Residents will have chance to vote on Civic, Cultural Core Project
The City Council unanimously voted to approve a referendum that will allow the residents of Sanibel to vote on whether or not to move forward with the Civic and Cultural Core Project during the March 7 election.
The referendum will allow residents to determine whether or not they want the removal of 13.5 acres of land from the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Conservation District to be moved for the location and construction of the Civic and Cultural Core Project.
The verbiage includes “Do you approve the removal of 13.5 acres of city owned land from the Environmentally Sensitive Lands Conservation District for location and construction of the city’s Civic and Cultural Core Project, which is currently planned to include a Center 4 Life (Senior Center) building and plaza, performance hall, theater, gallery, education center, pavilions, and associated infrastructure (roads, parking lot, etc), such land located east of the Sanibel City Hall complex and Sanibel Public Library.”
The City Council also unanimously voted to adopt a resolution providing the residents with the opportunity to vote on a referendum not to exceed $8 million in general obligation bonds.
The verbiage reads “Shall City of Sanibel issue general obligation bonds pledging its full faith, credit and unlimited ad valorem taxing power not exceeding $8 million in principal, bearing interest not exceeding the maximum legal rate, maturing not latter than legal limits, to finance a portion of the Civic and Cultural Core Master Plan, including the Center 4 Life, building and plaza, performance hall, theater, gallery, education center, pavilions and related infrastructure.”
The projected cost for the entire Civic Core plan is $42 million, with the breakdown in costs being $21 million for a performance hall, theater, gallery and education center; $8 million for a new Center 4 Life, pavilions and other facilities and $13 million for the infrastructure (roads, parking).
Natural Resource Director James Evans said based on the percentage of uplands and wetlands, 2.5 acres of wetlands will be impacted as part of the project.
“When we look at the total of the city land, environmental sensitive lands of the conservation district, our estimates are 246 acres of city land in the district and this would represent about 3 percent,” he said of the proposed acreage for the project.
Mayor Kevin Ruane said the Tuesday, Dec. 6 meeting was the last meeting they are able to consider and pass the resolution in order for the supervisor of elections to put it on the March ballot.
“Obviously the key to this is funding agencies coming up and contributing some $22 million that we do not have secured yet. Obviously that is an essential part,” he said. “If the citizens voted against moving the land and voted for the bondage the project could not move forward.”
Ralph Clark, a Sanibel resident representing the Civic and Cultural Core working group, was the first to speak on the issue during public comment. The group, he said, is made up of the Senior Center, Sanibel Community Association and BIG ARTS.
“It’s a plan to bring something together for the community that will be a great benefit for the community,” he said. “This is not land that is environmentally sensitive land. This is land that is in environmentally sensitive district. There is a difference. It’s not full of environmentally sensitive trees and bushes. All we are asking for is an opportunity to get out to the community with all the facts. To listen to the community in an open forum. To get feedback. We haven’t designed this thing, we just have plans. Let the people decide”
Other members of the public spoke about the serenity of the island diminishing if the project were to take place, the lack of information about the project offered to the community, the Sanibel Plan and questioning if the project is the most important thing on the island.
Lynn Quigley, of Periwinkle Pines, spoke about the concerns of the homeowners. The 13.5 acres, she said, is located next to their subdivision, which has been in existence for 30 years. Many of them, Quigley said, purchased a home because of the area’s serenity of the land.
“This current high density project will forever change the serenity, security and health of our owners by subjecting them to noise and air pollution during construction and after completion of the project,” she said.
Mike Miller, president of Committee of the Islands, said COTI had not adopted a position on the project. He said their immediate concern is ensuring the community has all the information they need to make an informed decision.
Jason Maughn said he thought of one general question they need to consider, “is this the most important thing that we are facing on the island.”
“We talked about the sewer and improving our sewer capabilities and nitrogen reduction and personally I consider that to be far more important,” he said. “I consider it to be more important not because it’s not important to have the services we are discussing to be centralized. I say it because all of those services already currently exist on the island in one place.”
Ruane said he has been the person to educate people about the city’s Civic and Cultural Core Project.
“Perhaps there could have been more time. Perhaps there could have been better education,” he said. “I heard from the community loud and clear. We need to continue to try to educate people.”
Councilmember Marty Harrity said it does not matter what the council says, but rather what the citizens say.
“Nothing is going to happen until we go forward. We are kind of like at an impasse here. If it is not voted on, it’s dead in the water and that maybe is what some people want. That we don’t vote on it and we don’t pass it, so it never gets to the citizens for fear that the citizens want it, maybe. All of the citizens are not here. We are trying to give them an opportunity to vote on this thing and say do you want to do this thing or not,” he said.