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Development Review Committee approves West Indies Carnival permit with conditions
Summary
The Development Review Committee approved a permit for the West Indies Carnival scheduled Aug. 2, 2025, at Lashley Park, conditioning approval on payment, insurance, limits on off-site signs and other requirements.
The Development Review Committee of Punta Gorda City approved a permit Friday for the West Indies Carnival scheduled for Aug. 2, 2025, at Lashley Park, conditioning the approval on payment, insurance and signage limits.
The committee said the event organizer must pay required fees by July 11 and provide documentation in advance to secure city services. Rachel Berry, zoning official, said, “For urban design comments, payments must be made, via cash money order or certified cashier's check a minimum of 3 weeks before the event or all services including fire, police, and park rental, or the event will be canceled. So the payment due date will be no later than July 11.”
The conditions listed in the staff report and reiterated at the meeting require the organizer to confirm whether the event is nonprofit and, if so, provide a tax-exempt certificate; name the company that will provide alcohol and submit a copy of that vendor’s license; provide a map showing locations for off-site signs; and supply a certificate of insurance naming the city as additional insured. Berry noted the application showed 50 off-site signs; the committee said that must be adjusted to comply with local code. The staff referenced Section 11.13 of chapter 26, which allows a maximum of eight off-site signs for the event.
Lieutenant Metoff of the Hunter Police Department asked for clarification on alcohol service timing, saying, “We just need to know what time will the alcohol be served during the events.” Fire staff noted a temporary permit is required for the event’s operations. The applicant or agent was not present at the meeting.
A committee member moved to approve permit 25-191434 for the West Indies Carnival “based on them meeting all the criteria listed in the staff report” and to include the comments made at the meeting; another committee member seconded the motion. The motion carried. The committee recorded no opposed votes in the meeting transcript; exact vote tallies were not specified.
Next steps for the organizer include submitting the payment and the listed documentation by the July 11 deadline so the city can schedule fire, police and park services.
