LIBRARY '} 770r'DUNL0P BD and SAN X BEL. FL REPORTE Week of Jan. 17-23,2002 SANIBEL &CAPTIVA, FLORIDA VOLUME 29, NUMBER 3, 24 PAGES 75 CENTS Planning set WEIGHING IN The Sanibel City Council SPD seeks has re-appointed three members of the Planning Commission. —See page 2 armed Study breaks City Council decided not to authorize a $45,000 survey of island traffic, at burgiers least until it hears more from the Traffic Committee. By Anna Liakas —See page 3 Staff writer On Suti'uy morning. Jan. 13, No sole the Saniuel Police Department responded to a call reporting a City Manager Judie robbery in progress at the Zimomra reported Tuesday that County Jacaranda Restaurant on Periwinkle Way. fm ., n n .1 n T „ Michael Pis tell a Commissioners have indi- The city of Sanibel completed a promising pilot study of the weigh station in December. cated a city purchase of At approximately 9:49 a.m.. a the Causeway is not going husband and wife cleaning crew The study sought to find out if keeping the weigh station open for longer hours would to happen. arrived at the restaurant and bring in more fees. walked in on two black males wieklina Ivnvhiims and already 11 "1 ^U them and ihcn lied lami me y v has •.: \'C',\\ •slci'i restaurant, nccorr'inrr V,i ^anin»1 ing the disproportionately large right to w specific use/ Tax break police. Other witnesses said thv New? editor house problem since la:,l : /WlhougU C\mnc\\ -.wenvbevs Island accountant and perpetrators fled on foot traveling The Sanibel City Council on The RFP includes a draft statement debated at the Dec. 18 Council attorney Tom Rizzo east on Periwinkle, making their Tuesday unanimously agreed to, ;. adopted^ by the commission that meeting whether the big house explains last year's tax way towards the Causeway. advertise- a -request for proposal" sayV large.houses pan dominate project should be conducted as legislation and what it "We know that they fled on foot seeking a consulting firm to help the nearby homes'* and the scale of part of a larger study of Sanibel means to you. initially," said Sanibel Police city solve the disproportionately- existing neighborhoods. The big redevelopment, Rogers and City Chief Lew Phillips. "But they may sized house problem. City Planning houses can also be "incongruous Attorney Doug Wyckoff convinced —See page 8 have had a car hidden somewhere, Director Bruce Rogers told the with a development pattern which the members Tuesday that the or they could have come by boat. council he expects the request for reflects the predominance of natur- problem is an immediate need that They could also be staying out proposal, or REP, will attract a num- al conditions and characteristics should be looked at separately. here Somewhere." ber of specialized consultants who over human intrusions," according "I've changed my mind because "An armed burglary is a first will help Sanibel change the present to the statement. I see this as an immediate prob- degree felony," said the police "potentially litigious" process for The RFP seeks a firm that can lem," said Mayor Nola Theiss Boundary talk chief, adding that although no controlling the size of houses being "write straightforward and objec- before making a motion to autho- money was taken, there was prob- built on the island. tive standards (for limiting the size rize the RFP. "I'm concerned about . Sanibel resident Jon Rogers, the planning depart- of single family dwellings) that do the big picture, and you have to Oljequist writes that See Burgiers ment and the Sanibel Planning not inordinately burden existing islanders should pay See Council, page 2 attention to plans to page 3 expand boundaries at the J.N. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge Complex. Clammers threatened by red tide, motorboats —See page 9 By Anna Liakas soil who take for granted an Staff writer unlimited and unencumbered sup- ply of air, the lives of these under- "Boaters Beware!" warns the water farmers hangs in the delicate latest display of colorful signage to balance between the mothership Island Gardening adorn marinas and boat ramps from and its umbilical cord down Gardening expert Ron the shores of South Seas Plantation through the water, to a crop of Sympson says choosing to the docks of Punta Rassa. hardshell clams held fast within a plants to endure in all There are farmers beneath the carpet of nylon mesh, stretching extremes is hard, but pos- rippled surface of Pine Island across several acres of the ocean Rick Schebal sible. Sound who are busy tending their floor. As the farmers swim the sifts the seed -—See page 13 crops at the bottom