The islands' newspaper of record • "DRESSED IN PINK" By Randon T.. Eddy Week of November 11 -17, 2004 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 31, NUMBER 46 20 PAGES 75 CENTS Sanibel gets $1.38M grant to clear hurricane debris from waterways By Renny Severance Conservation Service. The grant is specif- Executive Editor ically earmarked for storm debris removal from the city's public canals and water- The clean-up process following ways. Hurricane Charley and his cohorts has In return, the city must provide 25 per- been proceeding apace on Sanibel. This is cent in matching funds. Sanibel's match perhaps most visible on Periwinkle Way may include in-kind services such as the which looks a little bit different and a little damage assessment of canals conducted bit better each day as more and more of the by the Sanibel Police Department. stumps and debris are removed Dr. Loflin stated that while navigation- State and federal agencies, such as al and boater safety are areas of concern, FEMA and others, have provided impor- the main issue of debris in the Sanibel tant funding for some of this, but they do River relates to flood control. "If ditches not cover everything. leading to a city, weir are blocked, then Sanibel's waterways are among the there is the potential that water will not items not covered. But the Sanibel River drain fast enough to prevent flooding," he and the island's canals are integral parts of said. the quality of life here — both for animals Dr. Loflin described the grant "an out- and people, and most important, flood standing assist that the city really needs." control. City Manager Judie Zimomra noted, "City Today, these waterways still look much staff is committed to continuing an aggres- as the roads did a day or two after Charley. sive pursuit of grants to minimize the bur- Many are completely blocked by fallen den placed by Hurricane Charley on trees and debris, making repair of the Sanibel taxpayers." twisted, broken docks nearly pointless. At present, the city has one contractor, Thanks to the hard work of City of Crowther Gulf, ready to begin work on the Sanibel Department of Natural Resources canals and plans to go to bid for a second Director, Dr. Rob Loflin, the city has one to remove the debris from the nine obtained a $1.38 million dollar grant from the United States Department of See GRANT Photo by Ret,'i\ Scieravce Agriculture Natural Resources page 2 One of Sanibel's east end waterways to be cleared of storm debris. Public participation invited in BMRH sub-committee looks ahead By JENNY BURNHAM Sub-committee chairperson Marie Staff Writer Gargano noted that she was "astonished" Periwinkle restoration process to learn that the average income in Lee The Below Market Rate Housing County is $30,000. From Staff Reports City Council unanimously accepted the Program sub-committee of the City of Said Gargano, "I would have thought it offer from these organizations. Sanibel Planning Commission met on would be much higher," and pointed out Three Sanibel community organiza- Development of a final plan for restor- Tuesday, Nov. 9 and voted to recommend that such a low average income means that tions volunteered !o support the City of ing the Periwinkle Corridor will be devel- to the Planning Commission a program tar- teachers cannot afford to live on the island. Sanibel during the public participation oped with the expertise of a landscape get that would designate three percent of "We are trying to be a pro-active com- process restoring the Periwinkle Corridor architect or architectural firm, with an Sanibel households for affordable housing. munity and address this," said Gargano. following the damage caused by inclusive public participation process for The previous program target of 2.2 per- "Rising professionals cannot afford to live. Hurricane Charley. Sanibel City Council restoring the corridor. The City of Sanibel cent was established in the 1995 on Sanibel." has now issued a Request for Proposals issued a Request for Proposals on Evaluation and Appraisal Report for the Jan Hyatt, representing CHR before the soliciting requests from qualified profes- November 5, inviting firms, individuals Sanibel Plan. Acting Director of the sub-committee, advised the members that sional firms to complete the project. or organizations to assist in preparing an Sanibel Planning Department Ken Pfalzer Lee County waives impact fees for low- On November 2, Sanibel Beaut- emergency restoration plan for the described that percentage as "a minimum income housing on Sanibel, as it does for ification, Inc., Sanihel-Captiva Conser- Periwinkle Corridor, as well as a 1/2 mile achievable figure." Sub-committee mem- Dunbar. The county specifically names vation Foundation, and the Sanibel