Overview
- Developer John Cooper outlined a plan to convert 2700 Point Lane into a year‑round visitor destination featuring guided tours under a special‑use permit.
- The proposal seeks access to the neighboring nature preserve’s parking for shuttle drop‑offs, a new 120‑foot pedestrian path, and higher occupancy limits.
- City leaders questioned traffic, noise, and environmental impacts, and neighbors objected to turning a quiet cul‑de‑sac into a tourist draw.
- Cooper pitched a nonprofit‑backed concept with community days and projected 300 daily visitors, a figure at least one council member called overly optimistic.
- Cooper bought the estate last December for $9.5 million after a timeshare plan was blocked by a September code change, and his Champions Legacy nonprofit has not yet received IRS determination.