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Escambia County Board of Adjustment OKs outdoor patio seating for restaurant at Blue Angel Plaza
Summary
On Oct. 15, 2025, the Escambia County Board of Adjustment unanimously approved conditional use CU2025-129500 to allow outdoor seating for a restaurant in Blue Angel Plaza adjacent to West Highway 98, approving staff findings and imposing existing code and permit requirements.
The Escambia County Board of Adjustment unanimously approved on Oct. 15, 2025, a conditional use (CU2025-129500) allowing outdoor patio seating for a restaurant tenant at Blue Angel Plaza, a shopping center on West Highway 98. The applicant is Thomas Messina, agent for Publix Supermarkets Inc.; Escambia County staff recommended approval based on compliance with the Land Development Code and other county regulations.
Staff planner Christina Smith, Urban Planner II for Escambia County Development Services, told the board that the proposed patio is 8 by 50 feet (400 square feet) and would seat 28 people. Smith said the suite will be more than 500 feet from the rear property line and that the larger parcel has a 16-foot vegetated buffer and an 8-foot stockade fence on the north side. Smith summarized staff findings that the proposal meets the Land Development Code criteria for compatibility, utilities, access, waste screening, buffering, signage, lighting controls and site capacity, and recommended approval.
Applicant Thomas Messina said the restaurant would not serve alcohol, would close at 9 p.m. daily, and that outdoor seating, weather permitting, would improve the guest experience and create jobs. "We would love to be able to have outdoor seating ... it would make a more pleasant experience for our guests," Messina said. He added the applicant plans to install a canopy and safety railing through a separate approval process and proposed seven outdoor tables with four seats each.
Board members asked whether the outdoor seating would impede a public walkway adjacent to the building. Messina said the canopy and railing would not extend to the shrub line and that the walkway connecting the front and rear parking areas would remain passable. Staff clarified that the space between the building and the shrubs is owned by Publix Supermarkets, Inc.
After questions, an unnamed board member moved to approve "according to staff findings;" another board member seconded. The motion carried unanimously with a 5-0 vote.
The board and staff noted that the use must comply with the county's Land Development Code and the County Noise Ordinance. The chair also reminded members of ex parte disclosure requirements under Board of County Commission Resolution 96-12-13 and of rights to judicial review under Florida law. As an informational item, staff also referenced a recent court order upholding a prior BOA denial of a conditional use request for a borrow pit.
The board's approval authorizes the conditional use for outdoor patio dining as described in the staff findings; additional approvals (canopy, railing and any building or site permits) remain subject to separate review and permits.
