Local planning agency approves Fishtail Marina CPD update, clearing path for rebuild

The Local Planning Agency on June 10 approved an amendment to the existing commercial planned development for Fishtail Marina at 7225 Estero Boulevard, allowing revisions to a 1994 CPD master concept plan, recognition of an existing enclosed restaurant deck, and a new boater services building with ADA restrooms.

The approval, made by unanimous vote, restates previously approved conditions and deviations, adds a requested deviation to recognize a 6–8 inch enclosed restaurant deck that staff confirmed existed before the storm, and adopts updated building footprints and orientations intended to improve site circulation and to accommodate larger boats.

Staff planner Jason Smoley told the LPA the application is primarily a “housekeeping” amendment meant to bring the master concept plan into alignment with the site’s existing and proposed uses. He said the proposal does not increase the number of boat slips but reconfigures dry-stack and wet-slip layouts to handle larger vessels and forklifts; the applicant is not seeking residential development at this time and would have to return to amend the master concept plan if it sought that change.

Applicant representatives presented renderings and described repairs and replacements following Hurricane Ian. Edgewater Group civil engineer Brock Petrack said the marina will remain a commercial marina open to the public with transient boaters welcome; proposed changes include new dry-stack buildings (replacing those condemned by the storm), a new “Building 9” boater-services/boat-club office with ADA restrooms and ramp, and repair and reactivation of the existing restaurant footprint under the deviation request.

During public comment, Justin Palasquez of Crows Nest Charters urged expedited permitting, stressing Fishtail’s role as the only working marina on the South End and its potential as a water-taxi terminal. Grant Phelan of Phelan Family Brands said his group intends to rebrand and reopen the restaurant as Pinchers once permits are in hand and estimated a 3–6 month build-out after permits are issued.

The LPA motion approved the ordinance amending the CPD for Fishtail Marina with conditions recommended by staff. The motion was made by LPA member John (first name on the record) and seconded by Don; the vote was recorded as unanimous in favor.

The approval requires the applicant to bring any construction and dock work into current flood- and building-code requirements; stormwater calculations will be reviewed at the development-order (DO) phase and must meet the relevant water management district standard (staff noted a commonly applied 1.6-inch minimum). Applicants also committed to bringing the outparcels and rebuilt structures into current code and to replanting or otherwise meeting town landscaping and buffer requirements where applicable.

Next steps: the ordinance amendment approved by the LPA will be forwarded to the town council for final action. The applicants said they are prepared to begin permitting and construction sequencing once council approval and DO-level reviews are complete.

Ending: The LPA vote clears a key regulatory step for Fishtail Marina’s post-Ian rebuild and modernization; applicants said they plan to return to permitting promptly and to coordinate with town staff on floodproofing, drainage and the required development-order engineering.