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Board recommends city council approve drive‑through coffee shop at 1225 Tamiami Trail with design conditions
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Summary
The board recommended city council approval for a drive‑through coffee stand at 1225 Tamiami Trail, approving a motion that includes design conditions: a minimum 35%–50% glazing range on the Tamiami facade (spandrel/faux allowed), no more than 16 feet between doors/windows, and a brick (Nichiha or similar) facade to improve compatibility.
The Punta Gorda Board of Zoning Appeals voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve a set of architectural variances for a drive‑through coffee shop proposed at 1225 Tamiami Trail, subject to conditions intended to make the building fit the corridor’s appearance.
Rachel Berry, zoning official, outlined the applicant’s request (VO 8 20 25) for relief from multiple site and building design requirements in Punta Gorda code chapter 26. The property is zoned highway commercial and the requested variances were largely architectural — including relief from a 70% frontage build‑out requirement and from the requirement that 50% of the front façade be glazed with doors and windows.
Drew Deegan, representing 7 Brew Florida LLC, described a two‑lane drive‑through design with limited parking, screen walls and landscape buffers, and operational details for the brand’s drive‑through‑only model. Deegan said some elevations are not conducive to fully transparent glazing because of interior equipment and cabinetry and proposed using spandrel or faux glazing and masonry‑style cladding as alternatives.
Board members queried parking counts, site access and cross‑access with the adjacent Fifth Third Bank property, and discussed how to ensure architectural compatibility. The applicant offered to provide additional glazing where feasible or to adopt masonry‑style façade materials if the board required it.
A motion that the request met the approval criteria in section 16.10(b) of the land development regulations passed unanimously, with three conditions the board included as recommendations to the council: no more than 16 feet between doors or windows along the front façade; a minimum glazing range of 35% to 50% along the Tamiami Trail frontage (spandrel/faux glazing may count toward the requirement); and an external brick‑style facade (Nichiha or similar) rather than exposed metal siding. The board emphasized that the front façade and build‑out measurements apply to the Tamiami Trail elevation.
Next steps: the Board of Zoning Appeals’ recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for final action on the requested variances.
