Burnt Store Lakes

Updated September 2026 · Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar, Domain Realty

McGreevy and Comisar are the team Burnt Store Lakes sellers call first, and the team buyers call when they want the association estoppel, the flood zone of the exact lot and the county's recorded sales answered before they write an offer. Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar lead the #1 real estate team in Southwest Florida since 2012, have been among the Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008, and carry over $900 million in personal sales. If you are weighing the best real estate agents in Punta Gorda, the test in a lake community that is still being built out is simple: ask who prices a home on the county's recorded sales, including the builder-direct sales that never reach the MLS.

Burnt Store Lakes is a deed-restricted lake community in unincorporated Charlotte County with a Punta Gorda, Florida 33955 address. In the association's own words, it is "situated nine miles south down Burnt Store Road from U.S. 41" and "bordered to the north by Punta Gorda, to the south by Burnt Store Marina and Cape Coral, and by the Charlotte Harbor Buffer Preserve to the West" (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Find Us Here). It is recorded as Punta Gorda Isles, Section 21, platted by Punta Gorda Isles, Inc. (later PGI, Incorporated) "in Plat Book 13, Pages 1A thru 1Z-21 of the Public Records of Charlotte County" (Charlotte County Ordinance 90-68). Every lot belongs to the mandatory, self-managed Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, which operates under an Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions recorded in 2021 and amended in 2023 and 2025 (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Deed Restrictions). It sits next to, but is not part of, Burnt Store Marina, the gated marina and golf community across the county line in Lee County. The Charlotte County roll carries 1,848 parcels in Section 21, of which 711 carry a year built, plus 94 condominium units in seven small condominiums inside the community's footprint.

Three facts decide value here, and most listing pages get at least one of them wrong. First, the government is Charlotte County and the association is self-managed: the county maintains the platted streets through a street and drainage benefit unit billed on the tax bill, while the association enforces the deed restrictions, runs architectural review and does not publish its annual assessment outside its member portal. Second, this is a community still being built. The association describes it as "Presently 40% developed" (Burnt Store Lakes POA), about 1,130 parcels carry a vacant residential code on the 2026 county roll, and 16 of the 63 recorded home sales on the platted lots in the last 12 months were first sales of new homes, so a resale competes with new construction on the next street. Third, flood zone is set lot by lot. Ten of twelve addresses we sampled across the community are mapped FEMA Zone AE with a base flood elevation of 8 or 9 feet, and two, on Cabana Road and Vellum Circle, are Zone X (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer).

This guide is built from the Charlotte County Property Appraiser's recorded-sale and parcel files, the association's recorded declaration, bylaws, fee schedule and newsletters, Charlotte County ordinances, benefit-unit budgets and utility maps, FEMA's flood map service, the Charlotte County Public Schools Boundary Locator and the National Hurricane Center. Every figure carries its source and date. Where a record is not public, we say so rather than estimate. The city-wide picture, including our guides to selling a home in Punta Gorda and buying a home in Punta Gorda, uses the same method.

Why McGreevy and Comisar Are the Best Realtor for Burnt Store Lakes

McGreevy and Comisar price Burnt Store Lakes homes on the records that move them: 70 Charlotte County recorded sales in the latest 12 months, the association's estoppel and resale assessment, the flood zone of the lot and the new homes going up nearby. The team has been #1 in Southwest Florida since 2012 and Top 1% nationally since 2008.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis, sales recorded September 27, 2025 to September 26, 2026; Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026).

If you're searching for the best realtor for Burnt Store Lakes, whether you're ready to sell your Burnt Store Lakes home or buy your next one, McGreevy and Comisar is the team that delivers. We lead Domain Realty Group, the #1 real estate team in Southwest Florida since 2012, Top 1% Nationally since 2008, with over $2.5 billion sold as a team and $900 million in personal sales between Jesse and Marc. As the leaders of Domain Realty Group our team has closed over $2.5 billion in real estate, and every Burnt Store Lakes valuation we write starts from Charlotte County's recorded sales, not a portal estimate.

Recent Burnt Store Lakes track record, from the county record. In the last 12 months we tracked 70 closings in Burnt Store Lakes in the Charlotte County Property Appraiser's recorded-sale file (qualified, improved sales recorded between September 27, 2025 and September 26, 2026; the newest sale in the file is dated August 6, 2026): $31,608,100 in dollar volume and a median of $422,500. The 63 homes on the platted Section 21 lots sold at a median of $432,000, topped by $795,000 on Barcrest Lane for a home built in 2022. The 7 condominium units sold at a median of $205,000, topped by $390,000 for a unit in Villa Tuscany at Burnt Store Lakes on Boca Vista Road. Of the 63 home sales, 16 were first sales of new homes, our builder-direct estimate, at a median of $429,950; the other 47 were resales at a median of $435,000.

The MLS view of the same year. Southwest Florida MLS shows 32 closings with the development label Burnt Store Lakes for the 12 months to September 26, 2026, at a median of $422,450, a median of 91 days on market and a median sale-to-list ratio of 95.9 percent (Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026). The MLS count is less than half the county's 70 because builder-direct first sales and homes that sold without a listing never reach the MLS, so in Burnt Store Lakes we lead with the county record and show the MLS figures beside it.

For luxury Burnt Store Lakes sellers: premium marketing, including cinematic video, drone, professional photography, a qualified-buyer database, and discretion with off-market capability when a sale needs to stay quiet. On a Burnt Store Lakes home that marketing starts with the setting: the lake, preserve or greenbelt the home actually faces, the year it was built against the newer homes on the same street, the tile or metal roof the declaration requires on new construction, and the flood zone and elevation certificate for the lot, so a buyer comparing a resale with a new build sees exactly what the extra years of landscaping and the finished street are worth.

Honors and recognition:

• Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008
• 5 Star Award for Customer Satisfaction for 21 Straight Years. Only 5 out of 21k+ Licensees (Gulfshore Life Magazine)
• #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012
• McGreevy and Comisar and their Domain Realty Group team have sold over $2.5 Billion in Real Estate
• McGreevy and Comisar alone have over $900 million in Sales
• Nationally Recognized Top Producing Realtors
• Platinum Sales Production Award Winners

McGreevy and Comisar is a top-reviewed Burnt Store Lakes realtor on Google. We publish no aggregate score; these are five-star reviews in the clients' own words.

★★★★★ "Jesse is the best Realtor I have used. He found us our dream home even though it took months as we were not the easiest to please." Verified Google review

★★★★★ "I had a great experience working with Marc Comisar and Jesse McGreevy. They were professional, knowledgeable, and made the entire process feel smooth from beginning to end." Verified Google review

★★★★★ "Marc's attention to detail and deep understanding of the Southwest Florida market gave us so much confidence." Verified Google review

Selling your Burnt Store Lakes home? Get a free home valuation at https://mcgreevyandcomisar.com/home-valuation, or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072 (confidential conversations welcome for luxury listings).

Buying a home in Burnt Store Lakes? Call Marc at (239) 287-5873 for a personalized buyer consultation, or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida.

Key Takeaways: What Should Burnt Store Lakes Buyers and Sellers Know?

Burnt Store Lakes is a deed-restricted lake community in unincorporated Charlotte County with a Punta Gorda mailing address, where most parcels are still vacant homesites, new homes sell beside resales, the association assessment is not published, and flood zone changes from lot to lot. These eight points carry the rest of the page.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public parcel and sales files, downloaded September 26, 2026; Burnt Store Lakes POA governing documents and fee schedule; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer; Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026).

• Where it is: unincorporated Charlotte County, mailing address Punta Gorda, Florida 33955, on Burnt Store Road "nine miles south" of U.S. 41, bordered by Burnt Store Marina and Cape Coral to the south and the Charlotte Harbor Buffer Preserve to the west, in the association's words. It is not inside the City of Punta Gorda.
• What it is: Punta Gorda Isles, Section 21, Plat Book 13, one recorded plat under one mandatory, self-managed association. The roll carries 1,848 parcels, 711 with a year built, plus 94 units in seven condominiums built from 2006 to 2008. The association counts eleven lakes.
• What it sold for: 70 qualified recorded sales in 12 months at a $422,500 median: 63 homes on the platted lots at $432,000 and 7 condominium units at $205,000 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser files, newest sale August 6, 2026). The MLS label caught 32 closings at a $422,450 median and 91 median days on market.
• New construction: 16 of the 63 home sales were first sales of new homes, at a $429,950 median. Of the homes on the roll with a year built, 189 were built in 2020 or later. The declaration sets a 1,700 square foot minimum for new single-family homes and allows only tile and metal roofs on new structures.
• What an owner pays: the association's annual assessment is set by the membership and is not published outside the member portal; it is on the adopted budget and the estoppel certificate. A buyer pays a $750 capital resale assessment at closing. The county's South Burnt Store Street and Drainage benefit unit bills $297.83 per unit a year, vacant or built.
• Flood and evacuation: 10 of 12 sampled addresses are FEMA Zone AE with base flood elevations of 8 or 9 feet NAVD88; 2 are Zone X. Both Charlotte County panels covering the samples are effective December 15, 2022. At the same points, the state's evacuation layer returned Zone A at 8 and Zone B at 4.
• Services: Charlotte County Utilities holds the certificated water and sewer service area, Charlotte County Fire and EMS Station 5 sits on Burnt Store Road, the Sheriff's District 4 covers the area, and the district's Boundary Locator assigns East Elementary, Punta Gorda Middle and Charlotte High.
• The Burnt Store Marina question: Burnt Store Lakes is not part of Burnt Store Marina. They are different plats in different counties under different associations, and a Burnt Store Lakes deed carries no membership in anything next door. Residents use the marina's public-facing businesses the same way any visitor does.

Table of Contents

This Burnt Store Lakes guide is organized so a seller or a buyer can jump straight to the record that answers the question: recorded sales, the county line with Burnt Store Marina, the lakes and the layout, the association and its fee stack, building a new home, flood and insurance, schools and drive times, the comparison with Burnt Store Marina, and the buyer and seller FAQs.

• Why McGreevy and Comisar Are the Best Realtor for Burnt Store Lakes
• Key Takeaways: What Should Burnt Store Lakes Buyers and Sellers Know?
• What Is It Like to Live in Burnt Store Lakes as a Homebuyer?
• Burnt Store Lakes Real Estate Market Snapshot: What Are Homes Selling For?
• Is Burnt Store Lakes Part of Burnt Store Marina?
• How Did Burnt Store Lakes Begin?
• What Are the Lakes in Burnt Store Lakes?
• How Is Burnt Store Lakes Laid Out?
• Who Governs Burnt Store Lakes?
• What Does It Cost to Own in Burnt Store Lakes? The Fee Stack
• What Are the Homes and Condominiums in Burnt Store Lakes?
• Can You Build a New Home in Burnt Store Lakes?
• What Amenities Does Burnt Store Lakes Have?
• Can Burnt Store Lakes Residents Use Burnt Store Marina's Marina and Golf?
• Where Can You Launch a Boat Near Burnt Store Lakes?
• How Far Is Burnt Store Lakes From the Beach?
• Where Do Burnt Store Lakes Residents Eat and Shop?
• How Does Burnt Store Lakes Handle Hurricanes?
• What Flood Zone Is Burnt Store Lakes In?
• What Does Insurance Cost for a Burnt Store Lakes Home?
• What Schools Serve Burnt Store Lakes?
• Where Is the Nearest Hospital to Burnt Store Lakes?
• How Far Is Burnt Store Lakes From Downtown Punta Gorda, the Airport and Cape Coral?
• What Is Being Built Near Burnt Store Lakes?
• What Should Buyers Know About Burnt Store Lakes Utilities and Logistics?
• How Does Burnt Store Lakes Compare With Other Punta Gorda Communities?
• Burnt Store Lakes vs Burnt Store Marina: Which Is Right for You?
• What Are the Pros and Cons of Living in Burnt Store Lakes?
• Thinking of Selling Your Burnt Store Lakes Home? List With the #1 Team in Southwest Florida Since 2012
• Your Local Real Estate Experts
• Burnt Store Lakes Frequently Asked Questions: Buyer Edition
• Burnt Store Lakes Frequently Asked Questions: Seller Edition
• Sources
• Downloadable Documents

What Is It Like to Live in Burnt Store Lakes as a Homebuyer?

Living in Burnt Store Lakes means a quiet, deed-restricted grid of lakes and greenbelts off Burnt Store Road where new homes rise between older ones, the association runs a lakeside park and a kayak launch to Charlotte Harbor, and Charlotte County supplies the government. Downtown Punta Gorda is about 18 minutes away without traffic.

Data updated: September 2026 (Burnt Store Lakes POA website and governing documents; Charlotte County Property Appraiser public parcel file, downloaded September 26, 2026; drive times computed September 26, 2026).

Most of Burnt Store Lakes is detached single-family homes on platted lots, set among homesites that have never been built on. The Charlotte County roll counts 1,848 parcels in Punta Gorda Isles, Section 21: 1,833 block and lot parcels across 154 numbered blocks, from Block 831 to Block 989, plus 15 tract, greenbelt and right-of-way parcels, one of which is recorded as "Greenbelts 247.43 AC." Of the 1,848, 711 carry a year built. About 1,130 carry a vacant residential code, and the roll lags new construction, so some of those lots already have a new home on them. The association's own figure is "Presently 40% developed" (Burnt Store Lakes POA). The two figures come from different sources and measure slightly different things, and both point to the same picture: a community well short of build-out.

Beside the platted lots sit seven small condominiums, all built from 2006 to 2008, with 94 units between them: Acapulco Club, Acapulco Lakes and Acapulco Place on Acapulco Road, Lake Costa Gardens on San Edmundo Road, Sunset Palms on Sunset Palms Boulevard, and Villa Tuscany and Boca Vista on Boca Vista Road. The largest has 30 units. Each is its own condominium regime with its own declaration and board.

The streets are a mix of long through-roads and short cul-de-sacs. The county roll lists 103 street names on Section 21 addresses. The main through-roads are Cape Horn Boulevard, Acapulco Road, San Edmundo Road, Peppercorn Road, Santa Inez Road, Vincent Avenue, Cabana Road, Boca Vista Road, Trading Post Road, Rio Togas Road, San Rafael Road and Cedar Rapids Road, and most other streets are one- or two-block lanes and courts off them. The largest single block on the plat is Block 986 on Vellum Circle, with 31 lots.

Daily rhythm

Days here are organized around the lakes and the greenbelts rather than a clubhouse. The association describes "eleven fish filled lakes, spacious greenbelts, abundant wildlife and proximity to Charlotte Harbor and Burnt Store Marina," with "plenty of opportunity for fishing, bird watching, daily strolls and extended bike rides" (Burnt Store Lakes POA).

The Community Park is the shared front yard. It has "'old Florida style' pavilions sheltering many picnic tables, restrooms, an observation deck overlooking Spoonbill Lake and a playground and swings for children," and it is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Residents can reserve a pavilion for groups of 10 or more through the association office (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Community Park).

The water route out is a paddle, not a boat ramp. At the association's Canoe and Kayak Launch on Bear Branch Creek, "residents can launch and paddle through the mangrove preserve out to Charlotte Harbor," dawn to dusk, with a resident vehicle sticker or guest pass on any car parked there (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Canoe/Kayak Launch).

Indoors, the association keeps a Community Center Room at its office, 16500 Burnt Store Road in Turtle Crossing Plaza, free for residents' use, and the community calendar lists groups such as mahjong and quilting there (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Community Center Room). Burnt Store Lakes has no golf course, pool or clubhouse of its own, and the association states that it "is not a Charlotte County golf cart designated community." For boating, golf, tennis, pickleball and restaurants, the association points residents to Burnt Store Marina "located next door."

Nature is up the road. The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center at Alligator Creek Preserve, 10941 Burnt Store Road, has "four (4+) miles of nature trails" open dawn to dusk (Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center), and it sits on state-owned land within Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, 45,507 acres and Florida's third-largest state park (Florida State Parks).

Who lives here

The association describes Burnt Store Lakes as "a vibrant, growing, cross-generational deed-restricted community" (Burnt Store Lakes POA). It is not marketed or described as an age-restricted community, and the park it maintains has a playground and swings for children. No federal survey breaks out owner age or year-round residency for this community alone, and we do not invent one.

What the records do show is a community of individual owners rather than one builder's tract. The original developer sold platted lots to individual buyers, many on installment contracts, from the 1970s into the 1990s, and the association's recorded exhibit of multi-family lots shows the developer still selling lots as late as 1993, with many lots sold in the late 1970s and early 1980s still undeveloped in April 2021 (Amended and Restated Declaration, Exhibit E). That is why a 1990s home, a 2006 home and a home finished this year can stand on the same street.

Renting is allowed, with rules. An owner files a Rental Registration Form and pays a $100 fee at least 10 days before a lease begins, and the owner stays responsible for the tenant's compliance (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Rental Registration Form). The 2021 restatement prohibits short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents). The association's public documents do not state a minimum lease term; the rental sections of the declaration govern, so an investor reads them before buying.

The lakes

The lakes are the community's identity. The association counts "eleven (11) lakes" and publishes a color master plan that names them (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Map of Burnt Store Lakes). Among the names the association prints are Eagle, Stork, Heron, Ibis, Egret, King Fisher, Osprey and Pelican lakes on its October 2019 master plan (BSL Color Master Plan, October 2019) and Spoonbill Lake, where the Community Park sits. The same map labels Bear Branch Creek, the creek that carries the kayak route.

They are freshwater lakes. No canal appears in any Section 21 legal description on the county roll, and a lake lot here is not a boat lot: there is no boat ramp inside Burnt Store Lakes, and the harbor route is the paddle-craft launch on Bear Branch Creek.

The association, not the individual owner, is responsible for the lakes. The recorded declaration makes the "lakes, water areas, shown on the record plat" part of the Community Common Areas the association maintains, "regardless of whether legal right to that property has been formally conveyed to the Association" (Amended and Restated Declaration). Owners may not strip native vegetation from the ponds abutting their lots, and the 2025 amendments strictly prohibit herbicide in the lakes (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents).

Fishing is part of the pitch, and the association calls the lakes "fish filled." Florida's freshwater fishing rules apply, so check the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's license requirements before you cast (FWC, freshwater fishing license). Fishing from the kayak route in Charlotte Harbor is saltwater fishing under FWC's separate saltwater rules.

For a trailered boat, the nearest public ramps on FWC's and Charlotte County's lists are in and around Punta Gorda, including Ponce de Leon Park, Laishley Park and Darst Park (FWC, Charlotte Harbor boat ramps; Charlotte County, fishing, boat ramps and kayak launches). The county's Harbour Heights Park ramp is 17.0 miles and about 26 minutes away by our routing.

Building a home in a community still under construction

New construction is part of daily life here, and it runs through the association first. Every new home goes to the Architectural Review Committee, which recommends approval or rejection, and the Board of Directors makes the final decision at its monthly meeting; the committee then inspects monthly until a final inspection closes the project (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Architectural Review rules).

The standards are specific. The 2021 restated declaration raised the single-family minimum living area from 1,200 to 1,700 square feet, which is why some older homes are smaller than anything that can be built today; it sets 1,000 square feet per unit for multi-family and 1,200 per unit for a duplex (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents). The declaration states that "only tile and metal roofs shall be permissible," that asphalt shingles are prohibited on new structures, that every single-family home must have "at least one (1) car garage attached to the home," and that driveways must be "cement, pavers, or stamped concrete only" (Amended and Restated Declaration). Setbacks follow current Charlotte County standards under the 2025 amendment. Single-family lots are zoned RSF-3.5, according to a 2022 county variance determination for a Cape Horn Boulevard home (Charlotte County, AVAR-21-004).

The association also protects the street while a house goes up. Its fee schedule requires a $25,000 refundable builder completion deposit and a $5,000 refundable clean-site deposit on a new home, plus a $250 new home construction application fee (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Fee Schedule effective February 1, 2026). The pace has been steady: the association reported 92 homes under construction in January 2024 (Burnt Store Lakes POA newsletter, March 2024). A buyer of a resale should expect a lot next door or across the street to be built on at some point, with the dust and trucks that come with it.

The rules that shape the street

The deed restrictions are what keep a half-built community looking finished, and they are enforced. The 2025 amendments allow only picket-style fences, with no solid, shadow-box, split-rail, woven-wire or chain-link fencing; require boats, kayaks and canoes not covered by an association waiver to be stored in a garage or out of view; bar exterior lighting from shining into neighboring homes overnight; prohibit gravel driveways; and prohibit vegetable gardens unless the law permits them (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents). The 2021 restatement allows up to five days for loading and unloading a recreational vehicle.

Enforcement follows Florida's homeowners association statute. A fining committee of members who are not directors must approve any fine, the owner gets 14 days' written notice of a hearing, fines run up to $200 a day to a $3,000 maximum for a continuing violation, and unpaid fines of $1,000 or more can become a lien on the lot (Burnt Store Lakes POA, enforcement rules, July 2025).

What the association and the county provide

The association is the private layer. The Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association is a Florida not-for-profit corporation, incorporated in 1984 according to its recorded articles, and membership attaches to every lot: each parcel owner gets one vote per parcel, and assessments and fines can become liens (Recorded Bylaws). It "is governed by a self-managed Property Owners Association," with its own office staff rather than an outside management company (Burnt Store Lakes POA). It maintains the lakes, greenbelts, park and entranceway, and its members, not only its board, adopt the annual budget and the assessment at the annual meeting, for a fiscal year that runs October 1 to September 30.

Charlotte County is the government. The platted streets are county roads, maintained through the South Burnt Store Street and Drainage benefit unit, which the county created in 1990 "to provide for the construction, reconstruction, repair, paving, repaving" and drainage of "the streets within the unit which have been platted and accepted by the county" (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store MSBU). Its legal boundary also takes in Harborside Woods Phase I. No gate appears in any association document we reviewed.

Water and sewer come from Charlotte County Utilities. The county's own utility maps place the association office, the Acapulco Club condominium and a Cape Horn Boulevard lot inside its certificated water and sewer service areas, and its Burnt Store reverse-osmosis water plant and water reclamation facility share a site at 17430 Burnt Store Road (Charlotte County Utilities, Burnt Store plant). A certificated area is not proof that a given vacant lot is already tapped, and the county confirms a specific parcel through its Utilities Availability Form (Charlotte County, Water and Sewer Availability).

Emergency services are county services. Charlotte County Fire and EMS Station 5 is at 15200 Burnt Store Road (Charlotte County Fire and EMS, station listing). The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office District 4 covers "from south of the Baron Collier Bridge to the Lee County line," from its station at 25500 Airport Road (Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Patrol). Mail carries a Punta Gorda 33955 address, and the U.S. Postal Service's locator returns the Punta Gorda Post Office at 130 East Marion Avenue for the ZIP (USPS Post Office Locator).

Schools are Charlotte County Public Schools. Five addresses on five different Burnt Store Lakes streets returned the same assignment on the district's Boundary Locator on September 26, 2026: East Elementary, Punta Gorda Middle and Charlotte High School (Charlotte County Public Schools, Boundary Locator). The district calls the tool "only a guide," so confirm the assignment for your own address.

Errands and drive times

Burnt Store Lakes is a drive to most things, and the drives are straightforward because Burnt Store Road carries almost every trip.

Method: OSRM open routing engine on OpenStreetMap road data, fastest route, free-flow with no traffic, from 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard, with origin and destinations geocoded by the U.S. Census Geocoder, computed September 26, 2026. These are free-flow estimates; add time for traffic and signals.

The nearest full grocery is the Publix at Burnt Store Marketplace, which despite its name sits on U.S. 41 at 3941 Tamiami Trail, not on Burnt Store Road (Publix, Burnt Store Marketplace). The nearest hospitals are in Port Charlotte, because Punta Gorda's own hospital, ShorePoint Health Punta Gorda, closed permanently in December 2024 (WINK News). AdventHealth, which bought that site, has announced a freestanding emergency department at Jones Loop Road and Mac Ever Street in Punta Gorda and has not published an opening date (AdventHealth).

The first-hand note

We walk a Burnt Store Lakes buyer through four documents before the kitchen. First, the association's estoppel certificate, because it is the only place the annual assessment is stated in writing for the lot, alongside the $750 capital resale assessment the buyer pays at closing and, for a condominium, the condominium association's own estoppel. Second, the flood file: the FEMA zone and base flood elevation for that exact lot and the elevation certificate, since the zone changes within the same street. Third, the county tax bill, where the street and drainage benefit unit and the stormwater unit appear as their own lines. Fourth, for a vacant lot or a new build, the Utilities Availability Form response and the association's architectural approval. Those four answers move price more than the finishes do.

Burnt Store Lakes Real Estate Market Snapshot: What Are Homes Selling For?

Burnt Store Lakes recorded 70 qualified sales in Charlotte County's files in the latest 12 months at a $422,500 median: 63 homes on the platted lots at $432,000, including 16 new-home first sales, and 7 condominium units at $205,000. The MLS label captured 32 closings. The county record is the fuller count here.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public parcel and sales files, downloaded September 26, 2026, newest recorded sale August 6, 2026; Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026).

The county record, 12 months

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis. The file counts qualified, improved sales over $1,000 using the state's qualification codes, for sales recorded September 27, 2025 to September 26, 2026. The newest sale in the file is dated August 6, 2026 on the platted lots and June 18, 2026 in the condominiums, so the most recent weeks are not yet in it.

The difference between the 63 and the 57 is the roll catching up with construction. Six of the 63 sales closed on new homes whose parcels the 2026 roll still codes as vacant, because the roll had not yet been updated for the finished house. The 63 median is a single middle sale because 63 is an odd count, and the 70 median is the midpoint of the two middle sales because 70 is an even count. We report the condominiums separately because they are a different product and a different market: 94 units in seven regimes, all built from 2006 to 2008, with 7 recorded sales in the year.

The two lows deserve a word. The $217,500 low on the platted lots and the $190,000 lows among the condominiums are recorded as qualified sales; none moves the median, and we would not price a home from a single low sale without reading its deed and its condition.

Builder-direct sales vs resales

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis. We flag a sale as builder-direct when it is the first qualified improved sale within one year of the home's year built, and we count the six sales on still-vacant-coded parcels as new homes; this is an estimate, not a recorded label.

This is the table that makes Burnt Store Lakes different from a built-out community. One sale in four on the platted lots was a new home, and new homes and resales traded at almost the same median, $429,950 against $435,000. A resale seller is competing with a builder who can offer a brand-new roof, new systems and a warranty, while the resale offers finished landscaping, an established street and a home a buyer can move into now. For how new construction is priced across the city, see our guide to new construction in Punta Gorda.

The pace behind those numbers is long-running: the association reported 92 homes under construction in January 2024 (Burnt Store Lakes POA newsletter, March 2024). We do not publish a list of builders, because no public county record we reviewed lists every builder working in the community; the builder of record is on each home's permit.

Price bands

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis, qualified improved sales on the Punta Gorda Isles Section 21 lots, 12 months to September 26, 2026. Shares are rounded.

The market has a thick middle and a surprisingly heavy top. Forty-three percent of home sales landed between $350,000 and $449,999, which is where most resales of 1990s and 2000s homes and many new builds meet. But nearly one sale in three closed at $550,000 or more, and those are mostly newer, larger homes. Only six of the 63 sold under $350,000. Among the condominiums, six of seven sold under $250,000, and the seventh, a Villa Tuscany unit, sold for $390,000.

When the homes that sold were built

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public parcel and sales files, our analysis. The 711 includes two parcels not coded as single-family homes: a multi-family parcel built in 2025 and an improvement on a greenbelt tract.

The housing stock came in two waves. Of the 711 parcels with a year built, 428 were built from 1990 through 2009, only 11 from 2010 through 2014, and 189 since 2020. The sales follow the newer wave: 21 of the 57 sales with a year built were homes built in 2020 or later, plus the 6 new homes the roll has not yet dated, so more than four in ten of the year's home sales were recent construction. The median home that sold was built in 2015 and had 2,040 square feet of living area on the roll.

The long arc, year by year

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, qualified improved sales, 2019 to 2026, our analysis. In 2026 to date, the 32 sales on parcels coded as homes had a median of $464,000; the other 6 were new homes on parcels still coded vacant.

Read the table the way a seller should. The home median rose from $314,000 in 2019 to a peak of $565,000 in 2023, up about 80 percent, but the 2023 figure rests on only 25 sales, the thinnest year in the table. Volume then more than doubled as prices eased: 51 sales in 2024 at $475,000 and 62 in 2025 at $430,000, about 24 percent below the 2023 peak. The first nine months of 2026 show the median back up to $468,200 on 38 sales, about 9 percent above calendar 2025, with the caveat that a partial year and a larger share of new homes can move a median on their own. The condominium side is too thin to read year to year, with between 3 and 17 sales a year, but its 2025 median of $195,000 was the lowest since 2020.

The top of the county file

The six highest home sales in the 12-month window, by street address:

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis.

Five of the top six were built in 2016 or later, counting the two new homes the roll has not yet dated, and three are on Cape Horn Boulevard, the community's main through-road. The exception is the 2005 home on Contra Costa Lane at $730,000, a reminder that a well-kept older home with more living area can still trade near the top. The condominium high was 17495 Boca Vista Road, unit 6, in Villa Tuscany at Burnt Store Lakes, at $390,000 on March 6, 2026, a 2007 unit with 2,023 square feet of living area, nearly twice the recorded price of the Acapulco Road units.

Days on market and sale-to-list: the MLS record

Source: Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, Development is Burnt Store Lakes, closed sales from September 26, 2025 to September 26, 2026, pulled September 26, 2026. The MLS median is the mean of its two middle sales because 32 is an even count.

The MLS carries two measures the county file does not: how long a listed home sat, and how close it sold to its asking price. A 91-day median means a correctly priced Burnt Store Lakes home should expect about three months from listing to contract and close, and a 95.9 percent median sale-to-list ratio means the typical listed home gave up about 4 percent from its final list price. The MLS low, $200,000, was a 1,500 square foot condominium on Acapulco Road; its range is not identical to the county's because the two layers count different sets of sales.

Price per square foot, and what it is measured on

The median recorded sale on the platted lots worked out to $234.42 per square foot of living area. That denominator is the living area field on the Charlotte County Property Appraiser's roll, measured on the sales whose parcels carry a living area; the six new homes the roll has not yet recorded are not in it. It is not the same measure as a listing's advertised square footage, which may include areas the roll does not count, so the two should never be compared directly. The median home behind that figure was built in 2015 and had 2,040 square feet of living area on the roll, comfortably above the 1,700 square foot minimum the declaration now sets for a new single-family home.

The vacant homesite market

Burnt Store Lakes is one of the few established Punta Gorda-area communities where most of the land is still for building. About 1,130 of the 1,848 Section 21 parcels carry a vacant residential code on the 2026 roll. Every recorded-sale figure in this snapshot counts improved sales, homes and condominium units, so we do not publish a lot price here; a lot's value turns on its frontage, its flood zone and its utility availability, and we price each one on the recorded sales of comparable lots.

What a lot owner pays while holding the land is a matter of record. The South Burnt Store Street and Drainage benefit unit charges $297.83 per equivalent residential unit a year, the same whether the lot is vacant or built, a rate the county has kept from fiscal 2017 to 2018 through its adopted fiscal 2026 and approved fiscal 2027 budgets (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store FY26 adopted, FY27 approved budget). The same budget carries a $5,617,139 paving line for fiscal 2026, the repaving program that rate has been funding. The South Charlotte Stormwater benefit unit lists a vacant rate of $24.32 and a current maximum rate of $26.75 in the county's fiscal 2026 and 2027 budget (Charlotte County, South Charlotte Stormwater budget). The association's annual assessment applies to lots as well; it is not published outside the member portal and is on the adopted budget and the estoppel certificate. No community development district appears on the county or association records we reviewed.

