After concerned letters, The Boathouse withdraws request for extension of hours

CAPE CORAL, Fla. –  A popular Cape Coral restaurant wanting to extend its hours is pulling the request after more than a dozen neighbors complained that later hours at The Boathouse would ruin their peace and quiet.

After careful consideration, The Boathouse management says it’s not going to ask for longer hours at this time, and instead will work with neighbors to find a solution.

“We hope they don’t extend the hours.”  That was the request Friday of many people living on the other side of the canal across from The Boathouse, and Monday, the restaurant listened.

“The city had sent out letters to the local residents and some of the residents responded, and we realized there were some concerns from the neighbors, and we felt that by pulling our request at this time we’d be able to address those concerns,” said General Manager Mickey Ferry.

WINK News obtained a letter just sent to City Council, saying The Boathouse is withdrawing its request to extend its hours, after neighbors voiced concerns.

The restaurant closes at 10 p.m. every day with live music ending at 9 p.m. It originally wanted to ask City Council to stay open an hour later during the week and two hours later, during the weekend.  Ferry says the city sent 60 letters to people living nearby, telling them about the request for longer hours, and 18 concerned letters came back.

Paul Perzyx wrote one of them. He feared the later hours would mean more noise.

“Everything has been fine until now, but we know with extended hours the band is going to come it’s only a matter of time,” he told WINK News on Friday.

“We will be contacting the residents who have concerns and addressing them one-on-one,” said Ferry.

According to Cape Coral Police Department, there had been two noise nuisance incidents in the six months the restaurant has been open, and the city’s Parks and Recreation Dept. has not received any.