Proposed changes to height, density rules will reduce resilience
Lee County has recently initiated potential changes to sections of the Land Development Code that apply to Captiva, along with portions of the Captiva Community Plan within the Lee County Comprehensive Land Use Plan. These actions have been initiated under the guise of supporting coastal resilience.
These suggested provisions will raise height limits across Captiva to 35 feet rather than 28 feet above base flood elevation, remove restrictions that cap housing at two stories, exclude the South Seas Island Resort from the same height rules that apply to the rest of Captiva, and pave the way for increasing density at the resort.
“Increasing the population on already fragile and vulnerable barrier islands could make it even harder to adapt effectively to current and future intensifying storms and rising seas,” SCCF Coastal Resilience Manager Carrie Schuman said.
These changes run counter to careful planning that both Captiva and Sanibel have engaged in to establish rules appropriate for barrier islands and that are important to future resilience. These actions by the county and South Seas serve to undercut those efforts:
– Increasing density on Captiva is likely to increase emergency evacuation time for both islands, and place more people in harm’s way from future storms.
– Height and density increases may jeopardize Captiva’s long sought-after septic to sewer conversion project, as planning has been based on current population needs. This project has significant potential to improve local water quality, but also addresses the likelihood that in time, septic systems will no longer work efficiently with expected rise in sea and groundwater levels.
– These possible changes will likely overburden other already overtaxed infrastructure and services for community members and visitors.
– More intense development will compromise the coverage and integrity of natural wetlands, dune systems, and other native vegetation that provide Captiva, Sanibel and nearby mainland communities with important wind and wave protection. These systems also provide other regionally-important benefits like improving water quality and bolstering local eco-based tourism.
Despite requirements within the Lee Plan to engage the public on any major changes, the Captiva community has not been consulted during this process.
“Living in our barrier island community relies on coexisting with nature and each other. The actions taken by the county on behalf of South Seas demonstrate an opposition to both,” SCCF Policy Director Matt DePaolis said.
To learn more, watch the Sanibel City Council’s special meeting on June 14 via the city’s Facebook page. You can also watch an informational meeting hosted by the Captiva Civic Association on June 12 that featured Captiva and Sanibel organizational representatives at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HZLD3_wWpo&feature=youtu.be. It clearly describes the proposed changes, how they came about and the implications for our islands.
To download talking points and the contact information for all five Lee County commissioners, visit https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MEV0fmnT0Rk9naXY_W4hRv_NyVc7re_aYQHNr-05peoYPpd5h5hAZJtGS8n7-LV8OKis6ha953LJ6BAIaGb7fSi6BnnhLmBbM14q4vAGwP5EHz-Z4ii_3ucc9Byf-L3ndx0QHNyyth9zBnqXwcFrHfVeQDwsUzksTRY0AtdrmqcwcZdix7lFGuTFtWcJahC98o4UVQxSZoZH98RrM4D6O_8GuNbbpiXz5N0hSaaseVyIXQkBfMzk2w==&c=C7h9m2vu-RErEr1hjrFSEq3xH5eQZWqntUB0J1Oy49wZBjK3LJ6tsQ==&ch=R3xGIJE61DdHWrvmNhzhSSNkFlgK6tW1qic2aoDkIuZC6VKjbWt62g==.
We strongly encourage you to contact them requesting denial of these proposed changes.
Founded in 1967, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation’s mission is to protect and care for Southwest Florida’s coastal ecosystems. For more information, visit www.sccf.org.
To reach SANIBEL-CAPTIVA CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, please email