[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6178471,"mediaKeyId","5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16","parentId",5229286,"title","Punta Gorda merchants push QR guides, coordinated events and a small-business group; council warns of Sunshine Law limits","audioSeconds",4391,"startMs",1269000,"endMs",5660000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16&start=1269&end=5660","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16/thumbnail_1269000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6178471/Punta-Gorda-City/Charlotte-County/Florida/Punta-Gorda-merchants-push-QR-guides-coordinated-events-and-a-small-business-group-council-warns-of-Sunshine-Law-limits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178471-8de23d9a7fe0f2e89e53a7c4ed4992b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151974&Signature=KIc1gGNi~~Eui8ozHt2FrD2dEJbufj1uFHvgdsC2xxiM5-~XxbBayHHM4i3JWFi2LqwGNbjzbxlM~LZAC3CAVki9U1Ugf~N9ng-~rw7EVQpfliflsmAFvCL8j-YsSN88OoJbNmsTS9X1Oz0dXI4ZBzLQ0ZxdGlocoe0fU4WWP-ZbloE3oG~mj8buPmjHYT89vx6FoeC3vVRjnEb5DIcxKVQZjYWFMfjWwwb5WsFRvlDkc8CbwjCmUfB37ESyN6Rv0CQW36PlEITxNKwJxgcCT0Wr~RJFNwr7OI5syQN-MroaB~Ea0TX64wWQixamA1FKOQQCZDBeRac5igDXPfg-zg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Punta Gorda, FL","date","2025-07-07T17:45:48Z","article","Downtown merchants and volunteer groups used a July 7 workshop to propose a range of coordinated marketing and activation measures and to organize a peer network for ongoing collaboration.

Kim Koch, chief financial officer of Team Punta Gorda, and Betsy Spagnolo, the organization’s president, urged banners on light poles, flower pots, and maintenance of welcome signage. Koch suggested banners on light posts and said Team Punta Gorda could help install and maintain decorative elements.

Multiple speakers recommended a citywide QR-code map and an inter-business brochure. “When people click on it it can show exactly all our small businesses here,” a participant said, describing a QR-code portal that could be updated quickly and shared from hotel rooms, Harbor Walk signs, and business windows.

Bill Page and others proposed forming a merchant group or board to coordinate scheduling, events and promotions — for example, a boutique crawl or monthly car show. Council members and staff encouraged merchants to work with the Punta Gorda Chamber and reminded attendees that if a formal board were appointed by council it would be subject to Florida’s Sunshine Law and open-meeting requirements. Staff suggested an alternative: community groups can form independently and request presentations to council without the same statutory constraints.

City staff also offered practical resources: the city’s weekly highlights report and e-notification signups for press releases, street-closure notices and emergency alerts; the staff-recommended “design studio” can help organizers plan events, review restroom and safety needs, and identify permitting requirements.

Other ideas discussed included a downtown shuttle or revved-up golf-cart ‘‘shuttle’’ service to link parking and business destinations; Chuck Lewis and other residents described prior attempts at similar services and local operators expressing interest. Merchants and volunteers agreed to continue meeting and to invite the chamber, and staff said they would provide guidance on forming committees and on event logistics.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Workshop Business Owner Listening Session","oneSentenceSummary","Merchants and volunteer groups at a July 7 workshop urged coordinated marketing—QR-code maps, banners, brochures and recurring events—and formation of a small-business group; council members pointed to the Punta Gorda Chamber and warned that formal city-appointed boards are subject to the Sunshine Law.","taxTitle","Punta Gorda City, Charlotte County, Florida","taxId",54477,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6178475,"Owners, appraiser and merchants say City Marketplace parcel price, upkeep hinder downtown recovery",765,4724000,5489000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16&start=4724&end=5489","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16/thumbnail_4724000.jpg","/articles/6178475/Punta-Gorda-City/Charlotte-County/Florida/Owners-appraiser-and-merchants-say-City-Marketplace-parcel-price-upkeep-hinder-downtown-recovery","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178475-b3f76e62a93f31bca868abaca40e1e42/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151974&Signature=Qe5u4dabSmRHEeobt3N-Szcoqg8j8RgvJS8aP5mNHI9HCmYGTl35AGyuimi~f~p0W4eh-qGNZvZAZncabccgKV2g6RAEHz3qgB5lMQfE9R9uLFEAr11i1p47Sok9U4GswEPfFhBBbxyNGbDdHI-8HcLgifwj9wR2gBsWcW5Z0nJhJgcIkheM9yNPmmhpoo-1qFXVSGTRRXtw8YaBLl-Pe0Us3qywxxZ39HUAD57a4k3bI6Tvz9jbb93CnH6Ba13i-QqY2cX~Vf6niwbR2-XAJJlGqrWgxV2EfbNFStqRSNaLTZVJXx7IUSJfqywlmdRiY8b8UfjGIt21-ic2NM6duQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Downtown merchants pressed the City of Punta Gorda on July 7 to address an empty, privately owned parcel known as the City Marketplace, which residents and business owners blamed for a blighted gateway into downtown.

