Hotel, 44 Condos and 17-Boat Marina at Former Suni Sands Site Clear First Jupiter Council Vote

Plans for a luxury hotel, 44 condominiums, retail and a 17-boat marina at the former Suni Sands mobile home park moved forward when the Jupiter Town Council gave first-round approval to the zoning and land-use changes the project needs, the Palm Beach Daily News reported.

The council voted 4-1 at a special meeting Oct. 29. Council member Ron Delaney cast the lone no vote. The changes still need second readings before they take effect, and no date has been set.

What's proposed

The site, also known as the Sperry property, covers about 10.5 acres at 961 and 997 N. A1A, on the Loxahatchee River near the Jupiter Inlet. Developer Charles Modica, who also built Charlie & Joe's at Love Street, would build on about 5 acres. The other 5.5 acres would be set aside for conservation.

The plan includes:

• A luxury hotel, which WPTV reported would have 110 rooms
• 44 condominiums
• A restaurant and retail space
• A marina with room for 17 boats, according to the Palm Beach Daily News

The ordinances cover a land-use change, rezoning and a planned unit development, which sets the rules for the project. Modica is asking for several waivers from town standards, and WPTV reported that council members pushed back on some of them. Town notices show the plan would also shorten the Riverwalk corridor on the property from 535 feet to 142 feet.

Residents raise concerns

The meeting ran about five hours, and dozens of residents came to speak about developing one of the town's last open waterfront sites. Residents and Indigenous advocates raised concerns about the project's size and building heights, traffic, public access to the water, how much open space would remain, and the site's cultural importance. "We cannot build on every square inch of land," Jupiter native Mary Peterson told the council, CBS12 reported.

Modica told the council he wants to work with the town and build something he can be proud of, with space the community can enjoy while much of the land is preserved.

How we got here

Modica bought the property for about $16 million in 2016. His plans stalled after archaeologists found major Native American sites on the land, including a shell midden about 5,000 years old and the path of the Celestial Railway, Jupiter's 19th-century rail line.

In January, after years of dispute and mediation, the council approved a settlement 4-1. The town will take ownership of the 4.07-acre midden and the railway route, and it will pay $10.5 million for about an acre of waterfront, including a view corridor toward the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. The settlement allowed Modica to seek approval for the rest of the land through the town's normal hearing process. It did not approve any construction.

The deal still has critics. In August, members of the Jupiter Inlet Foundation warned that a larger marina could harm protected seagrass near the inlet.

What's next

Town staff and the development team are expected to keep talking before the second readings. The project's site plan and special exceptions will also come back to the council. The town has not announced a hearing date.

Source: Palm Beach Daily News via NewsBreak, with additional reporting from WPTV and CBS12.