Old Florida Gulf Coast Theme District

Venice, Florida

April 2005

(A Suggestion from Venice Neighborhoods Coalition)

South Harbor Drive from Beach Road to Casperson Beach (about 1.5 miles) including all land to the west of Harbor Drive and a portion of the land on the east side of Harbor Drive

Structures: Limited to Restrooms, Storage, Small Picnic Pavilions, Play Equipment, Boardwalks/Dune Walkovers, Fishing Pier, One Existing Café Housed in One Structure, and One Existing Golf Course with Club House

Design/Materials:

Primarily wooden single story buildings, with attached open-air decks

Restrooms and showers outside and as natural as code allows (exception for Café)

Encourage natural finish, with thatched overhangs where possible

Built to modern health and hurricane standards

Accessibility between fishing pier and/or beaches desirable

Lighting and noise levels suitable for turtle hatching, bird watching, and nature walks, etc.

No band shells, blank block walls, or large shelters permitted;

Appurtenances:

No plastic, aluminum, synthetic materials or signs including neon signs allowed.

Parking areas must be primarily grass or packed sand with ample shade and other native, low maintenance, environmentally friendly landscaping; no overnight parking or camping

Trails to beach and in parks to be as natural as possible or where necessary, wood construction walkovers, etc.

Vegetation to be native trees, palms, sea grapes, sea oats, and habitat conducive to scrub jays and other native wildlife

No amplified music/entertainment; no motorized sports/recreation or carnival type rides, bounce rooms, etc.; no motorized or generator powered vendors (this includes festival/events)

Children’s play ground equipment to be natural wood/materials throughout

Roadways:

Sand allowed to drift onto part of road as a normal condition; sand will be swept to the side if it poses a hazard for vehicles.

Open dune areas maintained to give view of the gulf from road

Bike and walking paths separate from roadway for safety, elevated in spots where necessary to preserve the dunes, habitat, etc.

No overnight parking