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LPA recommends rezoning for Fort Myers Beach Women’s Club building at 175 Sterling
Summary
The LPA recommended approval of a CPD rezoning for 175 Sterling Avenue (Fort Myers Beach Women’s Club), endorsing a single‑story, resilient design and including renderings in the record; the recommendation passed unanimously and moves to town council for final action.
The Fort Myers Beach Local Planning Agency voted to recommend rezoning 175 Sterling Avenue to a Commercial Planned Development to allow the redevelopment of the Fort Myers Beach Women’s Club site.
Jason Green, the town consultant on the application, summarized the proposal and staff recommendation. He said the application proposes a building totaling about 15,151 square feet with approximately 6,737 square feet under air, an 838‑square‑foot deck and a floor‑area ratio of roughly 0.25 — well below the code maximum of 0.8. "The site includes a site plan with parking, stormwater and landscape buffers," Green said; staff recommended approval with three site‑related conditions.
Project representatives said the CPD intentionally carried forward existing institutional development regulations (setbacks, buffers, FAR) and narrowed allowed uses to nonprofit and membership organization activities to preserve neighborhood compatibility. Dawn Thomas, past club president, described the group's fundraising: "In about 10 days, we raised $750,000," she said, and added that construction timing will depend on continuing fundraising and completion of development‑order and architectural plans.
Neighbor Ron Bennett asked the LPA to include language that preserves the nonprofit, membership character of the site rather than permitting a private, paid club down the road; commissioners discussed how the schedule of uses would be controlled through the CPD and conditions.
The LPA motion included incorporation of the renderings in the packet as part of the record; commissioners said including conceptual renderings improves transparency for residents and provides a clearer basis for later design review. The motion passed unanimously and the recommendation will be forwarded to the town council for final action.