An attendee who identified himself as Michael, a commercial real-estate appraiser, told the workshop the parcel’s current asking price—$12.4 million—equates to roughly $52 per square foot or more than $2.2 million per acre and is unprecedented in Charlotte County for available waterfront parcels. “There’s never been a sale in the history of Charlotte County, including waterfront, that has sold for that higher price point,” he said, and argued the listing price and high current construction, interest and insurance costs make new retail development unlikely at that cost.

Several attendees suggested the city use its tools to force maintenance or consider acquiring part of the parcel to create a park or other publicly useful space. Anne Melnick proposed the city buy a portion of the Marketplace and convert it to a small public park with benches and a place for a Christmas tree, as an interim measure to improve the gateway to town.

Betsy Spagnolo and other merchants asked why code-enforcement penalties or maintenance requirements had not compelled the owner to remove weeds and repair the surface. City staff said there have been multiple code cases over the years for tall grass and weeds and that the city has been working on requiring removal of impervious surfaces from nonconforming sites; staff said Bank of America’s parcel redevelopment will be required to remove impervious area as part of its work.

Staff also cited market realities: rising construction costs, higher interest and insurance rates, and increased property taxes have constrained new development. The appraiser said lenders and developers are focusing on flex and industrial space rather than retail given current returns.

Next steps: City staff and council members said they will continue to press property owners on maintenance and will use LDR provisions on nonconforming impervious areas; council members encouraged continued community pressure and proposals to explore limited public acquisition if feasible. No acquisition or ordinance change was decided at the workshop.","Business owners urged action on the long-vacant City Marketplace parcel and on code enforcement for blighted lots; a commercial appraiser at the workshop said the owner’s $12.4 million asking price is out of step with current market and construction costs, and staff noted prior code cases and new impervious-area requirements.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6178480,"City: Harbor Walk mostly open; piers and docks will need multi-year repairs",191,2438000,2629000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16&start=2438&end=2629","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16/thumbnail_2438000.jpg","/articles/6178480/Punta-Gorda-City/Charlotte-County/Florida/City-Harbor-Walk-mostly-open-piers-and-docks-will-need-multi-year-repairs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178480-e3ddf19b9597fa4c8002f4b0ccfc27ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151974&Signature=PKVZCRwzPLh~QuqqxtxOuD6Iv8Ov5fcoC3mxcX2PPpPs77ko50ouC6v7eCjtmPGX3H1bIfMEDUKsi7RioG9N2wJf3CcRpjJgUZ-6XYcLvcCA9uVNpSZf0Bz4eZqWZtcyQhpCJvvUQG-JpjK7vaFhiMeUNmq82bvUkLIbbatgtP2kJdUVrRO8LAk9Uzy5F3~Fp4jbp~SG4WexnN19Eu67S02DZIlMn-Pc2SlBizakW3ZxSyQsdnr-LKPAVnrZBblSScZlvuVfCof89wADayhX0rr3vYEHOpfeOc1gW~flU23bICGoxs~jTnj3WxL3wl-gs-NwwmJD~Zv0mfJdnzYYiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Business owners asking about the Harbor Walk were told July 7 that the pedestrian route is largely open but that several waterfront elements need more extensive repair before full restoration.

