Planning commission recommends rezoning three Pine Island Road parcels to single-family residential

The Cape Coral City Planning and Zoning Commission on July 9 recommended approval of Ordinance 29-25, a small-scale future land-use amendment to change three adjoining parcels at 1001, 1007 and 1015 Southwest Fourth Terrace from the Pine Island Road District designation to single-family residential.

Staff presented the proposal as a combined application from the properties' owners and recommended approval. "My name is Anthony Santoro, senior planner, Planning Department," Santoro said during the staff presentation, and he summarized staff analysis that found the request consistent with several elements of the city's comprehensive plan and with applicable land-development criteria. Santoro said the combined site is roughly 39,700 square feet — just under one acre — and that the parcels are currently vacant.

The change would extend the single-family neighborhood that lies directly north of the parcels and remove the Pine Island Road District future-land-use designation that currently applies to the parcels. Santoro told commissioners that the three parcels had gone through multiple zoning and future-land-use classifications over time and that, in staff's view, the parcels' small individual sizes and setback from Pine Island Road make commercial redevelopment less viable than residential use.

"We have buffering requirements as specified within our land development code that they would be required to implement upon development," Santoro said, describing code tools the city expects would moderate impacts between any remaining commercial parcels and adjoining homes. He also told the commission that fire and police reviewed the request and anticipated only minor service impacts under the residential designation.

Commissioners focused on how the change would affect block uniformity and the city's general reluctance to reduce commercial land. "Normally, the city does not like to give up commercial land," Santoro said, explaining the staff rationale that the recent conversion of an adjacent parcel reduced commercial viability for the three subject lots. Commissioner Swartz pressed staff on whether everything around the parcels was commercial; Santoro confirmed the Pine Island Road District surrounds the lots on the south and parts of the east and west, while single-family homes lie to the north.

Commissioner Martin moved to recommend approval of Ordinance 29-25; a second was recorded but not named in the transcript. The roll-call vote was 5 in favor and 2 opposed. The clerk read the votes as: Aching — aye; Botana — aye; Martin — aye; (name read as) Senator — aye; Stevenson — aye; Shorts — nay; another commissioner recorded as nay (name not specified in the transcript). Chair Lemieux announced the motion carried, 5 ayes, 2 nays.

There were no members of the public who spoke during the hearing. Santoro and staff noted that a zoning amendment would be required following any future land-use approval before development could proceed; applicants were informed they would need to pursue that zoning change if the future land-use amendment is approved by council.

The commission's recommendation now moves the ordinance to city council for final action. The Planning and Zoning Commission's next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 6, 2025, at 9 a.m. in Council Chambers.