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A rendering of the future Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club. Rendering provided
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The Town of Fort Myers Beach Council unanimously approved a rezoning for the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club into a commercial planned development for the rebuild of their clubhouse on Monday. The old clubhouse was destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022.
A group of neighbors had sought to build into the approvals a protective clause to ensure that the property could not be redeveloped as a commercial enterprise in the event the property was to be sold at a later date. That attempt failed.
The Town of Fort Myers Beach Local Planning Agency had previously voted unanimously to recommend approval of the zoning change.
The property was previously zoned institutional. One of the reasons for the rebuild is it was non-conforming to current code and the new building will be elevated.
The original building at 175 Sterling Avenue was constructed in 1947. The original building was 2,792 square feet while the new building will be 15,151 square feet.
The Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club has been holding fundraisers since Hurricane Ian, in order to fund the rebuild.
A large number of speakers in support of the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club attended Monday’s public hearing on the rezoning. Supporters spoke of the important work the nonprofit has done to help residents recover after Hurricane Ian and nonprofits.
Patrick Vanasse, who runs one of the leading planning companies to have consulted on numerous projects in the town, lives nearby and was one of the leaders of a neighborhood group seeking protections for the neighborhood in the rezoning.
Vanasse said he and his neighbors were just seeking “guardrails” in the rezoning. Under the rezone, the Woman’s Club could become a private club if it was sold. If purchased, the property could be turned into a private country club that could restrict access, he said. “It is an unlikely scenario,” he said. He wants to see that prevented through requiring a zoning amendment. He also suggested a condition that would limit the club to a nonprofit.
“We emphatically support the Woman’s Club,” Vanasse said. “My neighbors support the mission, they support the rebuild, they support the events.”
Vanasse said the Woman’s Club could go through a special exception permit process for the consumption on premises permit.
Dawn Thomas, Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club co-chair of the capital campaign to support the rebuild, noted that the organization has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to local nonprofits and to residents after Hurricane Ian.
Thomas said the club has been following the direction of the town in the rezoning for the rebuild.
Thomas said Vanasse had approached the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club, on behalf of clients, to inquire about acquiring
part of the property in the past.
“We are not a developer, we are not a commercial venture, we are a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping this community recover and thrive,” Thomas said.
“Our intent has always been clear, to rebuild a clubhouse that is for the community that continues to serve the residents of Fort Myers Beach just as it has for generations,” Thomas said. The new building will support gatherings, nonprofit events, educational programming, civic and charitable activities, she said.
Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club board member Deb Nelson said the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club “is not going anywhere. We are not looking to sell and we’re not looking to dissolve.”
Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club President Barbara Mazeske said “we have worked diligently and tirelessly” on plans for the rebuild with “limited funds.” Mazeske said the club had worked to develop a design that would be aesthetically pleasing to the community.
Mazeske said the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club was approached with “lowball offers” seeking to buy the Woman’s Club. “Why on earth would we sell a property that we are working so hard to build?”
In supporting the plans and rejecting the motion from Vanasse, Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers said it would be a “significant hindrance” on the Fort Myers Beach Woman’s Club had to go back to drawing up new plans to go through a special exception process.
Allers said he understands the neighborhood’s request for conditions and guardrails. “That would be great if every homeowner on the island could pick who their neighbor would be or have control over who would buy the house next to them. We live in America, you don’t get that right. You don’t get to choose who your neighbor is,” Allers said.