Have the "Golden Years" ended for Charlotte Cty? (Tampa: for sale, 2015)

[dragon0524]

To those who have been in the area for a while...Do you think the recession we're emerging from has pretty much killed the future growth of Charlotte County? While North Port has been growing and thriving with lots of new businesses, Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte appear to be stagnant and perhaps even moving backwards. The glory years of the 90's when the sound of banging nails and whirring screw guns could be heard on almost every corner are now but a dim memory. There are still gaping parking lots in downtown P.G. where businesses once stood prior to Hurricane Charley. The attempt to revamp the shabby storefronts along old 41 in Port Charlotte seems to have stopped at Port Charlotte Blvd.

Added to that is a disturbing backwards trend I'm noticing at my job. I work for a local A/C company, and many of our retiree customers seem to be quitting the FL dream for good and moving permanently back up north where they came from. Maybe it's not related to the rest of it...but maybe it is??

Thoughts?

[mr&mrssunshine]

as someone who has the 'pleasure' of dealing with CC I can tell you...its the fact they make getting out of bed difficult that is driving business away...their goal appears to be as unhelpful as possible,,,,,the Inspectors are rude arrogant and seem to be determined to be the biggest ****** they can be.

if I was in charge at CC I would be holding forums with local businesses to see whats going wrong....and be ready for some serious home truths

[MikMal]

I've been a CC resident for only a year but one complaint I repeatedly hear from neighbors and friends is how difficult it is to deal with the inspectors in particular and county in general. I've gone twice to the permits office to ask some questions and run some ideas by them as far as a dock goes and can't even get past the receptionists, but yet have gotten different answers from them on the same question.

I've asked friends and neighbors why someone more "resident friendly" doesn't run for office on the platform of making it easier to work with the county and always receive the same answer; they have but once in office they change and side with the county and their hard-line ways. Nothing changes for the better. Sounds like ego trips. "Respect my authority!"

I've been welcomed here by neighbors and been meeting very nice people, but does the county itself make me feel welcome? No way! More like I'm just a tax paying subject to them. It gives you the feeling that the county doesn't appreciate the residents that pay for their positions. You can't blame folks who want to move to a more resident-friendly county. I agree with the above post that they should hold meeting with businesses for input to bring things back around. Only I'd take it one step further and include residents as well.

[dobiedog]

Reading this makes me ask if PC has a mayor and do they hold open monthly meetings? Are these questions that can be asked/answered at those meetings?

[saxondale351]

PC has already grown so much, you can not expect it to grow forever as it has in the past. NP has much more room to grow.

[born01930]

Maybe some of it can be attributed to a lack of desire for too much growth. How many here want to be like Ft Myers? At first glance you would have to wonder why Ft Myers is so much more developed. I mean, PC/PG have a nicer and larger harbor with more waterfront available...closer proximity to Tampa for entertainment venues...better gunkholing for boaters...but is still a relatively sleepy backwater. I picked PC/PG over FM for all of the above reasons. Please don't read into this that I advocate difficult inspectors or officials or am for regulations, I am just thinking out loud.
Charley hit right at the height of the bubble when things were the most expensive followed by the bubble burst when it wasn't worth tossing money into an underwater property. I see it as many more years before the waves from the bubble burst subside.

I will gladly elaborate my opinions for a dozen Krispy Kremes' and a Starbucks. Any takers? Any?

[TamRE]

I was told that one of the long time inspectors at Charlotte County Building Dept. was fired or let go. Their online system for checking permits was down for over a month and I had to call every time to ask for permits on a property. I always check permits for my buyers and properties that I list for sale. That was a real pain calling every time rather than just being able to type in an address and get the list.

Punta Gorda has new businesses coming in. The Punta Gorda airport is adding new flights with Allegiant Air. Cheney Brothers is building a plant which will hire 380 employees to start in 2015. So there is some growth in the county. Permitting for building single family homes in Punta Gorda has also increased.

If you want to read more about what is happening in the county, go to the Charlotte County Economic Development office web site: Charlotte County Economic Development
Read the Economic Development news and you will see what the county is working on. They have increased their marketing efforts to bring new businesses to the area. Read the Priorities.

I also read that they are trying to get another bus transportation service similar to SCAT that Sarasota County has. All we have now is Dial A Ride and Sunshine.

[Harbor Hopper]

Originally Posted by dobiedog

Reading this makes me ask if PC has a mayor and do they hold open monthly meetings? Are these questions that can be asked/answered at those meetings?

PC is not an incorporated city, so no, there is no mayor like PG has. Instead, we have a completely useless, lying, deceptive board of county commissioners that make decisions for the people, most generally against the majority. The pubic is always invited to their meetings, but not allowed to speak at most.

[dragon0524]

Originally Posted by TamRE

I was told that one of the long time inspectors at Charlotte County Building Dept. was fired or let go. Their online system for checking permits was down for over a month and I had to call every time to ask for permits on a property. I always check permits for my buyers and properties that I list for sale. That was a real pain calling every time rather than just being able to type in an address and get the list.

Punta Gorda has new businesses coming in. The Punta Gorda airport is adding new flights with Allegiant Air. Cheney Brothers is building a plant which will hire 380 employees to start in 2015. So there is some growth in the county. Permitting for building single family homes in Punta Gorda has also increased.

If you want to read more about what is happening in the county, go to the Charlotte County Economic Development office web site: Charlotte County Economic Development
Read the Economic Development news and you will see what the county is working on. They have increased their marketing efforts to bring new businesses to the area. Read the Priorities.

I also read that they are trying to get another bus transportation service similar to SCAT that Sarasota County has. All we have now is Dial A Ride and Sunshine.

I hadn't heard about the Cheney Bros. project. Good news there!

I did hear about the bus transport idea, but it might be facing opposition from those who feel it is an unnecessary expenditure of county funds. I've seen rumblings in the editorial section of the Sun on the matter.

Any idea what happened to the plan for Mote Marine to build in downtown P.G. where the Publix shopping center once stood? I heard all kinds of talk about a year ago and then nothing at all.

[dragon0524]

Originally Posted by born01930

I will gladly elaborate my opinions for a dozen Krispy Kremes' and a Starbucks. Any takers? Any?

I agree 100% on the Starbucks! P.C. has 3 of them so it seems only fair that P.G. should get at least one!

Have you tried Abby's Donuts yet? They blow Krispy Kreme clear out of the water. Yummmmm.