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BOA approves Southwind Marina food‑truck court and tiki bar with hours, screening and no outdoor entertainment
Summary
After public comment and an interveners' request for a continuance, the Board of Adjustment granted a conditional use for a food‑truck court and tiki bar at Southwind Marina on Sinton Drive with conditions: no outdoor entertainment, operating hours limited to 7 a.m.–8 p.m., and required screening/buffering per the Land Development Code.
The Escambia County Board of Adjustment on Aug. 20 approved a conditional use to allow a restaurant not listed among permitted uses and a bar at Southwind Marina on Sinton Drive, approving staff’s recommendation with additional conditions and a 4-0 vote.
County planner Caleb McCurdy, AICP, presented maps and staff findings summarizing the site's history and conditions. Staff noted the property is commercially zoned, abuts residential townhouses along Sinton Drive, and has been used historically for marinas and restaurants. Staff recommended approval subject to completion of the development‑review process, required permits for mobile vending units, and adherence to screening and buffering standards in the Land Development Code. "Staff recommends approval of the proposed use as requested," McCurdy told the board.
The owners, Lauren and Richard Borden, said the proposal would restore a waterfront amenity and operate within the existing marina footprint. "What we're proposing today is not a radical change. It's a natural extension of what marinas across Florida already provide," Lauren Borden said, adding the applicants plan to comply with noise rules and screening requirements.
Nearby residents and a group seeking intervenor status argued they had limited notice and needed time to retain experts on traffic, noise and planning. Attorney Meredith Bush, representing the interveners, asked the board to continue the hearing for 60 days to prepare expert testimony; she argued adjacent owners have legally recognized interests that require adequate time to prepare. The board denied the continuance (3‑1 on the continuance vote) but granted the interveners standing to participate in the hearing; the board proceeded to take evidence and public comment.
Public testimony was mixed. Supporters — including local business representatives and a member of a veterans' group — said the marina and a modest food/beverage operation would benefit the community. Opponents, including a condominium resident who said his building has 70 units, said the proposal risked nuisance noise and added traffic. Resident Norman McAllister told the board, "This idea of music till 10:00 at night is a joke," reflecting concerns about late‑night outdoor activity.
Planning director Horace Jones told the board the county code does not permit outdoor entertainment in the commercial zoning category; he said outdoor entertainment is allowed in a heavy commercial/light industrial district but not under the commercial zoning applicable to the site. To resolve that conflict, board members added a condition excluding outdoor entertainment from the approval and set a time limit for the approved outdoor/food‑truck/tiki‑bar operations. Following discussion, the BOA approved staff's recommendation with the following explicit conditions: exclusion of outdoor entertainment, operating hours limited to 7:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. for the approved food‑truck/tiki‑bar configuration, and compliance with required screening and buffering (including the 16‑foot buffer and 6‑foot opaque fence where applicable) during the development‑review/site‑plan process.
The approval is subject to development review, permitting and possible administrative or judicial review. Per standard BOA practice, the decision can be appealed to circuit court within 30 days.
