Williston City Planner Jackie Gorman recommended denial of the BluRock project but said she would work with the developer if the council approved the zoning change.

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                After securing promises that the old Williston High School would be torn down and replaced with a nice development, the Williston City Council Tuesday gave preliminary approval to commercial zoning for the property.

            BluRock Development representative Joe Schuemann convinced the council the only way he could develop the 12.69 acre parcel, most of which was zoned for mixed use, was changing the zoning to straight commercial.

            Council members voted 4-1 to approve the zoning and land use change with Councilman Elihu Ross casting the lone vote in opposition.

            The council made it clear after questioning Schuemann at length that it wouldn’t settle for a piecemeal project that would allow the school to be dismantled one step at a time as he built the development.

            Schuemann said he was in a pickle after Publix withdrew its letter of intent to build a grocery store at the site and Twistee Treat pulled out when the city said the ice cream cone shaped building would violate city codes.

            The council finally agreed to change the zoning on the property from mixed use, public and residential to straight commercial when Schuemann said he was willing to work with the city.

            “If I need to do a developer’s agreement that tells me I need to demolish it, or something, I’m willing to do a nice project,” he said.

            Schuemann hasn’t given the city anything in writing that says he will do a master development agreement and tear down the entire school, but he made a verbal commitment to do so in the council meeting. The council has an audio recording of his comments.

            Councilman Charles Goodman grilled Schuemann on exactly what he was promising to do.

            “Am I hearing you say when you start this thing, if it’s commercial (zoning),  you will demolish the whole thing?” Goodman said.

            “We will demolish the whole thing,” Schuemann answered.

            “And would you accept that as part of the agreement with the city?” Goodman said.

            “Yes,” responded Schuemann.

            Schuemann said his current plan would be to establish a boutique grocer on the property as the anchor along with Popeye’s chicken restaurant and perhaps a Burger King. He is still talking to Burger King but he needs a grocer as an anchor to attract the restaurant.

            Schuemann said he is one of the most aggressive retail developers in Florida. He said he closed on the property before he had signed Publix as the anchor. He said it was a mistake. He said he had a letter of intent from the store chain when he bought the property, but Publix backed out after he owned the school property.

            He said there were reasons Publix backed out.

            “When we first purchased the property we bought it for Publix. When I closed on the property we did not have a final commitment from Publix but we had a letter of intent. We had planned on doing a nice Publix with out-parcels,” Schuemann said. “We talked to Scott Lippmann. Word got out on the street. Publix called me and said what’s happening here. Unfortunately one of the plans had a Publix sign – let the cat out of the bag – they weren’t happy about that. Then they came out to the site. They researched the market; they just recently opened a Publix in Crystal River and then discovered our sales aren’t there.”

            On top of everything else, Schuemann said he discovered after he bought the property that the school was standing on top of solid lime rock. The lime rock will force him to build a larger drainage retention area than planned, which shrunk the available acreage on which to build the development.

            The latest revision of his plans are to build a boutique grocer store on the property along with a Popeye’s chicken restaurant, and he hopes a Burger King, but he would have to figure out what happens after that.

            “I want to demolish the whole thing. We’ll still do a master plan with her.” (City Planner Jackie Gorman).

            Gorman recommended denial of Schuemann’s request to convert the mixed use zoning on the property to straight commercial. She said all of the city’s zoning, land use and economic development plans envisioned mixed use zoning on the property to draw people to a variety of retail establishments.

            Council members voted to change the land use and the zoning on the property to commercial with the understanding Schuemann would produce a master site plan and demolish the entire school.

            Schuemann reminded the council that he has already spent in excess of $300,000 removing the asbestos from the school, a requirement of state law. The school couldn’t be demolished and removed with asbestos embedded in the debris.

            His statement about the asbestos removal was intended to show the council that he is heavily invested in the project. He bought the property for $1.25 million.

            He said his early interest the property, even before Publix, was to bring a Wendy’s to Williston, but the reality of the situation, given all that has happened since he bought the property, is that he has to bring a couple of new businesses to the site – the boutique grocery and Popeye’s – to attract other businesses.

            Schuemann will return in two weeks for final council approval of his small scale comprehensive plan amendment and the zoning change, both of which received preliminary approval Tuesday.

            Gorman told the council she is willing to work with Schumann on producing a nice development for Williston.

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City of Williston Regular Meeting January 7, 2020; Posted January 8, 2020