DELINQUENT The islands' newspaper TAX of record NOTICES • See where to pick up a delinquent tax notice on page 19. Week of April 29 - May 5, 2004 SANIBEL &CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 31, NUMBER 18, 24 PAGES 75 CENTS SOB educates Traffic still tops residents' concerns guests at party By Donna T. Schuman purchase land off-island where, visitors could park sheir Staff Writer vehicles and ride a trolly or tram over to the island. '"With the growth in Florida arid the growth on this Throughout the coming year, the City of Sanibel coast, there is not much of this left and a lot of people will face a number of issues while evaluating its plan want to see it." Jorgenson said. '"I think we should pro- for the future of the city. vide alternative methods for people to visit the island." Perhaps one of the more complicated issues facing Sanibel has a growing demand for people outside the city is the relationship among the residential, resort the island to visit, according to John Adler with Real and retail functions of the island. Estate Analytical Services. At the first public session regarding the city's "That gridlock is not going to go away." Adler said. upcoming Evaluation and Appraisal Report, the "It's an issue that solely threatens the quality of life on Planning Commission heard input from numerous res- this island more than any other issue and needs to be idents regarding traffic, tourism and their relationship addressed. to the residents of the island. While some residents looked for solutions to the Although the economic assumptions of the Sunihei island's traffic problems, others felt the city should Plan link the island's economic success to the viability leave the problem alone. of its natural systems, these issues also play an impor- The traffic problem should not be solved."' said tant role in (he island's economic future. Sanibel resident Henry Glissman. "It will iiiait itself. If When the city conducted its last evaluation of the you improve things, you will gei more people." Sanibel Plan seven years ago, island liaffic was one of Resident Barbara Cooley echoed his comments, the major issues addressed in the report. This evalua- stating that the way to deal with it is not to deal with it. tion is no different. and not accommodate the excess of cars coming to the In the last month, the Sanibel City Council has eval- island. uated possible solutions to the island's traffic problem Cooley also said it's important I'or the business com- Photo by Donna T. Schuman including a proposed roundabout to replace the four- munity to understand the residential community. Paul Emelius, vice president of Save Our Bay explains way-stop at Periwinkle Way and Causeway Boulevard. the differences in bridge heights for Sanibei, Cape "I think business on Sanibel needs to learn about the Coral and the proposed fixed span bridge to island res- However, some residents thought alternate methods residents on the island," Cooley said. "You need to lis- idents at the wine and cheese socia! on Apri! 22. of transit to the island may be the solution to the grid- ten to the people who live here and get some things out lock. Ferries, trollies and mass transit systems were in the open." By Donna T. Schuman just some of the suggestions for solving Sanibel's traf- Staff Writer fic problems. See TRAFFIC Sanibel resident, Eric Jorgenson, suggested the city page 2 For more than a decade the Save Our Bridge group and now Save Our Bay, Inc. have stressed the impor- tance of preserving Sanibel's wa> of life through the drawbridge detracts criminals. restoring the Sanibel drawbridge rather than replacing The new bridge would also bring mure traffic to the 2004 Sanibel School Fund it with a high-span bridge. island and the exhaust from the cars would damage the However, recent efforts to rehabilitate the draw- ecosystem, Nicole said in her speech. Raffle winner announced bridge has also sparked the interest on Sanibel's future "Someday when I am grown up and I have children, generations. I want them to be able to enjoy the wildlife and the Nine-year-old Nicole Horton, a student at the beauty oi Sanibel like I have." Sanibel School, is possibly one of the youngest mem- Save Our Bay President, Marie Gargano. commend- bers of Save Our Bay. Despite her youth, Nicole .shares ed Nicole for her efforts. the same ideals and hopes for the island's future as "1 thought, who more appropriate to have as a guest many of the adults in the organization. speaker than someone who represents the next genera- "I've had a good life on Sanibel island... if we build tion," Gargano said, "it's great