Honoring Our Past, Building Our Future

As your councilman, the health, safety, and welfare of Punta Gorda residents is my top priority. We face real, immediate infrastructure challenges—our commercial core and historic districts are highly vulnerable, where even minor tidal shifts and rainfall lead to significant flooding.

​

Some argue that high-density development is an economic cure-all, but it will not fix our flooding concerns. In fact, overdevelopment risks pushing our infrastructure past the breaking point. Furthermore, we must be fiscally responsible with our city's resources.

​

My focus remains on a data-first approach. The city's current flood study by Kimley-Horn will give us the roadmap we actually need to address these issues properly. More importantly, it opens the door for dedicated federal and state grant funding, allowing us to protect our local businesses and historic neighborhoods without compromising the small-town character we all love.​

​

​As a coastal community, nearly all of Punta Gorda is classified as a "high-hazard flood zone". In Florida, this isn’t just a label—it means we are ground zero for significant, recurring flooding events. Because of these unique geographic vulnerabilities, our Land Development Regulations (LDRs) must protect our community, not endanger it.​

​

The reality is that building responsibly in high-hazard areas requires specialized, incredibly expensive infrastructure. Often, high-density projects in these zones are simply not economically feasible for investors or for the citizens.​