Tfrd island's newspaper oflrecord f r L'l, \ TF,' Best of the Islands... cast your ballot Week of March 4-10, 2004 SANIBEL & CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 31, NUMBER 11, 28 PAGES 75 CENTS City Council down on increased tolls Sposato retires with : By Donna T. Schuman would increase tolls an estimated 75 cents for a two honors from Sanibel > Staff writer axle vehicle. The remaining bridges, which would cause a 6 to 9 The Sanibel City Council plans to turn the heat up month design delay, include the $26 million Arch on the Lee County Commissioners regarding the effect design, the $27 million Boxgirder design and the $41 the proposed bridge designs could have on the million Continuous Archway design. Both the Arch Causeway's tolls. and Boxgirder would increase the tolls to $4.00. The In an effort to inform the commission that its pro- Continuous Archway bridge would increase tolls to posed toll increase and elimination of the discount toll $4.75. plan would "punish" the remainder of Lee County res- "I don't think eliminating the discount program will idents more so than Sanibel residents, council voted 4 fly in Lee County," Walsh said. "If it does, we may to 1 in favor sending a representative to speak at the have some new commissioners." March 9 commission meeting. Although the Sanibel City Council's official posi- "If we have 10 percent of the discounts I would be tion is for rehabilitation of the drawbridge, the major- surprised," said Councilman Dick Walsh of the per- ity of council see the proposed toll structure changes centage of Sanibel residents enrolled in the discount as an attempt to punish Sanibel for the lawsuit filed toll program. "The people with the discounts are the against the County. As a result of the suit, the workers that are coming and going." Causeway bond issues has been delayed and county According to a Lee County press release, tolls to officials expect costs for the entire project will cross the Sanibel Causeway could increase as much as increase. $1.75 depending on what design is selected to replace "We are looking for rehabilitation, not a fixed-span the drawbridge. The new toll structure would also bridge," said City Attorney Ken Cuyler. "This has eliminate the Lee Way discount toll programs for just nothing to do with the city of Sanibel. This is not in the Sanibel Causeway. the sense of anything we have done. This is just The County is basing the proposed increases on their ability to generate sufficient revenues. The $21 See TOLLS million Bulbtee — the county's original design — page 2 Vegetation ordinance passed by council By Donna T. Schuman the ordinance, that ratio applies to all areas with the excep- Staff writer tion of dunes. Immediate compi/uuioe with vegetation removal would Photo by.Renny Severance An ordinance 13-years in the making finally met the be required with any three types of development defined in Mayor Steve Brown reads a proclamation honoring approval of the Sanibel City Council Tuesday. the ordinance. Those include new developments, re-devel- Officer Patsy Sposato on his retirement from the After numerous years of planning, amending and some opment — defined as a teardown and replacement — or any Sanibe! Police Department. last minute adjustments, Sanibel finally has a vegetation improvement to an existing building exceeding 50 percent ordinance that city officials feel will accommodate the of the market value. island's residents. Following the initial presentation at the Feb. 17 council By Donna T. Schiiman The newly adopted "veggie" ordinance was designed to meeting, the City Council proposed some minor changes to Staff writer ; ensure the protection of native plants which, in turn, will the ordinance. After 14 years of service, Officer Patsy Sposato has protect the natural resources of the island, according to Rob One change focused on the cost of removing invasive retired from the Sanibel Police Department. Loflin. Sanibel's Natural Resources Director. Native plants exotic vegetation. Under the amended ordinance a property With a group of his fellow officers shewing there for require less water, less fertilization and provide a natural owner will now have up to three years to remove the exotic support, Sposato was honored on Tuesdky, March 2 at habitat for the island's wildlife. vegetation if the estimated cost of the removal exceeds the the city council meeting by Mayor Steve jBrown and the Though the ordinance, the city hopes to achieve a 75 per- cost of the development itself. city for his exemplary service over the years. cent native to 25 percent exotic vegetation on the island. However, the cost for removal of the exotic and evasive However, those exotic plants do not include Brazilian pep- "To the finest policeman from the finest