Pine Island mangrove protection

To: dist5@leegov.com, Dist3@leegov.com, Dist4@leegov.com, dist2@leegov.com, dist1@leegov.com

Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 6:30:34 PM

Subject: Pine Island mangrove protection

To Lee County Commissioners and all Pine Islanders:

One of the main provisions of the Pine Island Plan provides complete protection for mangroves. Per the Pine Island Plan, developers may not destroy mangroves - period, no exceptions. This rule has been in effect for nearly a decade, has survived critical review by the Hearing Examiner and others, and been successfully applied in numerous cases - until now.

The developers (named Pine Tarr, Inc) of the proposed Publix-based shopping center (named Calusa Cay) across from the Bank Of America has sponsored a proposed change to the Pine Island Plan that would eviscerate mangrove protection. Pine Tarr's proposal is an exception to the Pine Island Plan for any mangrove destruction authorized by Florida state agencies. Of course, as all developers know, the Department of Environmental Protection and the South Florida Water Management District generously hand out mangrove and other wetland destruction permits on a daily basis (if the developers pay the stiff fees required).

The developers claim mangrove destruction is necessary to create needed commercial properties. That's nonsense. Per Lee County Staff statistics, Pine Island has 754 acres of commercially zoned properties, 421 acres (56%) of which is vacant. We already have enough commercially zoned properties to last us for at least one hundred and maybe several hundred years. What we actually need is to stop destroying mangroves to create even more unusable vacant commercial properties. The developers also claim they have to be authorized to destroy mangroves or they will have no incentive to remove exotics from mangrove areas--that's also nonsense because all Lee County development orders are conditional on removal of exotics from the property (including the mangrove or “green space” portions of the property).

The issue in this case in not whether the developers can get permission to build a Publix or other similar shopping center on that property (extremely unlikely to actually get built anyway, but approval would cause an increase in the property's market value). They can of course legally get building approval if they follow all of the existing rules. The issue is whether we and the Lee County Commissioners are willing to change the rules, i.e., do away with our mangrove protection laws to accommodate their particular building plan. They have also suggested that they would compromise by agreeing with an exception that was drawn in way that would apply only to their project. The membership vote at numerous meetings of the GPICA was a unanimous and emphatic no on both proposals.

The Pine Tarr proposal can only become law if approved by three of the five commissioners. Our Commissioner Manning as well as Commissioner Judah have assured me they will vote against the proposal. We only need one more commissioner vote, but I'm hoping all five commissioners will vote against this outrageous proposal.

Please send the commissioners your thoughts on this matter. Their email address is in the “To” line above. Be sure to thank the commissioners that have already supported Pine Island on this issue.

If you can, please also attend the September 28, 2011 hearing on this matter. That's 9:30 a.m. this Wednesday in the Commissioner Chambers.

Phil Buchanan

3861 Galt Island Avenue

St James City, FL 33956

Phone/fax: 239-283-4067

email: coolcherokee@comcast.net