A growing grassroots movement has united residents seeking to stem high density and restrict building heights, and three are challenging Punta Gorda City Council members who are up for reelection this year.
Jeannine Polk is challenging Donna Peterman for the District 1 seat, Gregory Julian is running for District 2, a seat held by Bill Dryburgh, and Janis Denton is taking on Mayor Lynne Matthews for the District 4 seat Nov. 5.
At a May 1 Council meeting, Polk, Julian and Denton sat together, and Julian announced his candidacy during the public portion of the meeting.
The candidates have one thing in common. They oppose the Council’s land development regulations and the city’s Comprehensive Plan adopted Feb. 7.
Now, higher density is allowed for the downtown section of town and the Historic District, where smaller homes sit side by side with little space between them, after some buildings were razed and vacant lots were developed.
Both Polk and Peterman live in District 1 that encompasses the Historic District.
In March, Polk was the first to announce her candidacy. Among her issues with the city is Council’s approval of the Comprehensive Plan 2045, which allows 25 dwelling units per acre in the Historic District and 50 dwelling units per acre in the downtown section of town.
She said the plan is “not compatible with our community.”
Polk’s children are sixth generation Punta Gordans, and she appears regularly at Council meetings to voice her concerns over actions Council takes and how new LDRs are ruining the city’s small-town character.
A former Charlotte County Public Schools teacher, Polk contends the approved land development regulations “allowing developers to have more input than the citizens with minimum parking requirements and minimum setbacks.”
Polk was council member Debi Lux’s campaign manager last year. Lux ran on the platform of limiting high density and opposing the LDRs, in addition to other issues. She won by a 72% margin, defeating incumbent council member Mark Kuharski.
Julian, a retired Army veteran, served for 30 years in a variety of positions and went on to assume Tank Company Command, leading C Company in the Battle of Medina Ridge during Operation Desert Storm.
He served in different roles in Afghanistan, at NATO headquarters in Turkey, as a public relations officer in Operation Iraqi Freedom and retired in 2015 from his last military role as chief of public affairs for U.S. Southern Command.
He was press secretary with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
Julian never thought he would become involved in politics, until he met council member Lux, he said.
“Debi Lux really opened my eyes about what’s going on on the City Council and I needed to do something about it. It’s time to get the train back on track,” he said.
Denton, who is retired, said she decided to run because “City Council isn’t listening to the people.”
She became aware of changes the city was making after learning of plans by former owner of Fishermen’s Village Jonathan Larmore to build a tall hotel and condos on the iconic mall’s site.
Larmore withdrew his application amid personal and legal problems. He was arrested in March and charged by the Department of Justice for stock fraud.
Fishermen’s Village was subsequently put in receivership and is seeking a buyer.
“I’m excited to run for City of Punta Gorda Council, District 4, and though I just made the decision last week, I’m already working hard to get everything in motion,” Denton said.
She said she will be “the residents’ advocate, to truly hear their concerns and to fight for the vision they have for our community.”
Criticism from some residents that Council wasn’t listening to them spawned the movement beginning with the LDR changes and plans to erect tall buildings on the Fishermen’s Village site.
Denton said she will help to preserve “the unique character and charm of our town, while ensuring it grows in a healthy, sustainable manner all while protecting our fragile estuary.”
Dryburgh said he plans to run but had not filed as of April 29.
Peterman is finishing serving her first term on Council and is registered to run for her second term.
Matthews was elected in 2016 and is serving her fourth, two-year term as an elected council member during which she has been mayor for the last two terms.
