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Commissioners direct staff to pursue grants, coordinate jurisdictions for Burnt Store Area Plan update
Summary
Commissioners agreed Jan. 28 to pursue coordinating support and grant sponsorship to update the Burnt Store Area Plan, after hearing from the Burnt Store Corridor Coalition and planning consultants about local priorities and state grant opportunities.
Charlotte County commissioners on Jan. 28 agreed to place an item on a future agenda to support a renewed Burnt Store Area Plan update and to explore state technical‑assistance grants to support planning work.
Commissioner Constance introduced a priority list developed by the Burnt Store Corridor Coalition and asked county staff to sponsor grant applications and coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions, including the City of Punta Gorda, Lee County and Cape Coral. Dr. Mary Ellen Kiss, representing the Burnt Store Corridor Coalition, told the board the coalition’s priorities include cross‑jurisdictional coordination, drainage and sheet‑flow analysis, wildlife habitat protection, public safety and targeted economic development.
Tom Slaughter of LandSmart, a consulting firm working with the coalition, outlined two state grant opportunities administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO): a community planning technical assistance grant for approximately $75,000 to support small‑area and infill planning, and a competitive Florida Partnership grant of about $40,000 for economic‑development strategy work. Slaughter described the DEO timeline as: state appropriation/announcement in April, an application window in May and awards announced in June; funded projects could begin in July if appropriations are made.
Slaughter said the DEO grants can support public engagement across jurisdictions and the preparation of planning frameworks to guide future capital investments. County staff confirmed the county would need to be the formal applicant and sponsor for DEO grants and that they would involve coordination among county departments and economic development staff.
Commissioners asked staff to return with an agenda item to formalize sponsorship and to include the proposed grant work on the county’s legislative priorities. Commissioner Constance asked staff to add the item to the board schedule soon so the coalition can be in the DEO grant window.
Next steps
- Staff to prepare an agenda item to consider formally sponsoring a Burnt Store Area Plan update and grant application support. - Staff recommended coordinating economic development, community‑planning and adjacent jurisdictions to prepare an application in the May window if DEO appropriations are announced.