A lot buyer should settle three things before closing: the flood zone and base flood elevation of that lot, which set the finished floor height; utility availability through the county's form; and the association's architectural requirements, including the 1,700 square foot minimum and the tile or metal roof.

What the MLS count misses

The county file recorded 70 qualified sales in the footprint in 12 months; the MLS development label caught 32. The gap is not a data error. Builder-direct first sales, which were 16 of the 63 home sales on the platted lots, and homes that sold without a listing never reach the MLS, and the MLS development label misses some Section 21 sales that were listed. A valuation built only on MLS comparables in Burnt Store Lakes starts with less than half the evidence. That is why the county record leads on this page, and the MLS stands beside it for the two measures only the MLS carries, days on market and sale-to-list.

What drives price inside Burnt Store Lakes

Four things explain most of the spread. The first is age. The median home that sold was built in 2015, and the top of the market is dominated by homes built since 2016, while the 1990s and 2000s homes sit mostly in the $350,000 to $449,999 band.

The second is size and finish, and the declaration sets the floor. Homes built before 2021 could be as small as 1,200 square feet under the original restrictions; anything built now must be at least 1,700, with a tile or metal roof and an attached garage.

The third is the setting. A home on a lake, beside a greenbelt or on a finished street with few vacant lots around it reads differently from one surrounded by empty homesites. The county roll carries no lake-frontage flag, so we read frontage from the plat, the survey and a site visit rather than from a data field.

The fourth is the flood zone, which varies within the community. Most sampled streets are FEMA Zone AE with an 8 or 9 foot base flood elevation, a Special Flood Hazard Area where a federally backed mortgage requires flood insurance, while the sampled points on Cabana Road and Vellum Circle are Zone X (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer). A newer home built to the current base flood elevation, with an elevation certificate to prove it, is a different insurance conversation from a 1990s home built to an older standard.

Selling or buying in Burnt Store Lakes? Sellers can get a free home valuation that accounts for the age of the home, the new construction around it and the flood zone of the lot, or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. Buyers can call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we represent buyers.

Is Burnt Store Lakes Part of Burnt Store Marina?

No. Burnt Store Lakes is its own community: Punta Gorda Isles, Section 21, recorded in Charlotte County, under the Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association. Burnt Store Marina is Punta Gorda Isles, Section 22, a gated community recorded in Lee County under a different association. They share a road, a county line and a ZIP code.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County and Lee County Property Appraiser recorded-sale files, our analysis; Burnt Store Lakes POA; PGI Section 22 Homeowners Association; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer).

The confusion is understandable. Both communities have a Punta Gorda, Florida 33955 mailing address, both were platted by the Punta Gorda Isles developer as numbered sections of the same series that includes Punta Gorda Isles inside the city, both sit at the south end of Burnt Store Road, and the association that governs Burnt Store Lakes describes the community as "bordered ... to the south by Burnt Store Marina and Cape Coral" (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Find Us Here). Our routing puts Burnt Store Marina, measured to 3150 Matecumbe Key Road, 3.9 miles and about 10 minutes from 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard. The two are neighbors, not one community, and our full guide to Burnt Store Marina covers the marina side in detail.

The county line

The line between the two communities is the line between two counties. Burnt Store Lakes is in unincorporated Charlotte County; Burnt Store Marina is in unincorporated Lee County. Vincent Avenue, which carries Burnt Store Lakes addresses on several blocks of the Charlotte roll, is where the two meet. In the words of the Florida Department of Transportation's Burnt Store Road study, "Vincent Avenue, being the dividing line between Lee and Charlotte Counties, is technically in two counties" (FDOT, Burnt Store Road public hearing questions and answers). Lee County's 1984 zoning resolution for Burnt Store Marina runs its legal description along "the South line of Punta Gorda Isles, Section 21 ... of the Public Records of Charlotte County," which is Burnt Store Lakes (Lee County Resolution ZAB-83-445).

The county line changes almost everything an owner deals with.

Sources: Charlotte County Ordinance 90-68; Lee County, CPA2007-00054 staff report; PGI Section 22, Accessing Our Community; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer; Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Patrol; Charlotte County Public Schools, Boundary Locator.

Water and sewer is the one line on that table that does not change. Charlotte County Utilities serves both communities from its Burnt Store plant on Burnt Store Road, which is why a Burnt Store Lakes owner and a Burnt Store Marina owner can have the same utility and different everything else.

Different plats, different associations

The two communities were recorded years apart in different counties. Burnt Store Lakes was platted as Section 21 in Charlotte County's Plat Book 13, with its first deed restrictions recorded in 1972 in Official Records Book 397, Page 918 (Deed Restrictions, Single Family). Lee County staff describe Burnt Store Marina as 626 acres "originally platted in 1973 as Punta Gorda Isles, Section 22 in Plat Book 28, Page 118" (Lee County, CPA2007-00054 staff report).

They are governed separately. Burnt Store Lakes has one mandatory, self-managed association over a single plat, with seven small condominiums beside it. Burnt Store Marina's master association, Punta Gorda Isles, Section 22 Homeowners Association, counts "approximately 1920 residences" and 47 sub-associations (Burnt Store Marina, PGI Section 22). Membership in one carries nothing in the other: a Burnt Store Lakes deed makes you a member of the Burnt Store Lakes association and nothing else.

They are also different markets. On the county record, Burnt Store Lakes recorded 63 home sales on its platted lots at a $432,000 median in the 12 months to September 26, 2026, and 16 of them were new homes. Burnt Store Marina recorded 106 sales at a $360,000 median in the 12 months to August 7, 2026, two of every three of them condominiums, and none a builder-direct first sale (Charlotte County Property Appraiser and Lee County Property Appraiser recorded-sale files, our analysis). A buyer choosing between them is choosing between a detached home on a lake lot, often new, and a gated harbor community where most homes are condominiums.

What Burnt Store Lakes residents can and cannot use next door

A Burnt Store Lakes address carries no membership rights at Burnt Store Marina. The association frames the marina's facilities as something residents "can explore," not as something they own: "Residents interested in boating, golfing, tennis, pickle ball, exercise, restaurant dining and other social activities can explore the offerings at Burnt Store Marina, located next door to Burnt Store Lakes" (Burnt Store Lakes POA). No association document we reviewed grants a Burnt Store Lakes owner a discount, a reciprocal card or a shared membership there.

What a Burnt Store Lakes resident can use is what any member of the public can use, on the operator's terms:

• Dining at Cass Cay. The restaurant on the marina waterfront describes itself as "Open to the public" (Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar).
• Golf. Burnt Store Marina Country Club states that "the public may book tee times" (Burnt Store Marina Country Club).
• A slip or dry storage. Safe Harbor Burnt Store rents wet slips for boats from 30 to 100 feet and dry storage for boats from 20 to 40 feet as commercial contracts with the marina operator, not as a right of any deed (Safe Harbor Burnt Store).

For the other facilities inside the gates, including the Section 22 Fitness, Racquet and Pool Club, ask the operator directly about current terms before you count on them; we do not publish access terms we have not read on the operator's own page. The Burnt Store Marina association's board itself describes the place as "a gated community with publicly available services" (The Beacon, March 2026).

Same bird names, different places

One more source of confusion is the names. Burnt Store Lakes has lakes named Osprey, Pelican and Heron on its association's master plan. Burnt Store Marina Country Club, next door in Lee County, plays its 27 holes as three nines also named Osprey, Pelican and Heron (Burnt Store Marina Country Club, Course Details). The lakes are in Burnt Store Lakes; the nines are on the golf course in Burnt Store Marina. Burnt Store Lakes has no golf course, and its lakes are not on one.

The other Burnt Store names: Isles, Village, Meadows and Colony

At least half a dozen places share the Burnt Store name because they share Burnt Store Road, and a buyer who searches the name gets all of them.

Sources: Charlotte County, Burnt Store Village Street and Drainage Unit; Charlotte County, South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit; Charlotte County, South Charlotte Stormwater Unit.

Two county funds with similar names cause their own mix-ups on the tax bill. The South Burnt Store Street and Drainage unit is the one that serves Burnt Store Lakes; the Burnt Store Village Street and Drainage unit is a separate fund for Burnt Store Village. The broader South Charlotte Stormwater unit covers several communities at once, including Burnt Store Lakes, Burnt Store Village, Burnt Store Colony and Heritage Landing, so seeing it on a bill does not tell you which community a parcel is in.

Two older names add to the tangle. Twin Isles Country Club, the club inside Burnt Store Isles, was previously called Burnt Store Marina and Country Club, as our Burnt Store Isles guide explains, so an old reference to that club may mean the Punta Gorda club rather than the Lee County course. And the "Burnt Store Boat Ramp" is a City of Cape Coral ramp in Lee County, not a ramp at Burnt Store Marina or in Burnt Store Lakes (FWC, Burnt Store boat ramp). For the city that begins at Burnt Store Marina's southern edge, see our guide to Cape Coral.

The way to be sure is the legal description. A Burnt Store Lakes home's deed and county record read "Punta Gorda Isles, Section 21," and a Burnt Store Lakes condominium carries one of the seven condominium names; anything else is a different community, whatever the listing calls it.

Selling or buying in Burnt Store Lakes? A Burnt Store Lakes home is priced on its own county record, not on the marina next door. Sellers can get a free home valuation built on the 63 recorded home sales above, or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. Buyers can call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we represent buyers before touring.

How Did Burnt Store Lakes Begin?

Burnt Store Lakes began as Section 21 of the Punta Gorda Isles development, platted by Punta Gorda Isles, Inc. and restricted by recorded declarations in 1972. The developer sold lots one by one for two decades, owners formed a property owners' association in 1984, and most homes went up after 1990.

Data updated: September 2026 (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association recorded declarations, bylaws and newsletters; Charlotte County Ordinance 90-68 and MSBU records; Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, downloaded September 26, 2026, our analysis).

The developer and the Section 21 plat

The association's recorded 2021 declaration puts the origin in one sentence: "The Community was originally created and established by Punta Gorda Isles, Inc., a Florida corporation as its developer as a residential community" (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021). The Punta Gorda Isles name runs through a family of numbered sections, from the canal streets of Punta Gorda Isles inside the city to Burnt Store Isles, recorded as Section 15. Burnt Store Lakes is Section 21. The developer was later known as PGI, Incorporated; a 1992 deed recorded as part of the same declaration names the grantor as "PGI, INCORPORATED, f/k/a Punta Gorda Isles, Inc."

The recorded subdivision name is not Burnt Store Lakes. It is Punta Gorda Isles, Section 21, "as recorded in Plat Book 13, Pages 1A thru 1Z-21 of the Public Records of Charlotte County, Florida," the citation used both in the county ordinance that created the community's street and drainage unit (Charlotte County Ordinance 90-68) and in the association's own recorded 2021 certificate. Parcel legal descriptions in the community read "Punta Gorda Isles Section 21," and the Charlotte County Property Appraiser files every parcel under the county's PGI 021 plat code (Charlotte County Property Appraiser, sample record card). Burnt Store Lakes is the name the owners' association took and the name the market uses.

The 1972 restrictions and the recorded chain

The developer recorded two sets of deed restrictions in 1972, one for single-family lots and one for multi-family lots, at Official Records Book 397, Page 918 and Page 926 (Deed Restrictions, Single Family, with amendments; Recorded Bylaws). The single-family version set a 1,200-square-foot minimum living area, a 75-foot minimum lot width at the front setback line, a 7,200-square-foot minimum lot area, a 3-foot cap on walls, fences and hedges without written approval, 1.5 paved parking spaces per home and no overnight parking of boats, trailers or trucks without written consent. Those older rules explain why some of the community's earliest homes are smaller than anything that can be built today.

Sources: Deed Restrictions, Single Family; Recorded Bylaws; Bylaw Amendment, 2015; 2021, 2023 and 2025 Deed Restrictions page.

Selling the lots, one owner at a time

Burnt Store Lakes was not built by a single builder in a few years. The developer sold platted lots to individual buyers over roughly two decades, and many of those buyers never built. The clearest record is Exhibit E of the 2021 declaration, a lot-by-lot table titled "Listing of Multi-Family Lots Within Burnt Store Lakes With Dates Developer Sold the Lot" (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021). It shows developer sales as early as August 1, 1978 and as late as April 22, 1993, and it records many lots sold in the late 1970s and early 1980s as still "Undeveloped" on April 1, 2021. The land under the Acapulco Club condominium, Lots 10 to 12 of Block 887, was sold by the developer in 1983 and 1984, and the Boca Vista condominium lots in Block 939 in 1981 and 1983; the buildings on both came decades later.

That pattern is the root of the Burnt Store Lakes market today. The lots went to individual buyers, and every decade since, some of those owners have built, some have resold, and many have simply held. It is why the county roll still carries more vacant homesites than homes, and why a single street can hold a 1990 house, an empty lot and a house finished last year side by side.

The 1990 street and drainage unit

In 1990 Charlotte County created a Municipal Service Benefit Unit to pave and drain the platted streets. Ordinance 90-68, adopted December 18, 1990, established the South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit over Punta Gorda Isles Section 21, with a legal boundary that also takes in Harborside Woods Phase I and part of the Pirate Harbor area (Charlotte County Ordinance 90-68). Its purpose, in the county code, is "the construction, reconstruction, repair, paving, repaving, hard-surfacing, re-hard surfacing, widening, guttering and draining of the streets within the unit which have been platted and accepted by the county" (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit). An advisory board followed under Ordinance 2007-013. The unit still maintains and repaves those county-accepted streets, and it is still a line on every owner's tax bill (see the fee stack below).

From the developer to the owners

The owners' association was incorporated in 1984, per its recorded articles, and it rewrote its bylaws on August 14, 1992 (Recorded Bylaws). The bylaws give it the job of administering the common areas shown on the plat, maintaining the common areas including the lakes and the entranceway, and enforcing the declaration. Two weeks after that rewrite, on August 28, 1992, PGI, Incorporated signed a quitclaim deed, recorded at OR Book 1240, Page 1986, conveying to the owners of the lots, tracts and condominium units in Section 21 an undivided common-property interest in the greenbelts and common areas, addressed in care of the "Punta Gorda Isles, Section 21, Property Owners Association" (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021, Exhibit B).

The documents we read do not state a single turnover date, the day control passed from the developer to an owner-elected board. What they do show is the sequence: an owners' association in 1984, owner-adopted bylaws in 1992, the developer's common property deeded to the owners the same year, and developer lot sales on the association's exhibit running into 1993. From there the owners ran the community themselves, and they still do. The association calls itself "a self-managed Property Owners Association," with its own office staff rather than an outside management company (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association).

The 2021 rewrite

For almost fifty years Burnt Store Lakes ran on two declarations, one for single-family lots and one for multi-family lots, plus about 25 separate board policies. In 2021 the members replaced all of it. The Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions, Section 21 (Burnt Store Lakes), with new bylaws and restated articles, was approved at the October 16, 2021 annual meeting and recorded October 29, 2021 as Instrument 3016231 (Deed Restrictions and Bylaws page). The association's own summary lists what changed: one merged declaration with a single vote, the single-family minimum raised from 1,200 to 1,700 square feet, apartment complexes and short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO prohibited, integrated RV garages allowed on new construction, and the annual budget and assessment adopted by the members rather than by the board alone (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents). Amendments followed in 2023 and 2025, covered under governance below.

How the homes came: the build-out timeline

The county roll tells the build-out story better than any brochure. Of the 1,848 parcels on the Section 21 plat, 711 carry a year built, and they cluster in two waves: 428 homes built from 1990 to 2009, a near pause of 11 homes from 2010 to 2014, and 189 built from 2020 through 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, downloaded September 26, 2026, our analysis).

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public roll and sales files, our analysis.

The association's own measure of how far along the community is reads differently, and both are worth knowing. Its home page says Burnt Store Lakes is "Presently 40% developed" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association). On the county roll, 711 of the 1,848 plat parcels carry a year built, which is 38.5 percent, and the 94 condominium units sit on separately recorded condominium parcels outside that count. The association has also reported the pace from its side of the permit counter: 92 homes under construction in January 2024 (BSLPOA newsletter, March 2024).

Next door, but not the same community

Burnt Store Lakes grew up beside a better-known neighbor and is often confused with it. Burnt Store Marina is Punta Gorda Isles Section 22, a gated marina and golf community in Lee County with its own master association. The Burnt Store Lakes association describes it as "located next door" and says residents interested in boating, golf, tennis, pickleball and dining "can explore the offerings at Burnt Store Marina" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association). No document we read gives Burnt Store Lakes owners membership rights there. Measured to 3150 Matecumbe Key Road, Burnt Store Marina is 3.9 miles and 10 minutes from 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard by free-flow routing (OSRM open routing engine on OpenStreetMap road data, fastest route, no traffic, origin and destination geocoded with the US Census Geocoder, accessed September 26, 2026).

What Are the Lakes in Burnt Store Lakes?

Burnt Store Lakes has eleven freshwater lakes, according to its property owners' association, and they are the reason for the name. The association maintains them as common areas, a community park sits on Spoonbill Lake, and a resident canoe and kayak launch on Bear Branch Creek leads out to Charlotte Harbor.

Data updated: September 2026 (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association map, park, launch and governing-document pages; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission license and boating-guide pages; Charlotte County parks; read September 26, 2026).

How many lakes, and what they are called

The association counts eleven. Its welcome text describes "eleven fish-filled lakes, spacious greenbelts, abundant wildlife and proximity to Charlotte Harbor and Burnt Store Marina" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association), and its map page says its color map shows "street names and names of the eleven (11) lakes" (Map of Burnt Store Lakes). Eleven is the association's count, and it is the count we use.

The association's own documents name nine lakes. Among them are Eagle Lake, Stork Lake, Heron Lake, Ibis Lake, Egret Lake, King Fisher Lake, Osprey Lake and Pelican Lake, all labeled on the association's October 2019 color master plan (BSL Color Master Plan, October 2019), and Spoonbill Lake, which the association names as the home of its community park. We do not publish a complete list of all eleven because no public association or county document we could read spells it out, and a name list that is half right is worse than none. If a specific lake matters to your purchase, the association's map is the document to ask for, and the county parcel map shows whether a given lot touches the water.

The county roll records 247.43 acres of greenbelts on the plat, "as per Plat Book 13 Pg. 1" (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, greenbelt parcel). The association's map also labels Bear Branch Creek, the creek its kayak launch sits on.

Who maintains the lakes

The association does. Section 3.1 of the recorded declaration defines the community's common areas to include "all pedestrian walkways, parkways, lakes, water areas, shown on the record plat plus all greenbelts, common areas, easements and parcels designated as Park 'A'," and obliges the association to operate, maintain, repair and replace them "regardless of whether legal right to that property has been formally conveyed to the Association, and regardless whether title to any of these areas has been deeded or conveyed by the Declarant to all Lot Owners in their undivided interests" (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021). In plain terms, the lakes are the association's job no matter how the title to the lake beds reads, and the cost of looking after them comes out of the association's budget, not the county's.

Who holds legal title to each lake bed is a separate question, and it is not one we answer here: the 1992 quitclaim deed conveyed the greenbelts and common areas to the owners in undivided shares, but the documents we could read do not say whether that includes the lake bottoms. For a buyer, the practical point is who maintains the water and the banks, and the declaration answers that.

Rules at the water's edge

Lakefront owners live under a few rules that interior owners never notice. The 2021 declaration says "No Owner shall remove native vegetation (excluding cattails) that become established within any wet retention or detention ponds abutting their Lot," and defines removal to include "dredging, the application of herbicide, cutting, and the introduction of grass carp." It also records that the developer "previously reserved for itself and for the Association's benefit, a perpetual easement across each Lot for the purpose of altering drainage and water flow within the drainage easement" (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021).

The 2025 amendment tightened the rules on the water itself. New Section 6.18, Surface Water Management System, bars dumping rubbish, waste, sewage, oil or construction debris into the drainage system and strictly prohibits herbicide in the lakes, which it describes as wet detention ponds regulated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents). Irrigating from a lake takes an application too; the fee schedule lists a "Well/Lake-Source Irrigation Application" at no charge (BSLPOA Fee Schedule, effective February 1, 2026). If you plan a dock, a seawall, a fountain or a lawn that runs to the bank, ask the association before you close.

Fishing the lakes and the harbor

The association invites it. Its site promises "plenty of opportunity for fishing, bird watching, daily strolls and extended bike rides," and it describes the park on Spoonbill Lake as a place for "fishing, walking, biking, family gatherings and community social events" (Community Park).

What it does not do is change the state's licensing rules, and we will not tell you a license is unnecessary. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission freshwater rules apply. A license is "Required to take or attempt to take native or nonnative freshwater fish," and the 2026 resident annual freshwater license is $17.00 (FWC, Freshwater Fishing License). FWC does exempt some private ponds and some homestead fishing, but the pond exemption turns on acreage, single ownership and whether the water has a surface connection to public waters (FWC, Private Fish Pond License), and none of those facts is established for the lakes here. Read FWC's rules before you cast. Fishing from the kayak launch out in Charlotte Harbor is a different matter: that is saltwater, public water, and FWC's saltwater license and rules govern it.

The Community Park on Spoonbill Lake

The community's one developed park sits on Spoonbill Lake. The association describes "'old Florida style' pavilions sheltering many picnic tables, restrooms, an observation deck overlooking Spoonbill Lake and a playground and swings for children," with "multiple shade trees and a beautiful view of the lake and Bear Branch Creek." It is open 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM (Community Park). Groups reserve pavilions through the association office at (941) 639-5881. The fee schedule lists a $65 refundable amenity cleaning and damage deposit and a $200 non-member amenity use fee for large parties and groups (BSLPOA Fee Schedule).

The association also keeps a Community Center Room at its office, 16500 Burnt Store Road, at the back of Turtle Crossing Plaza, free for residents and used for community activities; outside groups pay a use fee (Community Center Room). There is no community pool, clubhouse or golf course inside Burnt Store Lakes.

The canoe and kayak launch on Bear Branch Creek

This is the feature most listings leave out. "At the Canoe/Kayak Launch on Bear Branch creek residents can launch and paddle through the mangrove preserve out to Charlotte Harbor to appreciate the natural Florida environment and some of the best fishing in the local area," the association writes. The launch is for residents and is open dawn to dusk; a car parked there must show a resident vehicle sticker or a guest vehicle pass (Canoe/Kayak Launch). The association places the Charlotte Harbor Buffer Preserve on the community's west side (Find Us Here), and the launch route runs through what it calls the mangrove preserve.

So the honest description of Burnt Store Lakes water access is neither "boating community" nor "no water access." The lakes are freshwater, the plat records no canals (no canal language appears in any Section 21 parcel legal description on the county roll), and the harbor is reachable by paddle craft from a resident launch.

Boats, ramps and what the lakes are not

There is no boat ramp in Burnt Store Lakes. Power boaters trailer to a public ramp. The ramps listed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and by Charlotte County are north of the community in and around Punta Gorda: Ponce de Leon Park and Laishley Park in the city, and Darst Park, Harbour Heights Park, Hathaway Park and Riverside Park in the county (FWC, Charlotte Harbor boat ramps; Charlotte County, Fishing, Boat Ramps, Kayak Launches). Harbour Heights Park, 27420 Voyageur Drive, is 17.0 miles and 26 minutes from 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard by free-flow routing (OSRM, OpenStreetMap, no traffic, Census-geocoded addresses, accessed September 26, 2026).

Two ramps nearby are not what their names suggest. The ramp inside Burnt Store Marina appears on FWC's list of marinas, not on its list of public boat ramps, so we do not call it public. And the "Burnt Store Boat Ramp" is a City of Cape Coral ramp in Lee County, a different facility from anything at Burnt Store Marina or Burnt Store Lakes. Boaters who want a slip or dry storage deal with Safe Harbor Burnt Store at the marina next door, on commercial terms.

The bird names you will also hear next door

Osprey, Pelican and Heron are lake names in Burnt Store Lakes. They are also the names of the three nines at Burnt Store Marina Country Club next door (Burnt Store Marina Country Club, Course Details). The overlap is a coincidence of the naming style, not a shared landscape: the lakes in Burnt Store Lakes are not on a golf course, and Burnt Store Lakes has no golf course of its own.

How Is Burnt Store Lakes Laid Out?

Burnt Store Lakes is laid out as one recorded plat of 154 numbered blocks, Blocks 831 to 989, with 1,833 lots, 15 tracts and about 247 acres of greenbelt around its lakes. Cape Horn Boulevard, Acapulco Road and San Edmundo Road carry most traffic, and single-family lots are zoned RSF-3.5.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, downloaded September 26, 2026, our analysis; Charlotte County zoning determination AVAR-21-004; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association location and map pages).

Where it sits on Burnt Store Road

The association locates the community this way: "Located 65 miles south of Sarasota and 68 miles north of Naples, Burnt Store Lakes is situated nine miles south down Burnt Store Road from U.S. 41. The community is bordered to the north by Punta Gorda, to the south by Burnt Store Marina and Cape Coral, and by the Charlotte Harbor Buffer Preserve to the West" (Find Us Here). That puts it at the south end of the Charlotte County stretch of Burnt Store Road, with Cape Coral and the Lee County line just beyond Burnt Store Marina. Every Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte destination is north of it. The association office is at 16500 Burnt Store Road.

Blocks and lots

The Section 21 plat is organized by number, not by named villages. The county roll carries 154 block numbers from 831 to 989 and 1,833 block-and-lot parcels, plus 15 tract, greenbelt and right-of-way parcels, for 1,848 parcels in all. Block numbers 911, 958, 964, 976 and 979 do not appear as lot blocks because the plat used those numbers for tracts instead. Blocks range from 2 lots to 31; the largest is Block 986 on Vellum Circle, with 31 lots (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, our analysis).

Because Burnt Store Lakes has one master association, one set of restrictions and one street and drainage unit across the whole plat, no block or street is a separate neighborhood in any legal sense. What changes from street to street is age, water frontage and how many empty lots are left. Some blocks are nearly built out; Block 852 on Saragossa Lane carries 8 homes on 10 lots, and Block 930 on Cuman Court and Huancay Lane 13 homes on 17 lots. Others are nearly empty; Block 878 on Juarez Court carries 1 home on 19 lots, and Block 879 on Cape Horn Boulevard 1 home on 13.

The main streets

The roll lists 103 street names on Section 21 addresses. Most are one-block or two-block lanes and courts off a handful of through roads, and their names mix Spanish and Latin American places (Acapulco, San Edmundo, Santa Inez, Rio Togas) mixed with spices and herbs (Peppercorn, Nutmeg, Spearmint, Savory, Thyme).

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public roll, our analysis of the parcel address field. The roll spells one street "San Ciprian Rd" and another "Pomegrante Way"; we use the roll's spelling when naming a parcel.

Parcels, homes and vacant homesites

The single most important fact about Burnt Store Lakes for a buyer or a seller is that it is still mostly land. Here is how the 1,848 plat parcels break down on the 2026 roll, with the condominium units shown separately because they are recorded outside the plat count.

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, downloaded September 26, 2026, our analysis.

The vacant count carries a caution. The roll recodes a lot only after a new home is assessed, so the vacant code runs behind what is on the ground. In the last 12 months, 6 of the 63 qualified sales we tracked on the plat closed on parcels still coded vacant that were in fact new homes (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). Read "about 1,130 vacant" as an upper bound on the homesites still available, not an exact count.

The tracts

Fifteen parcels on the plat are not ordinary lots. The largest is the greenbelt parcel, 247.43 acres by the county's legal description. Tract A is split into several parcels, two of them described on the roll as lying north and south of "Sunset Palms Phase 1," which tells you the Sunset Palms condominium was built on land carved from the Section 21 plat's Tract A. Tracts D and E, at 16001 and 16101 Burnt Store Road, are vacant commercial parcels. Tract F and Tracts 911, 958, 964, 976 and 979 each carry a legal description noting a piece taken for road work, most of them naming Burnt Store Road (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, tract legal descriptions).

The declaration assigns uses to the tracts: it says "Tracts A, B, F, 911, 958, 964, 976, and 979 are designated residential, multi-family use" and that certain other tracts "are designated as Commercial Use" (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021). The association's fee schedule lists a commercial development application for Tracts D and E with no fee amount set yet (BSLPOA Fee Schedule). The declaration's use designation is not the same thing as county zoning, and we have not read the county zoning for the tracts.

Zoning

Single-family lots in Burnt Store Lakes are zoned RSF-3.5, Residential Single-family 3.5. The source is a Charlotte County zoning determination dated January 3, 2022, on an administrative variance application for 16381 Cape Horn Boulevard, which states that "the residence located in the Residential Single-family 3.5 (RSF-3.5) zoning district" (Charlotte County, AVAR-21-004). County zoning and the association's declaration both apply to a lot; where they differ, the stricter one controls what you can build.

Streets, gates and golf carts

The streets are county-platted roads, "platted and accepted by the county," and the county's street and drainage unit maintains and repaves them (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit). No gate appears in any association document we read, so we do not describe the community as gated. On golf carts the association is direct: "Burnt Store Lakes itself is not a Charlotte County golf cart designated community" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association).

Maps you can open

Three public maps cover most questions. The association's Map of Burnt Store Lakes page links its October 2019 color master plan with street and lake names. Charlotte County's Burnt Store Lakes neighborhood watch map shows the street grid. And any parcel's Charlotte County Property Appraiser record card shows its block, lot, legal description, sales history and year built.

Who Governs Burnt Store Lakes?

Burnt Store Lakes is governed by Charlotte County, because it lies in unincorporated Charlotte County despite its Punta Gorda address, and by one mandatory, self-managed master association, the Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, under its 2021 Amended and Restated Declaration as amended in 2023 and 2025.

Data updated: September 2026 (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association recorded declaration, bylaws, rules, fee schedule and forms; Charlotte County MSBU records; Charlotte County Sheriff's Office; read September 26, 2026).

Charlotte County, not the City of Punta Gorda

The mail says Punta Gorda, Florida 33955, but Burnt Store Lakes is not inside the City of Punta Gorda. It is unincorporated Charlotte County, and that one fact settles who does what:

• Taxes and appraisal come from the Charlotte County Property Appraiser and the Charlotte County Tax Collector.
• Roads and drainage are county roads maintained through the South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit, a county benefit unit billed on the tax bill (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit).
• Zoning and permits are Charlotte County's; single-family lots are zoned RSF-3.5.
• Water and sewer fall inside Charlotte County Utilities' certificated service areas (Charlotte County GIS, Utilities Mapbook).
• Law enforcement is the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, District 4, which runs "from south of the Baron Collier Bridge to the Lee County line" and is based at 25500 Airport Road (Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Patrol).

Burnt Store Marina, next door, is the opposite case: Lee County government with a Punta Gorda address. Buyers comparing the two are comparing two counties, two tax bills and two building departments.

The Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association

The master association is the Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, Inc., a Florida not-for-profit corporation incorporated in 1984 per its recorded articles. Its office is at 16500 Burnt Store Road in Turtle Crossing Plaza, phone (941) 639-5881, email [email protected] (Rental Registration Form, office block). Its bylaws state its purposes as administering the common area shown on the plat, maintaining the common areas including the lakes and the entranceway, enforcing the declaration, and promoting the general well-being and harmony of the owners (Recorded Bylaws). It describes itself as "a vibrant, growing, cross-generational deed-restricted community" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association).

