City Council Eyes Acquisition of Old Schoolhouse
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The is/ands' newspaper of record #*p.OO3 I Beth DeGrawe digs for SCCF WEEK OF JUNE 17-23, 2004 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 31, NUMBER 24, 24 PAGES 75 CENTS City Council eyes acquisition of Old Schoolhouse By Donna T. Schuman also served on the Old Schoolhouse tions. Part of that process includes secur- to address like the ownership, restora- StaffWriter Theatre Board of Directors. '"You can ing funds for the move and dealing with tion, moving and the cost," Zimomra identify the original walls and the origi- the buildings historic designation. said. All of these issues, Zimomra The Old Schoolhouse Theatre may nal roof. That building has been well "There is a number of things we have added, will come before council. soon take its place among Sanibei's preserved. It's in wonderful shape." other preserved buildings at the The acquisition and moving of the Historical Village. schoolhouse, however, could call for In a unanimous decision, the Sanibei some legislative procedures, City City Council honors Sanibei Marine City Council directed staff Tuesday to Manager Judie Zimomra said. In 1991, prepare negotiations for acquiring the the Old Schoolhouse Theatre was desig- building. nated an historical building by the City The request to acquire the building of Sanibei. That designation requires the came from Sam Bailey on behalf of the building to be preserved in its footprint. Sanibel's Historical Preservation "This building has already been des- Society. Bailey, who serves as chairman ignated a historic landmark so there are of the committee, attended school in the certain restrictions and covenants that old schoolhouse while growing up on come with that," Zimomra said. the island. "Because of that designation there may Adding Sanibel's old schoolhouse to or may not need to be some alterations the historic village is a long awaited based on that blueprint." achievement by the historical society. Restorations to the building. Bailey Bailey himself has often said he would said, would be done by the Historic add the building to the village before he Society's Hammerheads, who maintain dies, as Councilman Dick Walsh pointed the other buildings in the village. out. Currently, the village consists of a Last month The Old Schoolhouse collection of buildings from the late Theater Foundation (OSTF) announced 1800s and early 1900s and include it had entered into an agreement to pur- Bailey's General Store, Miss Charlotte's chase the Periwinkle Playhouse from the Tearoom and a 1924 Sears Roebuck kit Sanibei Community Association (SCA). home. The purchase is set to close on August Although an addition had been made 16, 2004. In a letter to the city. Chuck to the building in the last two years Ketterman, president of the Old Bailey attended school there, the histori- Schoolhouse Board of Directors, said Photo by Donna T. Schuman cal society is interested in preserving the board is now ready to negotiate with The Sanibei Marina, owned by Myton Ireland received the Florida Clean Marina only the original structure which con- the city and the historical society to Award from the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Pictured sists of one room and the front porch. transfer the building to the historical vil- with the Marina Manager Liz Lombardo, Ireland accepts a certificate from Mayor "The building is in wonderful shape lage. Marty Harrity and the City of Sanibei honoring his achievements. The Clean Marina as far as the schoolhouse as Sam knew With the council's approval, the city Program was developed in 2000 to help marinas, boatyards and boaters protect it," said Councilman Steve Brown, who staff must know prepare for the negotia- Florida's waterways using simple environmental practices. SCCF interns conclude their stay on Sanibei City Council defers By Jenny Burnham StaffWriter vote on referenda By Donna T. Schuman it into a different ball- Sanibei Captiva Conservation Foundation interns StaffWriter game," Brown said. "It (the Rosemary Giesser and Odia Woods are preparing to return ordinance) goes to aid a home after their nine-month stay living and working on City Council deferred special interest group, not Sanibei. two ordinances calling for the general population." "They've been absolutely fantastic," said Marty Bryant voter approval on proposed Walsh informed council of SCCF. "We're so sad they're going."' changes to the Sanibei Cily that although some COTI SCCF holds events such as this years "Bird Box" auc- Charter at the Tuesday members could be associat- tion to fund three intern positions annually. The managers of meeting on June 15. ed with the ordinances, the Education, Habitat Management, and Native Plant The ordinances, requir- they were not officially Nursery programs recruit inlcrns