Ryan Derosiers, owner of Downtown Cava and a lifelong Punta Gorda resident, asked if there was a timeline for reopening and repairs. City staff said that the Harbor Walk can be traversed end-to-end now except for a location that requires stairs down from U.S. 41 southbound. The staff member added the city will install temporary fencing around the former waterfront hotel site and provide a temporary route to keep the walk contiguous while repairs proceed.

City staff said railings along sections of the Harbor Walk must be custom designed and reinforced because prior railings failed under storm surge, and that the piers, docks and bridges will require structural evaluation and subsequent contracting for repairs. “When you're looking at something like a fishing pier, you're probably looking at 2 to 3 years on those repairs,” a staff member told the workshop.

The city encouraged merchants and volunteer groups to continue to support downtown activation while the repairs proceed and said it will publish details as repair designs and contractor schedules are finalized.","City staff told downtown merchants parts of the Harbor Walk remain open but that piers, docks and bridges require structural evaluation and reinforced repairs; custom railings and pier work could take two to three years, staff said.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6178485,"Punta Gorda staff: flood panels serviced and Tiger Dam purchase proposed; flood study underway",2740,1019000,3759000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16&start=1019&end=3759","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16/thumbnail_1019000.jpg","/articles/6178485/Punta-Gorda-City/Charlotte-County/Florida/Punta-Gorda-staff-flood-panels-serviced-and-Tiger-Dam-purchase-proposed-flood-study-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178485-5b51088eecfb28842b81fd6dbd73414f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151974&Signature=foHNg96bAbhx0yHBq8f~eLOWa2WzRUGPmt4uQhsHrsRPQOhZkt1ipoWGe3aQCyAbSl1UT0ufUnI-I1hZZjc8BqltGbbPBxGj5P66n-PzcfynNJTF8cGwWOheP755NSY4N6Gdi44PjR~ehkqcTdiJo1NWx-gOHbHL3s7bi8BoCx99ttWW~UFASfuFoKEbappf0Ke1UdRhesJxtxe-UTgT1OEEWky2y7o8SvSK8~HXzN6StxILWGdAU1H~q8a27CV~dGar5psLmxw59F2JbRvTuniXDBH~fxXb3ciFVt8Fqfh9~62UR~AycmoHzcval5AHBwQulXlRyceExb0zhIYaew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Downtown Punta Gorda business owners seeking information about flood protections were told July 7 that city infrastructure repairs and future deployments are planned to reduce flood risk.

Laura Knight, owner of the Refinery Market Downtown, asked the council for an update on flood protection work. A city staff member said the city's flood panel system has had all gaskets and hardware replaced, and that the city is preparing to order Tiger Dam portable barriers subject to City Council approval. “We are ordering Tiger Dam should city council approve that purchase, on Wednesday,” the staff member said, adding that the barriers could be deployed this storm season if approved.

Separately, the city confirmed it has designated funds for a downtown flood study to identify causes and potential fixes for repeated flooding. A city representative told the workshop the study is a priority to understand why downtown floods and to evaluate solutions; the transcript records the staff member saying the city had “decided to designate a lot of our funds for [a flood study].”

City staff also reminded business owners to sign up for the city’s emergency and informational notification services. Staff identified the weekly “weekly highlights” report and the Alert Punta Gorda emergency-notification service as the primary channels for storm and road-closure updates; staff said text-message alerts are available through those signups.