that we will live out our a high-span bridge it will change all of that." Nicole generation here, but it really is tor future generations said in a speech she made to Save Our Bay. Inc. at its that we are trying to protect Sanibel." wine and cheese social held Thursday at the Bai!e> Prior to the speech. Sa\e Our Bay. Inc. played host Matthews Shell Museum. to i: wine and cheese party while providing informa- When you drive over the drawbridge, Nicole said. you see the beauty of Sajiihel. but the lixed span Ser SOB bridge would change that. Nicole also pointed oui that page 2 INOE, Photo by Amy Fleming Kids from the Sanibel School watch as Iht* raffle drum • LF.TTLRS page 6 Shell expert dies Cfub on safari is unwrapped. The annual Sanibel School Fund laffle drawing took • DATLLINL page JO place April 23 at the Bank of the Islands. Monies from • RLALESTATF page 13 lidie Mugridge has died The Sanibel Bike Club Look inside for the Best the raffle go to fund a full-time teaching position that at the age of 98. beads north for a safari. Of The Islands Book benefits all the kids at the school. The total count of tick- • PFRVHTS page 13 ets sold came to 1.666. at $50 each. • SPORTS page L4 Pat Van Alstyne, of Bank of the Islands, drew the names of the three prize winners. First prize of 2004 VW *• TV LISTTKGS page 15 Beetle Convertible, 2004 Jeep Wrangler or $20,000 went • CLASSIFIEDS page 20 to Susan Estep of Sanibei. Second prize weut to Evon —- See page 18 — Sec page 8 Salvit of Sanibel and third prize to John Nicholson of • OBITUARIES page 22 Fort Myers. Desi^fi • Installation * Maintenance • Tree Wo '".'•i;>c 1 ;'•> Sanibel Isluul i'i Ji'->>7 28 \TARS BEAUTIFYING SANIBEL & CAPTM 2 • Week of April 29 - May 5, 2004 • ISLAND REPORTER ing the costs of rehabilitation and Consultant Cliff Fitzgerald, Jr., whotheir time and effort lias been invalu- replacement and the rehabilitation plan holds an MBA from Harvard. The sav- able. prepared by Save Our Bay, Inc. consul- ings in interest and principal over the Save Our Bay's lawsuit against Lee SOB tants. 30-year bond life amounts to $39 mil- County claims that the county collected From page 1 The financial plan calculates the lion. If some of the savings were used to an excess of toll monies from those amount of money saved by rehabilitat- pay the operating and maintenance costs using the Sanibel Causeway. Through over the 30-year period, the total sav- the suit, the group hopes rehabilitate the tional material to its guests regarding its ing only span a of the Causeway. Lee County could save an estimated ings would total $32 million, Fitzgerald drawbridge and refund collected toll position on replacement versus rehabili- said in his report. Save Our Bay attor- money to those who use the Causeway. tation of the drawbridge. $17 million in construction costs by rehabilitating the drawbridge, according ney Ralf Brookes commended the Save Our Bay will go to court in May. Two major highlights of the presenta- groups expert consultants stating that tion were the financial analysis regard- to the report prepared by SOB Financial Another issue addressed by the public dealt with resort housing and retail busi- TRAFFIC ness on the island. PREMIER LOCATION The island is in a great state of From page 1 change, according to Adler. Sanibel's tax base is constantly growing due to the Commissioner Marie Gargano said amount of wealth migrating to the the visitors to the island are "loving islands, he said. However, Adler claimed Sanibel to death." that two mainstay institutions on the "We're being loved by people who island — resort and retail — are failing want to drive around the island all day because the codes related to them are and then leave,". Gargano said. "I don't dated. know what they contribute to the envi- "Sanibel has not allowed any code re- ronment, but I know they contribute to write for the modernization of the resort the degradation of Sanibel's environ- industry," Adler said. "The retail indus- ment." try has polarized into two prime shop- ping centers and the other small shop- ping centers on the island have been converted to business. The Sanibel Plan . does not address dealing with the resort Custom built 3 BD/3 BA Old Florida style, with inside entrance from garage. industry or the retail industry." Features exquisite details, tray ceiling, lighted alcove, indirect lighting & skylights, gourmet kitchen with island cooktop & dumb waiter. Furnished by Adler suggested that the plan) be Robb & Stucky. All but a few art pieces stay. Private pool area surrounded by rewritten to allow resorts to redevelop tropical vegetation.