according to the individual ing a referendum vote on involved in the process as needs of each program. This year. Rosemary held the any proposed changes to members of that organiza- Habitat Management internship—-the first woman to do the Planning Commission tion. However. Brown so—and Odia held the Education position. or building height regula- questioned letters written to Rosemary, 23, graduated from Ohio Wesleyan tions, were tabled with a 3- local newspapers encourag- University in 2003 with a double major in /oology and tine 2 vole. ing people to sign a petition arts. Her interest in conservation and land planning led her While Councilmcmbers that would put the issues to Dick Walsh, who proposed a vote in the 2005 election. So« INTERNS Photo by Jenny Burnham. the ordinances, and Judy Those letters. Brown point- page 3 (l-r): Rosemary Giesser and Odia Woods at SCCF. Workman voted in favor, ed out were written on the remainder of council behalf of COTI by mem- questioned the origins of bers of its board of direc- the proposals. tors. As of now, Walsh said, INDEl{ iiPEPEN»«CE PAY APPEAL DiOPPED Gann Prompted by questions the required signatures from Councilman Steve have not yet been collected. • COMMENTARY page 5 City gets ready Sanibei drops Sanibei Plan Brown, Walsh told council 'There is no question • LETTERS page 6 to celebrate from tower suit Update that seven other Sanibei that COTI is a PAC, but it residents assisted him in does have a special interest • POLICE BEAI page 8 drafting the ordinances. in maintaining Sanibei the • SPORTS page 9 Some of those seven were way it is," Walsh said. Sanibei plans a parade The city elects not to Planning Commission of concern to Brown due to "They want to keep Sanibei • PERMITS & DEEDS page 10 and a lot more to cele- pursue the appeal of the chair, Carla Johnston their involvement with the the way it is and they sup- brate on July 3. Verizon tower decision continues her scries. • DATELINE page 11 Committee Ol" The Islands port it because they are (COTI), a political action interested in maintaining • TV LISTINGS page 13 group on the island. good government." • OBITUARIES page 14 ''When a political action — See page 3 — See page 4 - - Sec page 5 group gets involved, it puts REFERENDA • CLASSIFIEDS page 17 2 2 • WEEK OF JUNE 17-23, 2004 • ISLAND REPORTER islanders, the unit will not become a Winds Surf Shop. According to Cicero, his client Sanibel Center gets OK from City Council plans to develop an "upscale brand name product store." One comparable example he By Donna T. Schuman serve a purpose to the city. Many residents process, I would recommend you recognize gave was Mango Bay, the clothing and Staff writer rely on those businesses, Brown said, this property owner would not easily recov- swim apparel store. adding that he was one of them. er if you denied this permit." "We are trying to come to an agreement A Fort Myers developer got the "go Councilwotnan Judy Workman echoed To date, Anglim has spent over $250,000 with the staff,'" Cicero said. The exterior ahead" from the city for his plans to redevel- those remarks, stating that the developer on this development over the past two years, changes have yet to be finalized. We know if op commercial property on Periwinkle Way. knows nothing about what the people of said Michael Cicero, Anglim's attorney. the staff is uncomfortable with it you won't Tim Anglim, owner of the Sanibel Center Sanibel need and that those small business- Cicero also addressed rumors that approve it." also known as "the pink building," received es are important to the community. Anglim' had evicted the business owners Anything they do has to come to the council's approval on his development per- Although council questioned whether to from the Sanibel Center". "We did not evict planning department, said Mayor Marty mits to turn the nine unit commercial build- approve the permit, Sanibel City Attorney anyone," Cicero said. Harrity, in an attempt to ease concerns ing into a single one. Anglim also plans to Ken Cuyler advised about the possible con- Anglim also offered the tenants new among the council. "As they go forward, change the look of the building's exterior. sequences of not approving it. Currently the leases after he purchased the property. they have to go to the Planning Department The issue has sparked concern through- city is preparing to re-evaluate commercial However, with the new lease agreements and they will comply with the ordinances out the community regarding the businesses zoning on the island. However, because the called for higher rents. According to Cicero, they have." that will no longer occupy the building. new zoning regulations have not yet been the tenants decided to move out instead of Following the 5-0 vote in favor of the Those concerns were expressed through put into place, Cuyler suggested council accepting the new leases.