STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #18 SANIBEL, FL Largest Circulation On The Islands Postal Patron X. 9, NO. 8 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS, FLORIDA AUGUST 24,2001 IGUST: SUNRISE/SUNSET: M 07:05 19:55 25 07:05 19:54 2k 07:06 19:53 II 07:06 19:52 28, 07:06 19:51 29 07:07 19:50 30 07:07 19:49 nes' Destruction Generates enty Of Concern Damille Kucaba At the August 14 Planning Commission meeting, Commissioner Dick Downes "^he accidental poisoning of several raised the question of a conspiracy to erad- huge Australian pines along icate the pines. Speaking before Council Periwinkle Way has generated lots Tuesday, he said he also has received oncern in recent weeks, concern that many phone calls since an article on the -e giant specimens might be removed. trees appeared in the Island Sun last I've probably gotten more phone calls week he trees" than any other issue since Mayor Nola Theiss said the "cultural ig on City Council, Marty Harrity said icons" are protected by ordinance. "We is fellow Council members Tuesday. aren't going to do anything to those trees." Council member Steve Brown called for cter control on contractors" who work continued on page 4 he City Citing a recent newspaper article on ouncil Debates average property tax bills in Lee County, Trowbridge said Sanibel now has the low- )lled Back Rate est average in the County. He presented a chart (source: Lee County Property s. Higher Taxes Appraisers office) which listed the average Camille Kucaba tax bill for a $125,000 home on Sanibel at $1,869, less than Bonita Springs, Fort eith Trowbridge, executive director Myers Beach, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and of the Sanibel & Captiva Islands all unincorporated areas of Lee. KChamber of Commerce, told City Under the heading of "old business," Council Tuesday: "You've made (this Council revisited the tax rate issue, with sland) a haven" for those wanting to live Council member Marty Harrity leading off The recent destruction of several huge Australian pines did not go unnoticed on Sanibel - this "memorial" briefly appeared at the site along Periwinkle Way between Matzaluna and A/here taxes are low. continued on page 4 Dairy Queen. Monday, August 20. P. It has led to resolutions by City :ity-County Begin Council, referendums and independent engineering studies for the City to assure auseway itself that Lee County would not con- struct a high rise bridge or four lane the ispute Process Causeway. Although absent an agree- m George ment at the moment, that concern still exists t all comes down to an issue of The latest dispute arose during the trust," Interim City Manager Sam final stages of planning for rehabilitation [Ackiey told representatives of Lee or replacement of the Causeway bridges lty at a meeting at City Hall last when the Board of County . It was the first of what could be Commissioners was making its decision al meetings in an effort to resolve a on the submittal of the Project, Design ite between the two government and Environmental Study (PD&E) to the is over the Sanibel Causeway To U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard is i/e the dispute, the City invoked a the main permitting agency for bridges in lict Resolution process available to Florida. The plan included replacement under State statutes, which includes of the middle bridge (Span B) with a 40 les of public meetings and even a foot wide span. The City had asked that ble mediation. If agreement is not any bridge being replaced include travel led the City may elect to litigate lanes no wider than 38 feet in order to ;ven representatives of Lee County preclude any possibility that the bridge I and Transportation departments could be four laned at some future time. vith Ackiey and City Attorney Doug In addition the City asked for a new raff. Suspicion of County motives Interlocal Agreement, in effect giving ack of trust in County personnel has Lee County Attorneys David Owen and Jim Yeager (clockwise from ieft) mei August 16 them veto power over decisions relating i evident during the entire Causeway with Sanibel City Attorney Doug Wyckoff and Interim City Manager O. Sam Ackiey for a continued on page 3 Jiing process dating back to the, "conflict assessment" session on the Causeway issue. From page 1 City had taken no action on the referen- \\ dum but since the County changed its Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Connection Dispute Process own Comprehensive Plan as a result of Seven Day Weather Forecast the referendum, the County was the I to the Causeway in the future which by Jim Clarke, Chief Meteorologist, NBC 2 D would assure