The Island Coalition, a group of residents and businesses on Captiva Island, is continuing to fight changes to the island’s zoning and land use regulations that were proposed by the Lee County Commission. The coalition argues that the changes would allow for more development on the island, which could have negative impacts on the environment, infrastructure, and quality of life.
The county commission is scheduled to vote on the proposed changes on October 10th. In the meantime, the Island Coalition is urging residents to contact their commissioners and express their opposition to the changes. The coalition has also sent a memo to state agencies asking them to weigh in on the issue.
The memo argues that the proposed changes are not supported by the data and analysis required by the Community Planning Act. The coalition also claims that the county failed to analyze the potential impacts of the changes on the island’s infrastructure, roads, hurricane evacuation routes, water resources, septic systems, sewer project, and environmental resources.
The Island Coalition has stated that if the county commission adopts the proposed changes without change, they will evaluate and pursue the best legal options to protect Captiva Island.
What you can do
If you are concerned about the proposed changes to Captiva Island’s zoning and land use regulations, there are a few things you can do:
- Contact your Lee County commissioner and express your opposition to the changes.
- Send a letter to the editor of the Captiva-Sanibel Reporter or the Islander and Current stating your concerns.
- Attend the county commission meeting on October 10th and speak out against the changes.
- Donate to the Island Coalition to help support their fight to protect Captiva Island.
Together, we can make a difference in protecting the island we love.