Membership is mandatory

This is not a voluntary civic club. The declaration runs with every lot on the plat, and the bylaws give "each parcel owner" one vote "for each parcel," so membership comes with the deed, with no sign-up step. Assessments and fines can become liens, architectural review is required before exterior work, and rentals must be registered (Recorded Bylaws; Rules and Regulations, Governing Documents Enforcement, July 15, 2025). If you own a lot in Section 21, you are a member and you pay.

Self-management and the board

The association runs itself. It says it "is governed by a self-managed Property Owners Association" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association), with office staff and a community association manager position rather than an outside management company. An elected, volunteer board of directors makes the decisions; the 1992 bylaws set the board at not fewer than 3 nor more than 7 directors, with officers drawn from the board (Recorded Bylaws). We do not name current directors on this page because the public records we read disagree on who holds office in 2026; the association office can tell you.

The 2021 restatement changed how owners take part. The quorum for members' meetings is now 10 percent of members present in person or by proxy, board nominations are no longer taken from the floor at the annual meeting, and the members, not the board alone, adopt the annual budget and the assessment (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents). The fiscal year runs October 1 to September 30.

The governing documents today

Three recorded instruments make up the current rulebook: the Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions, Section 21 (Burnt Store Lakes), with the Second Amended and Restated Bylaws and Amended and Restated Articles, recorded October 29, 2021 as Instrument 3016231; the amendment recorded November 15, 2023 as Instrument 3338908; and the amendment recorded November 11, 2025 as Instrument 3586459 (2021, 2023 and 2025 Deed Restrictions). The association posts them, with its rules and forms, on its Deed Restrictions and Bylaws page. The full restated declaration with exhibits runs to 87 pages. Read the declaration itself, not a summary, before you buy.

What changed in 2021

The association's own summary of the 2021 rewrite lists the changes a buyer notices (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents):

• The single-family and multi-family declarations merged into one, with one quorum and one vote.
• About 25 separate board policies folded into the declaration itself.
• The single-family minimum living area rose from 1,200 to 1,700 square feet.
• The fence height standard rose from 3 feet to 4 feet, and side enclosures were relaxed.
• Integrated RV garages were allowed in new construction, and RV loading and unloading windows lengthened to up to 5 days.
• Apartment complexes and short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO were prohibited.
• Existing conditions at the time of the rewrite were grandfathered.
• Annual and special assessments became subject to membership approval.
• Electronic notice and, in future, electronic voting were authorized.

What changed in 2025

The 2025 amendment, recorded November 11, 2025, updated the declaration for Florida's July 1, 2024 changes to the homeowners' association statutes and tightened several use rules (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents):

• Setbacks (5.17.1) now follow current Charlotte County setbacks rather than numbers written into the declaration.
• Fences (5.27.2) are picket-style only (details below).
• Driveways (5.24): gravel driveways are prohibited, and the clean-site deposit for driveway work was removed.
• Exterior lighting (6.13): soffit lights, spotlights, floodlights and lanai lights may not light neighboring homes and windows overnight and early morning.
• Holiday displays and flags (6.15) were aligned with state law; Halloween displays may now be lighted.
• Commercial and work vehicles (6.16) rules tightened, with a carve-out that first-responder vehicles are not commercial work vehicles.
• Surface water (6.18): no dumping into the drainage system, and no herbicide in the lakes.
• Hurricane protection (6.19) now refers to products recognized by the current Florida and Charlotte County building codes.
• Fireworks (6.25) are allowed on the dates state law permits.
• Vegetable gardens (6.26) are prohibited unless otherwise permitted by law.
• Boats, kayaks and canoes (7.9) not covered by an association waiver must be stored in a garage or out of view.
• Enforcement (Article 11) was realigned with Section 720.305 of the Florida Statutes.

Architectural review

Nothing on the outside of a Burnt Store Lakes home changes without approval. The Architectural Review Committee reviews applications against Section 5 of the declaration and the association's New Construction Packet, and final approval rests with the board of directors at its monthly meeting; the committee only recommends (Rules and Regulations, Architectural Review, April 19, 2022). The sequence is: the owner or contractor files the application at the office; staff date-stamp it and return it if anything is missing; the committee reviews the complete file; a board liaison carries the recommendation to the next monthly board meeting; the board approves or rejects; the committee inspects monthly until the work is done; and a final committee and board inspection closes the project. A change to an approved plan goes back through the same loop.

The fee schedule shows which applications cost money. A new home is $250, an addition or exterior remodel including lanais, pools and pool cages is $200, and driveway, roof, painting, fence, well or lake-source irrigation and other minor applications are free (BSLPOA Fee Schedule, effective February 1, 2026). Free does not mean optional: a roof color or a new driveway still needs the application.

Building minimums and materials

The declaration's development standards are stricter than many Punta Gorda-area communities of the same age (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021):

Sources: Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021; Summary of 2025 Governing Documents.

The 1,700-square-foot minimum is the rule that shapes the market most. It sets a floor under every new home, and it is why a small 1990s house on a lot here is, in a sense, a product that can no longer be built.

Fences

Fences are tightly drawn. Under the 2025 rule in Section 5.27.2, fences must be picket-style only, with no solid, shadow-box, split-rail, woven-wire or chain-link fencing; gates are allowed, the board may regulate landscaping around a fence, and a home that covers two lots may fence up to one-half of the unimproved lot. Fence setbacks cross-reference the same section (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents). The 2021 restatement had already raised the height standard from 3 feet to 4 feet. A fence application is free, but it is required.

Rentals and the short-term rental ban

Renting is allowed, with conditions. A landlord files the association's Rental Registration Form and pays a $100 fee at least 10 days before the lease begins, and the owner stays responsible for the tenant's compliance and any fines; rentals "must conform to section 6.3-6.3.5 of the Deed restrictions" (Rental Registration Form, revised June 15, 2025). Short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO are prohibited, and the 2021 rewrite added "additional rental guidelines to minimize short-term rentals" (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents). The public summaries do not state a minimum lease term; it would sit in Sections 6.3 to 6.3.5 of the declaration, so read those sections before you buy to rent.

Boats, RVs, trailers and work vehicles

This is where Burnt Store Lakes owners most often get violation letters, so it pays to know the rules before you move in with a boat or a camper. Boats, kayaks and canoes not covered by an association waiver must be kept in a garage or out of view (Section 7.9, 2025). RVs may be loaded and unloaded for up to 5 days (2021), and new homes may include an integrated RV garage, which is the only garage allowed a door taller than 11 feet. Commercial and work vehicle parking rules tightened in 2025, with first-responder vehicles expressly allowed to park wherever the owner has a right to park (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents; Summary of 2021 Governing Documents).

The association's enforcement rules show how fast it expects a fix. From the date of a violation letter, the recommended correction window is 3 days for boats and kayaks, RVs, trailers, vehicles and parking, 2 days for garbage and recycling bins, and 20 days for fences and walls (Rules and Regulations, Governing Documents Enforcement). Staff also check lots for storage sheds and containers, which the inspection list treats as violations.

Pets, gardens, lighting and fireworks

The association's public summaries of the 2021 and 2025 documents do not set out a pet rule, and we have not found one in the materials we could read, so we will not describe one. Ask the association office, and read the use restrictions in the full declaration, before you bring a large dog or several pets. The 2025 amendment does cover three other everyday matters: vegetable gardens are prohibited unless otherwise permitted by law, exterior lights may not shine into neighbors' homes overnight, and fireworks are allowed only on the dates state law permits (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents).

Enforcement and fines

The association enforces through a statutory fining process (Rules and Regulations, Governing Documents Enforcement, July 15, 2025):

1. Staff send an initial violation notice with a deadline to correct.
2. If it is not corrected, a quorum of at least 4 board members reviews it and recommends a fine or suspension.
3. The owner gets 14 days' written notice of a hearing before a fining committee of at least 3 members, none of them directors, directors' relatives or people living with a director.
4. The committee approves or rejects by majority vote. The maximum fine is $200 per day per violation, up to $3,000 for a continuing violation.
5. A fine is due 30 days after the hearing notice of results. Unpaid fines of $1,000 or more can become a lien on the lot, foreclosable like an assessment lien.
6. More than 90 days delinquent, the association may suspend common-area use and voting rights and pursue arbitration, small claims or a lawsuit.

For a seller, open violations surface at closing, because the estoppel certificate reports amounts owed. Clear them before you list.

Is Burnt Store Lakes a 55+ community?

Not by any public description we found. Burnt Store Lakes is not marketed or described as age-restricted, and the association calls itself "cross-generational" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association). Its park has a playground and swings for children. We have not read every page of the 87-page restated declaration or every condominium's declaration, so if age rules matter to you, ask the association and any condominium association in writing.

Do the condominiums answer to the association?

Partly, and the record is specific about which. The association's recorded Exhibit E lists "Acapulco Club Condos" and "Boca Vista Condos" as multi-family lots within Burnt Store Lakes, and the association's fee schedule carries condominium lines: a $0 estoppel fee for condominiums and a $250-per-unit multi-family townhouse and condominium building application (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021; BSLPOA Fee Schedule). Each of the seven condominium regimes is also its own association under Chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes, with its own declaration and board. Whether a particular condominium's owners pay a master assessment on top of condominium dues is set in that condominium's documents, so ask both associations for an estoppel certificate on the unit.

What Does It Cost to Own in Burnt Store Lakes? The Fee Stack

Owning in Burnt Store Lakes costs Charlotte County property tax, two county benefit-unit charges on the tax bill, and the property owners' association's annual assessment, plus one-time association fees at a sale or a build. The street and drainage charge is $297.83 per unit a year, and no community development district appears on the record.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County FY2026 adopted and FY2027 approved MSBU budgets; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association Fee Schedule effective February 1, 2026, bylaws and rental form; read September 26, 2026).

Sources: Charlotte County, South Burnt Store SD FY2026 adopted and FY2027 approved budget; Charlotte County, South Charlotte Stormwater FY2026 adopted and FY2027 approved budget; BSLPOA Fee Schedule, effective February 1, 2026; Rental Registration Form; Recorded Bylaws.

Selling or buying in Burnt Store Lakes? Sellers can get a free Punta Gorda home valuation that accounts for the benefit-unit charges and association fees a buyer will ask about, or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. Buyers can call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we help buyers in Punta Gorda before touring.

The annual assessment, and why no dollar figure appears here

The association does not publish its annual assessment outside its member portal; it is on the adopted budget and the estoppel certificate. Its "Pay my Annual Assessment" and FAQ pages sit behind a member login. What the governing documents do make public is how the number is set. The assessment is billed annually and falls due within 60 days of the start of the fiscal year, which runs October 1 to September 30, and since 2021 the members, not the board alone, adopt both the budget and the assessment at the annual meeting (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents; Recorded Bylaws). Special assessments also need membership approval.

You may see a dollar figure for Burnt Store Lakes dues on a listing. We do not repeat one, because none comes from a document the association publishes. For a specific lot, the figure that counts is the one on the estoppel certificate the association issues at sale, which by Florida law states the assessment and anything owed.

The recorded documents assign the association its jobs: maintaining the common areas, including the lakes, water areas, greenbelts, Park A and the entranceway, running architectural review and enforcing the declaration (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021; Recorded Bylaws). The adopted budget shows how the assessment is spent on them. The streets and drainage are a separate county charge, and nothing in the association's documents buys any privilege at Burnt Store Marina.

The South Burnt Store Street and Drainage MSBU

This is the charge most Burnt Store Lakes buyers do not expect, and it is not small. The county bills $297.83 per equivalent residential unit (ERU) a year, the same rate whether a lot is vacant or built on; the county's own documents list "Current FY25 Rate $297.83" and "Current Maximum Rate $297.83," with no change proposed for FY2026 or FY2027 (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store SD FY2026 and FY2027 budget). The rate was $52.83 per ERU from FY2013/14 through FY2016/17 and rose to $297.83 in FY2017/18, where it has stayed (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store advisory board minutes and rate history, September 26, 2022).

The money went into a road program. The FY2026 adopted budget carries a $5,617,139 "Paving" line and a $354,000 "Rejuvenation" line, which is the repaving the unit has been saving for (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store SD FY2026 and FY2027 budget). The unit was created in 1990 for the Burnt Store Lakes streets and drainage, and its legal boundary also takes in Harborside Woods Phase I (Charlotte County Ordinance 90-68). An advisory board of residents reviews its work program and budget (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit).

One name to keep straight: the Burnt Store Village Street and Drainage unit is a different county unit for a different community, Burnt Store Village, and it has nothing to do with Burnt Store Lakes (Charlotte County, Burnt Store Village Street and Drainage Unit).

The South Charlotte Stormwater MSBU

The second benefit-unit line is broader. The South Charlotte Stormwater unit exists "to provide for the financing, design, construction, maintenance and operation of a stormwater management system" across a south county area that includes Burnt Store Lakes, Burnt Store Village, Burnt Store Colony, Pirate Harbor, Woodland Estates, Heritage Landing and the Ranchettes (Charlotte County, South Charlotte Stormwater Utility Unit). The county's FY2026 adopted and FY2027 approved budget lists a "Vacant Rate" of $24.32 and a "Current Maximum Rate" of $26.75 (Charlotte County, South Charlotte Stormwater FY2026 and FY2027 budget). The exact amount on a given parcel is on that parcel's bill.

One-time costs at a sale

A Burnt Store Lakes resale carries three association charges, all on the February 1, 2026 fee schedule (BSLPOA Fee Schedule):

• Capital Resale Assessment, $750, paid by the buyer. The 2021 documents introduced a resale capital contribution; the current fee schedule sets it at $750. It does not apply to a current owner buying an additional lot or home in the community (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents).
• Estoppel certificate, $299 for normal turnaround of up to 10 days, $418 expedited in 3 days or less, and $478 or $500 if the account is delinquent. Who pays is negotiated in the contract.
• Rental application, $100, if the buyer plans to lease the home.

For a condominium unit the association's estoppel line is $0; the condominium association issues its own.

Builder and project fees

Owners building or remodeling pay the association separately from any county permit fee. A new home application is $250; additions and exterior remodels, including lanais, pools and pool cages, are $200; a multi-family townhouse or condominium building is $250 per unit. The builder posts a $25,000 completion deposit and a $5,000 clean-site deposit for a new home or addition, plus $3,000 for a pool, each refundable at completion less any violation charges (BSLPOA Fee Schedule). The fee schedule was adopted January 11, 2022 and revised in November 2023, August 2024, August 2025 and February 2026, so check the current version before you budget.

Reading a Charlotte County tax bill for a Burnt Store Lakes home

A Charlotte County property tax bill has two halves, and a Burnt Store Lakes owner should read both.

The first half is ad valorem tax, the tax on value. Each taxing authority sets a millage rate, a dollar amount per $1,000 of taxable value, and the bill multiplies the total by the parcel's taxable value after exemptions such as homestead. That is why two similar houses on the same street can carry different bills: each bill reflects that owner's assessed value and exemptions. We do not print a millage figure for Burnt Store Lakes here, because we did not read an adopted rate schedule for the community's tax district for this guide. The district code and the rates are printed on the parcel's bill and on its Charlotte County Property Appraiser record card, which also shows the assessed and taxable values and the exemptions.

The second half is non-ad valorem assessments, flat charges that do not depend on value. On a Burnt Store Lakes parcel, that is where the South Burnt Store Street and Drainage charge ($297.83 per ERU) and the South Charlotte Stormwater charge appear (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit; Charlotte County, South Charlotte Stormwater Utility Unit). Because they are flat, they land on a vacant lot the same way they land on a house, which matters to anyone holding land here. The association's own assessment is not on the county bill; the association bills it directly.

Three practical checks:

1. Ask the seller for the most recent tax bill and read the non-ad valorem lines, not just the total.
2. Budget from your purchase price and your own exemptions, not the seller's total, which reflects the seller's assessed value.
3. File for homestead with the Charlotte County Property Appraiser if the home will be your permanent residence.

What a buyer should request at contract

• The association's estoppel certificate, which states the annual assessment, any special assessment and anything owed, under Section 720.30851 of the Florida Statutes.
• The association's adopted budget for the current fiscal year.
• For a condominium unit, the condominium association's estoppel certificate, budget and question-and-answer sheet, and confirmation of whether any master assessment applies.
• The most recent Charlotte County tax bill, to see the district, the non-ad valorem lines and the exemptions.
• Architectural approvals for past exterior work, including fences, pools, driveways and roofs.
• For a lot, a Charlotte County Utilities availability determination (see the building section below).

What Are the Homes and Condominiums in Burnt Store Lakes?

Burnt Store Lakes has 709 homes on its Section 21 plat, almost all detached single-family houses, plus 94 condominium units in seven small regimes built from 2006 to 2008. The homes span four decades, from pre-1990 ranches to houses finished this year, and new construction leads recent sales.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public roll and sales files, our analysis, 12 months September 27, 2025 to September 26, 2026, newest recorded sale August 6, 2026 on the plat and June 18, 2026 in the condominiums).

In the last 12 months we tracked, the Section 21 plat recorded 63 qualified sales at a $432,000 median, from $217,500 to $795,000. The 57 sales on parcels already coded single-family had a $430,000 median, and across the plat's sales the median home had 2,040 square feet of living area, a 2015 year built and a median of $234.42 per square foot of living area. Of the 63, 16 were first sales of new homes, our builder-direct estimate, at a $429,950 median, and resales had a $435,000 median. The seven condominium regimes added 7 sales at a $205,000 median. Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis.

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis.

Homes by era

The housing stock falls into four eras, and each sells a little differently. The table sets the number of homes on the roll in each era beside the number that sold in the last 12 months.

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public roll and sales files, our analysis. The roll count includes a multi-family parcel built in 2025 and an improvement on a greenbelt tract.

The early homes, before 1990

Twenty-five parcels carry a year built before 1990, the oldest from the early 1980s. They were built under the 1972 declaration's 1,200-square-foot minimum, and they are the reason Burnt Store Lakes still has a few homes under the current 1,700-square-foot floor. Block 950 on Tuxpan Lane and Vincent Avenue has a year-built range starting in 1982, and Blocks 838, 888, 921 and 926 each have homes dating to 1984 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, our analysis). Only one of them sold in the last 12 months. For buyers they are the entry price to the community; for sellers the question is whether the lot, not the house, is carrying the value.

The 1990s and 2000s wave

This is the core of the community: 428 homes, 144 built in the 1990s and 284 from 2000 to 2009, spread across nearly every block from San Edmundo Road to Vincent Avenue (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, our analysis). These homes predate the 2021 restatement, so they were approved under the older minimums, and any change to them now goes through today's architectural rules. In the last 12 months, 25 of the 63 sales were homes from these two decades.

2010 to 2019

Only 69 homes on the roll date from 2010 to 2019, and just 11 of those from 2010 to 2014, a near pause in construction that shows plainly in the county data. Building picked up in the second half of the decade: the other 58 date from 2015 to 2019. Ten homes from this decade sold in the last 12 months, including 17411 Medillin Court, built 2016, 2,448 square feet, at $715,000 on May 29, 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis).

The new-build wave since 2020

Since 2020 the roll has added 189 homes, and they now drive the market. Twenty-one of the last 12 months' sales were homes built in 2020 or later, and 6 more were new homes on lots the roll still coded vacant. Sixteen of the 63 sales were first sales of new homes, our builder-direct estimate, at a $429,950 median. The top sale of the year was a recent build: 17122 Barcrest Lane, built 2022, 2,438 square feet, at $795,000 on October 15, 2025. Two Cape Horn Boulevard homes that the roll still had not recoded sold at $695,000 and $685,000 in May and August 2026, and 16381 Cape Horn Boulevard, built 2023, 2,363 square feet, sold at $695,000 on April 3, 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis).

New homes here are built to the 2021 rules: at least 1,700 square feet, tile or metal roofs, an attached garage and a concrete or paver driveway. In the last 12 months the median first sale of a new home, $429,950, sat close to the $435,000 resale median.

Duplex and multi-family lots

A small part of the plat was drawn for more than one home per lot. Five parcels are coded on the roll as duplex or multi-family homes, one each on Blocks 854, 855, 900, 903 and 926, with year-built dates from 1999 to 2020 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, our analysis). The association's recorded Exhibit E lists the multi-family lots and when the developer sold each one, and many were still undeveloped in 2021 (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021). The declaration sets their minimums at 1,000 square feet per unit for multi-family and 1,200 square feet per unit for a duplex, and it prohibits apartment complexes. None of the five recorded a qualified sale in the last 12 months.

Condominiums in Burnt Store Lakes

Seven small condominium regimes sit inside Burnt Store Lakes, each its own condominium association with its own declaration, all built between 2006 and 2008. Together they hold 94 units, recorded on their own condominium parcels outside the 1,848-parcel plat count. In the last 12 months they recorded 7 qualified sales at a $205,000 median, the newest on June 18, 2026. When a regime recorded one or two sales we give the prices, because one or two sales are too thin to read as a market rate.

Source: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public roll and sales files, our analysis.

The Acapulco Road trio. Acapulco Club, Acapulco Lakes and Acapulco Place are three separate regimes on the same road, with units of roughly 1,280 to 1,644 square feet. Acapulco Lakes is a separate 30-unit regime, not another name for Acapulco Club. The Acapulco Club buildings date from 2008 on the county roll, but the land beneath them, Block 887, Lots 10 to 12, was a multi-family lot the developer sold in 1983 and 1984, according to the association's recorded Exhibit E (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021). The two Acapulco Club sales in the last 12 months were a 1,500-square-foot unit at $200,000 on October 15, 2025 and a 1,313-square-foot unit at $225,000 on February 26, 2026. Acapulco Lakes recorded $205,000 on October 6, 2025 and $190,000 on November 10, 2025.

Lake Costa Gardens. One six-unit building on San Edmundo Road. The unit legal descriptions, the name on every sale, read "Lake Costa Gardens Condominium" (La Costa Gardens on the common-element record). A 1,313-square-foot unit sold at $210,000 on October 15, 2025.

Sunset Palms Condominium Phase 1. Ten units in two-unit buildings on Sunset Palms Boulevard, 1,471 to 1,538 square feet, with a clubhouse parcel. It sits on land carved from the Section 21 plat's Tract A, and it recorded no qualified sales in the last 12 months.

Villa Tuscany and Boca Vista. The two Boca Vista Road regimes have the largest condominium units in the community. Villa Tuscany's ten units in one building run about 1,920 to 2,024 square feet, and a 2,023-square-foot unit sold at $390,000 on March 6, 2026, the top condominium sale of the year. Boca Vista's eight units in two four-unit buildings run about 1,979 to 2,047 square feet, and its last qualified sale on the county file was in 2021. The Boca Vista condominium lots in Block 939 appear on the association's recorded multi-family exhibit.

Across all seven, the county file shows a wide run of annual medians: 15 sales at $172,000 in 2019, 10 at $289,750 in 2022, 8 at $295,000 in 2023, 6 at $195,000 in 2025, and 3 at $225,000 from January 1 to September 26, 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). With so few units, a single sale moves the median, so read these as a record of what sold, not a trend line.

Before buying any of these units, ask the condominium association for its estoppel certificate, its budget and reserves, and its question-and-answer sheet, and ask the Burnt Store Lakes association whether it bills the unit. The master association's recorded exhibit names Acapulco Club and Boca Vista; for the other five regimes, the condominium's own documents answer that question.

Can You Build a New Home in Burnt Store Lakes?

Yes. Burnt Store Lakes still has about 1,130 parcels with a vacant residential code on the 2026 county roll, and new homes are its most active product. A new house must meet the declaration's 1,700-square-foot minimum and material rules, pass the association's architectural review, and get a Charlotte County permit.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public roll and sales files, our analysis; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association declaration, architectural rules and Fee Schedule effective February 1, 2026; Charlotte County Utilities; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer; read September 26, 2026).

How many homesites are left

About 1,130 of the 1,848 plat parcels carry a vacant residential code on the 2026 roll, against 711 with a year built (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, our analysis). The roll lags new construction, so the true number of empty lots is somewhat lower; six of the plat's 63 sales in the last 12 months were new homes on lots still coded vacant. Vacant lots sit on most blocks, between existing homes, the legacy of the developer's lot-by-lot sales in the 1970s and 1980s. A few blocks are still mostly land, such as Block 878 on Juarez Court (18 of 19 lots vacant-coded) and Block 894 on Ginger Lane and Acapulco Road (15 of 16).

Two practical points follow. First, every vacant lot already pays its share: the $297.83 street and drainage charge and the stormwater charge land on vacant parcels at the rates shown in the fee stack, and the owner is a member of the association from the day of purchase. Second, lot position varies more than the plat suggests. Lake frontage, the flood zone and the distance to the nearest built home all change from lot to lot, and the county roll has no lake-frontage flag, so check the parcel map for each lot you consider.

What the declaration requires of a new home

A new single-family home in Burnt Store Lakes must meet the 2021 restated declaration as amended (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021; Summary of 2025 Governing Documents):

• At least 1,700 square feet of living area.
• A tile or metal roof, no asphalt shingles, at the minimum pitch the declaration sets.
• At least a one-car garage attached to the home, with a garage door no taller than 11 feet unless it is an RV or boat garage; an oversized garage with up to a 14-foot door is allowed if it is part of the originally approved plan.
• A cement, paver or stamped-concrete driveway, never asphalt or gravel.
• Setbacks that follow current Charlotte County setbacks, per the 2025 amendment.
• Picket-style fencing only, if any.
• Hurricane protection using products recognized by the current Florida and Charlotte County building codes.

On a duplex lot the minimum is 1,200 square feet per unit, and on a multi-family lot 1,000 square feet per unit; apartment complexes are not allowed.

The approval steps

The association's review runs from the first application to the final inspection (Rules and Regulations, Architectural Review):

1. Application. The owner or builder submits the new home construction application, the plans and the fee to the association office. Staff check it for completeness and return incomplete files with a list of what is missing.
2. Committee review. The Architectural Review Committee reviews the complete application against Section 5 of the declaration and the New Construction Packet.
3. Board decision. A board liaison presents the committee's recommendation at the next monthly board meeting, and the board approves or rejects it.
4. County permit. The Charlotte County building permit is a separate approval; the association's review does not replace it.
5. Monthly inspections. The committee inspects the site monthly through completion, under the association's clean-site program.
6. Final inspection. A final committee and board inspection closes the project. The association returns the building plans on request within 30 days of receiving the final certificate of occupancy and the as-built survey.
7. Deposits returned. The completion and clean-site deposits are refunded, less any violation charges.

Any change to the approved plans goes back to the committee and the board.

The fees and deposits

Source: BSLPOA Fee Schedule, effective February 1, 2026.

County permit fees, impact fees and utility connection charges are set by Charlotte County, not the association, and we do not quote them here because we did not read a current county schedule for this guide. Ask your builder for a written line-item estimate of every county charge before you sign.

Water, sewer and the lot you pick

Burnt Store Lakes sits inside Charlotte County Utilities' certificated service areas for both public water and public sewer. The county's GIS layers return "Public System," Charlotte County Utilities, for water and for sewer at the association office, at the Acapulco Club condominium and at a single-family lot on Cape Horn Boulevard (Charlotte County GIS, Utilities Mapbook 2024). Water comes from the county's Burnt Store reverse-osmosis plant at 17430 Burnt Store Road, and the county's Burnt Store water reclamation facility shares the site (Charlotte County, Burnt Store Potable Water Treatment Plant).

A certificated service area is not proof that a given vacant lot already has a tap in the ground. Before you buy a lot, ask Charlotte County Utilities for an availability determination: the county's process is the Utilities Availability Form, with the street address and the short legal description from the Property Appraiser's record, submitted to Engineering Services, or a call to 941.764.4300, option 3 (Charlotte County, Water and Sewer Availability).

Flood zone and elevation

Plan the house around the flood map. A 12-address sample of Section 21 homes against FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer returned Zone AE, with a base flood elevation of 8 to 9 feet NAVD88, at 10 addresses, and Zone X (0.2 percent annual chance, shaded) at 2, on Cabana Road and Vellum Circle, on panels 12015C0416G and 12015C0418G, effective December 15, 2022 (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer). The flood zone is set parcel by parcel, so check the flood map for the exact lot. Ask your builder for a survey and an elevation plan based on the lot's zone and base flood elevation before you commit to a design, because they shape fill, foundation and cost. Charlotte County's 50 percent rule also governs later large renovations of a home in a high-risk flood zone (Charlotte County, 50% FEMA Rule).

Who builds here

Many builders work in Burnt Store Lakes on scattered lots, and we do not publish a list of builders, because no public county or association record we read lists them all. The association's review applies to every builder the same way. To check a specific builder's record in the community, ask the association which homes the builder has completed, walk those homes, and look up the builder's permits and license with the county and the state. The association reported 92 homes under construction in January 2024 (BSLPOA newsletter, March 2024), so recent work is easy to find and see.

Buying a lot and building is a different transaction from buying a finished home. Our guide to new construction in Punta Gorda walks through lot contracts, builder contracts and what to inspect, and we represent buyers on both.

How long does it take?

We do not quote a build time for Burnt Store Lakes, because no public record we read measures one, and the answer depends on the builder, the plans, the permit queue and the season. What the association's rules do fix is the review rhythm: a complete application goes to the board at its next monthly meeting, so a missing item can cost a month. File complete, and ask your builder for a written schedule that starts from the association's approval date.

What Amenities Does Burnt Store Lakes Have?

Burnt Store Lakes builds its amenities around water rather than a clubhouse: eleven lakes by the association's count, a Community Park on Spoonbill Lake, a resident canoe and kayak launch on Bear Branch Creek that reaches Charlotte Harbor, wide greenbelts and a Community Center room. It has no golf course, pool, marina or boat ramp of its own.

Data updated: September 2026 (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association home, Community Park, Canoe/Kayak Launch, Community Center Room and map pages; association Fee Schedule effective February 1, 2026; Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions, 2021, as amended 2023 and 2025; Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, all read September 26, 2026).

The association describes the community in one sentence that covers most of what a buyer gets: "Boasting eleven fish filled lakes, spacious greenbelts, abundant wildlife and proximity to Charlotte Harbor and Burnt Store Marina, the community has much to offer everyone. There is plenty of opportunity for fishing, bird watching, daily strolls and extended bike rides" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association). That is an honest summary. The amenities here are the setting and a handful of resident facilities the association runs, not a resort package, and the association itself sends residents who want golf, courts, a gym or restaurant dining next door (covered in the next section).

The lakes

The association counts eleven lakes. Its map page says the color map "details a layout of the association including street names and names of the eleven (11) lakes" (Map of Burnt Store Lakes), and its printed community flyer calls them "eleven fish-filled fresh water lakes" (association community flyer). Among them, the association's October 2019 color master plan and its park page name Eagle, Stork, Heron, Ibis, Egret, King Fisher, Osprey, Pelican and Spoonbill lakes (BSL Color Master Plan, October 2019; Community Park). The association does not publish a full list of all eleven names in text form, so we do not print one.

The lakes are freshwater, and the recorded plat carries no canal. No legal description on the Punta Gorda Isles Section 21 roll uses canal language, which matters to a buyer comparing this community with the canal grids to the north: a lakefront lot here is a view, a breeze and a fishing spot, not a boat dock. Lake frontage is not flagged on the county roll, so the county record cannot tell you how many lots touch a lake; the plat and the county's parcel map answer that for a given lot.

