Venice Planning Commission Meeting Summary - May 6, 2025

On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the Venice Planning Commission met in Council Chambers for its regular meeting. The meeting opened with roll call and approval of the April 15, 2025 minutes, followed by two quasi-judicial public hearings: the Epiphany Cathedral parking lot site and development plan (24-47SP) and the Boruff Family Trust zoning map amendment (25-05RZ). The commission approved the minutes, denied the Epiphany Cathedral parking lot petition 6-1, and voted 7-0 to recommend approval of the Boruff zoning map amendment to City Council.

Opening and Minutes

• Chair Snyder and members Wilson, Hale, Sherberg, McKeon, Young, and Jasper were present.
• No conflicts of interest were declared for either hearing. One commissioner disclosed that his wife had shared neighbors' negative comments heard at a separate meeting, and he affirmed he could remain fair and impartial.
• The April 15, 2025 minutes were approved unanimously.

Public Hearing: Epiphany Cathedral Parking Lot (24-47SP)

• Staff presented the request by Frank Dewane, Bishop of the Diocese of Venice, to redevelop an existing shell parking lot serving Epiphany Cathedral, offices, and school into a paved, code-compliant parking lot. The lot currently is accessed from Manatee Court; the proposal would use Park Lane Drive for access and retain two existing Harbor Drive crosswalks to the church.
• Staff stated the project met land development code requirements, was within the 1,000-foot remote parking standard, would lose about 32 spaces to required landscaping and medians, and had received engineering sign-off that stormwater would not exceed the 25-year, 24-hour storm event. The city's traffic consultant also found the plan compliant.
• The agenda identified Kreg E. Maheu as agent; at the hearing, Dave Morley, chair of the church building committee, acted as agent, and Alex Wordsworth of DMK Associates later answered questions.
• Dave Morley spoke in favor, describing unsafe gravel, safer sidewalks and crosswalks, additional landscaping, and a project cost of more than $200,000. Alex Wordsworth explained that Park Lane was selected over Manatee Court to preserve Sunday parking capacity, create safe one-way traffic flow, and meet code setback requirements from the right-of-way.
• Public commenters included:
  • Jill Devlin, a full-time resident next to Prentice French Park, opposed the Park Lane entrance and urged placing access on Harbor Drive instead, citing risk to residents, park users, and wildlife.
  • Jim Leftwich of 329 Bay Shore Drive questioned the need for paving, preferred the existing access, noted the lot fills mainly on holidays, and raised concerns about stormwater runoff and groundwater recharge.
  • Robert Bostick of 330 Tarpon Street supported keeping access on Park Lane, opposed moving it to Harbor Drive because of school traffic, and asked how stormwater runoff would be mitigated.
  • Richard Zamoff of Parkland Drive opposed the proposed entrance, saying it would increase traffic near elderly park users, young children, and dog walkers.
  • Julie Smydore of 304 West Bay Drive raised concerns about additional paving increasing existing flooding and described school pickup traffic blocking her street; she suggested maintaining the lot with new gravel instead of paving.
  • Linda Latendry/Lutendra of 305 Park Lane Drive opposed added traffic, said that part of Park Lane was not originally a through street, and acknowledged the benefit of cleaning up dumping.
  • Sharon Bellender was not opposed to improvements but asked for reconsideration of drainage and traffic flow, noting frequent street flooding and her uncertainty about the retention pond design.

Public Hearing: Boruff Family Trust Zoning Map Amendment (25-05RZ)

• Staff presented a request to rezone 0.6 acres at 225 Park Boulevard South and 528 Menendez Street from residential multifamily-4 to residential single-family-4. The future land use designation would remain high-density residential.
• The site currently has 10 multifamily units; the proposed zoning would allow no more than three single-family homes. Staff noted RMF-4 allows 18 dwelling units per acre, 46-foot height, and 45% lot coverage, while RSF-4 allows 5.5 units per acre, 35-foot height, and 35% lot coverage.
• Staff explained that RSF-4 is not an implementing district for high-density residential, but comprehensive plan strategy LU 1.2.3 permits lower density on parcels under one acre, so a comprehensive plan amendment is not required. Staff also noted high-density/RMF-4 citywide would decline from 1.2% to 1.1% of city parcel area.
• Attorney Jeffrey Boone, representing the Boruff Family Trust, said the goal is to return the property to three lots consistent with the underlying 1926 plat so each of Gary Boruff's three children could eventually build a home. He argued the new LDC removed a prior single-family option, described surrounding single-family development, and said multifamily redevelopment is not economically feasible under current height and land-cost conditions.
• One commissioner expressed concern that the rezone would reduce 10 smaller apartments to up to three larger single-family homes and appeared to conflict with comprehensive plan and housing goals.
• Michelle Montero, a resident on a street behind the property, spoke in favor of the rezone, saying she preferred single-family homes over tall multifamily behind her home and believed single-family development would fit the Nolan plan and recent neighborhood development.

Staff and Commission Comments

• Planning Director Roger Clark said the next meeting would have at least one application and discussed ongoing city outreach about density, multifamily housing, traffic, and the environment. He noted the Live Local Act and future text amendments addressing affordable housing.
• A commissioner requested a quasi-judicial hearing refresher be placed on a future agenda, and Director Clark agreed to add it.

Key Outcomes

• The April 15, 2025 minutes were approved unanimously.
• Epiphany Cathedral Parking Lot Site and Development Plan 24-47SP was denied by a 6-1 vote. The motion cited insufficient information on stormwater, ingress/egress, and on-site mobility, and noted the applicant did not have the technical designers present to answer questions. The denial referenced LDC Section 1.9.4 criteria, including general layout, access points, on-site mobility, and drainage layout.
• Boruff Family Trust Zoning Map Amendment 25-05RZ was found consistent with the comprehensive plan and compliant with the land development code, and the commission voted 7-0 to recommend approval to City Council.