The Punta Gorda Historic Preservation Advisory Board voted unanimously to recommend approval of a certificate of appropriateness to demolish a single‑family residence and accessory structure at 703 West Marion Avenue.

Board members heard a staff presentation and testimony from the listing agent before making the recommendation. Hank Flores, urban design manager, told the board the applicant corrected the property address and removed references to substantial‑damage standards in a revised report. Flores said the property was built in 1936 in the bungalow style and is listed on the Florida Master Site File.

Nancy Weber, the listing agent, told the board the property had been taken off the market and that the owners will list the site as a vacant lot once they secure permission to demolish. She said the house had been on the market for 274 days with few offers and that rehabilitation costs made repair infeasible. “It’s not cost effective to do that,” Weber said.

Rachel Berry, zoning official, explained to the board that the certificate of appropriateness process provides the board an opportunity to recommend a timeline for demolition to the zoning official and that the board could recommend immediate approval or delays — including the statutory maximum delay for designated structures. Board members discussed timelines and legal limits for delay, and staff clarified the board cannot deny the application but can recommend timelines to the zoning official and city council.

After discussion, a board member moved to approve CA 18‑2025 for demolition of the structures at 703 West Marion Avenue; another member seconded the motion. The board then voted “aye” and the motion passed unanimously.

The board’s recommendation will be forwarded to the zoning official, who will process issuance of the certificate of appropriateness and any timeline attached to it. Staff advised the board that the delay period for demolition of designated structures may be up to 18 months under the current code; non‑designated structures may be subject to shorter delays (45 days), depending on status and applicable code sections.

No formal appeals or subsequent conditions were recorded during the meeting. The applicant’s contractor and the building department were referenced for next steps in scheduling the demolition after the zoning official issues the appropriate permits.

Votes at a glance:
- Approve minutes of Aug. 28, 2025 — motion passed unanimously (aye: 7; none opposed).
- CA 18‑2025 (703 West Marion Avenue) — motion to recommend demolition approval passed unanimously (aye: 7; none opposed).

Provenance (transcript excerpts): first discussion and item intro begin at transcript block: "Okay. So the next is our certificate of appropriateness. We have 1. It's CADash18Dash20257 03 West Merrion Avenue, Demolition action request." Final approval recorded in transcript block: "We have a motion and a second. Is there any other conversation? There being none, all those in favor, say aye. Aye. None opposed."