Edgewater Residents Protest 'Eyesore'

A huge, partially constructed waterfront home on Edgewater Drive was the site of a protest Jan. 23.

Friends of Edgewater would like to see the home, which may be sold at the end of the month, razed and the property added to an adjacent waterfront park.

Protesters held up signs in front of the property calling attention to the aesthetics of the property, the blocked view, and the need for parking and an entrance to nearby

"It's just an ugly building. ... The purpose (of the protest) is to call attention that it's been years and years since it is sitting here. It's not the view issues; it's an eyesore," said Marti Royal, who has lived in Dunedin on and off since 1950.

The 11,198-square-foot parcel, at 570 Edgewater Drive, is listed on AOL Real Estate for $999,900. The listing states the home has nine bedrooms and nine bathrooms.

Dunedin Director of Planning and Development Greg Rice said the parcel is zoned only for a single-family home. The property's building permit expired in December. The city has heard the property is supposed to be sold by the end of January. The new owner would have 180 days to reinstate the building permit, which would come under current building code, Rice said.

Rice said he was not aware of any available funding for the city to buy the property and add it to the adjacent Edgewater Linear Park.

The property rests on the edge of the proposed Edgewater Drive Scenic Corridor Overlay. The corridor goes from the Edgewater Linear Park area to Union Street. The city, with input from residents, is creating a plan to preserve the area, Rice said. The proposed draft plans, which will be presented to the city commission in April, include:

• Preserving the Washington palms
• Possible lighting in the Edgewater Linear Park
• Designed landscape around the park's trashcans and benches
• Controlled signage along Edgewater Drive
• Uniform guidelines for crosswalks
• Preserving the historic look of the neighborhood