CEPD discusses parking options, plants and poles
At its recent meeting, the Captiva Erosion Prevention District’s commission approved adding a one-hour option to the meters at the beach parking lot and offering dune plantings to property owners.
On April 11, Vice Chair and Secretary Rene Miville expressed interest in enabling the public to pay for one hour of parking at the Alison Hagerup lot, where the options are currently two hours or all day.
He explained that with the CEPD scheduled to soon switch to a mobile payment app for the meters, it might be a good time to test out offering a one-hour option to see if it would bring in more revenue.
The current parking rates are $25 for two hours or $40 for all day.
After some discussion, a motion was made to offer one hour for $15. It passed 3-1 with Miville, Treasurer Dick Pyle and Commissioner Linda Laird voting yes; Chair John Silvia dissented.
While the CEPD will transition away from the existing cash and credit options at the meters, the new method — the ParkMobile app — launched on April 14. It is available for iPhones and Androids.
For more information, visit the “Beach Parking” tab at https://www.mycepd.com/.
Also during the meeting, Executive Director Jennifer Nelson explained that the CEPD has offered property owners plantings for the dunes following prior beach renourishment projects. She received a quote from their contractor of 50 cents to 60 cents per plant if the CEPD wants to offer them again.
Nelson recommended spending no more than $1,000 on the additional plants if so.
Laird voiced support for offering them, adding that she knows of interested property owners.
A motion to purchase no more than $2,000 worth of plants for distribution was approved 4-0.
On a related subject to the renourishment project, the commissioners and staff also discussed at the meeting feedback from property owners on the new poles and ropes being installed. The placement of several poles has been questioned, plus some oceanside residents want the poles, but others do not.
Staff reported that the CEPD is under contract for six final poles to finish the work.
During a lengthy discussion, which included public input from attendees on areas where the poles should remain or be removed and relocated, the commission agreed with re-evaluating all sites.
A motion to install the last poles in “high traffic” areas in the Gold Coast passed 4-0.
In addition, a motion passed 4-0 to split up the island and assign one commission to each area who will communicate with owners to determine if they want the poles, with the unwanted ones to be relocated.
Property owners in the following areas can contact:
– ‘Tween Waters stretch: Chairman John Silvia at dynamiceconomicstrategy@outlook.com
– Gold Coast: Vice Chair and Secretary Rene Miville at rmiville@comcast.net
– Village: Commissioner Linda Laird at linda_m_laird@msn.com
– South Seas Island Resort: Commissioner Bob Walters at bwalter@mycepd.com
Owners are asked to carbon copy Nelson at jnelson@mycepd.com.
IN OTHER NEWS
– The commission voted 4-0 to approve a proposal from APTIM Coastal Planning & Engineering for its assistance with the completion of the CEPD’s 2023-24 Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Local Government Funding Request for a not-to-exceed amount of $15,134.
– The commission voted 4-0 to pay the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s final invoice of $28,760 for the sea turtle monitoring services rendered during the recent renourishment project.
– Nelson reported that Legislative Administrative Aide Lindsey Ford had resigned.
To reach TIFFANY REPECKI / trepecki@breezenewspapers.com, please email