Planning commission approves indoor–outdoor event venue at 2901 Curry Lane, allows existing vegetation to satisfy buffer

The City of Venice Planning Commission on a unanimous vote approved three linked land-use petitions for 2901 Curry Lane that together allow an indoor–outdoor event venue to be built and to use existing vegetation in perimeter buffers.

The petitions approved were conditional use petition 24‑41CU to permit outdoor aspects of an event-hosting facility; design alternative petition 24‑42DA to allow existing nonnative vegetation to count toward required perimeter buffers; and site and development plan petition 24‑40SP approving the layout, building elevations, parking and stormwater measures for the property.

The applicant is listed in staff materials as Stellmock Development Group LLC; the owner who spoke at the hearing identified himself as Chad Stelmach. Attorney Annie Boone represented the applicant; city staff presented the applications. Planning staff reported the property is roughly 5 acres, zoned CG (Commercial General under the prior code), and designated commercial on the future land‑use map. The proposal would retain an existing single‑family home on the lot, add an enclosed barn with a covered porch and associated walkways and parking, and provide stormwater improvements.

Why it matters: the conditional use specifically addresses outdoor recreational elements of the venue — such as outdoor ceremonies or covered patios — which are not automatically permitted under the current LDR for the site’s zoning. The design alternative will let the applicant keep substantial, established nonnative vegetation (identified at the hearing by the project landscape architect as primarily Brazilian pepper, with some eucalyptus and camphor) as the visible…