Floating hot dogs Restoring ecology Roller coaster pageSA pageiB of a clay pageiC SEPTEMBERS, 1996 VOLUME 25 NUMBER 36 island 3 SECTIONS, 32 PAGES R 1 Shell Point buys Stardial property !..••••$• 695-acre parcel to be used for retirement village expansion, wetlands preservation By Mark S. Krzos good news," Natural Sanibel Factory Stores. News Editor Resources Director Rob Islanders raised con- \\ Stardial Investments Loflin said. "Stardial was cerns over the environ- Company, Inc. sold its going to develop way too mental impact of such a # I i 695 acre property just much for the sensitive development and the over the causeway Aug; environment in that potential traffic problems 30 to Shell Point Village, area." in the event of a hurri- allaying many islanders Prior to the purchase, cane evacuation. The concerns that a massive Stardial Investments had property is located development could bot- battled for nearly 20 between Shell Point tleneck the only hurri- years to gain the permits Village and the cane evacuation route. necessary to develop the McGregor Boulevard "I'll be dipped," site, which consists Sanibel City Council largely of wetlands. •please see page 2A Peter Dys member Wally Kain Stardial's plans included, beamed. "That's the best a 12-story hotel, 2,200 news I've heard in a long residential units, a golf time." course and a shopping Restaurant "I think it's potentially center larger than the Buttering up chainban one step closer to law By Mark S. Krzos News Editor The door is swinging closed on chain restaurants on Sanibel. Tuesday, Sanibel City Council members made minor adjustments to an ordinance defining and banning chain restaurants. Council member Wally Kain, the ordinance's sponsor, said the purpose of the ban is to avoid "cookie-cut restaurants that will save Sanibel from crappy development" that lines the fringes of nearly every city in the country. Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce President David Besse said he agrees with the goal of the ordi- nance, "We know the value of the ambiance of this island," he said. "It should be protected and pre- served." Beachgoers should remember plenty of sunscreen, as the September sun can be vicious. But Besse said the ordinance is vague and certain words in the definition make the ordinance unclear. He said the best thing council could do was deny the ordinance, then immediately put together a citizens Harrity appointed to commission task force to develop an ordinance that everyone can agree upon. By Mark S. Krzos Harrity said after being ence in business admin- But Kain said counting on a citizens group to talk News Editor notified that he was istration from the formula restaurant ban into a perfect ordinance is Marty Harrity, chair- selected by the Sanibel Philadelphia College of a "pipe dream." man of the strategy sub- City Council. "It was Textiles and Sciences, "This has been gone over and over by the city committee of the Vote something I wanted to do has been involved in all attorney and I'm not sure any ordinance has ever Know group, volunteer for some time. I've been facets of business devel- been more thoroughly examined," Kain said. for Sanibel Little League involved in many island opment from start-ups to Some residents felt the ordinance should be and PTA member, now activities and this is sort acquisitions. scrapped entirely. has another community of the natural progres1 Sanibel Mayor Bob "I am vehemently opposed to this ordinance," oriented title—Sanibel's sion of things. I'm just Janes said he commends islander Steve Greenstein said. "We don't need new newest Planning happy I can contribute." everyone who offered to laws, just better enforcement of existing ones." Commissioner. Harrity, who graduat- •please see page 9 A •please see page 2A "I'm really pleased," ed with a bachelor of sci- Marty Harrity 2A • SEPTEMBER 6, 1996 Q ISLAND REPORTER ISLAND REPORTER Q SEPTEMBERS, 1996 • 3A Council upholds commission ruling on huge home Mixed response greets BMRH report Land exchange By Mark S. Krzos Both neighbors and the Sanctuary's Architectural Commissioner Louise Johnson and Council member News Editor Review Board maintained the proposed house would Mark Westall were "totally unprofessional." By Mark S. K- less," Westall said. "It's only giving a snapshot ... The question of how big is too big surfaced again "enhance our neighborhood" and "is in compliance She took issue with the comments when Johnson N™ - over the years the costs will go up. The person who with church Tuesday, when the City Council voted to uphold a with the continuity and harmony of structures first looked at the plans and said "My first reaction ach reads this report is going to think that it's going to be decision by the Planning