Still in limbo
Last Wednesday, Lee County Mosquito Control District commissioners decided to postpone their vote on whether to purchase Woodstock airstrip on Pine Island. Approximately 20- 25 Pine Island residents arrived at the meeting to voice their objections to the purchase.
Residents brought up legal issues, concerns about excessive noise, the effect of the airport on quality of life, possible reduction in home values, hurricanes and possible fuel and insecticide spills, budget questions, the use of Roundup products and pilots using helicopters to go to lunch at various restaurants on Pine Island.
“I’m very pleased with the turnout for this meeting,” Woodstock Road resident Ndakhte Ndiaye said. “We decided to try to get as many people to this budget meeting as possible because in their last board meeting the District Commissioners appeared to be reconsidering the purchase of the airport. They said they were putting the decision off until next month’s meeting and I thought this would be a good opportunity for Pine Islanders to have their say.”
LCMCD proposed to purchase the 35-acre property last year as a satellite facility. LCMCD states that 70 percent of its mosquito spraying operations take place in Pine Island and western portions of Cape Coral. The ability to store the helicopters conducting those missions and, in turn, not having to ferry them from the Buckingham Airfield, will provide cost savings.
Several Gulf Coast Estates residents filed a lawsuit last year to stop the sale. The lawsuit, filed by William S. Peratino, Jamie M. Saunders, Debbie Memoli, Claudia Bringe and Joseph T. Scaccio, claimed the airstrip would violate zoning restrictions for AG (agricultural) zoned districts, and violates the special conditions of the prior 1975 exception. The group, known as the Woodstock Airport Opposition Group, filed an injunction stopping LCMCD from purchasing the property.
The lawsuit delayed the purchase of the property for six months. In the interim, in anticipation of the eventual purchase, LCMCD leased the property from the owners, Frank and Ila Valcarcel, for $10,000 per month.
In June 2018 a Circuit Court judge ruled in favor of Lee County Mosquito Control District stating the airport is permitted under the definition of “aircraft landing facility, private” and that the property meets the special permit issued in 1975. The Woodstock Airport Opposition Group filed an appeal.
John Lafara stated the Flamingo Bay Action Committee does not support the purchase of the airstrip and Claudia Bringe, president of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association, stated the GPICA also opposes the purchase.
“As a homeowner I am concerned about noise, traffic and privacy,” resident Jamie Saunders said. “We are not against Mosquito Control. We feel this is a small private landing strip and that a commercial airstrip is the safest and most appropriate place for you to run your operation. This was never meant to be a big airport.”
LCMCD has been advised that the airstrip is a licensed airport, offers an opportunity to store aircraft, save ferry time and consolidate two other helistops in Pine Island Center and St. James into one.
LCMCD attorney John Englewood advised that the lawsuit could take anywhere from 6 months to a year to resolve.
Bokeelia resident John Reynolds spoke in favor of the airport. Reynolds lives near the Harbor Drive heliport in Bokeelia said LCMCD is a “good neighbor.”
Among the many issues residents brought up at the meeting was easements on the property. According to Ndiaye, the Woodstock Airport Opposition Group believes there are several easements and roads that have been gated and made unusable by residents.
Mike Ellis, who chaired the meeting, said the options were: purchase the airport, don’t purchase the airport or move it into next fiscal year’s budget. Commissioners present were Bruce Scott, Ed Brantley, Mike Ellis, Brian Farrar and George Mann. Thomas Hart was absent.
The commission voted 4-1 to move the purchase of Woodstock airstrip into next year’s budget (October 2018). Commissioner Scott voted no.
“I was impressed that several commissioners, notably Commissioner Mann, clearly wanted more information on the serious issues that were raised such as permits, dedicated roads, the runway and zoning,” Ndiaye said. “There was visible concern when Director (T. Wayne) Gayle was unable to offer any assurance about the roads and easements, nor could their attorney, who twice was asked to approach the podium for answers.”