Next steps: City staff will present the proposed Tiger Dam purchase to City Council for approval. The flood study is underway; no completion date was specified at the workshop.","City staff told downtown business owners that the city's flood-panel gaskets and hardware have been replaced, Tiger Dam portable barriers are planned for purchase pending council approval, and the city has commissioned a flood study to evaluate downtown flooding causes and solutions.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6178490,"Punta Gorda businesses ask city to ease temporary sign rules as LDR rewrite begins",4185,136000,4321000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16&start=136&end=4321","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5229286-647a99edbc3e0553bb16d7d5a9e85c16/thumbnail_136000.jpg","/articles/6178490/Punta-Gorda-City/Charlotte-County/Florida/Punta-Gorda-businesses-ask-city-to-ease-temporary-sign-rules-as-LDR-rewrite-begins","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6178490-d6cc7ca810efde6748d4acc7cb167c9b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151974&Signature=McyHQ~vP~gcvuFOU4nUUQKmBJy4XOlkx6jDwhqyhm-BGkqiVtj9Z3JSE7R8wN3sLNnWWdfAu8qcPuvGvHfZq5S-B~i0uIjqZt35Ygsw81LBXFAUy1S1NlF8ZwNkHmMWffeo6zD6fmAR4gq1hvrWc9mLdZjhz2Hke1yReP4eu9t5AK7DGjeneWiK8iyzfHWsGhECIO3ROEN1RqMsiO3-Xrze6XP8VFmIhoNmNj3P6wcQFfFAejU9laIHdD~1nCg2fA0WUt-Ox1IaH1yRT1PIwDvwsuufQ7NsYEGD4e4hY7TRrYwBlIiCWFPLLbjm0vUO4fEApMCJt5Y2GNbK155qcBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Business owners and vendors told Punta Gorda City Council members at a July 7 small-business workshop that current rules limiting temporary street-level advertising make it hard for customers to find set-back businesses.

June Connors, a vendor at the Punta Gorda Mercantile, said her stall is set back from the street and that shoppers regularly tell her they did not know the Mercantile existed. “We were just wondering what we can do to maybe help advertise that whole mall area, but especially the Mercantile,” she told the council.

The matter was echoed by other downtown merchants and by Realtors who said they rely on feather flags and temporary signs for open-house and event marketing. “When marketing homes for open houses, I’ve used the feather flags that state ‘open house,’ and I’ve had no flak,” said Leighton Ingram, a District 1 realtor.

Sarah Desrosiers, owner of Downtown Cava at the historic train station, said her business received code-compliance notices after placing feather flags while nearby construction made it appear the business was closed. “We had to put the feather flags out to make sure people knew we were open,” she said, and asked the council to consider exceptions for nonresidential and industrial areas.

City council members and staff told merchants the city is about to begin a comprehensive rewrite of its Land Development Regulations (LDRs), and that an article addressing signs is one of the LDR’s 19 elements. A council member said the sign rules can be reviewed as part of that process; a city staff representative encouraged businesses to participate in upcoming charrettes and workshops tied to the LDR update.

Council and staff also noted a practical complication: county-owned parcels and right-of-way inside the city boundaries are subject to Charlotte County sign rules that differ from the city’s, which creates inconsistency for businesses located near county land. City staff said they would explore whether coordination with the county could allow temporary street advertising that is consistent across both jurisdictions.

The conversation drew support from volunteers and civic groups. Kim Koch, chief financial officer of Team Punta Gorda, said the volunteer group could help fund or install banners on light poles and work on maintenance of existing welcome signage.

Next steps: city staff said they will consider sign-code changes during the LDR rewrite, hold outreach with small-business stakeholders, and investigate coordination with county sign regulations. No ordinance changes were adopted at the workshop.","Vendors and property owners urged the City of Punta Gorda to allow temporary ‘‘feather’’ flags and other street-level advertising; council and staff said the sign code will be examined as part of a pending Land Development Regulations rewrite and noted county-owned parcels create separate rules.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Punta Gorda merchants push QR guides, coordinated events and a small-business group; council warns of Sunshine Law limits

Owners, appraiser and merchants say City Marketplace parcel price, upkeep hinder downtown recovery

City: Harbor Walk mostly open; piers and docks will need multi-year repairs

Punta Gorda staff: flood panels serviced and Tiger Dam purchase proposed; flood study underway

Punta Gorda businesses ask city to ease temporary sign rules as LDR rewrite begins