City of Venice Planning Commission Meeting Summary - June 16, 2026

The Venice Planning Commission met on June 16, 2026, in Council Chambers. The commission held two public hearings: a quasi-judicial site and development plan amendment for Aloha Condominium and a legislative Land Development Regulation (LDR) text amendment. It also approved the prior meeting minutes and excused Commissioner McKean's absence.

Consent Calendar

• Roll call showed Chair Wilson and Commissioners Sherberg, Fresca, Jasper, and Ferloggi present. Commissioner Hale was excused with prior approval, and Commissioner McKean was excused by motion after advising the chair of a medical procedure.
• Approved the June 2, 2026, Planning Commission minutes as written.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Brad Fry, president of Dolphin Bay Condos and an associate broker with RE/MAX Palm Realty, opposed the Aloha proposal. He said the view for 40 percent of his building's units would be blocked, property values would be affected, and approval would set a slippery-slope precedent.
• Tom Talburt, an owner at Gulf and Bay (1400 Tarpon Center), opposed the proposal. He said his family has owned there for 50 years, the current carport is about 15 steps from his building's entrance, and the proposed two-story structure would obliterate Gulf views from many second-floor units and significantly reduce third-floor views. He argued it conflicts with Comprehensive Plan strategy OS 1.9.6 on minimizing obstructions to coastal views and called it a textbook example of what not to do.
• Elizabeth Stanard Letcher, an original owner at Gulf and Bay since 1969/1970, opposed the proposal. She described the Gulf view as central to her family's life and said approval would set a precedent for other Gulf-front condominiums.
• No public comments were offered for the LDR text amendment.

Discussion Items

Aloha Condominium Site and Development Plan Amendment (26-13SP)

• Staff planner Nicole Tremblay presented the request for the roughly 1.9-acre site at 1329 Tarpon Center Drive, which has a high-density residential future land use designation and RMF-4 zoning. The applicant proposed rebuilding the existing covered parking as a two-story, 1,814-square-foot detached garage with accessory living space above. Covered parking would increase from five to six spaces, while total on-site parking would decrease from 12 to 10 spaces, still within the required 7-14 spaces.
• The new structure would be about 663 square feet larger than the current covered parking footprint and would be moved from a non-compliant 1.6-foot side setback to a compliant 5-foot setback. Because of the FDEP-based coastal height measurement, the accessory structure would be 11 feet 6 inches tall versus 11 feet 7 inches for the primary structure, although its physical ground-level height would be about 22 feet 6 inches.
• The four accessory spaces would each include a bedroom, bathroom, and closet, with a separate laundry room. They would not contain kitchens and would not be dwelling units. Applicant's counsel Jackson Boone said the spaces are intended for visiting family, guests, offices, or similar uses and that condo restrictions prohibit renting them separately. The Aloha Condominium has six owners, and four owners would participate.
• Staff stated the Technical Review Committee identified no issues, no additional density or trip generation was created, and the petition met the applicable comprehensive plan and land development code criteria.
• The applicant acknowledged that the structure would affect some southern views from Gulf and Bay, but argued that view impacts are unavoidable when aging coastal condominium buildings are brought up to current elevation standards. He pointed to a site-specific FDEP wave model and a design intended to minimize the structure's height and impact.
• Commission discussion focused on whether the proposal was an accessory structure or a potential garage apartment. Members noted the lack of kitchens and the prohibition on separate rentals, but also discussed the risk that future owners could add kitchens. Staff and applicant's counsel stated that any conversion into dwelling units would require a new site plan approval and code enforcement. The commission discussed conditioning the approval so the structure remains an accessory use.
• Several commission members expressed sympathy for neighbors whose views would change, but concluded the land development regulations do not guarantee a view and the proposal complied with the code.

LDR Amendment #6 (25-12AM)

• Staff planner Nicole Tremblay reviewed proposed text changes to LDR Sections 1, 3, 7, and 9. Key changes included clarifying environmental review requirements, correcting duplicate and outdated section references, allowing cul-de-sac design alternatives, adjusting front-yard and driveway rules for corner and through lots, allowing up to three flag pools per property, limiting temporary sign placement to once per six months, adding bicycle parking rates and design standards for multifamily, office, and commercial uses, expanding fence-height design alternatives, adding security-fencing and wildlife-break alternatives for appropriate uses, removing the Certificate of Architectural Compliance expiration date, correcting commercial use definitions, adding a littoral zone definition, and prohibiting above-ground mechanical equipment in front yards.
• Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the mechanical-equipment prohibition and short-term bicycle parking. Staff confirmed the front-yard prohibition applies to above-ground equipment, not underground propane tanks, and that short-term bicycle parking is not intended to create a time limit.
• There was no public testimony on the text amendment.

Key Outcomes

• 26-13SP - Aloha Condominium: The Planning Commission unanimously approved the site and development plan amendment, with a stipulation that the structure remain an accessory structure as defined in the LDRs and not become a dwelling unit.
• 25-12AM - LDR Amendment #6: The Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval to the City Council, finding the petition consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and in compliance with Florida Statutes Chapter 163, Part II.
• Administrative/next steps: The next Planning Commission meeting is July 7, 2026, with two variance applications scheduled; it will be the last meeting before the summer break. Staff also noted progress on the parks master plan and the opening of Northeast Park.