VOLUME 32, NUMBER 46 Timeshare ordinance vote postponed until March 21 By EMiLIE ALFINO can-only be established in a building if all the units in that [email protected] building also convert to timeshare. However, when it involves a building with four units or fewer, the entire development, not Sanibel City Council held the second reading and public just the one building in which the new timeshare unit resides, hearing of the ordinance regarding timeshare units at its Feb. must convert to timeshare. 7 meeting five hours later than the time certain for which it Pfalzer said there are two mixed developments on the was scheduled, only to decide to postpone its vote until March island containing both whole-ownership condos and time- 21 at 9:30 a.m. shares: Casa Ybel, with eight units per building; and Sanibel The matter was continued so Sanibel City Attorney Ken Beach Club, with four units per building. Cuyler could gather information about whether city council If the new ordinance is passed March 21, Casa Ybel would has the authority to prohibit altogether future timeshare units . be in compliance because its buildings contain more than four on Sanibel Island. Cuyler is to bring his findings to the coun- units. However, Sanibel Beach Club would become noncon- cil's March 7 meeting. forming. Because Sanibel Beach Club has only four units per Currently there are 384 timeshare units on Sanibel, accord- building, having one timeshare unit means the entire develop- ing to Sanibel Planning Director Bob Duffy. He said the pur- ment must be timeshare. pose of the proposed ordinance is to constrain the growth of When there are more than four units per building, one the number of timeshare units in the resort housing district, timeshare means that only the building in which the timeshare which takes up less than 5 percent of the island's total land resides must be all-timeshare. area. In another example that helps illustrate why the ordinance Prior to this ordinance, there was nothing in Sanibel's Land was amended for fewer-than-four-unit structures, Shalimar is Development Code to prevent someone from converting to a complex of single-family cottages. timeshare, according to Deputy Planning Director Ken Phowln IM/IH.AU 1\() Pfalzer. See TIMESHARES The concept of timeshares actually originated on As amended, the ordinance would provide that a timeshare pages Sanibel, at the Sanibei Beach Club. Pounding, screwing, measuring and cutting: Sanibel's Coldwell Banker Realtors help build a house for Habitat for Humanity By JENNY BURNHAM to do. their time to build but also a portion of *<7F^' [email protected] Not to worry, though: "Our Habitat their commission for the materials.'" coordinator will put them to work," Henning said. Nineteen Coldwell Banker Realtors Henning said. The three-bedroom, two-bath, 1400 :'* from Sanibel, in two shifts, took on the The house at the corner of 74th square foot house will be a "total task of finishing up the J channels and Street West and Flora Avenue is one of turnkey house," Dottie Tronnes, applying vinyl siding to a Habitat for 100 that Coldwell Banker offices are Director of Family Services for Humanity house in Lehigh Acres on building across the nation. The compa- Habitat for Humanity, said . Friday, Dec. 3. ny's Southwest region is the sole spon- The home will have a refrigerator, I • Shift one, in the morning, was mak- sor of the Lehigh Acres house and range, and washer and dryer, all donat- ing good progress, according to raised $50,000 toward the cost of the ed by Whirlpool Appliances of Rhonda Henning of Coldwell Banker project, most of it from donations America, and Habitat will landscape i Previews International. In fact, they made by sales associates from their were making such good time that Shift closings. See HABITAT two might have to find something else "So not only are many volunteering page 5 Photos by JENNY BURN} I AM Christie Dufinetz, Bob Radigan, Brooke Lehman and Ruu Esiftir. BiJilfifi Stephanie Tremain, left to right above, work on the Habitat for Humanity house. Rich Garcia and Pat • LETTERS page 6 MeriStar Corp. City council Ron Sympson Messerich, below show their skills at applying siding. sells South Seas, declares Safe tells us tne differ- • POLICE BEAT page 10 other island hold- Boating Week