A grassroots movement centered on the city’s growth, propelled candidate Dr. Debi Lux to a landslide victory Tuesday for the District 3 seat on Punta Gorda City Council. She garnered 71.55% of the 6,240 votes cast to unseat incumbent Mark Kuharski. 

Both candidates ran on platforms focusing on how to manage the city’s growth. However, the two shared differences in how to handle the population increase. 

Kuharski was one of five Council members who unanimously supported revised land development regulations, or LDRs, which, he said on election day, helped the city prevent developers from constructing 100-foot-high buildings. 

Prior to the city’s shift to LDRs, a developer wasn’t limited to height restrictions, he said. 

Lux disagreed that it was a positive move by Council, which has a strategic plan to increase density for businesses and limit parking spaces, thereby discouraging shoppers from visiting small shops in the downtown district. 

Kuharski drew an analogy to a shopping mall, saying to flourish, it needs anchor department stores, he said. There are more than 100 small lots in the city, and a large development would attract more mom-and-pop visitors to open up businesses, he said, as the developments would bring more foot traffic. 

He said the city’s land development regulations “were intended to fill all those empty lots downtown.” 

Lux argued the opposite would occur. She said higher density and decreased parking spaces would discourage business owners from putting down stakes in the downtown district and drive away shoppers from visiting the downtown area. 

Lux, a retired dentist and Navy veteran, ran a dental practice in Naples and her husband Sean Lux, an attorney and Air Force veteran, is a partner in his law firm. While living in Naples, they founded the nonprofit Collier Lee Honor Flight, which flew veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit memorials and share memories of their experiences of their wartime service. 

Having once lived in Punta Gorda, the couple returned where they owned a lot and built their dream home. Debi Lux became involved with local nonprofit and community groups. 

Kuharski was an automotive executive. He and his wife moved about a dozen times before making Punta Gorda their home after he retired, which is when he became active in the community. 

Lux admitted politics were not on her horizon, but that was before the former owner of Fishermen’s Village, who later filed for bankruptcy protection, planned to build tall buildings on the iconic wharf site, which extends out to the Peace River, has a marina and mom-and-pop stores and restaurants. 

Michael and Jeannine Polk, sixth-generation Punta Gordans, were joined by many members of the community who posted signs on their properties to oppose tall buildings and high density in their small city. 

Lux was recruited to run for public office, and her platform emphasized the city’s charm, which, she said, “lies in its vibrant small businesses, including mom-and-pop shops and restaurants, making it a multivisit destination.” 

Jeannine Polk served as Lux’s campaign manager, stressing the importance of prioritizing and sustaining local establishments by actively supporting and welcoming new small businesses, allowing them to flourish and enhancing the community’s economic vitality. 

While encouraging commerce, Lux’s campaign stressed the importance of keeping Punta Gorda’s small-town feeling. 

Dozens of well-wishers poured into Tamiami Tavern, anticipating her victory, and after the polls closed at 7 p.m., chants of “Debi, Debi, Debi” rang out throughout the evening as she greeted supporters, neighbors and friends who campaigned for her. 

“I’m going to continue to listen to residents,” she said after thanking the dozens who were present.