segment of Tarpon Bay Road and a 1/2 ber John Veenschoten called the higher Sanibel; said Hyatt, to indicate the island is Captiva Islands Chamber of Commerce mile stretch of Palm Ridge Road which percentage "a much more acceptable fig- a place where BMRH is a necessity and presented a proposal to the Sanibel City intersects with both Periwinkle Way and ure." should be encouraged. Council offering to work closely with the Tarpon Bay Road. Sanibel's Board of Community Housing Hyatt urged the sub-committee to City of Sanibel, with plans to invite public Proposers are asked to consider con- and Resources (CHR) requested the "stand firmly on a three percent figure." input in numerous ways, and at numerous See RESTOKE increase in order to obtain flexibility in the Sub-committee member Michael stages throughout the planning process. number of BMRH units which, over time, Valliquette asked, "If we build it, will they page 2 might be made available not just for quali- come?" wanting to know what the occu- fying low-income individuals but also for pancy rate is for affordable housing on the island and city employees who could not island. otherwise afford to live on Sanibel. According to Hyatt, CHR has a current According to the suggested revision to waiting list of 20, and no housing vacan- • DATELINE PAGES Guest Speakers iPlanning the Sanibel Plan presented to the sub-com- cies in the program. Three or four years are mittee by Pfalzer, 64 BMRH units present- required to get a new property approved on help available Commission and built, including 14 months for con- 1 ly exist, or are under construction and near- • LETTERS PAGE 6S i meets ing completion. This figure represents two struction. In light of these figures, the sub- • COMMENTARY PAGE 7 j j percent of present Sanibel resident house- committee readily acknowledged that as i I iThe Planning holds. many as 20 years might be needed to add • PERMITS PAGE 8 (The San-Cap Chamber j j Commission approved 2 A program target of three percent would 40 more units to the program. ! concentrated on forms of ! variances to the Land call for an additional 28 units in the short Hyatt noted that the individuals present- • TV LISTINGS PAGE 13 (hurricane relief \ (Development code term and "40 additional units over the next ly on the waiting list are "interested per- 20 years," according to the sub-commit- sons," and have not been thoroughly • POLICE BEAT PAGE 14 '{ \ tee's proposed memorandum of recom- See BMRH I — See page 31 !> See page 3 mendation. page 3 • CLASSIFIEDS PAGE 17 2 • Week of November 11-17, 2004 • ISLAND REPORTER Bank Of The Islands says 'thanks' New sheriff to move Island coastal marine while launching canned food drive unit to Cape Coral Customer "Thank You" Day Nov. 22 Donations to the Bank Of The Islands Canned Food Drive will be delivered to the Brightest Horizons Mission By LINDA FUDALA & JOE TAYLOR As Thanksgiving approaches, Bank Of The Islands is Gasparilla Gazette giving thanks for their customers and island neighbors. and Child Development Center. As always the Bank's freshly baked cookies will be On Monday, November 22, all visitors to the Bank will Lee County Sheriff-elect Mike Scott confirmed the receive a special gift for their Thanksgiving celebration. available for visitors on that Monday, November 22, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. All islanders are invited to Island Coastal District command center will be moved "This is just a small way we can show how grateful we from Boca Grande to Cape Coral. are to be your island bank," said Bank Of The Islands stop by the bank lobby at the corner of Periwinkle Way and Casa Ybel Road. Scott, who will take office in January, told the Gazette a Manager Rob Lisenbee. "It's aJso an important time to site for the marine unit's command post has not yet been Bank Of The Islands, a name synonymous with island remember those less fortunate, so we hope you will bring found, but he decided to move the operation to south Cape community banking since 1974, has been voted "Best a contribution to our Canned Food Drive." Coral. Island Bank" for seven years straight. "Yes, we're going to move the island district patrol to somewhere at the south end of Cape Coral i#order for the operation to be more central," said Scott: "¥fe don't have a location yet so in the interim, the patrol district command Storm debris must be bundled for pick-up will still be out of Boca Grande. Sanibel residents are reminded that Florida Recycling yard waste be tied and bundled in lengths of no more "We have boats throughout the district that .covers a will continue to pick up storm debris, however, all debris than four feet. Palm fronds do not have to be cut to 4- large area from Boca Grande to Sanibel," said Scott.