ences between ings silk floss and •A. ' • CALENDAR ,.,. page 14 kapok trees • Vox POPULI .... page 16 Lee • OBITUARIES .... page 17 — See page 3 — See page 9 — Seepage 13 • CLASSIFIEDS .... page 18 ('n One of tho few private islands in Florida and {iH/{*i: perhaps the las? to-be built on. After a 10 • year fjerr railing bul-le an outstanding home was buiff in 2003, Every room has stunning views of Sanibel, For* Mytss bHixjf], thf* tntercxjosfai urxi she GUI of Mexico Classic Old Florida style consinicton (23S; 470-8628 with pine floo»s, ctfhed'al cetlirgs, huge windows, swimming pool, rooa&n Btehen aeep wafer" aock end some of the best fishing sn tho world. 2 _i Week of February 9-15, 2006 ISLAND REPORTER &.STUCKJ INTERIORS Recognised as fhe complete resource for interior design and home furnishings, Robb & Sfucky Interiors presents ever/thing you need to create your perfect •^•:..,.r rf& i &?k£Mrtf environment... all unde^ one roof! Robb & Stucky designers create avvsr weriDrs. both resufcfi!<H! commercial. 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" " • ._•'." i •-".•- FORT MYERS: LN BOJHTA SPRINGS: t0 know about Robb & Stucky KitchenAid Grilling Event and Sale ns 26501 South Tamiami Trail Jem .is M t.-M R(J:«J & St-jcky- Cas-;a! .v.tV sr.t/A-of.-r-. in sv.jrv Ch.:t MartTA-:: -..c-ua tl:t- ;MUs <>:0 s „.„„,,,„ / (\iH2*>J- *<Ji>.2:?2 for ini.;itta-i,»t ,-r ,1m; •*i\ iimiilhs •.••in- :!•, k.i.d . jj. viJur Ks»bh & Siwkv ami. S Avo. SboMrntnin Hour's -•tore for ciWipkMc dclaiU. T,B,l Mtm tbiu Sai SOiiin .Sun !2pm-?pm ISLAND REPORTER Week of February 9-15, 2006 J 3 MeriStar Hospitality Marketing audit to help to sell Sanibel and Chamber improve on services to membership Captiva properties By JENNY BURNHAWi cess are the number of visitors who stop at [email protected] the Chamber while on the islands and the By JENNY BURNHAM Relations, representing MeriSlar, number of hits and visits to the Chamber's jburnham@breezenewspapers,com described the Sanibel and Captiva proper- The Sanibcl-Captiva Islands Chamber of web site. Other measurements can come ties as "great locations and great assets. Commerce has retained Colleen and Earl from Chamber members themselves MeriStar Hospitality Corporation The Florida market is historically very Qucn/.cl of the firm Quen/.el & Associates through questions that address "Ilow do >ou announced Wednesday, Feb. 1, that the strong, and the outlook for the market and to analyze the Chamber's current marketing define winning?" and "How do you keep company has reached a definitive agree- hotel industry in general is very positive services and determine how the organiza- score?" Quenzcl said. ment with The Blackstone Group for the over the next several years." tion can belter serve its members in the The Chamber, like any business, has the sale of seven properties on Sanibel and The Blackstone Group, founded in future. goal of attracting repeat customers in the Gaptiva to a Blackstone affiliate. 1985, is a private investment firm with "It's to get a perspective as to whether form of visitors who return to the island. Among the properties MeriStar is sell- offices in New York, Boston. Atlanta, Los we"re doing everything we can to accurate- "No business is successful without a ing is South Seas Resort on Captiva. Angeles, London, Hamburg, Paris and ly promote the area as a destination, and to growing base of repeal customers," Quenzcl The seven properties are part of a port- Mumbai. make sure we provide the best benefit for said. folio of'10 hotels and resorts Blackstone Among Blackstone's previous acquisi- our members,'" Chamber board member Part of attracting that base is building a will buy from Mcrislar for approximately tions in the hotel industry are: Sarah Ashton of John Gee & Company said. strong brand, so that the consumer immedi- $367 million in cash. "When you've been doing the same thing ately identifies the product as meeting a par- The sale is subject to certain adjust- • Homestead Village (renamed Homestead for too long you gel entrenched with it."' ticular need every time the'buyer is in a ments and satisfaction of customary clos- Studio Suites Motels) in 2001 Ashton, along with Chamber Board decision-making situation, according to the member Wendy Rrler, Marketing Queii7els" proposal to the Chamber.