inside thei tv 20, map of the i \ Sanibel - Captiva Islander since 1961 vol. 19 no. 1 Wednesday, January 3, 1979 section one 15 cent council continue I9WND multi-family moratorium by jack roemer During Friday's meeting of the C Council, the four Councilmen pres voted unanimously to continue moratorium on multi-fan developments on Sanibel until Janu Joan Good and Louis Garzetta held a 19, 1979, or until the rate of gro three day New Year* EmEarty at Ms. ordinance is passed, whichever co: food's fewwe in the Dunes to launch first. City officials have worked their new catering service. Four dif- hours to meet the deadline for ferent meals were served, there was a mandate handed down by island vc costume ball and there was always November 21 - giving them 60 daj some entertainment. derive a plan to administer contn growth on Sanibel. Several IT family development applications on file with city officials, and Manager Nungester stated Fri "we'd be obligated to process th< this (ordinance) is not passed". At the conclusion of the me Councilman Goss expressed his cern that he is "in doubt as to wh« stitutes a special benefit" and fro point forward will file a Memora of Voting Conflict under Fk Ethics Code. "Since the language State Statute on financial disc appears overly broad, and sin interpretations by the Ethics mission staff and commissior been from time to time convolut inconsistent, in my opinion, I doubt as to my obligations to voting conflict of interest state he continued "I believe this ( resolution-ordinance) will fc New Year's Eve on the Islands advantageous to quality of life Casa Ybel had a Toga Party. Anyone economic welfare of our sms wearing a toga was treated to free munity. Since I am a propert; champagne - thereby inspiring some and have a large family liviof innovative costumes. small community, it is poissi this might constitute some "special benefit" to me." Both Councilman Goss an< cilman Butler under investig. the Ethics Commission bee rate of growth ordinance takes new twist allegations filed by a fora employee Steve Mayvelland be At the dose of an all-morning Chi Thursday, December 28, title of the Chicago Urban Planning firm of that these complaints are gn meeting of City Council Friday, Planning Commission reviewed a draft Wallace, McHarg Roberts and Todd, While Goss has indicated December 22, it was concluded that of the Rate of Growth Ordinance which both of whom attended the December generally favors financial disc city officiate had produced an or- was changed substantially from that 22 meeting, and the results of their the part of elected officials dinance in draft form to be placed in previously proposed. In the interim, meetings have had considerable im- operation of government the hands of professional council for members of the Planning Commission pact on the ordinance that is to receive "sunshine", he concluded Ft review, clarification, and alternative staff met with, Fred Bosselman, legal "the statutes on special hem suggestions for implementation. council from Chicago, and Bill Roberts, cont. on 3 broad as to be useless." Wednesday, January 3,1979 The ISLANDER ubon society in defense of gopher tortoises oliver evans ie Sanibel Community Center was balls. Dietlein found some and took "sonwhwere between Sanibel and Pine 36 died from the wounds last year. i with over one hundred people last them under her care, incubating them Island." Last February 9 Dietlein To reintroduce a revived tortoise to rsday night, December 28, to hear until on day 81 some began to hatch. It found 108 of them, and the find.marked the wild, sites were located in-advance Nora Dietlein speak on the gopher may take 24 hours or more for a tor- the beginning of a long rehabilitation and small plots were enclosed in wire )ise. Dr. Dietlein, one of the toise to fully emerge from the egg, and program. fences. After a tortoise had been placed itry's outstanding authorities on some eggs did not begin to hatch till Operating solely from funds supplied within the enclosure the fence was not tortoise, focused her lecture with weeks later. by the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation removed until the creature had dug a accompaniment of slides on Dr. Dietlein then turned her attention Foundation, Dietlein and student burrow (in those locations where there ibel's species, Gopherus to the problems of tortoise survival. volunteers from the Sanibel Resources was no previous naturally occuring phemus. The gopher is losing out to citrus School cleaned and fed the creatures burrow). Because the tortoises were ie tortoise usually grows 10 to 12 growers, land developers and to people mat had been 6-8 months outside of a tagged during rehabilitation, it was not es long and weighs 10 pounds. One who like to eat them. Most of Dietlein's burrow (and the hermetic environment difficult to learn that six months later d on Sanibel was 14 inches and 15 comments concerned tortoise racing as on which the tortoise depends). They 80 percent of the released individuals ids. Growth rate is incalculable hi being one practice that man employs had been left to sit near-numb and were still inhabiting their new homes. adult, but the young can be that directly and needlessly kills immobile in 32 degree weather. j rmined of age; life expectancy is hundreds of these reptiles. Dietlein said that had they not been It may be that the future of Gopherus rown. It is clear, as Dietlein Here in Lee County, as part of the rescued most of them probably would polyphemus will be a secure one with ted out, that much more needs to Edison Pageant of Light celebration, have perished in the inclement weather the help of people like Dr. Dietlein and nown about the gopher, tortoise races have been a source of fun or be eaten by hawks and other animals her student helpers. Volunteers iteration is a 'scruffy' brown for for people who like to decorate tor- because they cannot withstand cold gathered 250 signatures for the purpose ts, and a more yellowish color for toises in varieties of outlandish temperatures and consequently were of establishing a law that would protect niles. When their shells are dean costumes. Then they stand at the unable to dig protective burrows. the tortoise on Sanibel. Both the animal oiled (not as found in their natural starting line and yell as they watch the Dietlein and company scraped and and its burrow are presently shielded i) the pattern resembles parquet tortoise drag its gilded armor across scrubbed off paint from the tortoises' by the law, violatings of which may be •tiles. the concrete to a supposed triumph at shells. Although it is illegal to apply penalized by a $500.00 fine or six secttng mostly on grasses, some the finish line. paint and glue to the, people do it months in jail. ; and occasionally on insects, the It is not the race in and of itself that anyway. Any epoxy that had been Dr. Dietlein said that unless similar rise inhabits highland-dry ridges harms the tortoise; rather, it is the coated on a shell could not all be which it digs a burrow. The tunnel things the tortoise must endure before removed and it is possible the shell will tortoises left in Florida within 10 years be 25 feet in length and penetrate and after the competition. Does the eventually crack as the tortoise grows except in a small territory in the n eight feet (or about a foot and a tortoise even know that he's in a larger. northern part of the state. above the water table), race!?). Thirty-six of the 108 had damaged Recently Dietlein formed the Gopher ie tortoise spends most of its time Florida law allows the holding of limbs, known to have been caused Tortoise Council, incorporating within Ie the burrow, coming out for one to tortoises for racing purposes, but they during extraction from their burrows. the organization all six of the s|BM e hours each day to forage. Inside must be released afterwards (the Fish A "tortoise hook" is inserted into the where the tortoise lives. Dietlein, iKm perature of the burrow is 7040 and Wildlife Service is currently tunnel until it meets an obstruction (the is Co-chairman for the next two years, •ees constant throughout the year reviewing this policy and may decide to tortoise), whereupon the captor (the said the purpose of the Council is to irdless of surface temperature, and ban tortoise trapping statewide). So human) yanks out Gopherus by the adopt protective measures. tidity remains at 70 percent (plus-5 what happens is these tortoises who skin of its leg, foot, or neck or eye. On Thursday, January 4, Mike Klein «nt). have been removed from their native Because of the lacerations, the tortoise will present a color slide show talk, 5gs are about one and one-half inch areas (some from as far as Georgia) of ten requires medication three times a "The Galapogos Islands." The liameter and look like ping pong get dumped en masse after the show day for several weeks. Only one of the program begins at 8 pjn. 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