A largely vacant property on Dunedin Causeway near the entrance to Honeymoon Island may return to active use with new housing, hotel rooms and retail space under a redevelopment plan scheduled for review Thursday by the Dunedin City Commission.
The proposal for 265 Causeway Blvd. includes 12 townhomes, a seven-room hotel and a 2,525-square-foot winery on a 1.05-acre site that once housed a restaurant and lounge. The site also previously received approval for a 16-unit condominium project, which later expired when permits were not secured.
A traffic study submitted to Dunedin estimates the project would generate 29 new PM peak-hour trips, which falls below the city’s 50-trip de minimis threshold. Engineers also concluded the development would create less traffic than the restaurant that previously operated on the property and would not further reduce roadway service along Dunedin Causeway.
Dunedin Causeway serves as a primary access route to Honeymoon Island and the surrounding waterfront areas. Projects that exceed the city’s threshold can require additional transportation review as part of the approval process.
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Plans submitted to the city show five buildings across the property, including two residential buildings, a mixed-use structure, a hotel building and a pool cabana area. Project materials describe the site as part of the “gateway” to Dunedin’s beaches.
The townhomes would include three bedrooms and elevators, according to materials presented during a neighborhood meeting held in March. Developers also said the project will include 66 parking spaces, solar-ready features and a stormwater vault designed to hold runoff on site.
Project documents reference elevated building standards and on-site stormwater controls as part of the development plan. The development team also told residents the project would use insulated concrete form construction intended to exceed current building code standards.
The project carries an estimated construction value of $10 million, according to application materials filed with the city.
Community response has remained limited ahead of Wednesday’s meeting. A citizen participation meeting held at the Dunedin Public Library drew seven residents, according to the applicant’s report to the city. Residents asked whether the development would add a traffic light at Gary Circle, whether nearby properties would eventually become part of the project and how stormwater would be managed on the site.
The proposal adds to ongoing redevelopment activity along Pinellas County waterfront corridors that combine housing, lodging and retail uses near tourism-oriented areas. If ultimately approved, the project would add new residential, lodging and retail space along the Dunedin Causeway corridor near the entrance to Honeymoon Island.
City staff recommended approval ahead of Thursday’s City Commission meeting.
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