Islanders stand up for our rights
To the editor:
The Lee County Commissioners recently considered a presentation by a Tampa law firm regarding litigation involving the Pine Island Plan. Several options were discussed that greatly affect the residents. Some changes proposed to the zoning density of the Pine Island Plan would threaten the safe evacuation of residents before an approaching hurricane. Increasing the existing allowable density by five or 10 times would destroy the coastal rural character of Pine Island, and therefor the value of existing homes and residential lots.
What concerns many Pine Island and Matlacha citizens is that the county is contemplating significant changes without our input. We need to attend the next County Commissioners meeting to show our objections.
Please attend the Lee County Commissioners meeting on March 17 at 9:30 a.m., in the Commissioners Chambers on the second floor of the Old Courthouse in downtown Fort Myers. Car pooling at Winn-Dixie parking lot will be at 8:15.
Requests to be presented to the commissioners:
1.) The law firm that represents us should have experience with island issues and be able to defend our safety and existing non-developed property values.
2.) The existing Pine Island plan was NOT created to halt development. It was designed to ALLOW development to take place and provide for the safe evacuation of residents before an approaching hurricane strike.
3.) We are two islands and we only have one bridge. How would the lawyers and planners for the County Commissioners accommodate the increased traffic from allowing higher development densities? Who would pay for several hundred million dollars of bridges and roads?
4.) An advisory committee should be appointed from Pine Island residents to represent the existing residents of Pine Island and Matlacha to work with lawyers and planners in addressing this matter.
Roger Wood
St. James City