Charlotte County’s commercial rezoning moves ahead | Charlotte County

A proposed commercial development north of U.S. 17 in south-central Charlotte County has cleared its first regulatory hurdle, opening the door for construction of either a hotel or an indoor storage facility along with additional commercial space. 

The Charlotte County Planning and Zoning Board on March 9 approved a rezoning request from 5905 Duncan Road LLC for a 12.85-acre parcel along U.S. 17, commonly known as Duncan Road as it extends northeast from the Punta Gorda area toward Arcadia. 

Principal Planner Jie Shao presented the proposal to board members and said the rezoning would allow commercial development on land currently zoned for residential use. Under existing zoning, the site could accommodate up to 12 residential parcels. 

Shao said the entire property lies within the Coastal High Hazard Area, which is considered vulnerable to storm surge during severe weather events. 

Charlotte County Principal Planner Jie Shao presents details of a rezoning request for a 12.85-acre site along Duncan Road during the Planning and Zoning Board’s March 9 meeting.

Charlotte County government

Under the proposed rezoning conditions, the property will be divided into multiple development areas with specific use restrictions. 

Lot 4, located at the rear of the property and fronting U.S. 17, can only be developed as either a hotel with a maximum of 125 rooms in a building no taller than 60 feet, or an indoor storage facility with a maximum size of 140,000 square feet and a height limit of 45 feet. 

Plans also call for preservation of approximately 1.91 acres of wetlands on the site, along with surrounding upland areas associated with the wetland system. 

Lots 1, 2 and 3, which sit closer to the highway, will be limited to 22 permitted commercial uses. Buildings on those parcels must follow one of five approved architectural design styles. 

During the hearing, board member Clint Baker asked whether the developer could construct other uses on Lot 4, such as a veterinary hospital. Shao said the zoning restrictions limit that portion of the property to a hotel or indoor storage facility. Any change to those uses would require the developer to return to the board with revised plans. 

A county planning map highlights the 12.85-acre parcel proposed for rezoning along Duncan Road near Punta Gorda. The site could accommodate a hotel or an indoor storage facility under the developer’s proposal.

Charlotte County government

Attorney Derek Rooney, representing the applicant, told the board the project would create an economic center for the area by introducing new businesses along the corridor. 

He said development on Lots 1 through 3 would be designed to serve both pedestrians and motorists traveling along U.S. 17. 

The developer has agreed to comply with 13 conditions tied to the rezoning. Among them is the installation of a Type A buffer along the property line, a dense landscape barrier intended to separate higher-intensity commercial uses from nearby residential properties. 

The Charlotte County Planning and Zoning Board meets March 9 to review a rezoning request for a 12.85-acre parcel along Duncan Road. The proposal would allow commercial development including a hotel or indoor storage facility.

Charlotte County government

The site sits across U.S. 17 from the entrance to Lakewood Village, a 55-plus residential community located at 5601 Duncan Road. 

County planners said the proposal reflects a broader shift in development patterns in Charlotte County as growth moves into areas with remaining open land. 

Much of the county’s West County region is nearly built out, including the West Port area near the North Port and Sarasota County line. As a result, development activity has increasingly shifted toward South County, including areas along Bermont Road to the east and along U.S. 17 north of Punta Gorda. 

Additional growth also has occurred along State Road 776 in northwestern Charlotte County.