PUNTA GORDA — The Punta Gorda City Board of Zoning Appeals voted to recommend city council approval of a variance to allow an outdoor entertainment venue on a parcel split from 126 East Olympia Avenue, approving the project with conditions intended to protect downtown character and storm resilience.

Rachel Berry, Punta Gorda zoning official, told the board the application (V-04-2025) seeks exceptions to several provisions of Chapter 26 of the Punta Gorda code — including city‑center frontage and architectural‑style requirements, a 70% frontage build‑out, two‑story/26‑foot minimum height and first‑floor glazing rules — to permit an outdoor entertainment venue proposed by David Fry and represented by Veronica Martin of TDM Consulting. Berry said the Historic Preservation Advisory Board previously recommended approval, 6–1, with the single negative vote citing architectural style concerns.

Applicant David Fry described the Bay Street Yard concept based on his existing Fort Myers venue: a two‑level outdoor site with a main stage, VIP suites, shipping‑container‑based bars and offices, food trucks and artificial‑turf lawn for seating and events. Fry said the Punta Gorda plan includes 11 shipping containers (versus eight in Fort Myers), five‑toilet restroom containers per gender, additional storage containers, and landscaping elements including four palms and up‑lit oak trees. He said the containers are air‑conditioned and the operation uses on‑site security and a decibel meter to self‑monitor noise.

Neighbors and nearby business owners raised concerns during public comment about onsite parking, late‑night disorder and protecting adjacent properties. Kevin Doyle of Celtic Grey public house and Greg Maripodi of Greg’s Automotive said downtown parking has been shrinking and urged the board and city to consider long‑term parking strategies; Maripodi asked about vandalism and vehicle protection for businesses that park stock and customers’ cars in alleys behind the site. Fry responded that Friday and Saturday nights at his Fort Myers venue are staffed with two security guards at entrances, perimeter monitoring, trash pickup and informal noise agreements with adjacent hotels, and that similar measures would be used in Punta Gorda.

Board discussion focused on staff recommended conditions and the wording of a restriction tying the variance to the current property owner. Staff had originally recommended a condition making the variance valid only for the current owner and expiring in two years if construction had not started; board members and the applicant agreed to reword that condition so the variance applies to the current owner (recorded in the motion as PG Yard Land LLC) and to related transfers, and to remove the two‑year expiration. The board also voted to add an additional condition requiring the applicant to maximize the percentage of pervious surface in the development.

The board’s recommendation includes the following conditions as read into the record: 1) the variance shall be valid for the current property owner, PG Yard Land LLC, and applicable to future transfers of ownership so long as ownership remains related to the current owner; 2) the project shall adhere to the design shown in Exhibit 9 of the staff report (with allowance for minor adjustments identified in the hearing); 3) decorative fencing and a minimum 70% landscaped buffer along the front property line shall replace the 70% frontage build‑out requirement; 4) equipment shall be located and screened to the highest extent feasible with adequate landscaping; 5) all structures shall be painted and maintained and any peeling or damage promptly repaired; and 6) the applicant shall maximize the percentage of pervious surface in the development.

Berry said the item will be considered by the city council on December 3. The transcript does not record a numeric roll‑call tally for the board’s recommendation vote; the chair called the motion and recorded ayes in favor.