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Lee County hearing examiner hears staff recommendation to expand Hurricane Tina’s bar into adjacent unit
Summary
At a March 26, 2026 quasi-judicial hearing, Lee County zoning staff recommended approving SEZ 2025-00020 to expand a consumption-on-premises license for Hurricane Tina’s Five Star Dive Bar from unit 9 into adjacent unit 10; the expansion is interior-only and will retain previously approved outdoor seating conditions. The hearing examiner signaled a written decision will follow.
At a March 26, 2026 Lee County hearing examiner proceeding (SEZ 2025-00020), staff recommended approval of a special exception to expand a consumption-on-premises (COP) authorization for Hurricane Tina’s Five Star Dive Bar from unit 9 into the adjacent interior unit 10.
Hearing Examiner Amanda Rivera opened the quasi-judicial hearing, administered the oath and confirmed there were no members of the public present. Applicant representative Matt Noble said the request "is simply to extend the use into a neighboring unit" and that he agreed with staff findings and proposed conditions.
For the record, Pete Blackwell of Lee County zoning summarized the staff report. Blackwell said the property is a multi-tenant community commercial strip center that has previously held a COP (original approval cited from 2000) and that outdoor service was permitted by a special exception in 2016 with conditions limiting location and hours. "Based on that and on the compatibility with those criteria, staff recommends approval of the request to expand the consumption on premises license to include unit 10 as well as unit the existing unit nine," Blackwell said.
Blackwell described the surrounding area as largely commercial and light industrial, with limited nearby residential uses along the through corridor to the beach; the record included a brief exchange about whether a 500-foot proximity standard from the original approval applied, and Blackwell said he was not certain and could not confirm the distance from memory.
Participants clarified that the application proposes only an interior expansion and does not change the previously approved outdoor seating area or its conditions. The applicant confirmed floor plans were provided for administrative sign-offs; staff said future changes to outdoor seating would require separate special exception or variance approvals.
The hearing concluded with the examiner saying she would issue a written decision soon. No formal vote was recorded at the hearing.
What happens next: The hearing examiner will issue a written decision in the record that will state whether the special exception is approved and list any formal conditions. If the examiner approves the expansion, any future changes to outdoor seating or hours would require additional approvals.
