Land density problems have killed Punta Gorda council members

The composition of the Punta Gorda City Council has been relatively stable over the past quarter century, with few contenders for its positions. That was until recently, when land use regulations, development plans and a proposed new multimillion-dollar City Hall sparked protests among residents.

The rollback led to the defeat of three incumbents seeking re-election on November 5th.

Janine Polk (District 1), Gregory Julian (District 2) and Janice Denton (District 4), ousted Councilmembers Donna Peterman, Vice Mayor Bill Dryberg and Mayor Lynn Matthews, respectively.

“The changes that officials have made to our LDRs and the massive waste of our tax dollars at City Hall motivated me to step up and do something about it,” Julian said.

The city had planned to build a $16 million city hall on the site of the current floodplain, drawing criticism from community members. The current City Hall building remains closed since it was damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022.

“We need to focus on our infrastructure to solve our city’s most pressing problems. Recovering from the recent hurricanes is a top priority,” Julian said.

The joyful atmosphere among Denton, Polk and Julian supporters Nov. 5 at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s in Punta Gorda contrasted with the atmosphere at Leroy’s Southern Kitchen, where Dryburgh and Matthews could not be reached for comment. Elsewhere nearby, Peterman, who could not be reached for comment, held a small meeting.

Disagreement among residents intensified several years ago after former Fisherman’s Village owner John Larmore planned to build a large hotel and condominium complex on the site of the iconic tourist attraction, a favorite among locals since its construction in 1980.

The city revised its development plans to allow higher density and taller buildings, which sparked protest among residents, especially those living downtown. Many residents said they don’t want Punta Gorda to become a city like Naples or Fort Myers.

One of the early proponents of scrapping the development expansion plans was Polk, whose husband, Mike Polk, is a sixth-generation resident. Polk, who received 59.53% of the vote against Peterman, and her husband were the figureheads of the grassroots movement that sparked a wave of support from other residents of Punta Gorda neighborhoods.

The group wanted someone to represent their interests and convinced resident Debi Lux to run for City Council. Lux, a former dentist and Navy veteran, received nearly 72% of the vote in 2023 when she ran against incumbent Mark Kucharski.

From that moment on, a snowball grew among those who wanted a change in government.

Julian, who received 52.11% of the vote against Dryburgh, said the determining factor in his and other candidates’ decision to run was that the current administration “increased the density rate from 15 units per acre to 50 units per acre, which would allow for large and inconsistent development in our downtown.”

Denton defeated Matthews with 53.85% of the vote. Matthews has served on the Council since 2016.