Several of the lake names are also the names of golf nines at Burnt Store Marina Country Club next door (Osprey, Pelican and Heron). The coincidence confuses people online. The Burnt Store Lakes lakes are inside Burnt Store Lakes, and the golf course is inside Burnt Store Marina; no lake here is on a golf course.

The Community Park on Spoonbill Lake

The park is the community's gathering place. In the association's words: "The Community Park includes 'old Florida style' pavilions sheltering many picnic tables, restrooms, an observation deck overlooking Spoonbill Lake and a playground and swings for children. With multiple shade trees and a beautiful view of the lake and Bear Branch Creek, the park offers residents opportunities for fishing, walking, biking, family gatherings and community social events. Open 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM" (Community Park).

Pavilions are reserved through the association office at 941-639-5881. The park page adds one rule for large events: a group of 50 or more where most guests are not Burnt Store Lakes residents must supply an event liability insurance policy naming the association as certificate holder at least three days ahead (Community Park). The playground is worth noting for families: the association calls Burnt Store Lakes "a vibrant, growing, cross-generational deed-restricted community" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association), and the community is not marketed as age-restricted.

The canoe and kayak launch on Bear Branch Creek

This is the amenity most buyers do not know about, and it answers the most common water question. "At the Canoe/Kayak Launch on Bear Branch creek residents can launch and paddle through the mangrove preserve out to Charlotte Harbor to appreciate the natural Florida environment and some of the best fishing in the local area." The launch is open dawn to dusk "for residents," and a vehicle parked there must show a resident vehicle sticker or a guest vehicle pass, both issued through the association's forms (Canoe/Kayak Launch).

So Burnt Store Lakes does have water access to the harbor, but it is paddle access. The route runs from a freshwater community through a mangrove creek to salt water, and it is a resident facility, not a public launch. Owners who keep kayaks at home should read the 2025 amendment to the declaration, which requires a boat not covered by an association waiver to be stored in a garage or obscured from view (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents).

The Community Center room

The association office doubles as a meeting space. The Community Center Room sits at 16500 Burnt Store Road, on the back side of Turtle Crossing Plaza, and it is free for residents' use; the community calendar has carried groups such as Mahjong and quilting (Community Center Room). The office itself, phone 941-639-5881 and email [email protected], is where residents pick up vehicle stickers, file architectural applications and reserve the park (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association).

Amenity fees on the 2026 schedule

The association's own fee schedule, effective February 1, 2026, lists what the amenities cost to reserve. The Community Park page quotes older figures for some of these items, so we print the current schedule (BSLPOA Fee Schedule, effective February 1, 2026):

The last line is a quiet clue about lake living: irrigating from a well or a lake is a recognized application category, and it costs nothing to file. File it before you install anything.

Greenbelts, walking and wildlife

The plat set aside a lot of open land. The county roll carries the community's greenbelt parcel as "Greenbelts, 247.43 AC. M/L, per Plat Book 13 Pg. 1" (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll). With much of the plat still vacant homesites, the streets feel open, and the association's own language, "daily strolls and extended bike rides," fits the setting. The association also describes the community as bordered on the west by the Charlotte Harbor Buffer Preserve (Find Us Here).

The streets are county-platted roads maintained through a county street and drainage MSBU, and no gate appears in any association document, so walkers and cyclists share ordinary neighborhood streets rather than private paths. Burnt Store Lakes is also "not a Charlotte County golf cart designated community," in the association's words (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association), so a golf cart is not a way to get around the neighborhood here the way it is in some golf communities.

Who maintains the lakes, and what owners may not do

The association does. The restated declaration lists "all pedestrian walkways, parkways, lakes, water areas, shown on the record plat plus all greenbelts, common areas, easements and parcels designated as Park 'A'" among the Common Areas it operates and maintains, "regardless of whether legal right to that property has been formally conveyed to the Association" (Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions, 2021).

Lakefront owners have rules to follow at the water's edge. The declaration says: "No Owner shall remove native vegetation (excluding cattails) that become established within any wet retention or detention ponds abutting their Lot. Removal includes dredging, the application of herbicide, cutting, and the introduction of grass carp." The declarant also reserved, for the association's benefit, a perpetual drainage easement across each lot (Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions, 2021). The 2025 amendments went further: herbicide use in the lakes is "strictly prohibited," and dumping rubbish, waste, oil or construction debris into the drainage system is banned (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents). A buyer planning a dock, a seawall-style edge or a cleared shoreline should ask the association before assuming any of it is allowed.

Fishing in the lakes and in the harbor

The association invites fishing, and the Community Park lists it among the park's uses. Licensing is a separate question. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's freshwater rules apply in freshwater; FWC lists a Resident Annual Freshwater Fishing License at $17.00 (FWC, Freshwater Fishing License). FWC's exemptions for private ponds turn on acreage, single ownership and whether the pond connects to public waters (FWC, Private Fish Pond License), and no public record we found settles those facts for these lakes, so we do not tell anyone a license is unnecessary. Paddle out from Bear Branch Creek into Charlotte Harbor and you are in public salt water, under FWC's saltwater license and fishing rules.

What Burnt Store Lakes does not have

Be clear-eyed about the list. Burnt Store Lakes has no golf course, no clubhouse, no community pool, no fitness center, no tennis or pickleball courts, no marina and no boat ramp on the association's amenity pages, and the association points residents elsewhere for all of them: "Residents interested in boating, golfing, tennis, pickle ball, exercise, restaurant dining and other social activities can explore the offerings at Burnt Store Marina, located next door to Burnt Store Lakes" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association). There is no grocery, restaurant or shop inside the community either.

For many buyers that is the point. There is no club to join, and the resident facilities are simple. For a buyer who wants golf and a pool inside their own gates, it is a reason to look at a different kind of community.

Selling or buying in Burnt Store Lakes? Sellers can get a free Punta Gorda-area home valuation that accounts for your lake frontage and your street, or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. Buyers can call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we represent buyers.

Can Burnt Store Lakes Residents Use Burnt Store Marina's Marina and Golf?

Burnt Store Lakes residents can use Burnt Store Marina's public-facing businesses the same way any visitor can, but a Burnt Store Lakes deed carries no membership there. Safe Harbor sells slips, storage and fuel to paying boaters, the country club takes public tee times, and Cass Cay and Linkside Cafe welcome the public.

Data updated: September 2026 (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association home page; Safe Harbor Burnt Store location page; Burnt Store Marina Country Club home, course, membership and dining pages; Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar; FWC Charlotte Harbor boating guide; OSRM routing estimate computed September 26, 2026).

Two communities, two associations, two counties

Burnt Store Marina is a separate, gated marina and golf community in Lee County, recorded as Punta Gorda Isles Section 22, with its own master association. Burnt Store Lakes is Punta Gorda Isles Section 21, in unincorporated Charlotte County, under the Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association. The two share a road, a ZIP code and a plat family, and nothing else in their governing documents. We found no reciprocal privilege, resident discount or shared membership between them in any association document.

The Burnt Store Lakes association chooses its words carefully. It says residents "can explore the offerings at Burnt Store Marina, located next door to Burnt Store Lakes" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association). Explore is the right verb. A Burnt Store Lakes owner walks into Burnt Store Marina's businesses as a paying customer, on the terms each business sets, exactly as a visitor from anywhere else would.

How close it is

By our routing estimate, Burnt Store Marina (3150 Matecumbe Key Road) is about 3.9 miles and 10 minutes from 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard in Burnt Store Lakes. That is the shortest drive in our whole table, shorter than the trip to any grocery store.

Method: OSRM open routing engine on OpenStreetMap road data, fastest route, free-flow with no traffic, origin 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard geocoded with the U.S. Census Geocoder, computed September 26, 2026. These are free-flow estimates; add time for traffic and signals.

Safe Harbor Burnt Store: slips, fuel and service for paying boaters

The marina is a private business run by Safe Harbor Marinas, and it sells to boaters who are not Burnt Store Marina residents. Its location page lists wet slips and transient slips for boats from 30 to 100 feet and dry storage for boats from 20 to 40 feet, with transient bookings through Dockwa (Safe Harbor Burnt Store). The fuel dock sells ValvTect marine diesel and gas daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the ship's store carries snacks, drinks, apparel and boat supplies, and the yard offers full vessel service, from fiberglass and electrical work to engines, canvas and detailing. Boat rentals and charters run through Leisure Time Boat Rentals on site (Safe Harbor Burnt Store).

Safe Harbor does not publish slip or storage rates; its page asks boaters to inquire, so we do not estimate one. For a Burnt Store Lakes owner with a boat, the practical question is availability for your length, beam and draft, and the answer comes in writing from the marina office before you plan around it. A slip at Safe Harbor is a commercial contract with a private company. It does not come with a Burnt Store Lakes home, and the Burnt Store Lakes assessment does not pay for it.

The Burnt Store Lakes association's flyer calls Burnt Store Marina "the largest deep-water marina on the west coast of Florida" (association community flyer). That superlative is the association's description, not a figure from the marina's operator.

Burnt Store Marina Country Club: public tee times

The golf club is open to outside players. Its home page reads "Welcome to the public!" and states that "the public may book tee times," adding that the club "serves the surrounding communities in Lee & Charlotte Counties" (Burnt Store Marina Country Club). The course is a 27-hole executive layout by Ron Garl and Mark McCumber, played as combinations of three nines named Osprey, Pelican and Heron (Burnt Store Marina Country Club, Course Details).

Source: Burnt Store Marina Country Club, Course Details.

Membership is also open to outsiders. The club says "Membership is open to everyone wherever you live," and "the public is welcome for golf, dining, and shopping!" (Burnt Store Marina Country Club, Membership; Burnt Store Marina Country Club). The club does not publish its dues online, and we do not estimate them. Call the administration office at (941) 639-4151 or the golf shop at 941-637-1577 for current rates.

A Burnt Store Lakes golfer should understand one thing clearly: the course belongs to Burnt Store Marina's residents through their association. A Burnt Store Lakes owner can play and can join, but has no ownership stake and no vote in how the course is run. If owning a share of your golf course matters to you, compare gated golf communities such as Heritage Landing, in unincorporated Charlotte County within the Tern Bay community development district.

Cass Cay and Linkside Cafe: restaurants open to the public

Two restaurants inside Burnt Store Marina state plainly that the public is welcome. Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar, at 3200 Matecumbe Key Road on the marina waterfront, says on its own home page: "Open to the public, at Cass Cay you'll be treated to an extraordinary waterfront dining experience," with a full bar, live entertainment, a covered outdoor deck, a nautical-themed sports bar and an indoor dining room (Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar). Published hours differ from one listing to another, so call the restaurant at 941-347-7148 before you go.

Linkside Cafe is the golf club's restaurant, and it is open to the public as well; reservations are at 941-637-6405 (Linkside Cafe). For many Burnt Store Lakes households these two rooms are the nearest sit-down restaurants, and they are closer than anything in Punta Gorda.

What takes a membership or a separate contract

Everything beyond a meal, a tee time and a fuel stop sits behind a contract, a membership or a policy set by someone other than the Burnt Store Lakes association:

Sources: Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar; Burnt Store Marina Country Club; Membership; Safe Harbor Burnt Store; Platinum Point Yacht Club; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association.

Burnt Store Marina is gated, and how visitors are admitted is set by its own association (Section 22, Accessing Our Community). None of that is a Burnt Store Lakes rule, and any of it can change without a vote in Burnt Store Lakes.

What this means for a buyer and a seller

For a buyer, the honest framing is "next door to" rather than "includes." A Burnt Store Lakes home comes with the lakes, the park and the kayak launch; the marina, the course and the restaurants are ten minutes away and priced separately. For a seller, the same framing protects the sale. A listing that implies Burnt Store Marina privileges invites a problem at the inspection or the estoppel stage. Our listings say exactly what a Burnt Store Lakes deed carries and what it does not, and then sell the location, because being a short drive from a full-service marina and a public course is a real advantage for a home with no club dues attached.

Where Can You Launch a Boat Near Burnt Store Lakes?

Burnt Store Lakes has no boat ramp. Residents launch canoes and kayaks at the association's Bear Branch Creek launch, and trailer boaters use the public ramps in Punta Gorda and Charlotte County listed by FWC and the county. The ramp inside Burnt Store Marina appears on FWC's marina list, not its public ramp list.

Data updated: September 2026 (FWC Boating and Angling Guide to Charlotte Harbor, boat ramp and marina lists and Ponce de Leon Park detail page; Charlotte County Parks, Fishing, Boat Ramps and Kayak Launches and Darst Park pages; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association; OSRM routing estimate computed September 26, 2026).

Paddle craft: the resident launch

For kayaks, canoes and paddleboards the answer is inside the community. The association's Canoe/Kayak Launch on Bear Branch Creek lets residents "launch and paddle through the mangrove preserve out to Charlotte Harbor," dawn to dusk, with a resident sticker or guest pass on any car parked there (Canoe/Kayak Launch). It is not a public launch and it is not built for trailers. Once you reach the harbor you are on public salt water under FWC rules.

Trailer boats: the public ramps on the record

FWC's Charlotte Harbor boating guide keeps an official list of public boat ramps, and Charlotte County's parks department keeps its own list of county ramps and kayak launches. Every one we found is north of Burnt Store Lakes, toward and inside the City of Punta Gorda:

Sources: FWC, Boating and Angling Guide to Charlotte Harbor, Boat Ramps; FWC, Ponce de Leon Park; Charlotte County, Fishing, Boat Ramps, Kayak Launches; Charlotte County, Darst Park.

Method for the Harbour Heights figure: OSRM open routing engine on OpenStreetMap road data, fastest route, free-flow with no traffic, origin 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard geocoded with the U.S. Census Geocoder, computed September 26, 2026. Add time for traffic and signals. We print a drive time only where we routed one; for the other ramps, plan on the drive north through Punta Gorda.

Ramp fees, parking rules and hours change. FWC's hours for Ponce de Leon Park come from an older survey, and the county does not post a fee for every ramp on the pages we read, so check the operator's own page before the first trip.

The ramp at Burnt Store Marina is not a public ramp on the record

The ramp people see at Burnt Store Marina belongs to a private marina. FWC's guide lists "Burnt Store Marina Country Club, 3200 Matecumbe Key Rd., Punta Gorda" on its list of marinas, not on its separate list of public access boat ramps (FWC, Charlotte Harbor Marinas). We do not call it a public ramp, and a Burnt Store Lakes boater should not plan on it without a written answer from the marina.

Cape Coral's Burnt Store Boat Ramp is a different facility

Search results mix up two places. The "Burnt Store Boat Ramp" at 230 Burnt Store Road South is a City of Cape Coral ramp in Lee County, on FWC's list under that name (FWC, Burnt Store boat ramp). It is not inside Burnt Store Marina and it has nothing to do with Burnt Store Lakes beyond the road name. For the canal city itself, see our Cape Coral guide.

Keeping a boat when you live on a lake

Most Burnt Store Lakes boat owners use one of three setups: a trailer boat kept at home and launched at a Punta Gorda ramp, a slip or dry storage contract at Safe Harbor Burnt Store next door, or a paddle craft launched at Bear Branch Creek. The first needs a place to keep the boat that satisfies the declaration. The 2025 amendments require a boat not covered by an association waiver to be stored in a garage or obscured from view, and the 2021 restatement added provisions for integrated RV garages on new construction (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents; Summary of 2021 Governing Documents). The declaration also caps ordinary garage door height at eleven feet except for an RV or boat garage (Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions, 2021), which is why builders here design a tall bay into the plan rather than adding one later.

If a boat at the back door is the priority, Burnt Store Lakes is the wrong community, and we will say so. Compare the canal homes of Punta Gorda Isles and Burnt Store Isles, inside the City of Punta Gorda, where the dock comes with the lot. If a quiet lake, a lower purchase price and a ten-minute drive to a full-service marina fit the way you boat, Burnt Store Lakes deserves a look, and for a new build the tall garage belongs on the plan from day one; our new construction in Punta Gorda guide covers the process.

How Far Is Burnt Store Lakes From the Beach?

Burnt Store Lakes is an inland lakes community, not a beach town. By our routing estimates from Cape Horn Boulevard, Englewood Beach is about 36.8 miles and 59 minutes away and Boca Grande about 41.0 miles and 70 minutes, and both trips begin by driving north through Punta Gorda around Charlotte Harbor.

Data updated: September 2026 (OSRM routing-engine estimates from 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard, free-flow, computed September 26, 2026; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association location description).

Method: OSRM open routing engine on OpenStreetMap road data, fastest route, free-flow with no traffic, origin 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard geocoded with the U.S. Census Geocoder, destination addresses geocoded the same way, computed September 26, 2026. These are free-flow estimates; add time for traffic, signals and season.

Why every beach trip starts north

Location explains the drive. The association places the community "nine miles south down Burnt Store Road from U.S. 41," bordered on the north by Punta Gorda, on the south by Burnt Store Marina and Cape Coral, and on the west by the Charlotte Harbor Buffer Preserve (Find Us Here). Charlotte Harbor sits between Burnt Store Lakes and the Gulf barrier islands, so a car heads north up Burnt Store Road to Punta Gorda, crosses the Peace River and then works west and south down the other side of the harbor. That is why the beaches that look close on a map are about an hour away by road.

Englewood Beach

Englewood Beach, at 2100 North Beach Road, is the nearer of the two Gulf beaches in our routing table, about 36.8 miles and 59 minutes in free-flow conditions. For a Burnt Store Lakes household that makes it a half-day trip rather than an after-work swim. Season traffic through Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte adds time.

Boca Grande

Boca Grande, measured to 500 Palm Avenue on Gasparilla Island, is about 41.0 miles and 70 minutes. At 70 minutes each way in free-flow conditions, it is a full-day outing from Burnt Store Lakes rather than a quick trip.

Beaches by water

The water route is the one that does not appear in a drive table. From the Bear Branch Creek launch a Burnt Store Lakes resident can paddle through the mangroves into Charlotte Harbor (Canoe/Kayak Launch), which is a nature trip, not a beach commute. Owners who keep a powerboat at Safe Harbor Burnt Store next door, about 10 minutes by car, reach the harbor directly from the marina; the barrier-island beaches beyond it are then a boat trip. We do not publish a nautical distance for that route; plot it on a current NOAA chart for Charlotte Harbor before the first run.

What the drive table means for a buyer

Buyers relocating from the coast sometimes expect every Southwest Florida address to be minutes from sand. Burnt Store Lakes trades that for lake living, lower prices than the waterfront grids and quiet streets. The beach is an outing here. If a daily beach walk is the non-negotiable, we will show you where that costs more and what you give up for it; if a weekend beach day and a lake view at home suits you, the numbers above are what to plan around.

Where Do Burnt Store Lakes Residents Eat and Shop?

Burnt Store Lakes has no store or restaurant inside the community, so residents drive out for errands. The Publix called Burnt Store Marketplace sits on U.S. 41 in Punta Gorda, not on Burnt Store Road; downtown Punta Gorda is about 18 minutes north, and Burnt Store Marina's public restaurants are about 10 minutes south.

Data updated: September 2026 (Publix store locator; Fishermen's Village; Charlotte County Parks, library and dog park pages; Florida State Parks; Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center; Lee County Parks; Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce calendar; OSRM routing estimates computed September 26, 2026).

Groceries: Publix Burnt Store Marketplace

The name misleads newcomers. Publix's own locator puts Burnt Store Marketplace at 3941 Tamiami Trail, U.S. 41, in Punta Gorda 33950, with a Publix Pharmacy in the store (Publix, Burnt Store Marketplace). It is on U.S. 41 near where Burnt Store Road begins, not on Burnt Store Road near the community, so the weekly grocery run is a trip up Burnt Store Road toward Punta Gorda. We found no grocery store on Burnt Store Road itself between the community and U.S. 41.

South of the county line, Publix at Coral Shores serves north Cape Coral (Publix at Coral Shores). We did not route either Publix from Burnt Store Lakes for this guide, so we print no drive time for them; which one is closer depends on which end of the community you live on.

Downtown Punta Gorda and Fishermen's Village

Downtown Punta Gorda, measured to 100 West Retta Esplanade, is about 11.2 miles and 18 minutes by our routing estimate. Fishermen's Village, the harbor-front shopping and dining center at 1200 West Retta Esplanade, is about 11.0 miles and 19 minutes; it describes "more than twenty stores" and lists hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, with individual businesses varying (Fishermen's Village, Shops; Fishermen's Village). Downtown is where Burnt Store Lakes residents go for waterfront dining, the harbor walk and a night out. For the city itself, start with our Punta Gorda guide.

The Punta Gorda Farmers Market appears on the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce community calendar (Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce, Punta Gorda Farmers Market). We did not find a current city or county schedule for it, so check the chamber's calendar for this season's days and hours. No recurring market or event is run inside Burnt Store Lakes that we found, apart from what the association posts for residents.

Port Charlotte and Cape Coral

For big-box shopping and the mall, Port Charlotte Town Center at 1441 Tamiami Trail is about 19.3 miles and 32 minutes north. Going south, Cape Coral City Hall is about 16.3 miles and 27 minutes and downtown Fort Myers about 18.3 miles and 32 minutes. For many Burnt Store Lakes households the choice between north and south is a habit, not a rule: Punta Gorda for the harbor-town errands, Cape Coral and Fort Myers for everything larger. See our Cape Coral guide for the city to the south.

Method for every drive time in this section: OSRM open routing engine on OpenStreetMap road data, fastest route, free-flow with no traffic, origin 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard geocoded with the U.S. Census Geocoder, computed September 26, 2026. Add time for traffic and signals.

Eating out next door

The closest restaurants are at Burnt Store Marina, about 3.9 miles and 10 minutes south: Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar on the marina, which states it is "Open to the public," and Linkside Cafe at the golf club, also open to the public (Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar; Linkside Cafe). The section above explains what else a Burnt Store Lakes resident can and cannot use there.

Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park

The biggest amenity on Burnt Store Road is state land. Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park covers 45,507 acres with "more than 100 miles of shoreline along Charlotte Harbor in Charlotte and Lee counties," and the state calls it Florida's third-largest state park. Its access point is 12301 Burnt Store Road, Punta Gorda 33955; it is open sunrise to sunset, with "No fees required." There are three marked hiking trails in the uplands, including the North Cape Flats Trail, portions of two paddle-trail systems, and no drinking water in the backcountry (Florida State Parks, Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park). The park's guide names its parcels, among them a Punta Gorda parcel, a Cape Coral parcel and the Alligator Creek Preserve, and trail segments including the Old Datsun, Eagle Point, Flatwoods and Three Lakes trails (Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park Guide).

Alligator Creek Preserve and the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center

The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, CHEC, sits at 10941 Burnt Store Road on the Alligator Creek Preserve. It describes "four (4+) miles of nature trails," with its office open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and trails open seven days a week from dawn to dusk through the front gate. "CHEC is located on property owned by the State of Florida and the Center's portion is leased to the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, Inc." (CHEC, Alligator Creek Preserve). For a Burnt Store Lakes resident this is the nearest marked trail system on the record, on the same road as home.

Yucca Pens is a Lee County preserve

Yucca Pens Preserve is often described as part of the state park. It is not. It is a Lee County Parks and Recreation preserve "located in northwest Lee County within Cape Coral," 388.37 acres across seven parcels on Burnt Store Road North, with its address block at 3941 Burnt Store Road North, Cape Coral. It has public access points along the road, no marked trail system and a mix of pine flatwoods, hammock, freshwater wetlands and seasonal marsh (Lee County Parks, Yucca Pens Preserve). A separately named "Yucca Pens Unit" of a state wildlife management area is a different property. Neither is a Charlotte County park.

Tippecanoe Environmental Park is also a different place from what some listings suggest. It is a 380-acre county park at 2400 El Jobean Road in Port Charlotte (Charlotte County, Tippecanoe Environmental Park), across the harbor and well away from Burnt Store Road, so we do not call it nearby.

Courts, dog park and library

Burnt Store Lakes has no courts of its own, so residents use the county's. Charlotte County lists pickleball and tennis at these parks in the Punta Gorda area (Charlotte County, Pickleball Courts; Charlotte County, Tennis Courts):

South County Regional Park has the largest pickleball complex of the four. The county's dedicated dog park, Katherine Ariens Dog Park at 22410 Glass Lane in Charlotte Harbor, is fenced, with picnic tables, a playground and a restroom (Charlotte County, Katherine Ariens Dog Park); we found no county dog park closer to Burnt Store Lakes. The nearest county library branch is the Punta Gorda Charlotte Library at 401 Shreve Street, phone 941-833-5460 (Charlotte County, Punta Gorda Charlotte Library).

How Does Burnt Store Lakes Handle Hurricanes?

Burnt Store Lakes sits in the county that took Hurricane Charley's eyewall in 2004 and Hurricane Ian's second landfall in 2022, and Punta Gorda's harbor front flooded in Helene and Milton in 2024. No public record we found describes storm damage inside Burnt Store Lakes itself, either way, so buyers read each house's own history.

Data updated: September 2026 (National Hurricane Center tropical cyclone reports for Charley and Ian; WUSF and WGCU reporting; Charlotte Sun; Charlotte County Know Your Zone; Florida Division of Emergency Management evacuation zone layer, queried at 12 addresses September 26, 2026; Florida Senate HB 3D analysis; Burnt Store Lakes declaration and 2025 amendments).

What the storm record says

• Charley, 2004: the National Hurricane Center reports that Charley's eye "passed over Punta Gorda at about 2045 UTC" and that the eyewall "struck that city and neighboring Port Charlotte with devastating results." The Punta Gorda weather station recorded "a sustained wind of 78 kt at 2034 UTC with a gust to 97 kt at 2036 UTC" before its instrument failed, and the report calls it "highly likely that much stronger winds would have been observed at the site." Charley "caused catastrophic wind damage in Charlotte County, Florida" (National Hurricane Center, Charley report).
• Ian, 2022: Ian's second landfall came "near Punta Gorda, Florida, with an estimated intensity of 125 kt" at 2035 UTC on September 28, 2022. A station near Punta Gorda recorded "sustained winds of 76 kt with a peak gust of 117 kt," and a Punta Gorda pressure station read "a minimum pressure of 951.6 mb." The report states that "at least 200 homes were destroyed in Charlotte County" (National Hurricane Center, Ian report). Inside the City of Punta Gorda, nearly 600 harbor-front properties had some level of seawall damage (WUSF and WGCU, February 5, 2023).
• Helene and Milton, 2024: Milton's surge, arriving less than three weeks after Helene had flooded the same stretch, flooded portions of Punta Gorda "along the south side of Charlotte Harbor"; the downtown pub the Celtic Ray took about five feet of water in Milton against about four in Helene, and boats were lifted from the harbor into a park (WGCU, October 11, 2024). Charlotte County declared a local state of emergency ahead of Milton (Charlotte Sun).

What the record does not say

None of those reports names Burnt Store Lakes. The Charley and Ian reports speak of Punta Gorda and Charlotte County, the seawall count is the city's harbor front, and the Helene and Milton coverage is downtown and the harbor edge. We found no public source that says Burnt Store Lakes flooded in any of these storms, and none that says it did not. Burnt Store Marina's well-documented Ian damage belongs to a different community in a different county.

That gap is why we read the house, not the headline. For any Burnt Store Lakes home, ask the seller in writing about storm claims and repairs, pull the county permit history for roof and structural work since 2004, and read the flood and wind insurance history. A home built since 2020, and 189 of the 711 parcels with a year built on the county roll were, has a much shorter storm story to check than one built in the 1990s.

Evacuation zones A and B

Evacuation zones and flood zones are different products. Charlotte County's Office of Emergency Management explains that "Evacuation Zones are not based solely on the elevation of your residence. The Zones are determined using data provided by the National Hurricane Center, elevation, and evacuation routes," and that "Storm surge does not correlate with the category of the storm" (Charlotte County, Know Your Zone).

We checked the same 12 addresses we used for flood zones against the state's evacuation zone layer:

Source: Florida Division of Emergency Management, Know Your Zone evacuation zone layer, queried September 26, 2026. Eight of the twelve returned Zone A and four returned Zone B. The layer's own boundary edit date is May 27, 2016, so treat this as a pattern, not a determination for your street.

Zone A is the first zone the county orders out ahead of a storm. That is a planning call about surge and routes, not a statement that a given lot floods. The authority for any address is the county's own lookup at Charlotte County Know Your Zone, and every Burnt Store Lakes household should look up its letter before June, not during a watch.

Building code, wind and the permit

Charlotte County publishes a map of its wind-borne debris region and design wind speeds (Charlotte County GIS, Wind-borne Debris Regions and Wind Speed Zones). The design wind speed that applies to a specific Burnt Store Lakes lot is fixed at permitting, so read it on the building permit or ask the county building department for the parcel; we do not print one figure for the whole community. For a new build, your engineer and builder work from that determination. For a resale, the permit file for the original construction and any re-roof shows what the house was built to.

Roofs: the declaration and the 2022 roof law

Burnt Store Lakes sets its own roof standard on top of the code. The restated declaration states that "only tile and metal roofs shall be permissible," that "Asphalt shingles are prohibited on new structures," and that roof pitch must be at least three to one (Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions, 2021). Roof applications to the association carry no fee on the 2026 schedule (BSLPOA Fee Schedule), but they still need approval.

State law changed how partial roof repairs work. Florida's old practice of forcing a full re-roof to current code once more than 25 percent of a roof needed work was modified in 2022 by HB 3D: an owner may now repair, replace or recover part of a roof without bringing the undamaged remainder up to current code, as long as that remainder meets at least the 2007 Florida Building Code (Florida Senate, HB 3D analysis). On an older Burnt Store Lakes home, the roof's age and the code it was built to matter to the insurer as much as to the inspector.

Hurricane protection in the declaration

The 2025 amendments renamed Section 6.19 from "Hurricane Shutters" to "Hurricane Protection" and updated it to reference products recognized by current Florida and Charlotte County building codes (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents). Read that section before you order shutters or impact openings, and file with the association's Architectural Review Committee, which recommends and the board decides, before the work starts (Rules and Regulations, Architectural Review).

Hardening help from the state

Florida's My Safe Florida Home program, run by the Department of Financial Services, has offered a free wind mitigation inspection and access to a matching hardening grant for eligible owner-occupied homes, with inspections approved in the order received "until all available funding" is used (My Safe Florida Home, Homeowner's Guide). Grant amounts, eligibility and funding change with each appropriation, so check the program directly before counting on it; we do not quote a dollar cap.

What Flood Zone Is Burnt Store Lakes In?

Most of Burnt Store Lakes is mapped FEMA Zone AE. Ten of the twelve addresses we checked returned AE with a base flood elevation of 8 or 9 feet, and two interior streets, Cabana Road and Vellum Circle, returned shaded Zone X. Charlotte County panels 12015C0416G and 12015C0418G govern, effective December 15, 2022.

Data updated: September 2026 (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer, flood zone, FIRM panel and political jurisdiction layers, 12 addresses from the Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll geocoded with the U.S. Census Geocoder and queried September 26, 2026; Charlotte County 50% FEMA Rule page; WINK News, September 2025).

Zones from FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer at addresses located with the U.S. Census geocoder. Every point falls in NFIP community 120061, "Charlotte County Unincorporated Areas," and both panels carry an effective date of December 15, 2022. A street sample is not a parcel determination; look up a specific address at the FEMA Map Service Center.

