Venice Planning Commission Meeting – April 21, 2026

The Venice Planning Commission met on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 1:30 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting included an annual presentation by Mayor Pachota and charter officers on board roles and procedures, followed by four quasi‑judicial public hearings. All agenda items were approved unanimously, with Commissioner Pam Sherberg (participating virtually) unable to vote due to audio failure. The commission also approved the minutes from the April 7 meeting and received a staff update on future meetings and stormwater design criteria.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the April 7, 2026 regular meeting were approved by a motion from Mr. McKeon, seconded by Mr. Jasper, with a unanimous voice vote.

Annual Presentation by Mayor and Charter Officers

• Mayor Pachota, City Manager Clinch, City Clerk Michaels, and City Attorney Fernandez presented an overview of board responsibilities, Sunshine Law compliance, meeting decorum, the legislative referral process, and the role of council liaisons. They emphasized that board members should prepare in advance, avoid ex‑parte communications, and remember that quasi‑judicial decisions must be based solely on the evidence presented. The mayor thanked the commission for their volunteer service and encouraged recruitment for other city boards.

Flagship Medical Office Building (Design Alternative 25‑72DA & Site Plan 25‑41SP)

• Project: A three‑story, 54,000‑square‑foot medical office building at 2695 Curry Lane, on a 5‑acre site zoned Office Professional & Institutional. The design alternative requested 9‑foot‑by‑18‑foot parking spaces (instead of the standard 10 × 18) for 39% of the 268 spaces (excluding handicapped). The site plan included a height exception (43 ft 4 in) previously granted by council, preservation of two heritage trees, and stormwater detention meeting city and SwiftMUD requirements.
• Public Comments: No members of the public signed up to speak.
• Commission Action:
  • Design Alternative: Motion by Mr. Jasper to approve based on compliance with design alternative criteria (Section 1.11.3). Seconded by Mr. Hale. Roll call: 6‑0 (Pam Sherberg not voting).
  • Site Plan: Motion by Mr. McKeon to approve as consistent with the comprehensive plan and land development code. Seconded by Mr. Hale. Roll call: 6‑0.

Venito Townhouse Site and Development Plan (25‑45SP)

• Project: A three‑story, six‑unit townhouse building at 816 Ormond Street on a 0.5‑acre parcel zoned Residential Multifamily‑3 (RMF3). The first floor contains parking garages; upper floors have living units. Staff reported a proposed height of 38 ft 7 in (including a 10‑ft understory parking allowance per code), but the applicant stated the final height as 48 ft 7 ¼ in; the city attorney clarified the code’s height definition. Amenities include underground stormwater retention, pervious pavers, and landscape buffers.
• Public Comments – All speakers opposed the project:
  • Bert Matthews (809 Ormond St): Raised concerns about traffic, compatibility of mass/scale, and stormwater drainage.
  • Steve Rost (817 Madrid Ave): Opposed the height and privacy invasion from balconies overlooking backyards.
  • David Topian (825 Madrid Ave, civil engineer): Argued the building is too tall (could be lower), lighting and privacy impacts, and disputed stormwater claims.
  • Mary Topian: Concerned about flooding, lack of lighting plans, wind tunnel effects, and incompatibility with single‑family homes.
  • Dina Kolbecker: Focused on tree removal (42 trees counted) and loss of environmental benefits; called for stronger tree protection codes.
  • Glenn Spinelli (Che Vista condo president): Opposed stormwater discharge into existing Che Vista drain; called the building design incompatible.
  • Scott Slickers (Gulf Twin Towers): Requested that if approved, helical piles be used instead of driven piles to avoid vibration damage.
  • Nelson Rickner (Che Vista unit): Proposed a sump pump alternative; objected to drainage easement and site plan details.
• Commission Discussion: Chair Wilson and Mr. Ferlaggi (who disclosed he lives nearby and had stopped an ex‑parte conversation) expressed sympathy but noted the application met all code criteria and that denial would require specific code‑based findings. The city attorney reminded the commission of the quasi‑judicial standard.
• Action: Motion by Mr. Jasper to approve, seconded by Mr. McKeon. Roll call: 6‑0 (Pam Sherberg not voting). The motion carried.

Chalets at Venice Preliminary Plat (25‑68PP)

• Project: A 43‑lot single‑family residential subdivision on 10.12 acres at 282 North Auburn Road, zoned Planned Unit Development (PUD) with a mixed‑use residential future land use. Density is 4.25 units per acre. The binding master plan (previously approved by council) includes a 25‑ft perimeter landscape buffer, sidewalks, walking path, and stormwater managed through a pond discharging to Blackburn Canal. SwiftMUD has approved the ERP permit; a previously shown dry pond (L2) was not required.
• Public Comments – All speakers opposed:
  • Jim Perry (Sawgrass resident): Questioned whether Blackburn Canal and Curry Creek can handle additional runoff from new development; noted lack of a comprehensive hydrological study; urged the commission to limit density.
  • Danny Swain (Auburn Road resident): Described flooding during recent hurricanes; said existing ditches already overflow; opposed further development.
  • Marilyn Moss (area resident): Raised ecological concerns about tree removal and loss of habitat; advocated for sustainable development.
• Commission Discussion: No substantive debate; staff confirmed all city and SwiftMUD requirements met.
• Action: Motion by Mr. Hale to approve as consistent with the comprehensive plan and land development code. Seconded by Mr. Jasper. Roll call: 6‑0 (Pam Sherberg not voting).

Planning and Zoning Department Comments

• Director Roger Clark announced the May 5, 2026 meeting is canceled (only one minor variance application, which will be moved to the May 19 meeting). He addressed public confusion about stormwater design standards, noting that developments must not increase runoff rate/amount over pre‑development conditions, but that hurricane events exceed design criteria. He and Chair Wilson discussed efforts to educate the public via presentations and the city’s story map.

Commission Member Comments

• Chair Wilson informed the commission that he will be absent from the July 7, 2026 meeting due to a pre‑planned trip.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned.