Fort Myers City Council unanimously voted in December to deny a property owner’s request for Commercial Intensive zoning at 4400 Cleveland Ave.
Three councilors changed their minds at a March meeting, but with three others absent that day, the motion failed. Now, Council plans to reconsider the request for a third time at a public hearing scheduled for May 18.
The building is limited to use as a veterinary clinic under a previous Planned Unit Development. Since the clinic closed, the owner has asked the city to amend the PUD to allow for more general Commercial Intensive zoning, which would permit a wider range of commercial tenants. That zoning applies to most properties along the Cleveland Avenue corridor, and city staff and the Planning Board have recommended approval of the request.
However, because the area is targeted for revitalization, some councilors have argued that Commercial Intensive zoning could allow an undesirable business at the site. They instead suggested creating a new PUD that more specifically outlines the property owner’s plans.