Dirty water hot topic at town hall meeting
The release of the nutrient-rich waters in Lake Okeechobee has certainly had a negative impact on most people in Southwest Florida, especially those who live along the Caloosahatchee and use it for recreation.
But is the lake the only problem? Keith Kibbey, operations manager at the Lee County Division of Natural Resources, isn’t so sure.
Kibbey, along with numerous others, spoke at the annual town meeting Thursday at the North Fort Myers Recreation Center, where it became clear among those at the hastily-called gathering that something has to be done to clean the waters, especially at North Shore Park, where state officials have closed the beach throughout the winter.
Kibbey said one of the problems with North Shore Park is that with the way the water flows and how the park’s land, is situated, it is very difficult for new water to flush out the old, thus making it more polluted.
With all the rain we have had this winter, it has become necessary to release the waters from the lake into the river, which has resulted in algae blooms and damage of the ecosystem.
But that might not be the No. 1 problem. Kibbey said the problem could be of a “fecal” nature.
“Wildlife can contribute, as can pet waste. A lot of things can come from pet waste. When your pet does its business, pick it up,” Kibbey said.
Sewer leaks and septic systems, as well as homeless camps, where those without a residence have to go somewhere, can also be a factor, Kibbey said.
Septic systems are especially a problem locally, since many of the homes run on septic, and it only takes a few failing tanks for there to be a problem, and there will always be some that have a problem, Kibbey said.
“All of this contributes to coliform. The rain comes and it seeps into the creeks and goes into the river. The odds of getting good results this winter are slim with all the weather,” Kibbey said. “We would get better results if we had the usual dry season.”
County Commissioner Frank Mann was the keynote speaker, where he talked about the challenges facing North Fort Myers, particularly some of the changes made that put North Fort Myers into this mess.
The meeting was hosted by the North Fort Myers Civic Association.
“We were economically viable, but in the mid-1960s the new bridge had an impact on us and everything slowed down,” Mann said. “I-75 in the early-1980s almost killed the Shell Factory and many businesses.
The interstate took about 80 percent of the tourists away from 41, which they once had to travel to get to Fort Myers.
“It’s taken us 50 years to get to the point, and for 50 years we’ve been looking for a simple answer. But the ultimate solution will take time,” Mann said.
Another topic of interest was the long-discussed town center, which will be situated between the 41s and south of Pondella Road, with Sharon Jenkins-Owen, principal planner of Lee County.
The main concerns with that has been Hancock Square and the mobile homes that fill much of the area behind the plaza off Cleveland Avenue.
Land said the key to the town center might be to look at the riverfront to attract people and businesses. Do something with it and, maybe, they’ll come
“The town center waits for an angel to come out of the sky,” Land said. “It’s fine to have the zoning, but instead of putting our eggs into one basket, if we exploit the riverfront, it could bring our savior.”
Also, Dick Thomas, chairman of the NFM Design & Review Panel discussed the goings on in his department, Linda Yorde discussed progress on the new North Fort Myers Library, and Colleen Via, Northern District Senior Supervisor with Lee County Parks & Rec., discussed possible additions to the parks, including bocce and pickleball courts.
Land also gave out the annual Development Projects of the Year which were for the TSC Tractor Supply on Bayshore Road, and the soon-to-e-opened Crossing at Hancock Creek assisted living facility on Hancock Bridge Parkway.
“I thought we had a good crowd and the speakers were well qualified. We got more progress reports than answers, but that’s the way things go,” Land said.