Commission that nixed throughout our fine neighborhood." was that Princess Diana was moving to Sanibel." si . ... iviivit ucwime muadier done for $50,000 less each and every year." nixed by council plans for a 10,000-square-foot house in the Sanctuary Homeowners Mark and Pat Andrews of Westall's assumption that the home would be used Tuesday when the Sanibel City Council received an City Council member Wally Kain said the biases By Mark S. Kr/os at Wulfert Point. Chesterfield, Mo. as well as developer Mark sparingly and as atrophy also ired Andrews. analysis of the amendment's possible outcomes with of City Council members were coming out. The Planning Commission on Aug. 16 denied the Naumann were disappointed by the commission's rul- "It's totally unprofessional and shows they're a mixed response. "I feel if [council members] felt another way, this News Editor proposed house on the basis that it v/as "too big and ing, but they believed they would be successful at the unqualified-for the positions they're in," Andrews The charter amendment, petitioned on the Nov. 5 report would be satisfactory," Kain said. The city of Sanibel decided against swapping out of character with the rest of the community." City Council appeal. To their dismay, they weren't. said. ballot by the Responsible Housing Committee, would But Janes disagreed and said all he wants is the 2.6 acres of city-owned commercial property for The property owners' attorney Steven Hartsell An angry Pat Andrews said the fight and the right Council members Wally Kain and Francis Bailey place control of the Below Market Rate Housing people of Sanibel to know what they're voting for. .17.5 acres of wetlands abutting the Sanibel argued that personal opinions played a part in the to build their dream home is not over. supported the Andrews' appeal. Kain -compared the Program in the city's hands instead of the private, Instead of requiring city staff to start over Janes said Congregational Church. commission's denial. "I think we're going to the circuit court," Pat proposed Andrews house to other nearby large non-profit Community Housing and Resources, Inc. he thought it was too late to do anything objective. "It was the correct decision for everyone involved^ said Jan Hyatt, director.of_CommunJty "Personal opinions should not affect a decision," Andrews said, "We'll be headed there as soon as pos- homes. Last week the CHR board after seeing tHe report "I"think" we should accept this; report anrJattach all Housing and Resources, Inc., the city's low-cost Hartsell told the City Council. "If neighbors were on sible." "I can't say this is grossly out of character," Kain took exception to several items contained in the plan. the footnotes and let the voters decide," Janes said. housing authority. In the past, the 2.6-acre parcel this board, it would have been approved. If a member Andrews said she was insulted by some Planning said. "The board believes a number of key questions need Kain agreed. "Objectivity is not with us anymore." on Dunlop Road has been considered for the city's of the [Sanctuary] Architectural Review Board served Commissioner's and City Council member's com- Bailey added that although he felt the Planning to be fully addressed, and several inconsistencies Janes said council can tell the public the. report was Below Market Rate Housing Program. on the commission, it would have been approved." ments. Andrews said the remarks made by Commission did its job, it arrived at an opinion dif- exist... in the transition plan." presented to a mixed response. Although the trade would have meant an addi- ferent from his. Council members' reaction to the validity of the Council member Francis Bailey expounded on tional 17 acres of city-owned wetlands, it would report was mixed. Janes' thought. "What we can do is say the report's According to city staff, the 10,053 square feet of have resulted in the ultimate loss in $27,000 of Mayor Bob Janes said he wanted something more out there and it's slanted toward Wally," Bailey said living area called for in the Sanctuary house would be property value. A recent appraisal of the 2.6-acre imaginative, and all council saw was "some old dust- as MacKenzie Hall erupted in laughter. Causeway, beach parking decals on sale soon the largest on the island. Currently the largest home parcel showed it with a building density of six on Sanibel is 8,200 square feet. ed off thing." The mixed emotion regarding the report boils Sanibel Causeway decals Library Way (the former location Lee County Tax Collector's units and $302,000 value. The wetlands, on the Westall said the one reason he can accept the size "I really don't care if the charter amendment pass- down to three possible outcomes listed in the analy- expire Oct.