The Venice Planning Commission voted 1–6 on Nov. 4, 2025, not to recommend a planned district zoning amendment (petition 25‑01RZ) that would have added townhomes to Subarea 3 of the Toscana Isles planned unit development and authorized an access point on Jean Green Road. The action is a recommendation to City Council, which will make the final decision.

Nicole Tremblay, senior planner for the City of Venice, told the commission the petition affects two parcels totaling about 10.5 acres and would add townhome use and townhome development standards (pulled from Subarea 2) to Subarea 3; the applicant and contract purchaser have said they intend to build about 50 townhome units if later plats and site plans are approved. “There’s sufficient information on the record for planning commission to make their recommendation to council on this plan district zoning amendment,” Tremblay said during her staff presentation.

Why it matters: the parcels sit inside the Toscana Isles PUD’s mixed‑use residential future land use. The change would alter which residential building types are explicitly permitted and would add a connectivity amendment showing a single access to Jean Green Road rather than internal access to the Toscana Isles street network. Residents said the requested access, wetlands impacts and maintenance of an existing drainage conveyance could increase flood risk for about 969 Toscana Isles households and neighboring neighborhoods.

What proponents told the commission
Josh Law of Morris Engineering, agent for the applicant, presented a conceptual plan showing roughly 50 townhomes in a mix of 6‑ and 8‑unit buildings, three stormwater ponds and a single northern access to Jean Green Road. He emphasized the concept plan is not binding and that any future preliminary plat and site plan would be reviewed separately under the PUD standards.

Carrie McNutt of Monarch Ecology testified that the site contains about 1.65 acres of wetlands and surface waters (roughly 0.6 acres forested wetlands and 0.21 acres surface waters). She said the team estimated about 0.23 acres of wetland impacts for the proposed road crossing and that mitigation would be provided via credits from a wetland mitigation bank. She also noted a 50‑foot drainage easement and the presence of a concrete weir and drainage conveyance that would be retained.

Matt Morris of Morris Engineering said the applicant has submitted stormwater modeling to the Southwest Florida Water Management District. He reported the firm’s comparisons of pre‑ and post‑development 100‑year elevations showed no increase upstream and modeled reductions downstream at the Knights Trail monitoring node in the conceptual design. “We’re not having any adverse impacts on the Toscana Isles,” Morris said, while noting SWFWMD and city review remain part of any future permitting.

Tyler Van Sant of Meritage Homes, the contract purchaser, told the commission litigation and plat revisions in recent years removed internal access through Toscana Isles, which is why the team is proposing Jean Green Road as the practical access option. “That access has been foreclosed,” Van Sant said, summarizing the prior court outcome.

What opponents told the commission
Thirteen members of the public spoke during a lengthy public comment period. Residents and nearby businesses raised three consistent concerns:
- Flooding and hydrology: Several speakers said the existing drainage channel and weir on Tract 17 are the only outflow for multiple retention ponds. Speakers requested a no‑rise certification, independent hydrologic/hydraulic analysis, and preservation of HOA maintenance access. One resident noted FEMA designations and warned that blocking natural flow could jeopardize flood insurance for downstream properties.
- Wetlands and mitigation: Neighbors and an environmental speaker cited the site’s mapped wetlands and a previously recorded mitigation area; they asked for clarity on the extent of impacts and how mitigation credits would be applied.
- Traffic and safety on Jean Green Road: Operators of businesses that use Jean Green Road—Ajax Paving and other heavy industry—said the private roadway already carries frequent heavy truck traffic and argued that adding residential ingress/egress would increase crash risk and create queuing problems. A traffic/stopping‑distance example was discussed; business owners and several longtime residents urged the commission not to approve an amendment that relies on Jean Green as the sole access.

The commission’s action
Commissioner Jasper moved to recommend approval to City Council. After extended discussion that focused on the access question and community concerns, the commission voted 1–6 against recommending the amendment. Chair Snyder reminded the room that the Planning Commission’s role is advisory and that City Council will consider the petition at a later public hearing.

What remains uncertain
Staff and the applicant noted that the conceptual plan is illustrative and that any future preliminary plat, site development plan and SWFWMD permitting would require more detailed, binding engineering and environmental documentation. The stormwater modeling presented was described by the applicant’s engineer as a completed step toward permitting, but the modeling and any no‑rise certifications remain subject to agency review.

Next steps
The Planning Commission’s negative recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final action. If the council elects to take up the petition, the council public hearing will review the record, the commission recommendation and any additional information the applicant submits to address the concerns raised at the Nov. 4 hearing.