Boater coalition seeks city permission for removable boat canopies; BSI committee agrees to recommend November ballot measure

Residents and a boater advocacy group urged the Burnt Store Isles Canal Advisory Committee on June 10 to recommend that Punta Gorda City Council allow removable, overhead boat canopies within the city. Presenters said canopies would protect boats and make maintenance safer for older boat owners, while opponents said the change would conflict with deed restrictions and degrade neighborhood aesthetics.

David Elkins, a Punta Gorda resident who identified himself as an active boater, introduced the proposal and deferred to Christopher Dykes of the Punta Gorda Boaters Coalition, who framed the request as a narrow, tightly regulated allowance of removable, curved‑top aluminum canopies without side panels. Dykes said the coalition proposed limiting materials, colors to neutral tones and requiring removable tops so owners could remove or have vendors remove the fabric before named storms.

The presenters showed examples from nearby jurisdictions where canopies are permitted and noted that many waterfront markets list canopies as a selling feature. Christopher Dykes said the coalition had sought to craft standards "much tighter than normal" and proposed permit and maintenance obligations; the group also offered a draft plan for quick‑release fasteners and removable tops to allow storm preparation.

Insurance industry input was cited by the proponents. Jim Nolan of Nolan Family Insurance provided a written opinion to the coalition; the presenters summarized Nolan’s view to the committee that, “In my professional opinion, there's no more risk during a storm than pool cages, trees, roofing tiles, shingles, rain gutters,” and that he could recall no claim where a canvas canopy itself caused neighbor‑property damage in his years of claims experience.

Opposition testimony was given by residents including Rich (who identified his address as 617 Macedonia Drive) and by Bob Fritz, who said his perimeter canal location and elevator‑lift configuration would make a canopy impractical; Rich referenced Punta Gorda’s existing ordinance and Burnt Store Isles deed restrictions and urged preservation of the community’s current look.

Committee members discussed practical issues raised by staff and residents: how canopies would be removed before seawall or dredging operations, whether permits and fees should fund code‑enforcement inspections and whether lifts, radar antennas or very tall vessels would be excluded. Mark Storm (Canal Maintenance Supervisor) cautioned about equipment limits and the additional handling required when contractors perform seawall work near covered vessels.

After discussion the committee reached consensus to recommend that Punta Gorda City Council place the canopy question on the November ballot so the full community can weigh in; committee members emphasized they were not changing city ordinance themselves and that any amendment would require council action and follow‑on code language. The committee did not adopt specific permit language or technical standards at the meeting; presenters said they will follow up with additional technical details, outreach (surveys) and permit suggestions for staff and council consideration.