Guest commentary: Update on Captiva Rauschenberg land up for sale
We are providing the community with an update on the sale of the Rauschenberg Foundation property.
Not having heard anything from the Rauschenberg Foundation regarding the sale of its property, a number of community representatives reached out to the broker for the property to determine the status of the sale. To their surprise and dismay, they were told that the property is under contract with a closing scheduled by the end of the first quarter of 2026. Neither the community investor, the Captiva Island Fire Control District or the other well-known developer who bid on the property — but advocated for the community to get the property — was advised by the foundation or the broker that a contract was signed.
According to the broker, the identify of the purchaser will remain confidential. While the broker refused to identify South Seas as the purchaser, none of the other finalists in the bidding process were advised that a contract was awarded and were distressed by both the process and the seeming result. Also, we know the attorney for South Seas during the recent rezoning hearings has just applied for a Zoning Verification Request from Lee County on the Rauschenberg property.
This is all the information we have at this time, and unless there was some unlikely secret buyer that appeared at the last moment without going through the extensive bidding process, it looks as if the foundation has betrayed both the Captiva community and Bob Rauschenberg’s legacy.
We do not know what South Seas — assuming it is the new owner — has in mind for the property or whether the foundation has placed any development restrictions on the property as a condition of the sale.
Density on the property is limited under the current Captiva Code to three units per acre for both hotels and residential dwelling units. Any greater development would require Code amendments and a rezoning of the property, and efforts by South Seas to expand the resort into Captiva’s Village would likely generate the same community opposition and prolonged litigation that continues to forestall efforts to increase density on South Seas since Timbers Resorts, The Ronto Group and Wheelock Street Capital purchased the resort in 2021.
In the meantime, the Captiva Island Fire Control District’s bond referendum remains on the ballot for Captiva voters on Feb. 10 at the Captiva Civic Center. Although the fire district and the community investor did not acquire the Rauschenberg property, Captiva voters still need to authorize the fire district to issue up to $24 million in bonds to support future fire and emergency-services infrastructure needs — including access to a medical helicopter landing zone vital to all Captivans.
No one knows what the future status of our helicopter landing zone currently on the Rauschenberg property will be — or whether the fire district can keep or purchase the existing landing zone or will have to find and purchase another property. As a last resort for Captivans’ safety, the fire district could exercise its power of eminent domain to obtain a helicopter landing zone, and would need to have funds in reserve to pay just compensation.
We also don’t know if the fire district could need funds immediately available to help purchase a part of the Rauschenberg property should the current purchaser be unable or unwilling to close on the contact for any number of reasons. Under the circumstances, we must trust our fire district to use the funds wisely, to only issue bonds or tax residents for the necessary services required by all Captivans, and to make sure that Captiva taxpayers do not subsidize emergency services required solely or primarily by an expanding South Seas.
Finally, we expect there will be some kind of official statement from the Rauschenberg Foundation soon since word of this unfortunate development is getting out.
Additional information on the Captiva Island Fire Control District’s referendum is available online at https://www.captivafire.com/bond-referendum-faq. Voting is open to registered voters in the district, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the center, at 11550 Chapin Lane, Captiva.
The goal of the Captiva Community Panel is to protect the coastal barrier island’s natural resources, such as beaches, waterways, wildlife, vegetation, water quality and dark skies, and its history. For more information, visit captivacommunitypanel.com.