Charlotte County approves major shopping center near Burnt Store Road

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK)— Charlotte County homeowners hungry for a nearby grocery store got exciting news this week.

The Charlotte County Planning and Zoning Board approved up to 195,000 square feet of commercial space off Burnt Store Road, about 15 minutes south of U.S. 41. 

The approval is part of a larger plan to build almost 1,000 residential units just south of Shotgun Road.

Massive housing developments have popped up along Burnt Store Road between Punta Gorda and Cape Coral. Some residents say shopping options haven't kept up with the growth.

"No, there's no retail," Diana Charters said.

Neighbors currently have to drive to Cape Coral or Punta Gorda for grocery shopping.

"You've got to drive quite a ways to get to it," Philip Sini said.

The new commercial development has some residents excited about the prospect of nearby shopping.

However, some residents living on the other side of Burnt Store Road raised concerns about flooding and sprawl disrupting their quieter way of life.

"Shotgun gets wet now. I can only imagine what it's gonna be when you put 1,000 houses up there," Curtis Newberry said.

"Once this gets built up, we're going to be at the bottom of the Grand Canyon," Charles Russell said.

Project engineers say runoff should flow away from existing homes. They also plan to build a traffic light to manage traffic.

Newer homeowners remain excited about the investment coming to the area.

"I'm glad to see investment coming in and see it growing," Michael Liddell said.