About 120 people attended the Protect Captiva Coalition’s video premiere and legal update on March 27 at the Captiva Civic Association.
Interviewees featured in the video include:
- Jay Brown, President, Captiva Community Panel
- James Evans, CEO, SCCF
- Porter Goss, First Mayor, City of Sanibel
- Tony Lapi, President & Chairman, Sanibel Captiva Beach Resorts
- Richard Johnson, Mayor, City of Sanibel
- Ken Suarez, Chairman of the President’s Council, South Seas Island Resort
- Lisa Riordan, Member, Protect Captiva Steering Committee
The video chronicles why the Protect Captiva Coalition came into existence within the historical context of Sanibel and Captiva. It also features comments made by the Lee County Commissioners during hearings and meetings in 2023 as they discussed the approval of land use changes on Captiva.
Please watch and share with friends and neighbors who may want to join our coalition!
Highlights of Legal Update
- The “Protect Captiva” petition claiming that the Land Development Code amendments which increase building heights and density on South Seas and Captiva are inconsistent with the Lee Plan has been filed and will be scheduled for a hearing before the Department of Commerce on April 4. Eventually, the dispute will go to an administrative law judge.
- “Protect Captiva” will soon seek to enforce an existing agreement between South Seas, the County, and the CCA that limits development density on South Seas to 912 units – the limitation that has been in effect for the past 50 years.
- The Planned Development application submitted by South Seas to increase its density from its current 247 units to 707 units has been deemed insufficient by the County reviewing the application. “Protect Captiva” has also submitted its initial list of problems with the application. It is unknown at this time when the application will be deemed sufficient for the County’s substantive review, a public hearing before a hearing examiner, and eventual review and vote by the Board of County Commissioners.
Thanks to those of you who support our efforts to Protect Captiva!
Please visit ProtectCaptiva.org for more information on how to invest in saving our community.