of this murky rows that they have carefully seed- clams which are inland sea. For the shellfish growers ed with handfuls of miniscule smaller than a of Lee County who farm this salty juvenile clams, these they labor grain of sand at sound, a day's work is sometimes a tethered by full face mask and 100 the Kibbe Clam venture into treacherous waters. foot of hose to an oxygen supply Nursery. ^ENVIRONMENT page 6 Despite the presence of dive that is pumped down to them from flags and buoys that cordon off the a boat moored above. Photo.by ^BUSINESS ............. page 8 borders of their watery fields, curi- "You can hear the motors of Anna Liakas ous boaters continue to motor a lit- these onlookers' boats coming," ^OPINION ...».™™,..™.....page 9 tle too close for the comfort of the said 'Bongo,' one of the clam vigilant farmers working below. farmers who spends his days div- ^LOOKING BACK.—.page 10 "There have been some very ing for his living down at the bot- close calls," said Bob Wasno, who tom of Pine Island Sound. "And all ^DATELINE page 14 works with the Florida Extension you can do is hold your breath and ¥TV LISTINGS ..page 16 Service in conjunction with the wait." Florida Sea Grant program. ^CLASSIFIEDS -page 21 Unlike traditional tillers of the See Clammers, page 12 tL.Lli~ ...-J-i- 2 Q Week of Jan. 17-23, 2002 • ISLAND REPORTER on, Downes and Gargano back on board From page By Pete Bishop have no problem >Tews editor with DtcL but li it was someone eKe, keep the big picture in mind, but you deal The City Council on Tuesday ic- I'd be looking at this with the pioblem in front of you and the appointed John Uiilon, Dick Downes and moie closely,"' said wolf is at the door." Marie Gargano to three-year terms on the Harrity. "I realize Rogers had told the council that, Sanibel Planning Commission. Although Dick is going to be although the big house study would be an Downes plans to leave Sanibel toward the leaving, but there are "integral part" of the larger redevelopment end of this year, Councilmembers felt his some big issues study, it is an issue that has been identified experience is needed until that time as the coming up and he's as a priority by both city takes up large projects such as studies done a yeoman's the planning commis- of the large house problem and commer- job." Dillon Gargano Downes sion and the public. If cial redevelopment. "This is an unusual situation," agreed to the commission over two new appli- the Council waited Councilmember Marty Harrity told Councilmember Dick Walsh, pointing out cants, Steven B. Smith and Robert B. for a redevelopment other members that considering Downes' that Downes helped write the city's land Kemper. Other members of the 7-member study to look at large departure, this year might be a good time development code. "If it was someone board are Phyllis Bogen, Linda Robison, houses, he said, the to re-evaluate the commission and its else [leaving before the end of his term] Jack Samler and John Veenschoten. city would lose time functions as a whole, and possibly reduce would raise questions. I'm not sure I'd be The Council also decided to schedule a and money on a prob- the board to five members. But Harrity agreeable to doing this if it was anyone joint meeting with the planning commis- lem that could poten- said he did not object to Downes being else but Dick, but we need his expertise as sion for the first week in February. tially cause legal named to the board even though he won't long as it's available." Redevelopment, long-term planning, big problems for the city Rogers be able to serve out his term. Other Councilmembers seemed to houses and planning department goals are and its citizens. "Now would be a good time to reduce agree with Walsh's assessment, and expected to be topics of discussion. "Many have expressed dissatisfaction the committee, say to five members. I Downes, Dillon and Gargano were named with the results of reviews concerning dis- proportionate houses," Rogers said, point- ing out that the planning department leceives complaints asking why it permits Council puts brakes on traffic study the construction of large homes. "And the manner we are currently proceeding is By Pete Bishop "One question that really kind of trou- potentially litigious." «I don't think the Traffic bles me," said Ponader, "is that somebody News editor Committee is going to come up "What we have now is a more aesthetic with a solution, but with data doesn't understand why we need this sur- sort of regulation," said City Attorney A bad case of sticker shock and a reluc- we can point out the nature vey.