Reading the table

The pattern is clear even from twelve points. Every AE point carries FEMA's "Coastal Floodplain" subtype, a base flood elevation of 9 feet at nine addresses and 8 feet on Vincent Avenue, and sits inside the Special Flood Hazard Area. The two Zone X points, on Cabana Road and Vellum Circle, carry the subtype "0.2 pct annual chance flood hazard in coastal zone," which is the 500-year band, and no base flood elevation. Zone boundaries can change lot to lot on the same street, so a Zone X result on Cabana Road does not make every Cabana Road lot Zone X. Twelve points are a guide to the community, and the map for your lot is the answer for your lot.

Two panels split the community roughly north and south. Panel 12015C0416G covers the sampled northern and central streets (Cape Horn Boulevard, Acapulco, San Edmundo, Rio Togas, Trading Post and San Rafael), and panel 12015C0418G covers the southern ones (Peppercorn, Vincent, Santa Inez, Cabana, Vellum and Boca Vista). Because the community touches the Lee County line, FEMA's panel index also returns a Lee County panel at some points; the Charlotte County panel is the one that governs a Charlotte County parcel.

Why a lakes community carries a coastal flood zone

Buyers are often surprised that a freshwater lakes community inland of the harbor maps as coastal AE. The subtype tells you why: FEMA set these base flood elevations with a coastal storm-surge study, not a lake or river study. In plain terms, the one-percent-annual-chance flood that sets the insurance rules here is a surge flood from Charlotte Harbor, and the lakes are not the reason for the AE. The current FEMA data shows AE with a base flood elevation of 8 or 9 feet at the points we checked, and your lot's own panel reading is the one that counts.

What AE means for a lender

Zone AE is a Special Flood Hazard Area, and a federally backed mortgage on a building there requires flood insurance. That is the single most practical consequence of the table above. A cash buyer is not bound by the lender requirement, but the flood risk is the same with or without a loan, and Citizens Property Insurance now ties its wind policies to flood coverage (see the insurance section below). A buyer financing a Zone X home on Cabana Road or Vellum Circle faces no federal purchase requirement from the map, though the lender can still ask.

The elevation certificate

In AE, the elevation certificate is the most useful flood document in the sale. It records how high the home's lowest floor sits against the base flood elevation, and that single number drives the flood premium and the rebuilding rules. Charlotte County publishes elevation certificates on file for some addresses through its GIS document library; one for a home on Tuxpan Lane in Burnt Store Lakes is posted there (Charlotte County GIS, elevation certificate, 17496 Tuxpan Ln). If the house you want has one on file, read it before you make an offer; if it does not, a surveyor can prepare one, and we recommend it on any AE home.

Building new in AE

For a vacant homesite, the flood zone shapes the house before the floor plan does. A new home in AE is permitted to Charlotte County's floodplain rules and the Florida Building Code, which set the required floor elevation against the base flood elevation on the lot's panel. With about 1,130 parcels carrying a vacant residential code on the 2026 roll (the roll lags new construction), most Burnt Store Lakes construction questions are this question. The same project runs through the association as well: its rules send every new-home application to the Architectural Review Committee, which recommends, and the board gives final approval at a monthly meeting (Rules and Regulations, Architectural Review). Our new construction in Punta Gorda guide walks through lot selection and elevation before you commit.

Charlotte County's 50 percent rule

Older AE homes carry a rule every buyer should understand. Charlotte County applies FEMA's substantial improvement and substantial damage rule: if the cost of a repair or improvement exceeds 50 percent of the building's own value, excluding land, the structure must be brought up to current Florida Building Code standards, including elevation. The building value comes from a qualified independent appraisal or the Property Appraiser's assessed value adjusted toward market value, and the cost counts all materials and labor, with flooring, paint, baseboards, cabinets and drywall named as included items (Charlotte County, 50% FEMA Rule).

For a Burnt Store Lakes buyer, the rule bites hardest on a home built in the 1980s or 1990s below today's elevation, with a modest structure value and a big renovation plan. A full gut and addition can cross the line and turn a remodel into an elevation project. Get the permit history, get the elevation certificate, and ask the county before you budget the kitchen.

Zone X is not zero risk

Shaded Zone X is the 500-year floodplain. It carries no federal flood-insurance requirement for a mortgage, but the two Zone X points we found sit in evacuation Zone B, which the county can order out in a storm. Citizens' flood rule reaches Zone X policyholders by January 1, 2027, so many Zone X owners will carry flood coverage soon regardless. We encourage Zone X buyers to get a flood quote rather than skip the question.

Charlotte County's CRS Class 5

Charlotte County holds a Class 5 rating in FEMA's Community Rating System, which takes 25 percent off National Flood Insurance Program premiums for qualifying policies; the county kept the rating in its September 2025 renewal and is working toward Class 4 (WINK News, September 2025). The class belongs to the whole unincorporated county, NFIP community 120061, so Burnt Store Lakes shares it. Confirm the discount appears on your own quote.

The seller's flood disclosure

Ask the seller, in writing, about any flood-insurance claims, federal flood assistance and known flooding at the home. After Ian, Helene and Milton, both sides should read those answers carefully, and a seller in AE should have the elevation certificate and the current flood declarations page ready before the listing goes live. It shortens the buyer's insurance quote and keeps the inspection period from stalling.

Selling or buying in Burnt Store Lakes? Sellers can get a free Punta Gorda-area home valuation that accounts for your flood zone, elevation certificate and roof, read how we sell homes in the Punta Gorda area, or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. Buyers can call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we help buyers in Punta Gorda.

What Does Insurance Cost for a Burnt Store Lakes Home?

Insurance for a Burnt Store Lakes home is priced house by house, and no public source publishes a typical premium, so we print none. The drivers are the FEMA zone and lowest-floor elevation, the roof and its age, documented wind mitigation, and whether the home is a single-family house or one of the community's 94 condominium units.

Data updated: September 2026 (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer; WINK News on Charlotte County's CRS class, September 2025; Citizens Property Insurance, flood coverage rules; Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll; Burnt Store Lakes restated declaration; Florida Senate HB 3D analysis, read September 26, 2026).

What drives a premium here

Two policies do most of the work on a Burnt Store Lakes house, and different facts drive each.

A neighbor's premium tells you little. Two houses on the same Burnt Store Lakes street can sit at different elevations, carry roofs 25 years apart and have different opening protection, so their quotes can differ widely. Get a quote on the house you are buying, with its documents, inside the inspection period.

Flood insurance and the federally backed mortgage

In Zone AE, which covered ten of the twelve addresses we checked, a federally backed mortgage requires flood insurance on the building. The premium turns on the elevation certificate: a home whose lowest floor sits well above the 8 or 9 foot base flood elevation prices very differently from one at or below it. Charlotte County's Class 5 rating in FEMA's Community Rating System takes 25 percent off National Flood Insurance Program premiums for qualifying policies (WINK News, September 2025).

Ask the seller for two documents first: the current flood declarations page, which shows what the house costs to insure today, and the elevation certificate, which shows why. Those two pages answer the flood question faster than any estimate.

Newer construction and what the county roll shows

The age of the house is the second big lever, and Burnt Store Lakes has two distinct building eras. On the county roll, 428 of the 711 parcels with a year built were built from 1990 to 2009, only 11 from 2010 to 2014, and 189 from 2020 to 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll). In the last 12 months, 21 of the 63 recorded sales on the platted lots were homes built in 2020 or later (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis).

A newer home tends to price better for wind for reasons an insurer can document. It was permitted under a recent edition of the Florida Building Code, its roof is new, and in Burnt Store Lakes that roof must be tile or metal, because the declaration prohibits asphalt shingles on new structures (Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions, 2021). A new build in AE is also permitted to today's floodplain elevation rules, which tends to help the flood side. None of that is a promise of a price; it is why a 2023 house and a 1995 house on the same lake rarely quote alike.

For an older house, the roof is the question. The 2022 change in state law lets an owner repair part of a roof without bringing the undamaged remainder to current code, as long as that remainder meets at least the 2007 Florida Building Code (Florida Senate, HB 3D analysis). Many insurers still look hard at roof age, so a buyer of a 1990s home should know the roof's permit date before the offer, not after.

Citizens Property Insurance rules

Citizens, the state-created insurer, now ties wind coverage to flood coverage. New personal-lines policyholders in FEMA's Special Flood Hazard Areas have had to carry flood insurance since April 1, 2023, and existing ones since July 1, 2023. Outside those areas the rule phases in by dwelling replacement cost: $600,000 and up by January 1, 2024, $500,000 and up by January 1, 2025, $400,000 and up by January 1, 2026, and all remaining policies by January 1, 2027. "If you don't wish to purchase flood insurance, you will not be eligible for a Personal Lines residential policy with Citizens" (Citizens, "Flood Insurance Coverage Rules Kick In for Citizens").

In Burnt Store Lakes terms, an AE house on Citizens has needed flood coverage since 2023, and a Zone X house on Cabana Road or Vellum Circle on Citizens will need it by January 1, 2027. How the rule applies to a condominium unit-owner policy is a question for your insurance agent before you close.

Wind mitigation

Wind cost falls when you can document what protects the house. A wind mitigation inspection records the roof covering, roof-to-wall connections, a secondary water barrier and opening protection, and those are the features that move a Florida wind premium. The state's My Safe Florida Home program has paired a free inspection with hardening grants for eligible owner-occupied homes, subject to available funding (My Safe Florida Home, Homeowner's Guide); check the program for this year's terms.

In Burnt Store Lakes, plan hardening through the association. Section 6.19, "Hurricane Protection," governs shutters and similar products and was updated in 2025 to reference current code-recognized products (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents), and exterior changes go through the Architectural Review Committee. Before you write an offer, ask the seller for the latest wind mitigation report; on a home built before the current code, ask for a four-point inspection as well.

The condominium buildings

The community's seven condominium regimes, 94 units built from 2006 to 2008 on Acapulco Road, Boca Vista Road, San Edmundo Road and Sunset Palms Boulevard, each insure their own buildings through their own associations. The unit owner's cost is therefore two layers: a share of the master policy, paid through the condominium's dues, and the owner's own unit policy. None of the seven publishes its dues or insurance summary where we could read it, so the answers come from each association's budget, its insurance summary and the estoppel certificate at resale. Ask what the master policy covers, what its wind and flood deductibles are, and whether a special assessment is pending. The condominium buildings sit on the same flood map as the houses around them, so read the building's own elevation certificate.

Documents to ask for before you commit

• The current flood declarations page and the elevation certificate (AE homes especially)
• The latest wind mitigation report, and a four-point inspection on an older home
• The permit history for the roof and any structural or storm repair
• The seller's written answers on flood claims, flood assistance and known flooding
• For a condominium unit, the master policy summary, deductibles and the association's budget

We do not quote premiums, and neither should anyone who has not seen those documents. What we do is put them in front of a buyer early, and put them in the listing file for a seller before the first showing, because in Burnt Store Lakes the insurance answer decides more offers than the paint color does.

Selling or buying in Burnt Store Lakes? Sellers can get a free home valuation that reflects your roof, elevation and insurance history, or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. Buyers can call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida.

What Schools Serve Burnt Store Lakes?

Burnt Store Lakes is served by Charlotte County Public Schools. Five addresses on five different streets, run one by one through the district's Boundary Locator, all returned the same three schools: East Elementary, Punta Gorda Middle and Charlotte High. The district calls its locator a guide, so confirm your own address.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Public Schools Boundary Locator, five addresses queried September 26, 2026; Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, used to select the sample addresses).

The district's Boundary Locator, address by address

We did not rely on a listing field or a map graphic. We pulled five improved single-family parcels from the Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll for Punta Gorda Isles Section 21, chose them to spread across the community, and ran each one through the lookup service behind the district's public Boundary Locator (Charlotte County Public Schools, Boundary Locator service). Every address returned the identical assignment. We found no split zoning inside Burnt Store Lakes.

Source: Charlotte County Public Schools, Boundary Locator, live query for each address, September 26, 2026.

The three assigned schools

The locator returns each school's address, phone number and a start date, which reads as the first day of the school year rather than an assignment date:

• East Elementary (district school code 0081), 27050 Fairway Drive, Punta Gorda, Florida 33982, phone 941-575-5475. The locator lists its start date as July 16, 2026.
• Punta Gorda Middle (school code 0121), 1001 Education Avenue, Punta Gorda, Florida 33950, phone 941-575-5485. Start date August 10, 2026.
• Charlotte High School (school code 0031), 1250 Cooper Street, Punta Gorda, Florida 33950, phone 941-575-5450. Start date August 10, 2026.

Source: Charlotte County Public Schools, Boundary Locator, September 26, 2026.

The different start date is worth noticing. East Elementary's July date, three and a half weeks ahead of the middle and high schools, and its Fairway Drive address mark it as a newer school on its own calendar. A family moving in over the summer should call the school, not assume an August start. East Elementary has its own site at east.yourcharlotteschools.net.

Why the locator is a guide, not a guarantee

The district is careful about its own tool. Its Boundary Locator page describes the result as "only a guide, please call the school indicated to confirm that your child will attend that school" (Charlotte County Public Schools, Boundary Locator). Boundaries can change, and a new school is where a change is most likely to show up. We ran five addresses, not all 709 homes on the plat. Before you write an offer that depends on a school, run the exact street address through the locator yourself and then call the school it names.

The district also publishes its boundary maps by level: elementary, middle and high school. The address lookup is the more precise of the two, because it answers for a single house rather than for a shaded area.

One district, one county

Charlotte County Public Schools is the single school district for all of unincorporated Charlotte County, including Burnt Store Lakes; the district's main line is 941-255-0808 (Charlotte County Public Schools, School Boundaries). No part of Burnt Store Lakes crosses into another county's district. The one out-of-county exception on the district's locator page applies to Charlotte County's 34223 ZIP code in Englewood, not to 33955. Burnt Store Lakes addresses are Charlotte County school addresses even though the Lee County line is a short drive south, so if a listing for a Burnt Store Lakes home shows schools in another county, the listing is wrong.

What we did not check

We did not route drive times to the three schools; the open-data routing we run for this guide did not include them, and we do not print a time we did not measure. We also did not look up bus stops, which the district ties to an enrolled student's record, or school grades, which change each year. Ask the district's transportation office for bus service once a child is enrolled, and read the school's current state report card before you decide.

Buying in Burnt Store Lakes with school-age children? Call Marc at (239) 287-5873 and we will run your target addresses through the locator with you before you tour, or read how we help buyers in Punta Gorda.

Where Is the Nearest Hospital to Burnt Store Lakes?

The nearest open hospitals to Burnt Store Lakes are AdventHealth Port Charlotte and HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital, both north in Port Charlotte and both about 27 minutes away in free-flow traffic. Punta Gorda's own hospital closed permanently in December 2024. AdventHealth has announced a Punta Gorda emergency department, with no opening date.

Data updated: September 2026 (AdventHealth; HCA Florida Healthcare; WINK News; OSRM routing estimates from 16300 Cape Horn Blvd, computed September 26, 2026).

Punta Gorda's hospital closed in December 2024

Older relocation guides still send Burnt Store Lakes residents to ShorePoint Health Punta Gorda at 809 East Marion Avenue. That hospital is closed and is not coming back as it was. After damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the fall of 2024, the hospital was closed permanently in December 2024 (WINK News, ShorePoint Health in Punta Gorda to permanently close).

AdventHealth completed its purchase of the ShorePoint Health hospitals in Charlotte County on March 1, 2025. Its release says the former ShorePoint Health Port Charlotte is now AdventHealth Port Charlotte, a 254-bed full-service hospital, and that AdventHealth acquired the land where the closed Punta Gorda facility stood and "plans to work with the Punta Gorda community to assess its needs" (AdventHealth, ShorePoint Health Port Charlotte is now AdventHealth Port Charlotte). For a Burnt Store Lakes household, the practical result is a longer trip to a full hospital than the one residents made before 2024.

The two open hospitals, both in Port Charlotte

Sources: AdventHealth Port Charlotte, Our Location; HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital, Contact Us; AdventHealth release, March 2025.

How we measured: the OSRM open routing engine on OpenStreetMap road data, fastest route, free-flow with no traffic, from 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard in Burnt Store Lakes, with the origin and each hospital address geocoded by the US Census Geocoder, accessed September 26, 2026. These are free-flow estimates; add time for traffic and signals. Both hospitals are north of Burnt Store Lakes: the route runs up Burnt Store Road through Punta Gorda to Port Charlotte, and season traffic will add to it.

The planned AdventHealth emergency department in Punta Gorda

On September 5, 2025, AdventHealth announced a freestanding, 24/7 emergency department planned for the southeast corner of Jones Loop Road and Mac Ever Street in Punta Gorda, to be overseen by AdventHealth Port Charlotte. It described the project as "the first step in a long-term commitment to bringing more health care services back home," with construction in phases and possible future expansion into a full hospital and medical office space (AdventHealth, AdventHealth to expand emergency care access in Punta Gorda).

That is a plan, not an open facility. The announcement set no opening date, and we found no public record, as of September 26, 2026, that it has opened. We do not print a drive time to it because it has no street address to route to. When it opens, it will be the closest emergency room to Burnt Store Lakes on the Charlotte County side; until then, plan on Port Charlotte.

Walk-in and Cape Coral options

For care short of an emergency room, the options sit north toward Punta Gorda and south in Cape Coral. AdventHealth lists a freestanding Cape Coral ER, and Lee Health lists a Convenient Care walk-in clinic on Pine Island Road in Cape Coral. We have not routed either from Burnt Store Lakes, so we do not print a time, and hours change; confirm with the operator before you rely on one. We found no walk-in urgent care clinic on Burnt Store Road itself.

Fire rescue and the first responders

The first responders to a Burnt Store Lakes emergency come from Charlotte County Fire and EMS, whose Station 5 sits at 15200 Burnt Store Road, on the same corridor as the association office (Charlotte County Fire and EMS, Station Listing). The county publishes the station list, not response times by neighborhood, so we do not quote one.

What we tell buyers who need regular care

If anyone in the household sees specialists often, map the actual doctors before you choose a lot. From Burnt Store Lakes the full hospitals are Port Charlotte trips of about 27 free-flow minutes, and a Cape Coral practice is a southbound trip in the other direction.

How Far Is Burnt Store Lakes From Downtown Punta Gorda, the Airport and Cape Coral?

Burnt Store Lakes is about 18 free-flow minutes from downtown Punta Gorda and 19 from Punta Gorda Airport, both north up Burnt Store Road, and about 27 minutes south to Cape Coral City Hall. Burnt Store Marina is 10 minutes south, and Southwest Florida International Airport is about 51 minutes.

Data updated: September 2026 (OSRM routing engine on OpenStreetMap data, free-flow, from 16300 Cape Horn Blvd, addresses geocoded with the US Census Geocoder, computed September 26, 2026).

Method: OSRM open routing engine on OpenStreetMap road data, fastest route, free-flow (no traffic), origin geocoded with the US Census Geocoder at 16300 Cape Horn Blvd in Burnt Store Lakes, destination addresses geocoded the same way, accessed September 26, 2026. These are free-flow estimates; add time for traffic and signals.

How to read the table

Free-flow means an empty road: no season traffic, no school traffic, no red lights and no crash on the two-lane stretches. Treat every figure as the best case, and add time in season. The origin is one address on Cape Horn Boulevard. A home at the far end of the community, on Vincent Avenue or Vellum Circle, will add a few minutes to some trips and save a few on others, because every trip still has to reach Burnt Store Road first.

North: downtown Punta Gorda, the airport and Port Charlotte

Burnt Store Lakes lies south of the city. The association describes the community as "nine miles south down Burnt Store Road from U.S. 41," bordered on the north by Punta Gorda, on the south by Burnt Store Marina and Cape Coral, and on the west by the Charlotte Harbor Buffer Preserve (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, Find Us Here). So every Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte errand runs north. Downtown Punta Gorda at the Retta Esplanade waterfront is 11.2 miles and about 18 minutes, and Fishermen's Village, the waterfront shopping and dining center at 1200 West Retta Esplanade, is about 19. Punta Gorda Airport is 11.0 miles and about 19 minutes, less than half the drive to the region's international airport. Port Charlotte Town Center is about 32 minutes north, past the two hospitals.

The nearest Publix sits on that northbound drive too. Despite its name, Publix at Burnt Store Marketplace is on U.S. 41 at 3941 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda, not on Burnt Store Road (Publix, Burnt Store Marketplace). We did not route it separately.

South: Burnt Store Marina, Cape Coral, Fort Myers and RSW

South of Burnt Store Lakes the road crosses into Lee County. Burnt Store Marina, the gated marina and golf community next door, is 3.9 miles and about 10 minutes by road to its Matecumbe Key Road core. Cape Coral City Hall is 16.3 miles and about 27 minutes, and downtown Fort Myers is 18.3 miles and about 32. Southwest Florida International Airport is the long trip, 40.1 miles and about 51 free-flow minutes. For the city to the south, see our Cape Coral guide.

The Gulf beaches and the long drives

Burnt Store Lakes has no Gulf beach of its own and no beach within a short drive. Englewood Beach is 36.8 miles and about 59 minutes, and Boca Grande is 41.0 miles and about 70 minutes; both sit on the Gulf side of Charlotte Harbor, so the drive is long even though the harbor itself is close by water. Downtown Sarasota is 64.3 miles and about 79 minutes north, and downtown Tampa is 113.4 miles and a little over two hours.

By water: the resident paddle route to Charlotte Harbor

The shortest trip to open water does not use a car. The association runs a canoe and kayak launch on Bear Branch Creek where "residents can launch and paddle through the mangrove preserve out to Charlotte Harbor," open dawn to dusk for residents, with a resident vehicle sticker or guest pass required to park (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, Canoe/Kayak Launch). It is a paddle-craft route. Burnt Store Lakes has no boat ramp and no canals on its plat record.

The nearest public boat ramps

A trailer boater drives north. The nearest ramps on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Charlotte Harbor list and Charlotte County's parks list are in and around Punta Gorda: Ponce de Leon Park and Laishley Park in the city, and Darst Park, Harbour Heights Park and others run by the county (FWC, Charlotte Harbor boat ramps; Charlotte County, Fishing, Boat Ramps, Kayak Launches). Harbour Heights Park, at 27420 Voyageur Drive, is 17.0 miles and about 26 free-flow minutes. The ramp inside Burnt Store Marina appears on FWC's list of marinas, not its list of public boat ramps, and the "Burnt Store Boat Ramp" that turns up in searches is a City of Cape Coral ramp in Lee County, a different facility.

Selling a Burnt Store Lakes home? Distance sells when it is stated precisely. We market the real drive, 18 free-flow minutes to downtown Punta Gorda and 19 to the airport, not a round number. Get a free home valuation or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072.

What Is Being Built Near Burnt Store Lakes?

Near Burnt Store Lakes, the changes are on Burnt Store Road: a Lee County widening study approved in 2025, a $3 million interim safety project south of the county line, an unfunded Charlotte County connector to U.S. 41 tied to a November 2026 sales-tax vote, and large planned developments along the Charlotte corridor.

Data updated: September 2026 (FDOT District One project page; Cape Coral Breeze, May 19, 2026; Charlotte County project, sales-tax and Burnt Store Area Plan pages; Charlotte County Planning and Zoning Board agenda, August 12, 2024; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association newsletter, March 2024; Charlotte County Property Appraiser records).

Burnt Store Road in Lee County: the widening study

The widening that has an approved design concept is in Lee County, south of Burnt Store Lakes. The Burnt Store Road Project Development and Environment study, FDOT and Lee County project 436928-1, covers 5.7 miles from Van Buren Parkway in Cape Coral to the Charlotte County line. The approved concept takes the road from two undivided lanes to four divided lanes, with a typical section "expandable to six lanes": two 11-foot travel lanes each way, a 40-foot grassed median and 10-foot shared-use paths on both sides. It replaces the southbound bridge over Gator Slough Canal and plans a Continuous Green T intersection at Vincent Avenue, where eastbound Vincent traffic turns north onto Burnt Store Road without a signal while northbound Burnt Store Road traffic keeps moving (FDOT, Burnt Store Road PD&E, 436928-1).

The study is finished. After public workshops in 2022 and a public hearing on January 28, 2025, FDOT granted Location and Design Concept Acceptance on August 5, 2025, and the project moved to design (FDOT, 436928-1). Design is not construction. The widening ends at the county line, and nothing in the record we read funds its construction yet.

The interim safety project

While the four-lane project waits for money, Lee County is improving the two-lane road. On May 19, 2026, the Lee County Commission approved a $3 million task order to Ajax Paving Industries of Florida, the lowest competitive bidder under an existing county contract, for a roughly five-mile stretch from Delilah Drive to Vincent Avenue: four-foot paved shoulders on both sides, new turn lanes at Caloosa Parkway, rumble stripes on the edge and center lines, guardrails, signs and pavement markings. Construction was expected to start in June 2026 and take about nine months. The same report described finding construction money for the full four-lane widening as the next step (Cape Coral Breeze, May 19, 2026). On that schedule, a Burnt Store Lakes driver heading south to Cape Coral should expect a work zone into 2027.

The Charlotte side: no widening project, a new connector instead

On the Charlotte County side, where Burnt Store Lakes sits, we found no county capital project to add lanes to the existing Burnt Store Road past the community. What Charlotte County is planning is a new road. The Burnt Store Road Area East/West Connector, which the county also calls the Tuckers Grade Extension, is a two-lane road linking Burnt Store Road to U.S. 41, "designed for future expansion with right of way acquisition and stormwater facilities," with pedestrian and bicycle access, meant to increase capacity and give "a more orderly and consistent corridor in the Burnt Store Road area" (Charlotte County, 2026 Infrastructure Project: Burnt Store Road Area East/West Connector).

The county's project page places it in the area between Zemel Road and Notre Dame Boulevard. On September 24, 2024, the County Commission adopted "Alternative #1 as the preferred alignment for the Tuckers Grade Extension from Burnt Store Rd to US 41." The project sits in the planning and approval phase, and final design, right-of-way and construction are "not funded" (Charlotte County, Burnt Store Road East-West Connector). By the county's GIS address points, the connector's north end, Zemel Road at Burnt Store Road, is about 1.3 miles in a straight line from the Burnt Store Lakes association office at 16500 Burnt Store Road.

The sales-tax vote that decides the connector

The connector's money depends on voters. The county puts the total cost at $46,176,000, with no prior funding committed and an estimated annual operating cost of $13,200 once built, all contingent on the 1 percent Local Option Sales Tax Extension. The existing 1 percent tax expires December 31, 2026; the ballot question in November 2026 is a 20-year renewal, and the connector is one of several road projects in its infrastructure category, alongside Edgewater-Flamingo Corridor Phase 5, Harborview Road Phase 2, Taylor Road and utility system improvements (Charlotte County, 2026 Sales Tax Extension). If the extension fails, the county's own project sheet leaves the connector with no construction money. We will update this guide when the result is certified.

The Burnt Store Area Plan

Everything along the Charlotte stretch of the road is governed by the county's Burnt Store Area Plan, which runs from the Charlotte and Lee County line north to Tuckers Grade, with U.S. 41 as its eastern boundary. Burnt Store Lakes sits inside it, at the county-line end. The county says the plan answers "significant development pressure on large undeveloped properties along Burnt Store Road," began after large landowners formed the Burnt Store Improvement Initiative, and has carried ordinances and resolutions since 2016, most recently in 2026, rezoning land to planned development, commercial general and residential estates (Charlotte County, Burnt Store Area Plan).

Planned developments on the corridor

Three large planned-development petitions went before the Charlotte County Planning and Zoning Board on August 12, 2024. They show the scale of what the corridor is entitled for:

Source: Charlotte County Planning and Zoning Board agenda, August 12, 2024. Distances are straight-line, from Charlotte County GIS address points for the cited addresses to the association office, for orientation only; they are not driving distances.

Two of the three carried "no change" to their housing counts, which tells you these entitlements predate 2024. The practical point for a Burnt Store Lakes owner is traffic. Homes built on these tracts would add cars to Burnt Store Road, the same road Burnt Store Lakes uses to reach Punta Gorda, and we found no project to add lanes to the Charlotte side.

Building inside Burnt Store Lakes

The largest construction site near Burnt Store Lakes is Burnt Store Lakes itself. The Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll shows 189 homes on the plat built from 2020 to 2026, against 11 built from 2010 to 2014, and about 1,130 parcels still carry a vacant residential code on the 2026 roll, a count that lags new construction because the roll recodes a lot only after a home is assessed. In the last 12 months of recorded sales, 16 of the 63 closings on the plat were first sales of new homes, our builder-direct estimate (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). The association reported 92 homes under construction in January 2024 (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association newsletter, March 2024).

For a buyer, that means new neighbors and building activity on nearby lots for years to come. For a builder or a buyer who wants to build, it means supply: the association's architectural review sets the rules, including a 1,700-square-foot minimum living area for new single-family homes. Our new construction guide for Punta Gorda walks through buying a lot and building versus buying a finished new home.

Burnt Store Village and the other names

Burnt Store Village, recorded as Punta Gorda Isles Section 16, is a separate community with its own county street and drainage unit; it is not part of Burnt Store Lakes, and we found no county build-out report for it to cite here. We also found no specific development case in north Cape Coral, within about a mile of Burnt Store Lakes, in the records we read.

What we are watching

• The November 2026 sales-tax result, which decides whether the Charlotte connector to U.S. 41 has construction money.
• A Lee County funding decision for the full four-lane widening south of the county line.
• Completion of the Delilah Drive to Vincent Avenue safety project, expected about nine months after its June 2026 start.
• New plats and building permits on the corridor petitions above.

What Should Buyers Know About Burnt Store Lakes Utilities and Logistics?

A Burnt Store Lakes buyer should know that Charlotte County Utilities holds the certificated water and sewer service area, that a vacant lot's tap must be confirmed separately, that internet providers are checked by address, and that the county sheriff, fire station, post office and golf-cart rules are Charlotte County's, not a city's.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County GIS utilities map service and Charlotte County Utilities pages; Charlotte County Fire and EMS; Charlotte County Sheriff's Office; USPS; Charlotte County MSBU budgets; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, read September 26, 2026).

Water: Charlotte County Utilities

Burnt Store Lakes is not a well-and-septic community as a general matter. We queried Charlotte County's own GIS utilities map at three points inside the community: the association office at 16500 Burnt Store Road, the Acapulco Club condominium at 17074 Acapulco Road, and a single-family lot at 17530 Cape Horn Boulevard. All three fall inside Charlotte County Utilities' certificated water service area and its certificated sewer service area, each labeled "Public System" (Charlotte County GIS, Utilities Mapbook 2024, layers 36 and 37).

The water comes from next door. Charlotte County's Burnt Store Potable Water Treatment Plant, at 17430 Burnt Store Road, has capacity of up to 3.6 million gallons a day and runs five reverse-osmosis units producing about 3.25 million gallons a day. It draws brackish groundwater from the Floridan and Hawthorne aquifers and removes the excess minerals and salts through membranes; the county bought the plant from Florida Water Services in December 2003 and expanded it in 2010 (Charlotte County, Burnt Store Potable Water Treatment Plant). The county's utility FAQ confirms that "customers in the Burnt Store area are served by the Charlotte County Utilities Burnt Store Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Facility," that this water is disinfected with chlorine rather than the chloramine used elsewhere in the county, and that the county does not add fluoride (Charlotte County, Utilities Department FAQ).

