This week, in a 4-3 vote, Jamie and Debbie Hotka and Dan Myers received LPA approval for their proposed Food Truck Entertainment Venue at 2500 and 2510 Estero Boulevard. The LPA meeting was long and included a lot of opposition from the nearby residential neighborhood.
The property, other than two residential lots being merged into the larger property, has been home to several restaurants dating back decades. It’s been mostly an empty lot since Hurricane Charlie other than that the two homes (closer to Estero Boulevard) which were wiped out by Hurricane Ian.
Cottage Avenue is directly behind the property where the Food Truck Park could be built. The street is lined with homes being rebuilt after Hurricane Ian hammered them. At the end of Cottage Avenue is the Pelican Watch condo building which recently reopened after repairs were made to the building after Ian. The Pelican Watch pool is feet away from the main building being proposed for the Food Truck Park, separated by a white fence the condo association was installing last week.
Homeowners and condo owners behind the proposed project all came out in opposition. They voiced concerns about loud music, the smell of food and garbage, people parading through their neighborhood to use the public restrooms, traffic going up and down their street and drivers parking on their property.
Some LPA members struggled with whether this type of business was too intrusive on a residential neighborhood. Others believe that since the property is zoned commercial, it is on Estero Boulevard, and it does take into account the town’s goal of more walkable and bikeable businesses, it works. It was not an easy day for LPA members, juggling the concerns of an existing neighborhood with the rights of a commercial property owner.
The plan is to have 5 food truck pads, outdoor seating including right on Estero Boulevard, bike racks, restrooms open to the public during operating business hours (including showers), a paid parking lot with 45 spaces open to the public during operating business hours, a 2500 square foot 2-floor main building that serves beer and wine on the first floor with offices and storage on the 2nd floor. Live music will be in the main open structure which has three sides and faces Estero Boulevard to try to deflect the sound from the neighbors as much as possible.
The proposal includes a lot of new landscaping around the entire property to add a buffer to help protect the neighborhood. It will also include no parking signs and bollards to prevent illegal parking on Chapel Street and Cottage Avenue.
In all Myers posted to the Beach Talk Radio Facebook page earlier this week that up to $8 million will be invested into the property.
If approved and built the park would be called Access 26 to coincide with the closeby beach access 26. The next step is to go before the Town Council where two public hearings need to be held. The first public hearing will be Monday, March 3rd. The second public hearing will be April 7th.
The LPA put restrictions on the project including hours of 7AM to 9PM and music ending at 8PM. They also want the restrooms locked down to prevent loitering after hours. It was also stipulated that the owners had to come in and report to the LPA about how they were following the conditions the LPA put into their approval, a requirement that has not been asked of any other business since we’ve been covering the LPA. That type of work is typically left in the hands of staff, not town boards. Of course, the Town Council can reject – or accept – all of the LPA’s conditions when they hold their own public hearings.
If approved by the Town Council the venue could be up and running in time for season next year. The Hotkas own the property and Myers will be the General Manager of the business if and when it opens.
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