The Bonita Springs Zoning Board voted 6-0 to approve a request to rezone roughly 10 acres on Old 41 to a new Commercial Planned Development that would allow up to 39,500 square feet of commercial retail, about 80,000 square feet of indoor self-storage/mini-warehouse uses and roughly 70,000 square feet of light industrial uses.

City staff recommended approval subject to the conditions outlined in the staff report. Mary Thornburg, Community Development, told the board that staff "does recommend approval subject to the conditions outlined." The board recorded a roll-call vote after a motion to approve the rezoning and carried the motion 6 to 0.

The applicant, represented by attorney Francesca Passadoma, said the project would replace an existing landscape supply operation and would remove existing structures. "Our firm represents FREP, Old 41 Development, LP, in this petition to rezone a parcel from its existing commercial plan development to a new commercial plan development, to modify the master plan, reduce commercial square footage, eliminate outdoor storage and sale uses, and add indoor self storage and light industrial uses," Passadoma said. Connor McBroom of Forager Real Estate described the developer as locally invested and committed to building the project.

Planner Patty Kulak summarized the proposal and key design features. She said the plan calls for six buildings, with two retail-facing buildings along Old 41 and four buildings behind them for flexible commercial, light industrial and storage uses. "All of our buildings on-site will be no more than 30 feet in height," Kulak said. She also described a 25-foot enhanced buffer along the southern property line abutting the Bonita Isles residential community and noted the inclusion of a six-foot wall or fence at the HOA's request.

Applicant consultants presented technical findings that city staff relied on in recommending approval. Christian Casey, the project's environmental consultant, said the property was surveyed for listed species on Aug. 13, 2024, and "no listed species were observed on-site." Yuri Biko, the transportation engineer, said the requested mix of uses generates far fewer peak-hour trips than the prior 2004 CPD approval: the project would cut PM peak-hour trips by roughly 78% compared with the earlier approval and Old 41 would continue to operate at an acceptable Level of Service C under modeled future conditions.

Civil engineering testimony described utilities and stormwater. Davidson Engineering said potable water will connect to an existing 12-inch main on Old 41 and the applicant will extend mains and sewer lines into the site; at Bonita Springs Utilities’ request the team will extend a 10-inch water main about 700 feet along Old 41 and extend a gravity sewer main about 100 feet to enable future connections. The stormwater plan relies on an underground chamber containment system sized to meet City and South Florida Water Management District standards; Brandon Copper (Davidson Engineering) and others explained the chambers will be built under pavement and sized using hydraulic modeling.

The request included three deviations from the Land Development Code: (1) maintaining the existing driveway access on Old 41 where the current separation to adjacent driveways does not meet the required distance, (2) grouping required foundation/perimeter plantings on building end caps rather than all four sides of buildings because garage doors need vehicle access, and (3) removing the separation requirement between alcohol sales (package store) and the nearest residence for one potential unit within the front commercial buildings. Staff recommended denial/needed more analysis on deviation 3 and asked the applicant to provide additional information showing how the deviation preserves public health, safety and welfare. Mary Thornburg said she "did not recommend approval or denial" of deviation 3 and requested additional analysis specific to a proposed package store concept.

Board members repeatedly questioned operations and impacts: they asked about soils and groundwater testing and were told a Phase I environmental site assessment was completed prior to acquisition and found no environmental impacts; they asked how the underground chamber system is sized and were told manufacturers’ volumes and an ICPR hydraulic model are used to test storm events and rate-of-discharge control structures. The zoning board also pressed about potential noise, dust and other impacts from proposed light-industrial uses; staff and the applicant said the most intensive industrial-type activities would be limited to the two northern buildings and that the applicant had removed numerous previously requested uses during plan refinements.

The applicant described neighborhood outreach including a neighborhood information meeting and a voluntary Zoom session; the applicant reported repeated communications with the Bonita Isles Homeowners Association and distributed plan revisions to residents. There were no members of the public present to speak during the public comment period.

The board's approval is at the rezoning (CPD) stage. If the rezoning remains approved through city council, the project will proceed to a development order and detailed engineering review, where staff and reviewers will examine construction sequencing, phasing, final traffic analyses, final stormwater calculations, landscaping and exact unit locations for uses such as a package store. The applicant and staff indicated they will continue to refine the permitted uses and conditions before any council hearing.

Votes at a glance: the zoning board recorded a roll-call vote of six "yes" votes and no opposition; the motion carried 6-0.