Sewer

The county's Burnt Store Water Reclamation Facility, its wastewater plant, shares the same 75-acre site at 17430 Burnt Store Road (Charlotte County, Burnt Store plant). Whether a given street is served by gravity sewer or a low-pressure system is not something we confirmed. Charlotte County runs gravity, low-pressure and vacuum systems in different parts of the county, and its sewer page notes that a low-pressure connection requires the homeowner to hire an electrician for a panel (Charlotte County, Sewer Service), so ask the seller which system serves the house and look for the equipment at inspection.

Checking a specific lot

A certificated service area means Charlotte County Utilities holds the right to serve that area. It is not proof that a particular parcel, especially a vacant lot, already has a water and sewer tap in the ground. For a lot purchase, the county's process is the Utilities Availability Form: submit the street address and the short legal description from the Property Appraiser's record search to Engineering Services, or call 941-764-4300, option 3 (Charlotte County, Water and Sewer Availability). Make the answer a contingency in a lot contract. Connection fees and rates are set by the county and change; read the current schedule on the county's utilities site rather than a listing.

Internet and cable

We could not confirm which internet providers serve Burnt Store Lakes addresses from a primary source, and we do not guess. The authority is the FCC National Broadband Map, which lists the providers that report service at each address. Check the exact address there, then check each provider's own availability tool before you rely on working from home.

Fire and EMS: Station 5

Fire protection and emergency medical service come from Charlotte County Fire and EMS. The station closest to Burnt Store Lakes is Station 5, 15200 Burnt Store Road, Punta Gorda, Florida 33955, and the department's headquarters is at 26571 Airport Road (Charlotte County Fire and EMS, Station Listing).

Sheriff: District 4

Law enforcement is the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, not a city police department, because Burnt Store Lakes is outside the City of Punta Gorda. The sheriff's District 4, its largest district, runs "south of the Baron Collier Bridge to the Lee County line," which takes in Burnt Store Lakes; the District 4 station is at 25500 Airport Road, Punta Gorda (Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Patrol). The non-emergency number is 941-639-2101, and emergencies go to 911 (Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Contact Us). We found no substation dedicated to Burnt Store Road.

Mail and the 33955 ZIP

The mailing address is Punta Gorda, Florida 33955. The USPS locator returns the Punta Gorda Post Office at 130 East Marion Avenue for ZIP 33955, and we found no separate retail post office inside the ZIP (USPS, Find Locations). The ZIP is a postal label, not a jurisdiction: Burnt Store Lakes is unincorporated Charlotte County, outside the City of Punta Gorda. How mail reaches a particular street, curbside or cluster box, is not in a public record we could read; ask the seller.

Streets, drainage and the tax bill

The streets in Burnt Store Lakes are county-platted roads, and the county maintains them through a municipal service benefit unit billed on the property tax bill. The South Burnt Store Street and Drainage MSBU was created in 1990 for Burnt Store Lakes streets and drainage (its legal boundary also takes in Harborside Woods Phase I), and it bills $297.83 per equivalent residential unit per year, the same for a vacant lot and a home, unchanged from FY2017/18 through the adopted FY2026 and approved FY2027 budgets (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit; FY2026 adopted budget). That FY2026 budget carries a $5,617,139 paving line. A second county unit, the South Charlotte Stormwater MSBU, also appears on the bill; its FY2026/27 budget lists a vacant rate of $24.32 and a current maximum rate of $26.75 (Charlotte County, South Charlotte Stormwater Utility Unit; FY2026 budget). No community development district appears on the county or association records we reviewed.

Golf carts

Golf carts are not a way around the neighborhood here. The association states plainly that "Burnt Store Lakes itself is not a Charlotte County golf cart designated community" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association). It has no golf course of its own either. A buyer coming from a cart community should plan on a car for every errand.

The paperwork list

Ask for these before the inspection period ends:

• The association's estoppel certificate, which states the annual assessment, any special assessment and anything owed. The association does not publish its annual assessment outside its member portal; it is on the adopted budget and the estoppel certificate. Under the fee schedule effective February 1, 2026, a normal estoppel is $299 and an expedited one is $418 (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, Fee Schedule).
• The buyer-paid Capital Resale Assessment, $750 under the same schedule, on your closing statement.
• The most recent Charlotte County tax bill, to see both MSBU lines and the seller's exemptions.
• For a vacant lot, the county's Utilities Availability Form response for that parcel.
• The elevation certificate and the FEMA flood zone for the exact address, since the zone is set parcel by parcel (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer).
• Architectural approvals for past exterior work, including fences, which since 2025 must be picket-style (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents).
• If you plan to rent, the Rental Registration Form, filed with the $100 fee at least 10 days before a lease starts; short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO are prohibited (Rental Registration Form).

Our buyer team walks every Burnt Store Lakes contract through this list; see how we represent buyers, or call Marc at (239) 287-5873.

How Does Burnt Store Lakes Compare With Other Punta Gorda Communities?

Burnt Store Lakes recorded 63 sales on its platted lots at a $432,000 median in the latest 12 months, below the city canal communities of Punta Gorda Isles and Burnt Store Isles, and above Heritage Landing, Burnt Store Marina and Deep Creek. It is a lake community with no canals, no marina and no golf course.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser and Lee County Property Appraiser public recorded-sale files, our analysis; windows as stated in the table).

Sources: Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis, for the Charlotte County communities; Lee County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis, for Burnt Store Marina. Burnt Store Lakes adds 7 condominium sales at a $205,000 median in its seven small condominium regimes, for 70 footprint sales at $422,500. Deep Creek records 351 sales at $341,000 once its condominiums are included.

Reading the table by product

Compare like with like. Burnt Store Lakes' $432,000 is a median of 63 sales on the Section 21 platted lots, nearly all detached homes: 57 of the 63 were on single-family parcels, at a $430,000 median, and the other six were new homes on lots the roll had not yet recoded. Punta Gorda Isles, the city's large canal community, recorded 344 sales in its in-city sections at $693,000, about 60 percent above Burnt Store Lakes; much of that premium buys a canal lot and a city address. Burnt Store Isles, Punta Gorda Isles Section 15 inside the city, pairs canals with golf and recorded 74 sales at $662,500.

Heritage Landing sits in unincorporated Charlotte County like Burnt Store Lakes, but it is a gated golf community inside the Tern Bay community development district, and its 112 sales across all products, at $332,500, include a mix of home types. Burnt Store Marina, next door in Lee County, recorded 106 sales at $360,000, but two of every three were condominiums; its 37 houses sold at a $460,000 median, a closer comparison to Burnt Store Lakes' single-family $430,000.

Deep Creek, the other unincorporated Punta Gorda Isles plat

Deep Creek, recorded as Punta Gorda Isles Sections 20 and 23 in unincorporated Charlotte County, is the most useful comparison on paper, because it is measured the same way: 297 platted-lot sales at a $360,000 median over the same 12 months. Burnt Store Lakes' platted-lot median is $72,000 higher. Part of that gap is age. The homes that sold on the Burnt Store Lakes plat in the last 12 months had a median county year built of 2015, against 2001 for Deep Creek's platted-lot sales, and 21 of the 63 Burnt Store Lakes sales were homes built in 2020 or later (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public files, our analysis). A Burnt Store Lakes sale is often a newer house.

When Cape Coral belongs on the list

A buyer who likes Burnt Store Lakes' price and new-construction supply but wants a canal behind the house, or does not mind a Lee County address, should also look south. Cape Coral begins just past Burnt Store Marina, about 27 free-flow minutes to its City Hall; our Cape Coral guide covers its canal system and market. For the city-wide picture on the Charlotte side, start with our Punta Gorda guide.

Where Burnt Store Lakes sits for a seller

For a seller, the table is a positioning tool. A Burnt Store Lakes home competes on price with the newer inland product, and on setting it offers what the city canal market does not at its price: a lake lot and a resident paddle route to Charlotte Harbor. In the last 12 months, 19 of the 63 platted-lot sales closed at $550,000 or more, topped by $795,000 on Barcrest Lane in October 2025 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). That top tier is priced home by home against the wider Punta Gorda market, not against the Burnt Store Lakes median.

Selling or buying in Burnt Store Lakes? Sellers can start with our Punta Gorda home values guide or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. Buyers can call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we help buyers in Punta Gorda.

Burnt Store Lakes vs Burnt Store Marina: Which Is Right for You?

Burnt Store Lakes suits a buyer who wants a detached home or a lot to build on, Charlotte County government and schools, and freshwater lakes without a gate. Burnt Store Marina suits a buyer who wants a staffed gate, a harbor marina slip, a residents-owned golf course and a condominium price point, in Lee County.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser and Lee County Property Appraiser public recorded-sale files, our analysis; Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association; PGI Section 22 Homeowners Association; Safe Harbor Marinas).

The two share a road, a ZIP code and a developer lineage, and they are 3.9 miles and about 10 free-flow minutes apart by road. Burnt Store Lakes is Punta Gorda Isles Section 21, recorded in Charlotte County. Burnt Store Marina is Punta Gorda Isles Section 22, recorded in Lee County, with Vincent Avenue along its north edge as the Lee and Charlotte county line. Different counties, different associations, different products.

Sources: Charlotte County Property Appraiser and Lee County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis; Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer; Florida Division of Emergency Management, Know Your Zone; Lee County Evacuation; WINK News, Charlotte County CRS; Lee County, CRS Discounts; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association; Burnt Store Lakes Fee Schedule, February 1, 2026; Charlotte County, South Burnt Store MSBU; Burnt Store Marina, PGI Section 22; Burnt Store Marina, Accessing Our Community; Safe Harbor Burnt Store; Burnt Store Marina Country Club, Course Details; The Beacon, March 2026; Lee County Property Appraiser, 2026 TRIM notice.

Two plats, one county line

The single biggest difference is the county. Burnt Store Lakes is Charlotte County in every way that touches an owner: the Charlotte County Property Appraiser values it, Charlotte County's flood panels map it, the Charlotte County Sheriff's District 4 patrols it, and Charlotte County Public Schools serves it. Burnt Store Marina is Lee County for all of those, with its water and sewer the one service that crosses the line from Charlotte County Utilities. A buyer comparing the two should compare the two tax bills line by line, because they are built from different millage and different special units.

What a Burnt Store Lakes owner can use next door

Buying in Burnt Store Lakes does not come with membership rights at Burnt Store Marina. No document we read gives Burnt Store Lakes owners a reciprocal privilege, a discount or a shared membership there. The association's own words are that residents "can explore the offerings at Burnt Store Marina, located next door" (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association). What is open to the public is what each business says is open to the public: Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar calls itself "Open to the public" (Cass Cay), the golf club says "the public may book tee times" (Burnt Store Marina Country Club), and Safe Harbor's slips and dry storage are commercial contracts available to paying boaters, with transient slips bookable by visitors (Safe Harbor Burnt Store). For anything else, ask the operator directly and get the answer in writing.

For a boater, that last point is the practical one. A Burnt Store Lakes owner who wants a slip 10 minutes from home can contract for one at Safe Harbor like any member of the public, and the home's price never included it. In Burnt Store Marina, the home's price does not include a slip either.

Same bird names, different places

The two communities also share bird names. Among the lakes the Burnt Store Lakes association names are Osprey Lake, Pelican Lake and Heron Lake (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, Map of Burnt Store Lakes). Burnt Store Marina Country Club's three nines are also named Osprey, Pelican and Heron (Burnt Store Marina Country Club, Course Details). The lakes are water bodies in Charlotte County maintained by the Burnt Store Lakes association; the nines are golf holes in Lee County, and the lakes are not on the golf course. When a listing mentions Osprey, Pelican or Heron, check which community it is in and whether it means a lake or a fairway.

Who should choose Burnt Store Lakes

• Buyers who want a detached single-family home: 57 single-family recorded sales at a $430,000 median in the last 12 months.
• Buyers who want to build: about 1,130 parcels carry a vacant residential code, and the association's review process governs new construction, with a 1,700-square-foot minimum.
• Buyers who want a newer house: 16 of the 63 recorded platted-lot sales were first sales of new homes.
• Families who want Charlotte County Public Schools and a Charlotte County government.
• Paddlers and anglers who want freshwater lakes out back and a resident launch to Charlotte Harbor, and who do not need a slip at the door.
• Buyers who do not want or need a gate, a marina or a golf club in the neighborhood.

Who should choose Burnt Store Marina

• Boaters who want to live at a harbor marina, with Safe Harbor wet slips at unrestricted height.
• Buyers who want a condominium entry point: the recorded condominium median was $275,000.
• Buyers who want a gate staffed around the clock.
• Golfers who want a 27-hole executive course owned by their own association.
• Seasonal owners who want a lock-and-leave unit and a built-out community with no construction next door.
• Buyers comfortable with Lee County schools in Cape Coral and North Fort Myers and a Lee County tax bill.

If you own in either community and want to know which buyer your home appeals to, get a free home valuation or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. We sell on both sides of the county line.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Living in Burnt Store Lakes?

The pros of Burnt Store Lakes are newer homes and buildable lots, freshwater lakes with a resident paddle route to Charlotte Harbor, county water and sewer, Charlotte County schools and prices below the city canal communities. The cons are Zone AE flood mapping, Evacuation Zone A, Port Charlotte hospitals, ongoing construction and slower MLS sales.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public files, our analysis; Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026; FEMA; Florida Division of Emergency Management; Charlotte County; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association).

Pros

• Newer homes. The 63 recorded platted-lot sales in the last 12 months had a median county year built of 2015, and 189 homes on the plat were built from 2020 to 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public files, our analysis).
• Room to build. About 1,130 parcels carry a vacant residential code on the 2026 roll, so a buyer can pick a lot and a floor plan instead of taking what is for sale.
• Construction standards set by the owners. The restated declaration requires 1,700 square feet of living area for a new single-family home, at least a one-car attached garage, tile or metal roofs on new structures and cement, paver or stamped-concrete driveways (Amended and Restated Declaration, 2021).
• Lakes and a way to the harbor. The association counts eleven lakes, among them Eagle, Stork, Heron, Ibis, Egret, King Fisher, Osprey, Pelican and Spoonbill, and runs a resident launch on Bear Branch Creek to Charlotte Harbor (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association; Map of Burnt Store Lakes; Canoe/Kayak Launch).
• A community park. The park on Spoonbill Lake has pavilions, restrooms, an observation deck and a playground, open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Community Park).
• County water and sewer. Sampled points sit inside Charlotte County Utilities' certificated water and sewer areas, served from the Burnt Store plant on the same road (Charlotte County GIS, Utilities Mapbook 2024).
• A lower entry price than the city canals. A $432,000 platted-lot median, against $693,000 in Punta Gorda Isles and $662,500 in Burnt Store Isles (county recorded sales, our analysis).
• Roads with a funded repaving program. The county street and drainage unit's FY2026 budget carries a $5,617,139 paving line (Charlotte County, FY2026 budget).
• A flood-insurance discount. Charlotte County holds Community Rating System Class 5, a 25 percent discount for qualifying National Flood Insurance Program policies (WINK News).
• Not marketed as age-restricted. The association describes a "cross-generational" community, and the park has a playground (Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association).
• An easy airport. Punta Gorda Airport is about 19 free-flow minutes north (OSRM, from 16300 Cape Horn Blvd, September 26, 2026).

Cons

• Most of it is mapped Zone AE. Ten of the 12 points we sampled fell in FEMA Zone AE, a Special Flood Hazard Area, with base flood elevations of 8 to 9 feet; flood insurance is required for a federally backed mortgage there (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer). The zone is set parcel by parcel, so check the exact address.
• Evacuation Zone A. Eight of the 12 sampled points returned the state's Zone A, the first ordered out before a hurricane, and four returned Zone B; the county's Know Your Zone lookup is the authority for an address.
• Hospitals are in Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda's hospital closed in December 2024, and the two open hospitals are about 27 free-flow minutes north; AdventHealth's planned Punta Gorda emergency department has no opening date (AdventHealth).
• Construction next door. With 16 of the last 63 sales being new homes and the association reporting 92 homes under construction in January 2024, a buyer should expect building activity on nearby lots for years.
• Few amenities of its own. No clubhouse, pool, golf course or marina; the association points residents to Burnt Store Marina's businesses, which carry no Burnt Store Lakes membership rights.
• An unpublished assessment. The association does not publish its annual assessment outside its member portal; a buyer reads it on the estoppel certificate, alongside a $750 buyer-paid Capital Resale Assessment (Fee Schedule).
• Strict rules. Since 2025 fences must be picket-style, vegetable gardens are prohibited unless the law allows them, and exterior lighting may not shine into neighbors' homes overnight; short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO are prohibited (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents; Summary of 2021 Governing Documents).
• A slower MLS. The 32 MLS-labeled closings in the last 12 months took a median of 91 days on market and sold at a median 95.9 percent of list price (Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026).
• Growth on the road. The Charlotte corridor carries planned developments of up to 999 and 1,000 homes, and the connector to U.S. 41 depends on a November 2026 sales-tax vote (Charlotte County).
• Internet is an address-by-address question. We could not confirm providers from a primary source; check the FCC National Broadband Map.
• Fishing rules still apply. The association calls its lakes "fish filled," but Florida's freshwater licensing rules apply in them, and fishing out in Charlotte Harbor from the launch is saltwater fishing under separate rules (FWC, Freshwater Fishing License).

How the list lands for a seller

Every con above is a question a buyer will ask, and each one has a documented answer: the FEMA zone and the elevation certificate for the house, the evacuation zone from the county lookup, the estoppel figure, the utility tap and the architectural approvals. A listing that answers them up front sells the pros. That is how McGreevy and Comisar prepare a Burnt Store Lakes listing, and why sellers who want the whole record priced into the home call the best real estate agents in Punta Gorda first. Start with a free Punta Gorda home valuation or read our guide to selling a home in Punta Gorda.

Thinking of Selling Your Burnt Store Lakes Home? List With the #1 Team in Southwest Florida Since 2012

Selling a Burnt Store Lakes home well means pricing it on Charlotte County's recorded sales, competing honestly with the builder-direct homes going up a few lots away, and answering the association, flood and insurance questions before a buyer asks. McGreevy and Comisar, the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012, build every Burnt Store Lakes listing around those three.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis, newest recorded sale August 6, 2026; Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026).

If you're searching for the best Burnt Store Lakes listing agent, or thinking, "I need to sell my house in Burnt Store Lakes," you are choosing between agents who read the market from a portal and a team that reads it from the record. Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar price Burnt Store Lakes homes against the actual recorded sales on the same kind of homesite, lake or interior, from the same era of construction and the same size band, and against the new homes a builder is finishing down the street, then market the parts a buyer from out of state cannot see for themselves.

• Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008
• 5 Star Award for Customer Satisfaction for 21 Straight Years. Only 5 out of 21k+ Licensees (Gulfshore Life Magazine)
• #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012
• McGreevy and Comisar and their Domain Realty Group team have sold over $2.5 Billion in Real Estate
• McGreevy and Comisar alone have over $900 million in Sales
• Nationally Recognized Top Producing Realtors
• Platinum Sales Production Award Winners

Burnt Store Lakes sales in the last 12 months

In the last 12 months we tracked 70 recorded qualified sales in the Burnt Store Lakes footprint at a median of $422,500 and $31,608,100 in total volume: 63 homes on the Punta Gorda Isles Section 21 lots at a median of $432,000, 57 of them coded single-family at $430,000, plus 7 condominium units in the community's seven small condominium regimes at a median of $205,000 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis, sales recorded from September 27, 2025 to September 26, 2026; the newest recorded sale on the lots is dated August 6, 2026 and in the condominiums June 18, 2026). Sixteen of the 63 were first sales of new homes, our builder-direct estimate, at a median of $429,950, while resales ran at $435,000. The Southwest Florida MLS shows 32 closings labeled Burnt Store Lakes in the 12 months to September 26, 2026, at a median of $422,450, a median 91 days on market and a 95.9 percent median sale-to-list ratio. The MLS catches about half of the county count because builder-direct and unlisted sales never reach it, which is exactly why a Burnt Store Lakes valuation has to start from the county record.

What Is Your Burnt Store Lakes Home Worth? Get a Free Valuation in 60 Seconds.

Start with our free home valuation and we will follow up with a Burnt Store Lakes-specific number built on recorded sales of comparable homes on comparable lots inside Punta Gorda Isles Section 21. For the city-wide picture, our Punta Gorda home values guide explains how prices are moving across Punta Gorda.

Talk to Jesse direct: (239) 898-6072, text or call. Confidential conversations welcome.

What we market on a Burnt Store Lakes listing

• The setting: lake frontage or an interior lot, which of the association's eleven lakes or which greenbelt the home faces, and the walk or ride to the Community Park on Spoonbill Lake and the resident canoe and kayak launch on Bear Branch Creek.
• The house against the rules: year built, living area against the association's 1,700 square foot single-family minimum, the tile or metal roof, the attached garage and the driveway, all of which the recorded declaration governs.
• The paperwork: the Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association estoppel certificate, the $750 capital resale assessment the buyer pays under the association's 2026 fee schedule, and the two county MSBU lines on the tax bill, so a buyer sees the full cost of ownership on day one.
• The flood file: the FEMA zone and base flood elevation on Charlotte County panel 12015C0416G or 12015C0418G, the elevation certificate and the insurance history.
• The comparison a builder cannot make: a finished, landscaped home with a recorded sale history, set against the timeline and allowances of a new build on the lot next door.

Seller questions we hear most in Burnt Store Lakes

How long does a Burnt Store Lakes home take to sell?

The 32 MLS-labeled Burnt Store Lakes sales in the 12 months to September 26, 2026 took a median of 91 days on market and closed at a median 95.9 percent of list price (Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026). Pricing on recorded sales from the first day, rather than on a portal estimate, is the biggest lever a seller controls on that number.

How do I compete with the new homes being built nearby?

By pricing against them honestly. Sixteen of the 63 recorded sales on the Section 21 lots in the latest 12 months were first sales of new homes, our builder-direct estimate, at a $429,950 median, and resales ran at $435,000 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). A resale competes on what it already has: a finished yard, a known roof, an insurance history and no construction timeline.

Who pays the $750 capital resale assessment?

The buyer. The association's fee schedule effective February 1, 2026 lists a "Capital Resale Assessment" of $750, paid by the buyer, alongside its estoppel fees (BSLPOA Fee Schedule). We put it on the buyer's side of the net sheet from the first conversation so it never surprises anyone at closing.

Will the association estoppel hold up my closing?

Not if it is ordered early. The Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association does not publish its annual assessment outside its member portal; the amount is on the adopted budget and on the estoppel certificate your closing agent orders under Florida Statutes 720.30851. The fee schedule prices a normal estoppel, delivered within 10 days, at $299 and an expedited one, 3 days or less, at $418.

Should I sell my Burnt Store Lakes home now or wait?

Recorded sales on the Section 21 lots in 2026 through September 26 ran at a median of $468,200 on 38 sales, above $430,000 on 62 sales in calendar 2025 but below the 2023 peak of $565,000 on 25 sales (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). The right answer depends on your home and your plans; we will run the numbers with you.

What does it cost to sell in Burnt Store Lakes?

Commission is negotiable. Florida documentary stamp tax on the deed is $0.70 per $100 of price, usually paid by the seller, plus title, recording, the association estoppel fee and prorated taxes and county assessments (Florida Statutes 201.02). We give every seller a written net sheet before listing.

Your Local Real Estate Experts

McGreevy and Comisar are the Southwest Florida team Burnt Store Lakes owners call when a home has to be priced on the record and sold without surprises. Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar have been Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008, lead the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012, and know Burnt Store Road and Charlotte County.

As the leaders of Domain Realty Group our team has closed over $2.5 billion in real estate, and Jesse and Marc's own personal sales exceed $900 million. RealTrends ranked Domain Realty Group the #5 real estate team in Florida for 2026, on 241 transactions and more than $157 million in volume, and the #1 team in Bonita Springs by sales volume and by transaction sides. Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar bring over 45 years of combined direct experience between them. Read more about our team.

• Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008
• 5 Star Award for Customer Satisfaction for 21 Straight Years. Only 5 out of 21k+ Licensees (Gulfshore Life Magazine)
• #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012
• McGreevy and Comisar and their Domain Realty Group team have sold over $2.5 Billion in Real Estate
• McGreevy and Comisar alone have over $900 million in Sales
• Nationally Recognized Top Producing Realtors
• Platinum Sales Production Award Winners

Meet Jesse McGreevy, who leads the team's listing and seller strategy, and Marc Comisar, who leads buyer representation and negotiation. Selling a Burnt Store Lakes home or homesite? Get a free home valuation or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. Buying in Burnt Store Lakes? Call Marc at (239) 287-5873, or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida.

What Burnt Store Lakes clients say about working with us

Jesse McGreevy is a top-reviewed Burnt Store Lakes realtor, and the reviews on the team's Google Business Profile describe what a Burnt Store Lakes seller needs most: sound pricing, patience with moving parts, and a plan that works for owners who do not live here year-round.

★★★★★ "Their recommendation on pricing my unit was sound and proved prescient. I never questioned their integrity and found it easy to rely on their recommendations. I would work with them again in a heartbeat." Verified Google review

★★★★★ "Marc made an extremely stressful time of selling my parents' house easier because of his expertise, compassion, and diligence. I cannot thank him enough and I would recommend him without reservation." Verified Google review

★★★★★ "We had been on the market for several months with no offers. When we signed with Marc our house was sold in 2 weeks. He has a unique system for selling homes." Verified Google review

★★★★★ "Not living in the area, Jesse made life easy for me when we decided to sell our condo. His attention to detail, patience, understanding, and tenacity in dealing with all the moving parts was truly impressive." Verified Google review

★★★★★ "No one knows real estate, especially Florida real estate like Marc and Jesse. Smart and savvy. They also have a great team that is knowledgeable and professional." Verified Google review

• Jesse McGreevy: (239) 898-6072 · [email protected]
• Marc Comisar: (239) 287-5873
• Office: 24031 S Tamiami Trl #101, Bonita Springs, FL 34134

Jesse McGreevy (Sales Associate) and Marc Comisar (Broker Associate) are licensed Florida REALTORS® with Domain Realty; Florida real estate licensure is regulated by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC).

Florida license numbers: Jesse McGreevy SL3101296 and Marc Comisar BK3060671.

McGreevy and Comisar lead Domain Realty Group, a full-service Southwest Florida real estate team. Learn more about our team at DomainRealtyGroup.com.

Burnt Store Lakes Frequently Asked Questions: Buyer Edition

Burnt Store Lakes buyers ask the same questions in the same order: whether it is part of Burnt Store Marina, which county it is in, what the association charges and allows, how building on a lot works, what the flood and evacuation zones are, and what homes sell for. Each answer draws on the sources listed at the end.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public parcel and sales files, our analysis, newest recorded sale August 6, 2026; Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer and Florida Division of Emergency Management evacuation zone layer, queried September 26, 2026; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association fee schedule effective February 1, 2026).

Where is Burnt Store Lakes located?

Burnt Store Lakes sits on Burnt Store Road in southwest Charlotte County, just north of the Lee County line. In the association's own words, it is "situated nine miles south down Burnt Store Road from U.S. 41" and is "bordered to the north by Punta Gorda, to the south by Burnt Store Marina and Cape Coral, and by the Charlotte Harbor Buffer Preserve to the West" (Burnt Store Lakes POA, Find Us Here). That means every Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte destination is north of the community, and Cape Coral is south. The association office is at 16500 Burnt Store Road, in Turtle Crossing Plaza.

What county is Burnt Store Lakes in?

Charlotte County. Burnt Store Lakes is in unincorporated Charlotte County, and FEMA's flood data files every point we sampled inside it under National Flood Insurance Program community 120061, "Charlotte County Unincorporated Areas" (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer). The Charlotte County Property Appraiser values it, the Charlotte County Tax Collector bills it, and Charlotte County Public Schools serves it. Lee County begins at the community's southern edge, which is why the neighbor to the south, Burnt Store Marina, answers to a different county on almost everything.

Is Burnt Store Lakes in the City of Punta Gorda?

No. The mailing address is Punta Gorda, but Burnt Store Lakes is outside the city limits, in unincorporated Charlotte County. The practical result is that county government, not the city, runs the roads, the permits and the flood rules here. Charlotte County builds and maintains the platted streets through a county street and drainage benefit unit, county building officials permit new homes after the association's architectural review, and the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement. For the city itself, including its canal neighborhoods and downtown, see our Punta Gorda guide.

What is the Burnt Store Lakes ZIP code?

Burnt Store Lakes uses ZIP code 33955 with a Punta Gorda mailing address; 1,845 of the 1,848 parcels on the county roll for Punta Gorda Isles Section 21 carry that ZIP, and the other three carry none (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, downloaded September 26, 2026). The USPS locator returns the Punta Gorda Post Office at 130 East Marion Avenue for ZIP 33955 (USPS Find Locations). The same ZIP covers Burnt Store Marina, which is one reason the two names get mixed up online.

Is Burnt Store Lakes part of Burnt Store Marina?

No. They are neighbors, not one community. Burnt Store Lakes is Punta Gorda Isles Section 21, recorded in Charlotte County and governed by the Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association. Burnt Store Marina is Punta Gorda Isles Section 22, a gated marina and golf community in unincorporated Lee County with its own master association. The Burnt Store Lakes association itself describes Burnt Store Marina as "located next door" and lists it as a border of the community, not a part of it (Burnt Store Lakes POA). Buying in one gives you no membership in the other.

What is the difference between Burnt Store Lakes and Burnt Store Marina?

Almost everything a buyer pays for. Burnt Store Lakes is a Charlotte County community of single-family homes and homesites on freshwater lakes, with no gate described in any association document, no marina and no golf course, and much of it is still vacant land. Burnt Store Marina is a gated Lee County community built around a harbor marina and a 27-hole course, where most homes are condominiums. On the county records, 63 Burnt Store Lakes lot sales recorded a $432,000 median in the latest 12 months, against 106 Burnt Store Marina sales at a $360,000 median in Lee County's file to August 7, 2026.

Can Burnt Store Lakes residents use Burnt Store Marina's marina, golf course or restaurants?

Only the way any member of the public can. No association document we read gives Burnt Store Lakes owners membership rights, discounts or reciprocal privileges at Burnt Store Marina. The Burnt Store Lakes association simply says residents "can explore the offerings at Burnt Store Marina, located next door" (Burnt Store Lakes POA). Some of those offerings are public on their own terms: Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar calls itself "Open to the public" (Cass Cay), Burnt Store Marina Country Club says "the public may book tee times" (BSMCC), and Safe Harbor's slips and dry storage are commercial contracts (Safe Harbor Burnt Store).

Is Burnt Store Lakes the same as Burnt Store Isles, Burnt Store Village, Burnt Store Meadows or Burnt Store Colony?

No. Each shares the road name, not the community. Burnt Store Isles is Punta Gorda Isles Section 15, a canal and golf community inside the City of Punta Gorda. Burnt Store Village is Punta Gorda Isles Section 16, with its own county street and drainage unit. Burnt Store Meadows and Burnt Store Colony are separate communities that share only the name. Burnt Store Lakes is Section 21, with its own association, its own recorded restrictions and its own county benefit unit, the South Burnt Store Street and Drainage MSBU.

What is Punta Gorda Isles Section 21?

It is Burnt Store Lakes' legal name. The community is recorded as Punta Gorda Isles, Section 21, in Plat Book 13, Pages 1A through 1Z-21, of the Public Records of Charlotte County, the citation used both in the county's 1990 ordinance creating its street and drainage unit and in the association's recorded 2021 documents (Charlotte County Ordinance 90-68). The county roll files it under the plat code PGI 021, and that is the name you will see on every deed and tax record for a lot here.

Who developed Burnt Store Lakes?

