Council denies rezone request at 1213 Academy Boulevard, cites long-term planning goals

The Cape Coral City Council on Aug. 27 denied a privately initiated rezoning request for three undeveloped lots at 1213 Academy Boulevard, voting to maintain the current professional office zoning.

City planning staff recommended denial, saying the request would remove land set aside for nonresidential development under the city’s long-range planning strategy. Staff noted the property fronts a collector roadway, is adjacent to other office uses, and that the city remains deficient in mapped nonresidential land; planners cited Policy 8.5 of the future land-use element and the city’s land development code criteria in their analysis. Staff also referenced market data showing a near-30% citywide multifamily vacancy rate and a roughly 1.7% vacancy rate for professional office product, arguing that rezoning to residential would erode land reserved for future employment and commercial uses.

The applicant, identified in the…