City of Venice Historic and Architectural Preservation Board Meeting - May 14, 2026

The Historic and Architectural Preservation Board (HAPB) met on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Council Chambers at the City of Venice, Florida. The board approved the April 9, 2026 minutes, approved a fence-height design alternative, approved a new single-story office building, and reviewed a draft historic structures survey. No members of the public signed up for audience participation, and no public comments were made on either public hearing.

Consent Calendar

• The board unanimously approved the minutes of the April 9, 2026 HAPB meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No general public speakers signed up, and no audience members spoke on the two public hearings.

Public Hearing: PLAR26-0013 - 417 Nassau Street South (Fence Height Design Alternative)

• Staff Planner Brittany Smith presented; the agent was Sam Hardie, AIA, of Beebe Design Studio; the owners/applicants were Samuel and Anna Mclean Joynson. The hearing was advertised on April 25, 2026.
• Chair BB recused herself because her son-in-law owns Beebe Design Studio, and another board member presided over this item.
• The request was filed under Chapter 87, Section 7.10.9D for a design alternative allowing a fence/wall above 6 feet. Staff described an 8-foot-tall portion at the front gate and a perimeter wall; staff initially identified the perimeter portion as 6 feet 8 inches, also requiring design alternative approval.
• The applicant clarified that the perimeter wall is intended to be 6 feet, consistent with zoning, with only the gate feature rising to 8 feet. The applicant cited historic precedents in the district, including nearby homes on Nassau Street, for the architectural feature.
• Staff required the plan set to be updated to show the perimeter wall at 6 feet, so the design alternative would apply only to the gate feature. The applicant agreed to update the packet.

Public Hearing: PLAR26-0011 - 205 Harbor Drive North (Catholic Community Foundation Office)

• Senior Planner Nicole Tremblay presented; the agent was John J. Holz of Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP; the owner/applicant was the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida, Inc. The hearing was advertised on April 25, 2026.
• The applicant proposed demolishing the existing non-historic 1959 building and constructing a one-story, approximately 2,149-square-foot administrative office with a terracotta-colored metal barrel tile roof, stone base, stucco walls, recessed arches, projecting bays, brackets/corbels, and a medium gray aluminum cross.
• Staff noted the project had been reviewed at a January 2026 pre-application meeting. The applicant expanded the stone base in response to earlier comments, but requested not to add additional window divisions because further divisions would diminish the cross design and its visual connection to Epiphany Cathedral.
• Board discussion raised several clarifications: mechanical equipment must be screened from view; the front and side door material (an aluminum door with a wood-look veneer, likely mahogany or walnut) must be added to the application packet; the required color palette of 75% primary, 20% secondary, and 5% accent colors must be clearly called out; and the stucco finish should be updated from medium to fine. Staff noted these could be confirmed administratively on resubmittal.

Presentation: Phase II Survey of Edgewood and Seaboard Draft

• Historical Resources Manager Harry Klinkhamer presented the draft Phase II Historic Structures Survey prepared by Chronicle Heritage under a state grant. The consultant is scheduled to present the findings at the board's June meeting.
• The survey documented 184 historic resources, including 143 newly identified resources, 41 previously recorded resources, and seven previously recorded resources that have been demolished.
• Board members said they needed more time to absorb the large report and would provide more detailed comments when the consultant presents in June. One member noted Edgewood historically was a worker-housing area with a different character and less maintenance.
• Planning and Zoning Director Roger Clark gave an update on the Seaboard area master plan. He said the consultant team includes John Nolen biographer Bruce Stevenson, no existing streets are proposed for change, and a new east-west street informally called Nolan Street is proposed. A technical plan for city-owned property will be presented to the Planning Commission on June 2 and to City Council in July.

Board Discussion & Staff Comments

• Staff reported that several previously approved projects have not proceeded. Approvals for the Venice Avenue and Miami Avenue projects have expired, and the site and development plan approval for 219 West Venice Avenue is expected to expire in June. The Circus project is still responding to site and development comments, but its previous approvals have expired and it will need to return to the board. The library project cleared site and development plan review and is assumed to be pursuing permits.
• The Local Register forum was rescheduled to Thursday, June 4, 2026, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the William H. Jervey Jr. Venice Public Library. Confirmed speakers include Kara Morgan from Venice Main Street, Joy Builders, the Klauses of 640 West Venice Avenue, Aaron DeFasio from the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, and city staff.
• Staff noted that Beth Martin from Sherwin Williams is ready to work with the board on a color palette. The board also discussed reviewing design guidelines, particularly color, at a future meeting.
• Staff mentioned the recent unveiling of a local register plaque at Venice Beach Pavilion and a Seaboard storage facility that displays 14 historic photographs of the Seaboard area.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the April 9, 2026 minutes by unanimous voice vote.
• Approved PLAR26-0013 (417 Nassau Street South) by roll-call vote, 6-0, with Chair BB recused. The design alternative permits the 8-foot-tall gate feature; the applicant must update the plan set to show the remaining perimeter wall at 6 feet.
• Approved PLAR26-0011 (205 Harbor Drive North) by roll-call vote, 7-0, with four administrative stipulations: add the door material to the application packet, clearly call out the required color palette percentages, provide screening for mechanical equipment, and update the stucco finish to fine.
• No formal action was taken on the Phase II Survey draft; the board deferred detailed comments until the consultant presentation in June.