It was platted by Punta Gorda Isles, Inc., later PGI, Incorporated, the same company behind the numbered Punta Gorda Isles sections. The association's restated declaration says "the Community was originally created and established by Punta Gorda Isles, Inc., a Florida corporation as its developer as a residential community," and the original single-family restrictions were recorded in 1972 in Official Records Book 397, Page 918 (BSLPOA restated declaration). The developer sold lots to individual buyers over decades, which is why homes here are scattered across the plat rather than built street by street. Our Punta Gorda Isles guide covers the original canal sections.

Does Burnt Store Lakes have an HOA?

Yes, and it is mandatory. The Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, incorporated in 1984 per its recorded articles, is a self-managed association: membership attaches to every lot, each parcel owner gets a vote, assessments can become a lien, and architectural review is required (Recorded Bylaws). Its governing document is the Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions approved in October 2021 and recorded as Instrument 3016231, amended in 2023 and again in 2025 (Deed Restrictions and Bylaws). The association describes itself as "self-managed," with its own office and staff.

What are the Burnt Store Lakes HOA fees?

The association does not publish its annual assessment outside its member portal; it is on the adopted budget and the estoppel certificate. What is public is the structure: the assessment is billed once a year on a fiscal year running October 1 to September 30, and the members, not only the board, adopt the budget and the assessment at the annual meeting (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents). Separately, every lot pays two county benefit-unit lines on the tax bill, and a buyer pays a one-time $750 capital resale assessment at purchase. Ask for the estoppel before your inspection period ends.

What are the Burnt Store Lakes HOA rules and deed restrictions?

The restated declaration sets a 1,700 square foot minimum for a single-family home, requires at least a one-car attached garage, allows only tile or metal roofs on new structures and limits driveways to cement, pavers or stamped concrete (BSLPOA restated declaration). The 2025 amendments limit new fences to picket style, bar gravel driveways, restrict exterior lighting that shines into neighbors' windows, ban herbicide in the lakes and require boats, kayaks and canoes without a waiver to be kept in a garage or out of view (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents). Short-term rentals are prohibited.

Is there an official Burnt Store Lakes website and office?

Yes. The association's official site is bslpoa.org, which posts the governing documents, the fee schedule, forms and the community map; some pages, including its FAQ and the assessment payment page, sit behind a resident login. The office is at 16500 Burnt Store Road in Turtle Crossing Plaza, Punta Gorda, FL 33955, phone (941) 639-5881, email [email protected] (Rental Registration Form). The same building houses the Community Center Room that residents can use for meetings and social groups.

Is Burnt Store Lakes a gated community?

No gate appears in any association document we read. The streets are platted roads accepted by Charlotte County and maintained through the South Burnt Store Street and Drainage MSBU, a county benefit unit whose stated purpose is paving, repaving and draining "the streets within the unit which have been platted and accepted by the county" (Charlotte County, South Burnt Store MSBU). That is the opposite of the private, gated road system next door at Burnt Store Marina. A buyer who wants a staffed gate should compare the two communities directly.

How many lakes are in Burnt Store Lakes, and what are they called?

The association counts eleven. Its map page describes "a layout of the association including street names and names of the eleven (11) lakes" (Map of Burnt Store Lakes), and its home page calls them "eleven fish filled lakes" (Burnt Store Lakes POA). Among the names the association prints are Eagle, Stork, Heron, Ibis, Egret, King Fisher, Osprey, Pelican and Spoonbill Lake, where the Community Park sits. Download the association's color master plan for the full layout before you choose a lot; it is the best way to see which homesites face water.

Who maintains the lakes?

The association. Section 3.1 of the recorded declaration makes "lakes, water areas, shown on the record plat" part of the community common areas the association operates and maintains, "regardless of whether legal right to that property has been formally conveyed to the Association" (BSLPOA restated declaration). Owners may not remove native vegetation that becomes established in a wet retention or detention pond abutting their lot, and the 2025 amendments strictly prohibit herbicide in the lakes. A lakefront buyer should read those two rules before planning a dock-style deck or a shoreline cleanup.

Can I fish in the Burnt Store Lakes lakes?

Yes, residents fish them, and the association promotes "plenty of opportunity for fishing" and fishing from the Community Park on Spoonbill Lake (Community Park). Florida's freshwater fishing rules apply, and we found no record establishing that these lakes qualify for any license exemption, so read the FWC license rules, including its exemptions, before you cast a line (FWC, Freshwater Fishing License). Paddling out from the resident launch into Charlotte Harbor is saltwater fishing in public waters, which falls under the state's separate saltwater license and rules.

Does Burnt Store Lakes have a park?

Yes. The association's Community Park on Spoonbill Lake has "old Florida style" pavilions over picnic tables, restrooms, an observation deck overlooking the lake, and a playground and swings for children, with views of the lake and Bear Branch Creek; it is open 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Community Park). Residents reserve the pavilions through the association office, and non-resident private functions pay a use fee and a cleaning deposit under the fee schedule. The park is the community's main gathering place and hosts association social events.

Does Burnt Store Lakes have a kayak or canoe launch?

Yes, for residents. The association's Canoe and Kayak Launch on Bear Branch Creek lets residents "launch and paddle through the mangrove preserve out to Charlotte Harbor," open dawn to dusk, and cars parked there must show a resident vehicle sticker or a guest vehicle pass (Canoe/Kayak Launch). The lakes themselves are freshwater and no canals appear anywhere on the Section 21 plat record, so this paddle-craft route is the community's way to the harbor. Under the 2025 amendments, boats, kayaks and canoes stored at home go in the garage or out of view.

Does Burnt Store Lakes have its own boat ramp?

No. There is no boat ramp in Burnt Store Lakes, and the ramp inside Burnt Store Marina appears on the state's marina list, not its public ramp list. The nearest public launches on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and county lists are in and around Punta Gorda: Ponce de Leon Park, Laishley Park, Darst Park and Harbour Heights Park, among others (FWC, Charlotte Harbor boat ramps). Harbour Heights Park is about 17.0 miles and 26 minutes away in free-flow routing. A boater who wants a slip should price a Safe Harbor contract next door.

Does Burnt Store Lakes have a golf course?

No. There is no golf course, clubhouse or pool in Burnt Store Lakes, and the association states that "Burnt Store Lakes itself is not a Charlotte County golf cart designated community" (Burnt Store Lakes POA). Next door is Burnt Store Marina Country Club, a separate club in Lee County where the public may book tee times. Do not confuse the Burnt Store Lakes lakes named Osprey, Pelican and Heron with that club's three nines of the same names; the lakes sit in Burnt Store Lakes, and the nines sit on the Burnt Store Marina course.

How many homes are in Burnt Store Lakes?

The county roll carries 1,848 parcels in Punta Gorda Isles Section 21, and 711 of them have a home or other building with a year built. About 1,130 parcels carry a vacant residential code on the 2026 roll, and the roll lags new construction (Charlotte County Property Appraiser roll, downloaded September 26, 2026). On top of that, seven condominium regimes add 94 units. The association describes the community as "presently 40% developed" (Burnt Store Lakes POA). Either way, most of the plat is still homesites, which shapes both the view and the construction around any home you buy.

How much do homes cost in Burnt Store Lakes?

In the 12 months of recorded sales to September 26, 2026, homes on the Section 21 lots sold at a median of $432,000 across 63 qualified sales, from $217,500 to $795,000, and single-family homes at $430,000 across 57 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). Nineteen sold for $550,000 or more and 27 between $350,000 and $449,999. Condominium units sold at a $205,000 median across 7 sales. The 32 sales labeled Burnt Store Lakes on the MLS in the 12 months to September 26, 2026 had a median of $422,450.

Are there lots for sale in Burnt Store Lakes?

Yes, and far more of them than in most Punta Gorda communities. About 1,130 parcels on the 2026 county roll carry a vacant residential code, against 711 with a year built, and the developer sold lots to individual owners over decades, so vacant homesites change hands owner to owner rather than through a single builder's release. Before you buy one, confirm its zoning (single-family lots are RSF-3.5), its flood zone and base flood elevation, and water and sewer availability through the county's Utilities Availability Form, then read the association's new-construction rules so the home you want fits the lot.

Can I buy a lot and build a home in Burnt Store Lakes?

Yes, and plans go to the association before they go to the county. An owner or builder submits a construction application to the association office, the Architectural Review Committee reviews it against Section 5 of the declaration, and the board gives final approval at a monthly meeting; the committee then inspects monthly through completion (ARC Rules). The 2026 fee schedule charges $250 for a new home application and requires a refundable $25,000 builder completion deposit and a $5,000 clean-site deposit, plus $3,000 for a pool (BSLPOA Fee Schedule).

What is the minimum home size in Burnt Store Lakes?

1,700 square feet for a single-family home under the 2021 restated declaration, 1,000 square feet per unit on a multi-family lot and 1,200 square feet per unit in a duplex (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents). Before 2021 the single-family minimum was 1,200 square feet under the 1972 declaration, which is why some older homes in the community are smaller than anything that could be built today. The median sale on the Section 21 lots in the latest 12 months had 2,040 square feet of living area on the county roll.

What roof, garage and driveway rules apply to new construction?

The restated declaration says "only tile and metal roofs shall be permissible" and that "Asphalt shingles are prohibited on new structures," sets a minimum roof pitch, and caps garage doors at 11 feet except for an RV or boat garage (BSLPOA restated declaration). Every single-family home needs at least a one-car attached garage, and an oversized garage with a door up to 14 feet is allowed when it is part of the approved plan. Driveways must be cement, pavers or stamped concrete; asphalt was already prohibited, and the 2025 amendments added gravel to the list.

Can I park a boat or RV at my Burnt Store Lakes home?

Not in the open for long. The 2025 amendments require a boat, kayak or canoe not covered by an association waiver to be stored in a garage or obscured from view, and the association's inspection rules give three days to correct a boat, trailer or RV violation (Summary of 2025 Governing Documents; Enforcement Rules). The 2021 rewrite added integrated RV garages for new construction and allows RV loading and unloading windows of up to five days. Buyers with a boat or motorhome usually solve it with the garage.

Is there new construction in Burnt Store Lakes?

Yes, a steady stream on scattered lots. Sixteen of the 63 recorded sales on the Section 21 lots in the latest 12 months were first sales of new homes, our builder-direct estimate, at a $429,950 median, and 189 of the 711 buildings on the county roll were built in 2020 or later (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public files, our analysis). The association reported 92 homes under construction in January 2024 (BSLPOA newsletter, March 2024). Expect a builder's crew on some nearby lot for years; the association's clean-site deposits exist for that reason.

Are the new homes in Burnt Store Lakes well built?

Each one passes two sets of eyes before a buyer's inspector: the association's Architectural Review Committee, which reviews the plans and inspects monthly through completion, and Charlotte County's building permit and inspection process. Neither is a warranty. On any new home, we recommend an independent inspection before closing, a copy of the builder's warranty, the certificate of occupancy and the final survey, and the elevation certificate. On a home under construction, add inspections at key stages. We do not rank builders; ask us for the recorded sales of the builder's finished homes in the community.

What is the typical lot size in Burnt Store Lakes?

The county roll we used carries no lot-size or lake-frontage flag, so we do not publish a typical figure or a count of lakefront lots. The recorded restrictions set a floor instead: no dwelling on a parcel narrower than 75 feet at the front setback line or smaller than 7,200 square feet, "except that a dwelling may be erected or placed on any lot as shown on the recorded plat" (BSLPOA restated declaration). For a specific lot, read its dimensions on the Property Appraiser's record card and the plat, and note that setbacks now follow current Charlotte County standards under the 2025 amendment.

What zoning applies to Burnt Store Lakes?

Single-family lots are zoned Residential Single-family 3.5 (RSF-3.5). A January 2022 Charlotte County determination for a Cape Horn Boulevard address inside the community refers to "the residence located in the Residential Single-family 3.5 (RSF-3.5) zoning district" (Charlotte County, AVAR-21-004). The association's restrictions sit on top of county zoning, and where they are stricter, as on living area, roofs and fences, the stricter rule governs what you can build. A multi-family or commercial tract has its own designation, so check the county's zoning map for any parcel that is not an ordinary single-family lot.

Are there condos in Burnt Store Lakes?

Yes, a small number. Seven condominium regimes, all built from 2006 to 2008, hold 94 units on the county roll: Acapulco Lakes (30 units), Acapulco Club (18), Acapulco Place (12), Sunset Palms Phase 1 (10), Villa Tuscany at Burnt Store Lakes (10), Boca Vista at Burnt Store Lakes (8) and Lake Costa Gardens (6). They sit on Acapulco Road, Boca Vista Road, San Edmundo Road and Sunset Palms Boulevard. Seven units sold in the latest 12 months at a $205,000 median, topped by $390,000 for a Villa Tuscany unit in March 2026. Each regime has its own condominium association and documents.

What is the Acapulco Club condominium?

Acapulco Club is an 18-unit condominium in three buildings at 17074, 17084 and 17094 Acapulco Road, built in 2008 according to the county roll, with a Punta Gorda 33955 address. Its land was a multi-family lot the developer sold in 1983 and 1984, according to the association's recorded multi-family exhibit, which lists "Acapulco Club Condos" as a development within Burnt Store Lakes (BSLPOA restated declaration). It is a separate regime from Acapulco Lakes, the 30-unit condominium down the road. Two Acapulco Club units sold in the latest 12 months, at $200,000 and $225,000.

What flood zone is Burnt Store Lakes in?

Most of it is Zone AE. We sampled 12 addresses across the community on FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer: 10 returned Zone AE, a Special Flood Hazard Area of the coastal floodplain type, with base flood elevations of 8 or 9 feet NAVD88, and 2, on Cabana Road and Vellum Circle, returned shaded Zone X, the 0.2 percent annual chance area (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer). The panels are 12015C0416G and 12015C0418G, both effective December 15, 2022. Flood zone is set parcel by parcel, so check the FIRM for the exact address.

What does Zone AE with a base flood elevation of 8 or 9 feet mean for a lot?

It means FEMA puts the lot in the 1 percent annual chance flood area and sets the elevation the base flood is expected to reach, measured in feet on the NAVD88 datum. For a new home, that number drives how high the lowest floor has to sit under county building rules. For an existing home, the premium turns on where the lowest floor sits against it, which only an elevation certificate shows. Every AE point we sampled in Burnt Store Lakes read 8 or 9 feet; do not rely on a figure from a forum or an old listing, and read the FIRM for the parcel.

Is flood insurance required in Burnt Store Lakes?

In Zone AE, a federally backed mortgage requires it, because AE is a Special Flood Hazard Area; most of the points we sampled in Burnt Store Lakes are AE. In the shaded Zone X pocket we found on Cabana Road and Vellum Circle, no federal purchase requirement attaches, though lenders and insurers can still ask for coverage, and flood risk is not zero there. Charlotte County's unincorporated area is a Class 5 community in FEMA's Community Rating System, worth a 25 percent discount on qualifying National Flood Insurance Program policies (WINK News, September 2025).

Can I get reasonable flood insurance in Burnt Store Lakes?

It depends on the house more than the street. An elevation certificate showing the lowest floor well above the base flood elevation of 8 or 9 feet usually does more for the premium than anything else. The county's Class 5 rating gives a 25 percent discount on qualifying policies. We do not quote premiums, because they are priced per structure; ask the seller for the elevation certificate and any flood policy that can be assigned, and get a quote before your inspection period ends.

What hurricane evacuation zone is Burnt Store Lakes in?

Mostly Zone A, with some Zone B. At the same 12 points we sampled for flood zones, the state's Know Your Zone layer returned Zone A at eight, including Cape Horn Boulevard, Peppercorn Road, Vincent Avenue, Santa Inez Road, Acapulco Road, San Edmundo Road, Boca Vista Road and San Rafael Road, and Zone B at four, on Rio Togas Road, Cabana Road, Vellum Circle and Trading Post Road. Evacuation zones are a separate product from flood insurance zones. Charlotte County's own Know Your Zone lookup is the authority for any address (Charlotte County, Know Your Zone).

How did Hurricane Ian affect Burnt Store Lakes?

No public record we found describes Ian's effect on Burnt Store Lakes specifically, either damage or the lack of it. The National Hurricane Center reports that Ian made landfall near Punta Gorda on September 28, 2022, with an estimated intensity of 125 knots, and that "at least 200 homes were destroyed in Charlotte County" (NHC, Hurricane Ian report); Charley's eyewall struck Punta Gorda in 2004 (NHC, Hurricane Charley report). Ask the seller for permits, repair invoices and any insurance claims, and read the disclosure form closely.

Is Burnt Store Lakes a safe place to live?

We do not characterize neighborhoods by safety; the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office publishes its own crime data. Burnt Store Lakes is in the Sheriff's Office District 4, which covers the area "south of the Baron Collier Bridge to the Lee County line," served from the District 4 station at 25500 Airport Road (CCSO, Patrol). Charlotte County Fire and EMS Station 5 sits on Burnt Store Road at number 15200. For storm safety, the flood and evacuation answers above are the ones that matter most.

Can I rent out my Burnt Store Lakes home?

Long-term, yes, with registration; short-term, no. The 2021 restated declaration expressly prohibits short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents). A landlord files the association's Rental Registration Form and a $100 fee at least 10 days before a lease begins and remains responsible for the tenant's compliance (Rental Registration Form). The rental rules sit in Sections 6.3 to 6.3.5 of the declaration; the public summaries do not state a minimum lease term, so read those sections before buying to rent.

Is Burnt Store Lakes a 55+ community?

It is not marketed or described as age-restricted. The association calls Burnt Store Lakes "a vibrant, growing, cross-generational deed-restricted community" (Burnt Store Lakes POA), and its Community Park has a playground and swings for children. Each of the seven condominium regimes has its own declaration, so a condominium buyer should read the one for the building. Charlotte County Public Schools serves the community, and the answer below lists the schools the district's locator assigns.

What schools serve Burnt Store Lakes?

Charlotte County Public Schools. Per the district's Boundary Locator on September 26, 2026, five addresses on five different streets across the community all returned East Elementary, Punta Gorda Middle and Charlotte High School (Charlotte County Public Schools, Boundary Locator). The district says the tool is "only a guide," so confirm for your address with the school. Punta Gorda Middle is at 1001 Education Avenue and Charlotte High at 1250 Cooper Street in Punta Gorda; East Elementary is a newer school at 27050 Fairway Drive.

Where is the nearest hospital to Burnt Store Lakes?

The nearest open hospitals are in Port Charlotte: AdventHealth Port Charlotte, about 15.9 miles and 27 minutes, and HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital, about 16.1 miles and 27 minutes (free-flow OSRM routing from 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard, September 26, 2026). ShorePoint Health Punta Gorda closed permanently in December 2024. AdventHealth, which now runs the former ShorePoint Port Charlotte hospital, announced on September 5, 2025 a freestanding emergency department at Jones Loop Road and Mac Ever Street in Punta Gorda, with no opening date announced (AdventHealth).

Is Burnt Store Lakes on county water and sewer or septic?

County water and sewer. Charlotte County's GIS places the association office, the Acapulco Club condominium and a Cape Horn Boulevard lot inside Charlotte County Utilities' certificated water and sewer service areas, served from the county's Burnt Store reverse osmosis plant and water reclamation facility at 17430 Burnt Store Road (Charlotte County, Burnt Store Plant). A certificated area is not proof that a given lot is already tapped, so a lot buyer should confirm through the county's Utilities Availability Form (Water and Sewer Availability).

What are property taxes and assessments in Burnt Store Lakes?

The Charlotte County Tax Collector bills county ad valorem taxes on the assessed value, plus two non-ad valorem lines for Burnt Store Lakes. The South Burnt Store Street and Drainage MSBU charges $297.83 per equivalent residential unit a year, flat whether a lot is vacant or built on, unchanged from fiscal 2017/18 through the adopted fiscal 2026 and approved fiscal 2027 budgets, and its fiscal 2026 budget carries a $5,617,139 paving line (Charlotte County, FY2026 budget). The South Charlotte Stormwater MSBU lists a vacant rate of $24.32 and a current maximum rate of $26.75 (Charlotte County, Stormwater budget). No CDD appears on county or association records reviewed.

Who provides fire, EMS and police service in Burnt Store Lakes?

Charlotte County. Fire and ambulance service comes from Charlotte County Fire and EMS, whose Station 5 is at 15200 Burnt Store Road, the closest station to the community (Charlotte County Fire and EMS, Station Listing). Law enforcement is the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, District 4, from its station at 25500 Airport Road. That differs from Burnt Store Marina next door, where the Lee County Sheriff's Office responds and fire service comes from Cape Coral Fire under a Lee County contract. When you call 911 from Burnt Store Lakes, you are in Charlotte County.

Is internet service available in Burnt Store Lakes?

We could not confirm providers address by address from a primary record, so we do not name them. The correct source is the FCC's National Broadband Map, where you can enter the exact address and see which wired and fixed wireless providers report service there. On a vacant lot, check the neighboring built addresses as well, and ask the builder how service will be brought to the new home. If you work from home, make it a condition you confirm before your inspection period ends.

How far is Burnt Store Lakes from downtown Punta Gorda and the airports?

From 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard, downtown Punta Gorda is about 11.2 miles and 18 minutes, Fishermen's Village about 11.0 miles and 19 minutes, and Punta Gorda Airport about 11.0 miles and 19 minutes; Southwest Florida International Airport is about 40.1 miles and 51 minutes. Cape Coral City Hall is about 16.3 miles and 27 minutes and downtown Fort Myers about 18.3 miles and 32 minutes. These are free-flow estimates from the OSRM routing engine on OpenStreetMap roads, computed September 26, 2026; add time for traffic and signals.

How far is Burnt Store Lakes from the beach?

There is no beach in Burnt Store Lakes; the water here is freshwater lakes, plus the resident paddle route to Charlotte Harbor. By car, Englewood Beach is about 36.8 miles and 59 minutes and Boca Grande about 41.0 miles and 70 minutes from 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard (free-flow OSRM estimates, September 26, 2026; add time for traffic). Closer to home, Alligator Creek Preserve and the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center at 10941 Burnt Store Road offer more than four miles of trails (CHEC, Alligator Creek Preserve).

Where do Burnt Store Lakes residents shop and eat?

Mostly north, in Punta Gorda. The Publix at Burnt Store Marketplace is at 3941 Tamiami Trail, on U.S. 41 rather than on Burnt Store Road despite its name (Publix, Burnt Store Marketplace). Downtown Punta Gorda and Fishermen's Village, about 18 to 19 minutes away in free-flow routing, carry the dining and shops, and Port Charlotte Town Center is about 32 minutes. Next door, Burnt Store Marina is about 10 minutes from Cape Horn Boulevard, and its Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar is open to the public.

Is Burnt Store Road being widened past Burnt Store Lakes?

Not on the Charlotte County side; we found no Charlotte County lane-widening project for the stretch past the community. South of the county line, FDOT accepted the location and design concept for a four-lane divided Burnt Store Road from Van Buren Parkway to the Charlotte County line on August 5, 2025 (FDOT, 436928-1), and Lee County approved a $3 million interim safety project from Delilah Drive to Vincent Avenue with construction expected to start in June 2026 (Cape Coral Breeze). In Charlotte County, a new East/West Connector to U.S. 41 is planned but unfunded.

What is being built near Burnt Store Lakes?

Charlotte County is planning the Burnt Store Road Area East/West Connector, the Tuckers Grade Extension, between Burnt Store Road and U.S. 41; the commission adopted a preferred alignment on September 24, 2024, and the $46,176,000 project is unfunded and tied to the November 2026 sales-tax extension vote (Charlotte County, East/West Connector). Further north on Burnt Store Road, a 2024 county agenda lists Petition PD-24-07 at 12300 and 13000 Burnt Store Road, 306.51 acres with up to 999 dwelling units and 200,000 square feet of commercial (Planning and Zoning Board, August 12, 2024). Inside the community, new homes keep filling lots.

Where else should I look if I like Burnt Store Lakes?

If you want a boat behind the house, compare the canal sections of Punta Gorda Isles and Burnt Store Isles inside the city. If you want a gate and a marina, see Burnt Store Marina next door, and for a gated golf community in unincorporated Charlotte County, Heritage Landing. Our Cape Coral guide covers the city to the south. When you are ready, read how we help buyers in Punta Gorda or call Marc at (239) 287-5873.

Burnt Store Lakes Frequently Asked Questions: Seller Edition

Burnt Store Lakes sellers ask who should list the home, what it is worth on the Charlotte County record, how to compete with new homes and vacant lots, how the association's estoppel and resale assessment work, and what to prepare before listing. These answers draw on the county's recorded sales, the Southwest Florida MLS and the association's documents.

Data updated: September 2026 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis, newest recorded sale August 6, 2026; Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026; Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association fee schedule effective February 1, 2026).

Who is the best listing agent for Burnt Store Lakes?

The best Burnt Store Lakes listing agent prices from Charlotte County's recorded sales, not a portal, knows what the builders down the street are asking, and can walk a buyer through the association, the flood file and the county benefit units. McGreevy and Comisar, the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012 and among the Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008, build every listing that way. See our best real estate agents in Punta Gorda page, or call Jesse at (239) 898-6072.

What is my Burnt Store Lakes home worth?

Your home's value is set by recent recorded sales of comparable homes: the same size band against the 2,040 square foot median, the same era of construction, lake frontage or interior, and the same flood zone. In the latest 12 months, homes on the Section 21 lots recorded a $432,000 median, single-family homes $430,000, resales $435,000 and new homes on first sale $429,950 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). Start with our free valuation and we will build a specific number.

How much does it cost to sell a home in Burnt Store Lakes?

Selling costs include a negotiable commission, Florida documentary stamp tax on the deed, title and closing fees, the association estoppel fee, and prorated county taxes and benefit-unit assessments. The association's estoppel fee runs $299 for normal delivery and $418 expedited, higher on a delinquent account (BSLPOA Fee Schedule). The $750 capital resale assessment is the buyer's cost, not yours. We give every Burnt Store Lakes seller a written net sheet before the listing is signed.

How are documentary stamp taxes calculated on a Burnt Store Lakes sale?

At $0.70 per $100 of the sale price on the deed, under Florida Statutes 201.02; on a sale at the $432,000 recorded median, that is $3,024. In most Charlotte County contracts the seller pays the deed stamps, but the contract controls, and it can say otherwise. The title company calculates the exact figure for the closing statement; we put an estimate on the net sheet at listing.

How do you market a Burnt Store Lakes home to qualified buyers?

We market the setting first: the lake or greenbelt the home faces, which of the association's eleven lakes it sits on, the Community Park on Spoonbill Lake and the resident kayak launch to Charlotte Harbor. Then the house against the rules, the paperwork and the flood file: year built, roof, the estoppel, the county benefit units and the elevation certificate. Cinematic video, drone and professional photography carry that story to the qualified-buyer database behind the #1 team in Southwest Florida, including buyers who are also touring new construction.

Can we list a Burnt Store Lakes home off-market?

Yes. For owners who want privacy, we can market a Burnt Store Lakes home quietly to qualified buyers before, or instead of, a public MLS launch. We will walk you through the trade-off: a private sale limits exposure, and in a community where 16 of 63 recorded sales in the latest year were first sales of new homes, our builder-direct estimate, a resale usually needs full exposure to be seen beside them. Some sellers test price privately for a short period, then launch publicly with what they learned.

How many days on market should I expect in Burnt Store Lakes?

Plan for about three months. The 32 MLS-labeled Burnt Store Lakes sales in the 12 months to September 26, 2026 took a median of 91 days on market and sold at a median 95.9 percent of list price (Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, pulled September 26, 2026). A home priced on recorded sales and presented with its paperwork ready tends to sit at the short end of that range; one priced against a portal estimate or a builder's list price tends to sit longer.

What is the current market for sellers in Burnt Store Lakes?

Recorded sales on the Section 21 lots ran at a $468,200 median on 38 sales in 2026 through September 26, against $430,000 on 62 sales in 2025, $475,000 on 51 in 2024 and a $565,000 peak on 25 in 2023; in 2019 the median was $314,000 on 40 sales (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). Single-family homes alone ran at $464,000 on 32 sales in 2026 so far. The 95.9 percent MLS sale-to-list ratio shows buyers negotiating, but not deeply.

Why do the MLS and county numbers for Burnt Store Lakes differ?

The MLS counts sales listed under the Burnt Store Lakes development label, 32 in the latest 12 months, while the county records every qualified sale on the community's parcels, 63 on the Section 21 lots in a similar window plus 7 condominium units. The biggest gap is new construction: builder-direct sales often close without an MLS listing, and some resales sell privately. The medians still land close together, $422,450 on the MLS and $432,000 on the county lots, which is why we lead with the county count and use the MLS for days on market and sale-to-list.

What is the price per square foot in Burnt Store Lakes?

On the county record, homes on the Section 21 lots sold at a median of $234.42 per square foot of the roll's living area over the latest 12 months, on a median of 2,040 square feet (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). The MLS measures area differently, so we never compare a county figure with an MLS figure directly. Price per square foot also moves with age and roof: a 2020s home with a tile roof and a 1990s home with an older roof are different products, even at the same size.

What is the highest recent sale in Burnt Store Lakes?

The highest recorded sale on the Section 21 lots in the latest 12 months was $795,000 for 17122 Barcrest Lane on October 15, 2025, a home built in 2022 with 2,438 square feet of living area on the roll. Next came 24319 Contra Costa Lane at $730,000 in June 2026, built in 2005, and 17411 Medillin Court at $715,000 in May 2026, built in 2016 (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). Nineteen of the 63 sales closed at $550,000 or more.

Which Burnt Store Lakes homes are selling right now?

Newer homes carry the volume. Of the 57 sales with a year built on the roll in the latest 12 months, 21 were built in 2020 or later, 10 in the 2010s, 11 in the 2000s, 14 in the 1990s and 1 before 1990, and the median sale was a 2015 home (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). By price, 27 of the 63 sold between $350,000 and $449,999, 11 between $450,000 and $549,999 and 19 at $550,000 or more. An older home sells best when it is priced against other older homes, not against the new builds.

How do I compete with builder-direct new homes in Burnt Store Lakes?

Price against them honestly and sell what they cannot. The 16 first sales of new homes in the latest 12 months had a $429,950 median, and resales had a $435,000 median, so the recorded medians show no premium for new construction as a group (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). A resale offers a finished yard, window treatments, a known roof and insurance history, an elevation certificate already in hand and no construction timeline. We put those side by side with the builder's base price and allowances in the listing materials.

Can I sell a vacant lot in Burnt Store Lakes?

Yes, and there are many. About 1,130 parcels on the 2026 county roll carry a vacant residential code, so a lot competes with a deep supply and with builders who buy lots to build on. Buyers ask four things first: the flood zone and base flood elevation, water and sewer availability through the county's Utilities Availability Form, the association's new-construction rules and deposits, and the $297.83 street and drainage MSBU line that a vacant lot pays the same as a finished home. We assemble those answers before listing.

Should I sell my vacant lot or build on it first?

That depends on your time, capital and appetite for construction. Building means the association's architectural review, a $250 application fee, a refundable $25,000 builder completion deposit and a $5,000 clean-site deposit, a county permit and a construction loan or cash, then selling a new home against builders who do this full time (BSLPOA Fee Schedule). Selling the lot as it stands is simpler and faster. We price both paths from recorded sales so you can compare the numbers, not guesses.

How is a vacant lot in Burnt Store Lakes priced?

