Hamman to address Northwest Cape Neighborhood Association
There are a lot of things going on in the Northwest Cape, and a Lee County Commissioner is going to try to help area residents make some sense out of them.
Though there will be one topic that residents will speak up about that may not involve the commissioner at all.
Commissioner Brian Hamman will address the Northwest Cape Coral Neighborhood Association at its Thursday meeting at 7 p.m. at Christa McAuliffe Elementary Charter School, where a myriad of topics that concern the area’s present and future will be discussed.
Hamman said he would talk about the status of Lee County, with all barometers pointing in a positive direction.
“We have a lot to look forward to in 2016. We’ve worked hard to find the money to make infrastructure improvements like the Burnt Store Road widening and others throughout the county,” Hamman said.
Key issues likely to be discussed include the Northwest Spreader – ecosystem and the restoration of tidal flows, the barrier/boat-lift status and additional dredging toward Matlacha.
“Cape Coral has dredged the spreader to the city line, but there needs to be dredging for boating,” said Denis Catalano, president of the association. “That barrier issue is still in the courts after eight years. It’s not that hard, but it isn’t resolved. It’s more of a city issue, but the county is involved.”
Hamman said he is pleased the city and county are finally working to resolve what had been a very contentious issue where both sides were suing each other.
“As a Cape resident, I was disappointed to know the county was using my tax money to sue me with my city tax dollars,” Hamman said. “I’m glad to see we’re past that and we’re working with the city to come up with solutions that make sense.”
The Burnt Store Road widening and its future extension north to the county line, a potential Kismet extension and a possible future exit or spur off I-75 that leads straight to Cape Coral will also be addressed.
Catalano said there are about a dozen issues his group has up for discussion, including the future of the Burnt Store widening to the Charlotte County line. Currently, the plan has it only going up to Kismet.
“When are they even going schedule the widening to Burnt Store Marina? They don’t even have a budget on that,” Catalano said. “People have said they want noise abatement, but there were never plans for that, though I think there should be. I feel for the people on that side.”
Following Hamman’s presentation and questions, the Development Review Subcommittee will report on its findings regarding modular home construction and explain what they are, the rules governing them and what can be done about them.
Residents have been complaining about their aesthetics, saying their presence threatens to decrease the value of their homes.
Catalano said there are two such homes right now in or near his area, and that City Council seems leery of broaching the subject.
“There need to be architectural standards put in place. There was one delivered last week and the neighbors are upset. These are $600,000 homes and there’s a modular home right there,” Catalano said. “The aesthetics just don’t blend in with the other homes. They almost look like mobile homes.”
The association has not taken an official position on the issue, Catalano said. Hamman said modular homes are a city issue and the BOCC won’t be able to address it.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for sign-in, neighborhood networking, and membership renewals. To be eligible for membership, members must reside or own property within Cape Coral city limits north of Pine Island Road and west of El Dorado Boulevard.
NWNA was formed by area residents in 2002 to provide an open forum for discussion of issues of general importance to northwest Cape Coral.
For additional information about NWNA, visit www.nwcape.com or email nwna@nwcape.com.