Protect Captiva provides legal update and releases video
A coalition seeking to maintain the longtime building height and density limitations on Captiva recently hosted a community gathering where it premiered a video about its efforts and gave a legal update.
On March 27, Protect Captiva — the group established by citizens and organizations opposed to increased building heights and density on the island — hosted the event at the Captiva Civic Center on Captiva. About 120 people were in attendance for the update and release of the six-minute video.
“The video chronicles why the Protect Captiva coalition came into existence within the historical context of Sanibel and Captiva,” the group said. “It also features comments made by the Lee County commissioners during hearings and meetings in 2023 as they discussed the approval of land use changes on Captiva.”
It includes interviews with key representatives from both islands, including:
– Captiva Community Panel President Jay Brown
– Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Chief Executive Officer James Evans
– First city of Sanibel Mayor Porter Goss
– Mayor Richard Johnson
– Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts President and Board Chairman Tony Lapi
– Protect Captiva Steering Committee Member Lisa Riordan
– South Seas Presidents Council of Associations Chairman Ken Suarez
During the legal update, Protect Captiva highlighted the following:
– The coalition’s petition claiming that the county’s Land Development Code amendments, which increase building heights and density at South Seas and on Captiva, are inconsistent with the Lee Plan has been filed and is scheduled for a hearing before the Florida Department of Commerce on April 4. The group added that the dispute will eventually go before an administrative law judge.
– Protect Captiva will seek to enforce an existing agreement between South Seas, the county and Captiva Civic Association that limits development density at the resort to 912 units — a limitation that has been in effect for 50 years.
– The coalition reiterated that the Planned Development application submitted by South Seas to increase its density from 247 to 707 units has been deemed insufficient by county staff, and the group has submitted an initial list of problems with the application. It added that it is unknown when the application will be deemed sufficient, which would be followed by a public hearing before a Hearing Examiner and then review and consideration by the county commissioners for approval.
To watch the video, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQXiizGLC0I&feature=youtu.be.
For more information, visit ProtectCaptiva.org.
To reach TIFFANY REPECKI / trepecki@breezenewspapers.com, please email