FL 33050 George Neugent, Dist. 2
Voice: (305) 289-2505 Mario Di Gennaro, Dist. 4
FAX: (305) 289-2536 Glenn Patton, Dist. 5
garrett-george@monroecounty-fl.gov
We strive to be caring, professional and fair
DATE: 1 November, 2006
TO:Board of County Commissioners
FROM: George Garrett, Director of Marine Resources
SUBJECT:Site Evaluation – Latin American Bayfront Grill Restaurant
BACKGROUND:
It has come to the attention of the Board of Commissioners that a waterfront property
located at approximately Mile Marker 107.7 is currently for sale. The property is known
as the Latin American Bayfront Grill Restaurant (aka Latin American Café) and is
geographically located near the “Jewfish Creek” drawbridge on the “18 Mile Stretch”
leading to Florida City/Homestead. The property includes a small marina, bait and tackle
shop, restaurant, two gas pumps, and three small upstairs apartments.
Several individuals at the most recent County Commission meeting (October 2006)
suggested that the Board should consider the purchase of this property. Purchase of the
site has been suggested for a number of reasons, including that two boat access points on
the 18 mile stretch will be closing as a result of road reconstruction and that waterfront
access to the general public is disappearing as a result of private purchases.
This evaluation was requested by the Commission and hopefully will give the
Commission enough information about the site to allow the Commission to direct further
action by staff. In no way does the report suggest which way the Board should make its
decision – to purchase or not. Other items on the Commission agenda in October led to a
direction to staff to develop a more comprehensive list of waterfront access properties,
based on multiple criteria and purposes. Staff is to then bring this list of properties before
the Monroe County Marine and Port Advisory Committee for their review and thorough
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evaluation. The result will be a prioritized recommendation from the MPAC concerning
potential future purchases.
Much of the information provided below has been obtained from interests associated with
the sale or development of the property.
EVALUATION:
The Latin American Bayfront Grill Restaurant is located at Mile Marker 107.7 near the
Jewfish Creek draw bridge on U.S. Highway 1 / “18 Mile Stretch” as depicted in the two
images immediately below.
Key Largo / 18 Mile Stretch
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Latin American Bayfront Grill Restaurant @ MM 107.7
Site Characterization:
The property in question is approximately 0.625 acres in size and lies on a dredged
channel leading to Jewfish Creek and the Inter-coastal Waterway.The property abuts the
U.S. 1 right-of-way. Contained on the property are two, two-story concrete block
buildings, containing a restaurant, bait shop, and three apartments (each on the second
floor level). The buildings are located adjacent to the water and access to the Inter-coastal
Waterway. The restaurant and two apartments are located in the northernmost building
while the bait shop and one apartment comprise the southernmost building. In addition to
the physical structures, the site has dockage, a boat ramp, three gas pumps, some outdoor
seating area, and an FDEP permitted waste treatment plant, summarized below:
Property Size: 27,247 sq ft / 0.625 acres (2004 Survey)
Structures: 2 Concrete block (7,752 sq ft – 2004 Appraisal Report)
Restaurant
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Bait shop
nd
3 2 level apartments
Dockage: 370 linear feet with several T docks (Multiple slips – Number
undetermined due to Hurricane Wilma damage)
Ramp: Single lane – minimally improved / water depth – 4 feet
Fuel:Three dispensers / 22,000 gal underground fiberglass, double
walled storage tank
Waste Treatment: 10,000 gal FDEP permitted Plant / Not 2010 compliant
Zoning: Suburban Commercial (SC)
Future Land Use: Mixed Use / Commercial (MC)
Tier Designation: Tier 3
Taxable Value: $1,433,403
Appraised Value: $2,700,000 (fee simple / as is) / $3,500,000 (“going concern
value”) Completed August 2004
Additional site photos are provided at the end of the document.
