Punta Gorda Planning Commission approved final plat plans for two subdivisions near Jones Loop Road that will bring 368 new homes to the area.
The matter will move to City Council for a final vote at an upcoming meeting.
Paul Martin, vice president of land development for Kolter Land Partners LLC, is the developer. He and his engineer, Todd Rebol of Banks Engineering, appeared before the planning commission May 21.
D.R. Horton will build the homes.
The Seagrass subdivision will have 224 single-family homes on 87.1 acres bordered by Glasgow Avenue and Indian Springs Cemetery Road, which will serve as access roads into the development.
Phase 1 of Seagrass will involve 107, 50-by-100-foot lots with the homes being built by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
Phase 2 construction, when the remaining 117 homes will be built, will begin before the end of this year, Martin said.
The city approved the names of streets within Seagrass, including Seagrass Boulevard, Turtle Grass Circle, Sand Dune Lane, Sea Grape Loop and Sea Oats Court.
City Planning Director Lisa Hannon said the roads are being privately built and will be privately maintained.
Commissioner Lisa Kellythorne asked whether Glasgow Avenue will be widened, but Hannon said it is not a requirement and the main entrance will be off Jones Loop Road.
Commissioner Robert Sifrit said, “I went out and looked at this property. There’s not a single living tree or bush on that property. I don’t know if it was that way before; do we just allow them to mow it down?”
Hannon explained, “Well, it’s a development, so they have to clear the land to be able to add the fill that’s required for the development of the single-family homes to be at [Federal Emergency Management Agency] design flood elevation.”
Rebol said because of all the regulations requiring stormwater and FEMA flood requirements, “it’s almost impossible in today’s world to not completely clear a site and fill it.”
Plans for the subdivisions reveal that trees will be planted along with shrubbery in the developments, and there will be buffer areas, including a wall with vegetation in front of it.
The Seacove subdivision will consist of twin villas built on 144 single-family residential lots encompassing 28.53 acres. It will have access roads off Taylor and Jones Loop roads.
After the meeting, Martin said he didn’t have the exact price ranges for the homes, but the twin villas at Seacove will be in the $200,000s to $300,000s range, while the single–family houses will start at $300,000.