that the bridges would offending party, not the City. § Susan Trokey After A Visit T© A never be four laned or a high rise struc- - The dialogue has changed between Date Temperature Rain Wind Gulf ture ever built. The County rejected both the two bodies. What was once a head Aug. Low Hiqh (Chances) (Knots) Temp 3 by Brian Johnson to head difference in the concept of a Modernist Art Exhibition requests. Interim City Manager Sam 24 74 94 40% Var./W 7 88 Ackley said the City had been misled high span, four lane bridge is now down 'n the middle of July Susan Trokey went into thinking stipulated lane widths and a to minor differences in the width of traf- 25 75 92 50% W8 89 down n to Bunche Beach with representa- fic lanes on low rise bridges. Owen said d THE STREET WORKERS new Interlocal Agreement were accept- 50% W8 88 tives of Lee County and the Regional rT£R.Tlltf*ANNeR the County would never include refer- 26 75 91 It OF 5»sBtO SlvBRA able to the County because of state- Office in Atlanta Trokey has been working ments made by the County's consultant ence to traffic lanes 38 feet wide but 27 76 92 40% E/W7 87 _ on the acquisition of Bunche Beach - 734 seemed amenable to references to two during several meetings between County 28 76 92 40% E/W8 87 — acres of shoreline just across the bridge - and City staff, discussions of which, lanes from Summerlin Sands Limited apparently, the County legal staff was Three main issues underlie the talks; 29 75 91 30% E/W8 88 Partnership. unaware. 1) The Interlocal Agreement must be Trokey, a realty specialist at "Ding" County Attorneys Jim Yeager and modified to settle the dispute. Ackley Darling, has assisted with a contaminant David Owen have been adamant in their and the County generally agree that survey, among other items She is one of public statements that the County will wording referencing two lanes would be the faces behind the scenes who handles not give up their plenary right to admin- acceptable but since the Interlocal expensive for the City. At this juncture the complicated administrative details ister and manage the Causeway. Both Agreement applies only to the draw- the County has said the Causeway is not Fundraiser For The behind a major purchase of land. emphasized that position again in the bridge, revised wording must also be for sale. During her tour she saw roseate spoon- meeting. They have repeatedly said they expanded to include the entire The greatest unknown in the entire Visually impaired bills and reddish egrets. "There was a good would not recommend to the Board of Causeway. Yeager said the County legal Causeway issue is what the permitting special fundraising event, the VIP amount of wildlife in the mangroves," said County Commissioners (BOCC) any staff will draft suggested wording for the agencies will do as they review the plan. Marketplace, benefiting the Trokey. "What was really neat was seeing stipulation of 38 foot widths of the revision of the agreement and forward it The Coast Guard, U.S. Fish and Visually Impaired Persons of several black-necked stilts. One feigned to Ackley and Wyckoff for review. 2) Wildlife, Department of Environmental A bridges. Owen said previously that even Southwest Florida, Inc , will be held being hurt to decoy us away from her the 40 foot widths in the PD&E plan Some sort of agreement or document Protection and a myriad of other Federal Saturday, September 15, from 8 a.m. to nest" were marginal because the County has must be generated to give both govern- and State agencies must review the pro- 3 p.m at the VIP Center, 35 West The Wildlife Service has sent a liability for the safety of the Causeway. ment bodies a roadmap for future discus- ject Changes in design, bridge height, Mariana Avenue, North Fort Myers. The Memorandum of Agreement to Lee County At the meeting, Owen and Yeager sions about the Causeway in order to lane widths and numbers of lanes all are event will feature Trash & Treasures, to purchase half of Bunche Beach, said emphasized that the 1990 City referen- avoid problems. This will be discussed in possible during the process.^ Arts & Crafts, Candle Shop and Food, Trokey. The County will take the water- Susan Trokey dum obligating the City to sue the future meetings. 3) The City has shown Food, Food. front area and regulate beach use by resi- County on any Causeway plan not interest in buying the Causeway. Ackley This special event is scheduled to raise dents and visitors. acceptable to the citizens of Sanibel was will be exploring the financing alterna- We are the only funds necessary to provide rehabilitation Trokey joined "Ding" Darling in January of 1996 as an Americorps volunteer.