The Captiva Community Panel was updated on the stormwater management study for the island and approved taking up the iguana control service during its recent meeting, plus heard other updates.<\/p>\n
On Aug. 18, panel Secretary and Stormwater Committee Chair Jay Brown provided an update on Lee County\u2019s project to address rainfall and flooding on Captiva. In talking with county staff, he and President David Mintz were presented with the first draft of the county consultant\u2019s conceptual plans.<\/p>\n
Brown explained that the proposed project will focus on installing storm drains on streets within the Village area, including Laika Lane and Wightman Lane, to mitigate or eliminate flooding issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we\u2019ll have those drained,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mintz added that the tentative plans include expanding the existing piping, redirecting the piping, increasing the size of the piping and increasing the flow of runoff water off of the island into the bay. The water can go directly into the bay without needing to be filtered first, according to the county.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do not need to have a retention pond,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Brown reiterated that the county wanted to hold the public meeting for the island on the proposed project in October, but he and Mintz raised concerns about community members not being back yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s moved the public meeting back into November,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Brown added that the meeting is tentatively scheduled for the week of Nov. 9.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich is when the whole plan will be unveiled to the community,\u201d he said. \u201cThe community will have ample opportunity to comment on all elements of the plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next, the consultant will gather the public input and finalize the project plans.<\/p>\n
Brown reported that the county intends to release it in December.<\/p>\n
Also at the meeting, the panel continued its discussion on the iguana eradication program.<\/p>\n
The panel managed and funded the service for years before giving it to the Captiva Erosion Control District (CEPD) because it could apply for grants. Currently, the CEPD has no more funds for it.<\/p>\n
Last month, it voted unanimously to fund the program for a year if the CEPD is unable to.<\/p>\n
Panel Administrator Ken Gooderham reported that he received an update two weeks ago from the CEPD\u2019s staff. Its lobbyist is pursuing two avenues for additional monies: accessing unused remaining funds from a grant that recently expired or accessing new funding that the state recently allocated.<\/p>\n
Mintz reiterated that community members have shared that they think the iguana population has stabilized on Captiva and that there is a concern it will explode if the service is not continued.<\/p>\n
He asked if the panel should proceed with funding the program, then stop if the CEPD secures funds.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely think we should put them back on the island immediately,\u201d Panel Member Margarethe Thye-Miville said of the two trappers that the CEPD had been using, noting that the panel can fill the gap until the CEPD receives additional funding and can resume providing the service for the island.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we should move on it,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Panel Member Linda Laird voiced agreement with Thye-Miville.<\/p>\n
One of the trappers, Alfredo Fermin of AAA Wildlife Trapping and Removal Services, was in attendance for the meeting. He answered questions and provided information about iguanas.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne hundred percent it\u2019s definitely effective,\u201d he said of whether he thinks the program is helping to keep the population in check, adding that it cannot be eliminated. \u201cBut, I\u2019m able to control them.\u201d<\/p>\n
A motion to engage the trappers for about $50,000 for one year was approved unanimously.<\/p>\n
Also during the meeting, the panel received an update from Captiva Island Fire Control District Fire Chief Jeff Pawul, including on the fire commission\u2019s recent meeting and ongoing property search.<\/p>\n
He reiterated that they are searching for land on the island for the expansion or improvement of the district\u2019s services and its most recent bid on a five-acre parcel off of Captiva Drive fell through. Since then, South Seas has approached the district about one of the Rauschenberg parcels that it acquired.<\/p>\n
Pawul continued that the commission decided to further discussions with the resort on the potential option. However, the district needs to make sure that it can accomplish with the parcel all that it set out to do when it first started the land search and it needs to be guaranteed future usage of the property.<\/p>\n
Mintz asked about the potential development of the Rauschenberg property by South Seas.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir goal is to rezone,\u201d Pawul said, noting that he is not a zoning expert and does not know what zoning is allowable on the approximate 22-acre property that the resort bought earlier this year.<\/p>\n
Asked by the panel, he reported that he thinks the proposed plan is for condos or houses along the beachside on Jungle Road and for some sort of a hotel-type usage for the land along the bayside.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgain, I don\u2019t know if any of that fits into the allowable zoning,\u201d Pawul said.<\/p>\n
Mintz reported that he heard that the resort may try to relocate the hotel that it had planned for its existing property to the bayside Rauschenberg land and instead build a parking deck at the hotel site.<\/p>\n
Pawul reported that South Seas did ask if the EMS helicopter can land on a parking garage.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t know what they\u2019re going to do,\u201d Mintz told the panel, noting that if the resort intends to relocate the planned hotel to the Rauschenberg property that it will require a rezoning process.<\/p>\n
\u201cI frankly have no idea how that\u2019s going to play out or how they\u2019re going to react,\u201d he added of the county and it potentially receiving the rezoning request.<\/p>\n
IN OTHER NEWS<\/p>\n
\u2013 Mintz gave an update on the legal efforts related to South Seas and Lee County on behalf of Protect Captiva, the coalition seeking to maintain the building height and density limitations on the island.<\/p>\n
Oral argument was heard on a petition for writ of certiorari on Aug. 4 by Circuit Court Judge James Shenko. The Captiva Civic Association (CCA), R.L.R. Investments and Royal Shell Vacations, 12 South Seas condominium associations and eight timeshare associations have petitioned the court to invalidate the county\u2019s decision to rezone the resort to permit increased density and building heights.<\/p>\n
Mintz reported that the petitioners were given time to present their case, which was followed by the resort and Lee County responding. He noted that Shenko listened to both for almost three hours.<\/p>\n
At the end, he asked both sides to submit a proposed order.<\/p>\n
Mintz explained that Shenko will review both orders and could possibly edit one or the other and possibly approve one or the other. One option could be invalidating the rezoning at South Seas.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat could be a game changer, one way or another,\u201d he said. \u201cSo that case is pending.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u2013 Lee County Sheriff\u2019s Office Sgt. Adam Winton outlined the following numbers for Captiva for July: 537 calls for service; two arrests, including a DUI crash; two traffic accidents, consisting of a single-vehicle crash and a vehicle-versus-golf cart crash; and 62 citations or warnings issued.<\/p>\n