From recorded lot sales, not home sales. The 63 qualified sales we report for the latest 12 months are improved sales only, so they do not price a lot. For a lot we pull the recorded vacant-land deeds on comparable homesites in the plat, then adjust for lake frontage or interior, the flood zone and base flood elevation, whether water and sewer are at the lot line, and any shape or size issue against the declaration's 75-foot width and 7,200 square foot floor. The lot's value is ultimately what a builder or an owner-builder can afford after construction cost.

What is the $750 capital resale assessment, and who pays it?

It is a one-time charge the association collects on every resale, and the buyer pays it. The fee schedule effective February 1, 2026 lists the "Capital Resale Assessment" at $750, paid by the buyer (BSLPOA Fee Schedule). The 2021 rewrite introduced it as a resale capital contribution for new buyers, not for a current owner buying an additional lot or home in the community (Summary of 2021 Governing Documents). We disclose it in the listing so it never surprises a buyer at closing.

What is an estoppel certificate, and what does it cost in Burnt Store Lakes?

An estoppel certificate is the association's written statement of what the lot owes, and the buyer, lender and title company rely on it at closing. In Burnt Store Lakes it comes from the property owners' association under Florida Statutes 720.30851: $299 for normal delivery within 10 days, $418 for expedited delivery in 3 days or less, and $478 or $500 on a delinquent account. The association's estoppel line for condominiums is $0; a condominium seller also needs the condominium association's own estoppel under 718.116. The closing agent orders them early.

Will my annual association assessment be settled at closing?

Yes, through the estoppel and the closing statement. The association bills its assessment annually on a fiscal year that runs October 1 to September 30, and the estoppel certificate states what has been paid and what is owed (Recorded Bylaws). How a paid assessment is shared between seller and buyer is set by the contract, usually as a proration. The county's two benefit-unit lines ride on the property tax bill and are prorated with the taxes. We show both on your net sheet.

Do open violations or unpaid fines affect my sale?

They can, and they show up on the estoppel. Under the association's enforcement rules, a fine can reach $200 a day per violation, up to $3,000, and unpaid fines of $1,000 or more can become a lien on the lot, foreclosable like an assessment lien (Enforcement Rules). Common violations include lawn condition, parked boats, trailers and RVs, unapproved fences and oversize signs, most with short correction windows. Clear any open notice before listing; a buyer's title company will want it resolved at closing.

Do I need association approval for repairs or upgrades before listing?

For exterior work, yes. The association's Architectural Review Committee reviews applications and the board approves them at monthly meetings; driveway, roof, painting, fence and irrigation applications carry no fee, while exterior additions such as a lanai or pool cage cost $200 (BSLPOA Fee Schedule). The declaration permits only tile and metal roofs and prohibits asphalt shingles on new structures, and new fences must be picket style under the 2025 amendments. Build the approval time into your listing date, and keep the approval letters for the buyer.

Should I get an elevation certificate before listing?

Yes, if you do not have one. Most of Burnt Store Lakes sampled Zone AE with a base flood elevation of 8 or 9 feet, and a buyer's flood premium turns on where the lowest floor sits against that figure (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer). Charlotte County's GIS already holds elevation certificates for some addresses in the community, so check there first. In the shaded Zone X pocket on Cabana Road and Vellum Circle, a certificate still helps a buyer price insurance.

What flood disclosure must a Burnt Store Lakes seller give?

Florida sellers must disclose flood-insurance claims, federal flood assistance and known flooding at or before the contract (Florida Statutes 689.302). In a community where most sampled points are Zone AE, complete the form carefully and attach the elevation certificate and your insurance history. If you do not know whether the home ever took water, say so plainly rather than guessing; the form asks what you know, and a buyer's lender will read the FEMA zone either way.

Does being in flood Zone AE hurt my Burnt Store Lakes home's resale value?

It shapes the buyer pool more than the price. Zone AE triggers a flood insurance requirement for a federally backed mortgage, so a buyer adds that premium to the monthly cost. But most of Burnt Store Lakes is AE, so your home is being compared with other AE homes, and the 63 recorded lot sales of the latest year still reached a $432,000 median. What separates homes inside AE is elevation: a lowest floor well above the base flood elevation, documented on a certificate, is a real selling point, and we market it.

Should I order a four-point and wind-mitigation inspection before listing?

Usually, yes, especially for an older home. On the county roll, 144 of the buildings in Burnt Store Lakes date from the 1990s and 284 from the 2000s, and Florida requires insurers to offer premium credits for documented wind-mitigation features (Florida Statutes 627.711). Having both reports lets a buyer price insurance during showings instead of during the inspection period. The state's My Safe Florida Home program offers free wind inspections and hardening grants to eligible owner-occupants when funded; check the program directly for current terms.

Do I have to disclose hurricane damage from Ian or later storms?

Disclose known damage, repairs and any insurance or flood claims. Ian made landfall near Punta Gorda in 2022 and destroyed at least 200 homes in Charlotte County, and although we found no public record of damage specific to Burnt Store Lakes, buyers will ask (NHC, Hurricane Ian report). Keep permits, repair invoices and the roof's permit date together. A 2022 Florida law lets a partial roof repair proceed without upgrading the rest of the roof if the remainder meets the 2007 Florida Building Code (Florida Senate, HB 3D analysis).

Should I renovate my Burnt Store Lakes home before selling?

Keep projects modest. In a high-risk flood zone, Charlotte County applies FEMA's 50 percent rule: if the cost of repairs or improvements exceeds half the structure's value, the whole building must be brought up to current code, including elevation (Charlotte County, 50% FEMA Rule). Paint, landscaping, lawn care and repairs usually return more than a major remodel before a sale, and exterior work needs association approval. We walk the house with you and tell you which items buyers here actually pay for.

When is the best time to list a Burnt Store Lakes home?

When the home is ready and the paperwork is in hand. The recorded count has ranged from 25 sales in 2023 to 62 in 2025, and 38 closed in 2026 through September 26, so buyers are active across the year (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). With a 91-day MLS median on market, count back from the date you need to close, allow time for any association approvals and the estoppel, and list with the elevation certificate, inspections and survey done. We set the date with you from your own calendar, not a rule of thumb.

Should I sell my Burnt Store Lakes home now or wait?

The 2026 median on the Section 21 lots, $468,200 on 38 sales through September 26, is above 2025's $430,000 and below 2023's $565,000 peak, and new homes keep adding supply at about the resale price (Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files, our analysis). Waiting makes sense if your plans are flexible and your home needs nothing; selling makes sense if you are carrying a second home, facing a roof or insurance decision, or want to buy elsewhere. We will run both scenarios on your numbers.

Can I sell my Burnt Store Lakes home while living out of state?

Yes. We manage showings, vendor access, inspections, association paperwork and the closing remotely, with mail-away closing documents through the title company. Because the streets are county roads and no gate appears in the association's documents, showings do not run through a gatehouse, but lawn care and exterior upkeep still matter: the association inspects lot condition, and lawn violations carry short correction windows. We arrange a local contact for the house while it is listed.

Can I sell a Burnt Store Lakes home with a tenant in it?

Yes, if the lease allows showings and you plan the timing. A lease must already be registered with the association, with the $100 fee paid at least 10 days before it began, and short-term rentals are prohibited under the 2021 declaration (Rental Registration Form). An investor buyer may want the tenant to stay; an owner-occupant usually wants the home empty at closing. We read the lease with you before listing and match the marketing to the right buyer.

Should I market my home as near Burnt Store Marina?

Mention the neighbor, never blur the line. Burnt Store Marina is about 3.9 miles and 10 minutes from Cape Horn Boulevard in free-flow routing, and its public-facing restaurant and golf tee times are a real lifestyle draw. But a Burnt Store Lakes owner has no membership rights there, and the association, county and flood maps are all different. We describe exactly what a buyer can use next door, and we lead with what Burnt Store Lakes itself offers: its lakes, the park, the kayak launch, county water and sewer, and Charlotte County schools.

How does the Burnt Store Road widening affect my sale?

Mostly as a buyer question, not a price factor we can measure. FDOT's accepted four-lane design covers the Lee County segment from Van Buren Parkway to the county line (FDOT, 436928-1), not the Charlotte County stretch past the community, and Charlotte County's East/West Connector to U.S. 41 is unfunded and tied to the November 2026 sales-tax vote. We give buyers the project facts with sources so the road never becomes a rumor that stalls a sale.

What documents will a Burnt Store Lakes buyer ask for?

Expect requests for the association estoppel, the restated declaration and rules, any architectural approvals for past exterior work, the tax bill showing both county benefit-unit lines, the elevation certificate, wind-mitigation and four-point reports, the roof permit, insurance history, and utility bills showing county water and sewer. On a condominium, add the condominium documents and the association's Frequently Asked Questions and Answers sheet (Florida Statutes 718.504). We assemble them before listing.

Can I keep my homestead savings when I sell and buy again?

Florida's portability rule can move part of your homestead assessment difference to a new Florida homestead if you establish it within the legal time limit, up to a statutory cap (Florida Statutes 193.155). File with the property appraiser in the county of your new home; for a Burnt Store Lakes purchase that is the Charlotte County Property Appraiser. We coordinate the timing of both sales.

Do you sell condominiums in Burnt Store Lakes too?

Yes. We list units in all seven of the community's condominium regimes, from the 18-unit Acapulco Club and the 30-unit Acapulco Lakes to Villa Tuscany at Burnt Store Lakes, whose units run from 1,920 to 2,024 square feet and topped the latest year's condominium sales at $390,000. With only seven condominium sales in 12 months, each one is priced from a very thin record, so we reach back further and read each association's budget before we set a number. See how we sell homes in Punta Gorda.

Why hire McGreevy and Comisar instead of a small local agent?

Because a Burnt Store Lakes sale turns on records and reach. We price from Charlotte County's recorded sales and the association's own documents, we know how to position a resale against the builders on the next lot, and we market to the qualified-buyer database of the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012; our personal sales exceed $900 million. For the new-construction side of the market, see our Punta Gorda new construction guide. Call Jesse at (239) 898-6072 for a confidential conversation.

Sources

Every figure on this Burnt Store Lakes page traces to one of the primary sources below: Charlotte County and its Property Appraiser, Charlotte County Public Schools, the Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, state and federal agencies, the Burnt Store Road agencies and newspapers of record. Market figures come from Charlotte County recorded sales and the Southwest Florida MLS.

Charlotte County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector

1. Real Property Record Card, parcel 422331490001, sample Burnt Store Lakes homesite, Charlotte County Property Appraiser: https://www.ccappraiser.com/Show_parcel.asp?gen=T&tax=T&bld=T&oth=T&sal=T&lnd=T&leg=T&acct=422331490001 (accessed September 26, 2026)

Charlotte County government

2. Ordinance 90-68, creating the South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit, Charlotte County: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/core/fileparse.php/634/urlt/south-burnt-store-sd-ord1990-068-establishing-the-unit.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
3. South Burnt Store Street and Drainage Unit (MSBU), Charlotte County: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/msbu-mstu/south-burnt-store/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
4. South Burnt Store SD, FY2026 adopted and FY2027 approved budget, Charlotte County: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/file/634/South-Burnt-Store-FY26-ADOPTED-FY27-APPROVED.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
5. South Burnt Store SD advisory board minutes and rate history, September 26, 2022, Charlotte County: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/core/fileparse.php/634/urlt/south-burnt-store-sd-20220926-minutes.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
6. Burnt Store Village Street and Drainage Unit (a separate unit, for comparison), Charlotte County: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/msbu-mstu/burnt-store-village/index.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
7. South Charlotte Stormwater Utility Unit (MSBU), Charlotte County: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/msbu-mstu/south-charlotte-stormwater/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
8. South Charlotte Stormwater, FY2026 adopted and FY2027 approved budget, Charlotte County: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/file/1117/Stormwater-South-County-FY26-ADOPTED-FY27-APPROVED.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
9. Administrative Variance AVAR-21-004, 16381 Cape Horn Boulevard, Charlotte County Community Development: https://data.charlottecountyfl.gov/CCGIS/PDFs/Resolutions/Petitions/AVAR-21-004.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
10. Elevation Certificate, 17496 Tuxpan Lane, Charlotte County GIS: https://data.charlottecountyfl.gov/CCGIS/PDFs/Elevation_Certificates/17496%20TUXPAN%20LN.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
11. Burnt Store Lakes Neighborhood Watch Zone map, Charlotte County GIS: https://data.charlottecountyfl.gov/CCGIS/PDFs/Neighborhood%20Watch%20Zones/Burnt_Store_Lakes_11x17.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
12. Wind-borne Debris Regions and Wind Speed Zones, Charlotte County GIS: https://data.charlottecountyfl.gov/CCGIS/PDFs/WindConstruction.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
13. 50% FEMA Rule, Charlotte County Community Development: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-development/building-construction/50-percent-fema-rule.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
14. Burnt Store Area Plan, Charlotte County Community Development: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-development/planning-zoning/comprehensive-planning/burnt-store-area-plan.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
15. Know Your Zone, evacuation zones, Charlotte County Emergency Management: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/emergency-management/know-your-zone.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
16. Fire and EMS Station Listing, Charlotte County Fire and EMS: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/public-safety/fire-ems/station-listing/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
17. Burnt Store Potable Water Treatment Plant, Charlotte County Utilities: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/utilities/about-utilities/treatment-facilities/burnt-store-plant.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
18. Water and Sewer Availability, Charlotte County Utilities: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/utilities/availability.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
19. Sewer Service, Charlotte County Utilities: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/utilities/sewer-service/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
20. Utilities Department FAQ, Charlotte County Utilities: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/utilities/utilities-faq.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
21. Utilities Mapbook 2024 map service (certificated water and sewer service areas), Charlotte County GIS: https://agis3.charlottecountyfl.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Apps/Utilities_Mapbook_2024/MapServer (accessed September 26, 2026)
22. Burnt Store Road East-West Connector, Charlotte County: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/projects/burnt-store-road-east-west-connector.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
23. 2026 Infrastructure Project: Burnt Store Road Area East/West Connector, Charlotte County: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/file/323/2026-infrastructure-project-burnt-store-road-area-east-west-connector.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
24. 2026 Sales Tax Extension, Charlotte County: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/administration/sales-tax/2026-sales-tax-extension.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
25. Planning and Zoning Board agenda, August 12, 2024, Charlotte County via Granicus: https://charlotte.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?view_id=22&clip_id=5943 (accessed September 26, 2026)
26. Darst Park, Charlotte County Parks: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/all-parks/darst-park.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
27. Katherine Ariens Dog Park, Charlotte County Parks: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/all-parks/katherine-ariens-dog-park.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
28. Tippecanoe Environmental Park, Charlotte County Parks: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/all-parks/tippecanoe-environmental-park.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
29. Fishing, Boat Ramps, Kayak Launches, Charlotte County Parks: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/amenities/fishing.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
30. Pickleball Courts, Charlotte County Parks: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/amenities/pickleball-courts.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
31. Tennis Courts, Charlotte County Parks: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/departments/community-services/parks/amenities/tennis-courts.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
32. Punta Gorda Charlotte Library, Charlotte County Libraries: https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/locations/punta-gorda-charlotte-library.stml (accessed September 26, 2026)
33. Patrol, Bureau of Law Enforcement, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office: https://ccso.org/divisions/bureau_of_law_enforcement/patrol.php (accessed September 26, 2026)
34. Contact Us, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office: https://ccso.org/how_do_i/contact_us/index.php (accessed September 26, 2026)

Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association

35. Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association home page, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
36. Deed Restrictions and Bylaws, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/p/Deed-Restrictions--Bylaws (accessed September 26, 2026)
37. 2021, 2023 and 2025 Deed Restrictions, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/p/202120232025-Deed-Restrictions (accessed September 26, 2026)
38. Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions, 2021, with exhibits, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/3242343432/fB5bFEKI2dCmZGpd.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
39. Summary of 2021 Governing Documents, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/3242343432/WGdzXTLexHwY3akw/Summary%20of%202021%20Governing%20Documents.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
40. Summary of 2025 Governing Documents, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/3242343432/1Ll3s7ZWVmRUZVrM/Summary%20of%202025%20Governing%20Documents.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
41. Deed Restrictions, Single Family, with amendments, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/945256547/GByxDkyMbf1a2TW7/Deed%20Restrictions%20-%20Single%20Family.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
42. Recorded Bylaws, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/945256547/uQOlDfErPp7KR0qf/Recorded%20ByLaws1.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
43. Bylaw Amendment, 2015, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/945256547/eP0ZlKHAIuK5qsNx/Bylaw%20Amendment.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
44. Fee Schedule, effective February 1, 2026, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/1687407290/adrORSznhQSM3UPK/Fee%20Schedule%202-1-2026.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
45. Rental Registration Form, revised June 15, 2025, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/1687407290/2iSd3OZPPz2ParAs/Rental%20Registration%20Form%206-15-25.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
46. Rules and Regulations, Architectural Review, April 19, 2022, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/4174127132/oPOcCXpQ15ih55ro/RULES%20%26%20REGS%20-%20Architectural%20Review%204-19-22.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
47. Rules and Regulations, Governing Documents Enforcement, July 15, 2025, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/4174127132/KOFOBS0lJ2dTkX2p/RULES%20%26%20REGS-Governing%20Docs%20Enforcement%207-15-25.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
48. BSL Color Master Plan, October 2019, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/3617412181/OSVSHaBdGqBRzWuO/BSL%20Color%20Master%20Plan%20October%202019.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
49. Map of Burnt Store Lakes, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/p/Map-of-Burnt-Store-Lakes (accessed September 26, 2026)
50. Community Park, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/p/Community-Park-2 (accessed September 26, 2026)
51. Canoe/Kayak Launch, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/p/CanoeKayak-Launch (accessed September 26, 2026)
52. Community Center Room, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/p/Community-Center-Room (accessed September 26, 2026)
53. Find Us Here, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/p/Find-Us-Here-2 (accessed September 26, 2026)
54. Community information flyer, Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/4032402080/dAJE9ZVwLpiWSHsW.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
55. Association newsletter, March 2024 (architectural review and paving), Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association: https://www.bslpoa.org/private-files/document/1221752727/BSLpHHau30ZnDzAa.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)

Charlotte County Public Schools

56. Boundary Locator, Charlotte County Public Schools: https://www.yourcharlotteschools.net/73177_3 (accessed September 26, 2026)
57. Boundary Locator lookup service, Charlotte County Public Schools: https://resources.yourcharlotteschools.net/BoundaryLocator (accessed September 26, 2026)
58. School Boundaries, Charlotte County Public Schools: https://www.yourcharlotteschools.net/107365_2 (accessed September 26, 2026)
59. All Elementary Schools, Charlotte County Public Schools: https://www.yourcharlotteschools.net/73182_3 (accessed September 26, 2026)
60. All Middle Schools, Charlotte County Public Schools: https://www.yourcharlotteschools.net/73183_3 (accessed September 26, 2026)
61. All High Schools, Charlotte County Public Schools: https://www.yourcharlotteschools.net/73184_3 (accessed September 26, 2026)
62. East Elementary School home page, Charlotte County Public Schools: https://east.yourcharlotteschools.net/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

State of Florida

63. Florida Statutes 720.30851, homeowners association estoppel certificates, Florida Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/720.30851 (accessed September 26, 2026)
64. Florida Statutes 718.116, condominium assessments and estoppel certificates, Florida Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/718.116 (accessed September 26, 2026)
65. Florida Statutes 718.504, condominium disclosure and question-and-answer sheet, Florida Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/718.504 (accessed September 26, 2026)
66. Florida Statutes 201.02, documentary stamp tax on deeds, Florida Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/201.02 (accessed September 26, 2026)
67. Florida Statutes 689.302, flood disclosure, Florida Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/689.302 (accessed September 26, 2026)
68. Florida Statutes 193.155, homestead assessment and portability, Florida Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/193.155 (accessed September 26, 2026)
69. Florida Statutes 627.711, wind mitigation, Florida Senate: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.711 (accessed September 26, 2026)
70. Florida Statutes 553.899, milestone inspections, Florida Legislature: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0553/Sections/0553.899.html (accessed September 26, 2026)
71. Florida Statutes 718.112, structural integrity reserve study, Florida Legislature: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0718/Sections/0718.112.html (accessed September 26, 2026)
72. HB 3D (2022 Special Session D) bill analysis, Florida Senate: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022D/3D/Analyses/h0003Db.APC.PDF (accessed September 26, 2026)
73. Boating and Angling Guide to Charlotte Harbor, Public Access Boat Ramps, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: https://gis.myfwc.com/boating_guides/charlotte_harbor/pages/boat_ramps.html (accessed September 26, 2026)
74. Boat Ramps, Burnt Store, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: https://gis.myfwc.com/boating_guides/charlotte_harbor/pages/boat_ramps/burnt_store/index.html (accessed September 26, 2026)
75. Boat Ramps, Ponce de Leon Park, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: https://gis.myfwc.com/boating_guides/charlotte_harbor/pages/boat_ramps/ponce_de_leon/index.html (accessed September 26, 2026)
76. Boating and Angling Guide to Charlotte Harbor, Marinas, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: https://gis.myfwc.com/boating_guides/charlotte_harbor/pages/marinas.html (accessed September 26, 2026)
77. Freshwater Recreational Licenses and Permits, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/freshwater-fishing/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
78. Private Fish Pond License, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: https://myfwc.com/license/freshwater/private-fish-pond/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
79. Know Your Zone statewide lookup, Florida Division of Emergency Management: https://floridadisaster.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=aa18a2d8737c4d66bb6434a09e17203a (accessed September 26, 2026)
80. Know Your Zone evacuation zone feature layer, Florida Division of Emergency Management: https://services.arcgis.com/3wFbqsFPLeKqOlIK/arcgis/rest/services/KYZ_ZL_Vector_Enriched_Calculated_20230608/FeatureServer/46/query (accessed September 26, 2026)
81. Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park, Florida State Parks: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/charlotte-harbor-preserve-state-park (accessed September 26, 2026)
82. Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park Guide, Florida State Parks: https://www.floridastateparks.org/sites/default/files/media/file/Charlotte%20Harbor%20Preserve%20State%20Park%20Guide.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
83. "Flood Insurance Coverage Rules Kick In for Citizens", Citizens Property Insurance Corporation: https://www.citizensfla.com/-/flood-insurance-coverage-rules-kick-in-for-citizens (accessed September 26, 2026)
84. Homeowner's Guide to the My Safe Florida Home Program, Florida Department of Financial Services: https://mysafeflhome.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/MSFH-012-Homeowners-Guide-to-My-Safe-Florida-Home-Program-v13-11-29-22-Final.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)

Federal (FEMA, NOAA, Census Bureau, FCC, USPS)

85. National Flood Hazard Layer, Federal Emergency Management Agency: https://hazards.fema.gov/arcgis/rest/services/public/NFHL/MapServer (accessed September 26, 2026)
86. NFHL FIRM Panels layer (panel index), Federal Emergency Management Agency: https://hazards.fema.gov/arcgis/rest/services/public/NFHL/MapServer/3 (accessed September 26, 2026)
87. Flood Map Service Center, search by address, Federal Emergency Management Agency: https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search (accessed September 26, 2026)
88. Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Ian (AL092022), National Hurricane Center: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL092022_Ian.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
89. Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Charley (AL032004), National Hurricane Center: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL032004_Charley.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
90. Census Geocoder, U.S. Census Bureau: https://geocoding.geo.census.gov/geocoder/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
91. National Broadband Map, Federal Communications Commission: https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
92. Find Locations, ZIP code 33955, United States Postal Service: https://tools.usps.com/find-location.htm?address=33955 (accessed September 26, 2026)

Lee County and FDOT (Burnt Store Road and neighboring jurisdictions)

93. 436928-1 Burnt Store Road PD&E Study, Florida Department of Transportation District One: https://www.swflroads.com/project/436928-1 (accessed September 26, 2026)
94. Burnt Store Road public hearing questions and answers, Florida Department of Transportation District One: https://www.swflroads.com/project-files/127/436928-1_Burnt%20Store%20Rd%20public%20hearing%20QA.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
95. Burnt Store Road PD&E Preliminary Engineering Report, August 2025, Florida Department of Transportation: https://www.swflroads.com/project-files/127/43692812201-CE2-D1-Burnt_Store_Road_PER_Aug_2025_signed-2025-0805%20red.pdf (accessed September 26, 2026)
96. CPA2007-00054 case file, Burnt Store Marina staff report, Lee County: https://results.leegov.com/Home/DownloadFile/982242381 (accessed September 26, 2026)
97. Resolution ZAB-83-445, Lee County Board of County Commissioners: https://results.leegov.com/Home/DownloadFile/980549202 (accessed September 26, 2026)
98. 2026 TRIM notice, folio 10025184, Lee County Property Appraiser: https://leepa.org/TrimDetail/WebTrim.aspx?FolioID=10025184&TaxYear=2026 (accessed September 26, 2026)
99. Evacuation, Lee County Public Safety: https://www.leegov.com/publicsafety/evacuation (accessed September 26, 2026)
100. Community Rating System Discounts, Lee County Department of Community Development: https://www.leegov.com/dcd/flood/firm/insurance/discounts (accessed September 26, 2026)
101. Yucca Pens Preserve, Lee County Parks and Recreation: https://www.leegov.com/parks/preserves/yuccapens (accessed September 26, 2026)

Burnt Store Marina associations, club and businesses

102. Burnt Store Marina (PGI Section 22) home page, Section 22 Homeowners Association: https://bsm22.org/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
103. Accessing Our Community, Section 22 Homeowners Association: https://bsm22.org/accessing-our-community/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
104. "From the Section 22 HOA Board," Ed Buns, March 2026, The Beacon: https://bsmbeacon.seabreezecommunications.com/2026/02/18/from-the-section-22-hoa-board-11/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
105. "From the Section 22 HOA Board: Beyond Vision 2025," Jerry Newmin, March 2026, The Beacon: https://bsmbeacon.seabreezecommunications.com/2026/01/20/from-the-section-22-hoa-board-10/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
106. Safe Harbor Burnt Store, Safe Harbor Marinas: https://safeharbor.com/locations/safe-harbor-burnt-store/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
107. Burnt Store Marina Country Club home page, Burnt Store Marina Country Club: https://www.bsgac.org/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
108. Course Details, Burnt Store Marina Country Club: https://www.bsgac.org/course-2/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
109. Membership, Burnt Store Marina Country Club: https://www.bsgac.org/request-membership/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
110. Linkside Cafe, Burnt Store Marina Country Club: https://www.bsgac.org/dining/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
111. Cass Cay Restaurant and Bar, Cass Cay: https://casscayrestaurant.com/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
112. Platinum Point Yacht Club home page, Platinum Point Yacht Club: https://ppycbsm.org/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

Healthcare, shopping and nearby attractions

113. "ShorePoint Health Port Charlotte is now AdventHealth Port Charlotte", AdventHealth: https://www.adventhealth.com/news/shorepoint-health-port-charlotte-now-adventhealth-port-charlotte (accessed September 26, 2026)
114. "AdventHealth to expand emergency care access in Punta Gorda", AdventHealth: https://www.adventhealth.com/news/adventhealth-expand-emergency-care-access-punta-gorda (accessed September 26, 2026)
115. AdventHealth Port Charlotte, Our Location, AdventHealth: https://www.adventhealth.com/locations/hospitals/port-charlotte/our-location (accessed September 26, 2026)
116. AdventHealth Cape Coral ER, AdventHealth: https://www.adventhealth.com/locations/emergency-rooms/cape-coral (accessed September 26, 2026)
117. HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital, Contact Us, HCA Florida Healthcare: https://www.hcafloridahealthcare.com/locations/fawcett-hospital/about-us/contact-us (accessed September 26, 2026)
118. Convenient Care, Pine Island Road, Lee Health: https://www.leehealth.org/locations/find-a-location/convenient-care-pine-island-road (accessed September 26, 2026)
119. Burnt Store Marketplace, Publix Super Markets: https://www.publix.com/locations/1557-burnt-store-marketplace (accessed September 26, 2026)
120. Publix at Coral Shores, Publix Super Markets: https://www.publix.com/locations/1007-publix-at-coral-shores (accessed September 26, 2026)
121. Fishermen's Village home page, Fishermen's Village: https://www.fishermensvillage.com/ (accessed September 26, 2026)
122. Fishermen's Village, Shops, Fishermen's Village: https://www.fishermensvillage.com/shops (accessed September 26, 2026)
123. Alligator Creek Preserve, Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center: https://www.checflorida.org/alligator-creek-preserve (accessed September 26, 2026)
124. Punta Gorda Farmers Market, Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce: https://cm.puntagordachamber.com/events/details/punta-gorda-farmers-market-08-30-2025-44933 (accessed September 26, 2026)

News of record

125. "Charlotte County maintains 25% CRS flood insurance discount", WINK News: https://www.winknews.com/news/charlotte/charlotte-county-maintains-25-fema-crs-flood-insurance-discount/article_cbfcebb1-ac6a-466b-bb09-34e27317f764.html (accessed September 26, 2026)
126. "ShorePoint Health in Punta Gorda to permanently close", WINK News: https://www.winknews.com/news/charlotte/shorepoint-health-in-punta-gorda-to-permanently-close/article_6e13543d-082b-5535-8386-e82982548653.html (accessed September 26, 2026)
127. "Nearly 600 properties in Punta Gorda have some level of seawall damage from Hurricane Ian", WUSF: https://www.wusf.org/economy-business/2023-02-05/nearly-600-properties-punta-gorda-some-level-seawall-damage-hurricane-ian (accessed September 26, 2026)
128. "Surge from Hurricane Milton floods portions of Punta Gorda", WGCU: https://news.wgcu.org/section/weather/2024-10-11/surge-from-hurricane-milton-floods-portions-of-punta-gorda (accessed September 26, 2026)
129. "Tropical Storm Milton: Updates from local governments, Charlotte declares state of emergency", Charlotte Sun: https://www.yoursun.com/storm/latest_weather/tropical-storm-milton-updates-from-local-governments---charlotte-declares-state-of-emergency/article_b55e53ae-7515-11ef-b85d-5b637c91c303.html (accessed September 26, 2026)
130. "Lee County Commission approves agreement for safety improvements to Burnt Store Road", Cape Coral Breeze: https://www.capecoralbreeze.com/news/local-news/2026/05/19/lee-county-commission-approves-agreement-for-safety-improvements-to-burnt-store-road/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

Routing and market data

131. Southwest Florida MLS Matrix, closed residential sales with Development "Burnt Store Lakes," September 26, 2025 to September 26, 2026 (pulled September 26, 2026; member access, cited as text).
132. Charlotte County Property Appraiser public sales files and parcel roll, qualified sales recorded September 27, 2025 to September 26, 2026 on the Punta Gorda Isles Section 21 plat and the seven condominium regimes, newest recorded sale August 6, 2026 (our analysis).
133. OSRM open-source routing engine on OpenStreetMap road data, fastest free-flow route from 16300 Cape Horn Boulevard, geocoded with the U.S. Census Geocoder, computed September 26, 2026 (drive-time estimates), Project OSRM: https://router.project-osrm.org/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

Downloadable Documents

These Burnt Store Lakes documents are published by the Burnt Store Lakes Property Owners' Association, Charlotte County, Charlotte County Public Schools, the State of Florida and federal agencies. Each link opens the issuing authority's own copy, so you always read the current version rather than a reprint. Read the recorded documents for any specific parcel before you buy.

Market data from Southwest Florida MLS, pulled September 2026. County sales from Charlotte County Property Appraiser public files, analyzed September 2026. Brokered by Domain Realty.