UPDATE: Islands rally in opposition to proposed amendments
UPDATE: On June 20, the Lee County Commission voted unanimously 5-0 to continue its consideration of proposed amendments to the Captiva Code within the Land Development Code to its meeting on Sept. 5. As part of the motion, it also continued its consideration of proposed changes to the Captiva Community Plan within the Lee Plan planned for today’s Zoning and Comprehensive Plan Amendment hearing to the one scheduled for Sept. 6. A full article on the county board meeting is forthcoming.
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ORIGINAL (June 16, 2023):
There was a flurry of activity on the islands this week as Sanibel and Captiva officials, organizations, property owners and more united in opposition to changes being proposed by Lee County staffers.
The county commission is scheduled to consider amendments to the Captiva Code in the Land Development Code at its June 20 meeting. At its Zoning and Comprehensive Plan Amendment hearing set for June 21, the board will consider changes to the Captiva Community Plan in the Lee Plan.
The Captiva Civic Association briefly summarized the amendments as follows:
– Raises the permitted heights on Captiva by 11 feet — allowing the construction of three-story buildings above base flood elevation.
– Exempts South Seas Island Resort from Captiva’s building height restrictions.
– Eliminates the three-units-per-acre density restrictions inside of South Seas, with no new density restrictions cited to replace them.
– Creates a path for South Seas to plan a new larger development with buildings up to 75 feet high.
Concerned about increases in building height, density and intense of use on Captiva — as well as Sanibel as the pass-through island — and the impacts to traffic, quality of life, wildlife and more, such as an ongoing project to possibly connect Captiva to the city’s sewer, the islands jumped to action.
On June 12, the CCA hosted an informational meeting featuring speakers from the various island organizations who shared information about the changes and concern about the impacts on the land and community. The prior week, it initiated an email campaign for people to contact the county board.
The Captiva Community Panel voted unanimously at its monthly meeting on June 13 to request that the Lee County Commission reject or withdraw the amendments at both its meeting and hearing next week.
Also on June 13, the Captiva Island Fire Control District’s commissioners voted unanimously to send a letter to the county board outlining how the changes would financially impact the district if approved.
The Sanibel City Council held a special meeting on June 14 and voted 4-0 to draft a letter conveying that it requested the Lee County Commission to reject the amendments to both the LDC and Lee Plan. Councilmember John Henshaw participated remotely so he could not vote, but he voiced his support.
Also on June 14, over a dozen Sanibel-Captiva organizations sent a joint letter to the county board urging it to cancel the agenda item for the June 20 meeting. It was signed by the CCP, CCA, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge, along with the Presidents Council of Associations and 12 homeowner and condo associations in South Seas.
The Presidents Council and 12 associations sent their own joint letter the week before.
In addition, the SanCap Chamber sent the Lee County Commission a letter of opposition on June 14.
Other island conservation organizations have also raised concerns for the environmental impacts, including the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife and Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum.
The Sanibel-Captiva coalition is asking the community to share any of its concerns by contacting the county board. For more information, visit the SCCF at SCCF.org or the CCA on its Facebook page.
People are also encouraged to attend the meeting on June 20 at 9:30 a.m. and the hearing on June 21 at 9:30 am. in the board chambers at the Old Lee County Courthouse, at 2120 Main St., Fort Myers.
To reach TIFFANY REPECKI / trepecki@breezenewspapers.com, please email