police force vegetation recognized in the ordinance is minimal com- per, Melaleuca, earleaf acacia, lead tree, Java Plum, air pota- in all the world," Mayor Brown said before reading the to, exotic inkberry, mother-in-laws tongue or any other inva- pared to the expense of removing Brazilian Pepper accord- proclamation to Sposato. "Enjoy a long, happy and healthy retirement. sive exotic vegetation proscribed by the city. According to See VEGETATION In his years on the force, Sposato received numerous page 2 commendations for the services he provided to the resi- dents of Sanibel. He also received special training in the areas of radar operations, narcotics identification and INDEX investigation as well as police motorcycle riding and courtroom demeanor. • LETIERS page 5 A review of Lee Variance, suit Results from "We are proud of you and the entire police force," Brown said. I think they are outstanding." • SPORTS page 7 County's Charter gets new life benefit matches Following the proclamation, Chief Bill Tomlinson • LOOKING BACK page 9 also commended Sposato for his service. County Commissioner Judge Carlin has given Dunes hosts tournament • ENVIRONMENT page 10 the the City of Sanibel 20 "For the past 14 years, Patsy Sposato has served •Bob Janes writes a com- to benefit Leukemia" & Sanibel very well," Tomlinson said. "Some of the quali- • DATELINE page 12 ^mentary of the charter. : days to respond and show Lymphoma Society cause for their variance. ties that he has exuded are very important to the police • REAL ESTATE page 14 department and to the community. We are most happy when we can be compassionate to people who are in • TV LISTINGS page 15 need and we can become, on some level,, the communi- • OBITUARIES page 18 -See page 81 -See page3\ See page 7 ty's friend. Patsy did that with great exception and I • CLASSIFIEDS page 19 would like to thank Patsy for his service." GI^EN i LANmCAPft Design ® Installation • Maintenance • Tree Worfe 3889 Sanibel Captiva Rd. Phone: 239-472-1370 Sanibel Island, FL 33937 28 YEARS BEAUTIFYING SANIBEL & CAPTIVA 2 • Week of March 4-10, 2004 • ISLAND REPORTER tation. However, according to the Island Realty Group the aver- age cost for removing evasive on its properties would range IN OTHER BUSINESS,.* VEGETATION between $1,000 to $2,000. The $1,000 range, Rogers said, would best suit the cost From page 1 of a minor improvement because the cost of removal is so By Donna T. Schuman low. According to Rogers, minor improvement costs based Staff writer ing to Rogers. on accessed property value would allow a higher valued "Without cost in mind...any time these exotics are property more improvements before exotics would be In other business the Sanibel City Council... allowed to remain and grow on these properties, they spr ;ad removed. For a lower valued property the improvement cost onto other properties," said Planning Director Brice Rog ;rs. would be minimal before exotic vegetation would be • adopted a resolution accepting a $125,000 grant from "Three years seemed like a manageable time frame to k sep removed. the South Florida Water Management District for the track of and it." Following much debate over whether to apply a set dol- Clam Bayou restoration project. Another change — stirring much discussion from the lar amount or base the amount on a percentage of the public and council — dealt with the cost of minor property accessed property value, the council agreed on $2,000. • approved a contract to accept a $125,000 grant from improvements. As-an incentive for the removal of invasive exotic vege- the South Florida Water Management District for the In the original draft, the cost of minor property imprc ve- tation, Council directed staff to look into an exotic removal Clam Bayou restoration project. ments would require exotic removal once me cost excee ied incentive plan. • adopted a resolution accepting $185,000 in funds from $1,000. Although, some residents favored the amount, th- Currently, the city has a plan that will reimburse proper- the Tourist Development Council for Brazilian Pepper ers felt it was too low and should be based on the acce sed ty owners up to 20 percent for the cost of Brazilian pepper removal. value of the property. removal. Councilman Walsh proposed the new incentive • accepted the resignation of Theresa Baldwin from the "We would rather see it as a percentage, not $1,000." s aid program focus on the removal of the exotic inkberry, also Wildlife Committee. Linda Naton, president of CASI. "We feel the island she uld known as scaevola. be free of exotics, but the figure he gave us seems relat ve- The city also plans to distribute an Environmental Guide • selected Jim Jennings to attend the Florida League of ly low." to educate the public on the vegetation ordinance.