Staff Site Visits & Meetings
Staff has met with Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) staff on several
occasions concerning the Latin American Bayfront Grill Restaurant. Meetings have
focused on the existence and location of a boat ramp on site and the pending loss of boat
ramps along the 18 mile stretch during road widening efforts. Staff has also talked to
representatives at Everglades National Park concerning the removal of ramps along the 18
mile stretch.
Staff has obtained information from a real estate agent representing the owner and from
Reed & Company representing the owner in a potential site redevelopment proposal.
Information garnered from the latter individuals includes an appraisal report, all or
portions of two Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessment reports, and an
application for a Pre Application Conference with Monroe County. Other information
was garnered from the County Tax Appraiser’s Office.
Meetings with FDOT indicate that the boat ramp located on the subject property lies in
part on FDOT right-of-way. A notice to the owner of the property was issued on
September 12, 2006 requiring the removal of an encroachment (a portion of the boat
ramp) on FDOT property. Other discussions with FDOT confirm that the two ramps
located on the 18 mile stretch will be removed and that there are no plans for replacement.
From another perspective, there is some indication that if the County were to acquire the
Latin American Bayfront Grill Restaurant, FDOT would consider turning over their right-
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of-way where that transfer did not conflict with current plans or the need to provide
access to private properties such as the Restaurant or the adjacent resort condominium.
Everglades National Park staff is addressing the general issue of water access to the Park
during the current update to their five year plan. However, though they acknowledge that
ramps will be lost along the 18 mile stretch, there are no definitive plans on the part of the
Park to replace the ramps.
County staff has met independently twice on site to establish accessible water depths and
to take photographs of the property and its amenities.
Appraisal Report
As provided by the realtor for the property owner, an Appraisal Report was completed for
the property in August of 2004, by Aucamp, Dellenback, and Whitney of Boca Raton. A
“fee simple” and “as is” appraisal of the property placed the value of the property at
$2,700,000. In addition, after significant additional analysis, the property has a “going
concern value” of $3,500,000. This value considers multiple additional factors related to
the business value of the property and relates the sale of other, similar properties in the
Key Largo area.
The Appraisal Report was completed in August of 2004 and should be reconsidered by
the Board as both market values have changed in the past two years and the site has been
vacant after the Hurricane Wilma event.
Phase I / Phase II Environmental Assessment
The Latin American Bayfront Grill Restaurant site has both underground fuel storage and
above ground waste treatment plant storage facilities.
As provided by the realtor for the property owner, a Phase I Environmental Site
Assessment was completed for the site in August 2004 by Petro Hydro, Inc of Miami.
The conclusion of the Petro Hydro report was that there was no evidence of
environmental concern in regard to both soils and groundwater. However, a Phase I
report generally is used to determine the extent of any potential concern based on a
cursory onsite review and a review of environmental compliance databases. Typically,
the existence of fuel or waste storage tanks would compel a buyer to consider additional
review through a Phase II study of the site.
In 2000, a Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment was completed by
Properties Environmental Assessment & Remediation, Inc. The conclusion at that time
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was that the site posed limited environmental liability. However, they found that some
soil and groundwater contamination did exist from processed fuels. Since that time there
have apparently been some tightness tests done on the fueling facilities, so any problems
may have been resolved in the intervening time.
An additional Phase I and II environmental assessment would be helpful.
Planning Report
Reed and Company, Development Services Inc. has completed an application for a Pre
Application Conference in August of 2006 for the property owner. The application
provided a request to redevelop the property, essentially as is, then to add 2,238 sq. ft. of
commercial retail space, and finally to develop three affordable housing units while
transferring off site the three existing market rate dwelling units.
The Monroe County Growth Management Division has not held the Pre Application
Conference yet. It is pending.
FURTHER ACTION
Staff hopes that the information provided is of assistance to the County Commission in its
deliberations concerning the Latin American Bayfront Grill Restaurant. At a minimum,
staff will make this property a part of the review of similar properties to be undertaken by
the Marine and Port Advisory Committee at its next meeting in December. Please
provide in addition any further direction that the Board wishes concerning this site.
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Northly End of Docks Adjacent to and Behind Northernmost Building
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