WEEk Of AUGUST 9, 2023
VOLUME 61, NUMBER 38
School board OKs tentative $2.4B budget By MEGHAN BRADBURY
news@breezenewspapers.com
The Lee County School Board approved a tentative budget of $2.4 billion for the 2023-24 school year during its first public hearing on July 31. The tentative budget — $2,444,171,374 — breaks down to a General Fund of $1,142,749,696 for operations, 47% of the total budget; and a capital budget of $876,893,895, or 36% of total. The remaining components include internal services at $189,362,870, 7% of the budget; debt services of $94,744,982, 4%; special revenue food services of $71,772,463, 3%; and special revenue grants of $67,647,468, 3% of the budget total.
County waives tolls on Sanibel Causeway for campaign By TIFFANY REPECKI
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trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
isitors to the islands can skip the Sanibel Causeway tolls on Sundays from now through Sept. 10. On Aug. 1, the Lee County Board of County Commissioners voted to waive the tolls for six consecutive Sundays beginning on Aug. 6 in support of the “Savor the Shore” campaign that was recently initiated by the Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau. The campaign is intended to encourage residents to enjoy access to local restaurants and attractions during the off-season.
Officials noted that the tolls remain active and have not been waived for the county's other bridges. On July 26, the county's VCB announced that it was sponsoring the awareness and advocacy campaign. Savor the Shore will be a multi-week effort, which will include print, radio and television promotions.
See SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET, page 17
IslanderInsIde
See CAMPAIGN, page 18 The Lee County Commission has waived the Sanibel Causeway tolls on Sundays through Sept. 10. SANCAP CHAMBER
Islands reiterate opposition at second county meeting By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
Last week, Lee County held its second public meeting scheduled in response to concerns raised over proposed Land Development Code height and density amendments that would apply to Captiva. Moderated again by Lee County Commissioner Kevin Ruane, the Aug. 2 meeting at BIG ARTS on Sanibel included a presentation by county staff, the chance for panel participants from the first meeting to provide input and the opportunity for attendees to express their thoughts during public comment.
Intending to continue with and build on the first meeting on July 31 on Captiva, Lee County Department of Community Development Zoning Division Manager Anthony Rodriguez started with a summary of what the panel of participating stakeholders had discussed during the first event. He outlined the following as the principal areas of concern: the increase in building height on Captiva from 53 feet, 42 feet and/or 28 feet to 35 feet; inconsistencies in the build-back provisions and policies, including the LDC and post-disaster Ordinance 07-20; elimination of the
three-dwelling-units-per-acre restriction on hotel units for the South Seas Island Resort and concerns about the impacts on the built environment, impacts on the demand for services and feasibility of future septic to sewer conversation efforts, lack of connection to resiliency and creating pressure on Captiva and Sanibel, such as traffic; and elimination of South Seas from Captiva-specific land development regulations, to include allowing an increase in building height and exempting hotel units from the density calculation. Rodriguez highlighted the following as See COUNTY MEETING, page 17
alsOInsIdetOday Guest Commentary........................4 Web Poll.........................................4 Captiva Current..........................6-7 Business......................................8 Preserving Paradise.....................12 Island Living................................14 Sports.........................................16 Classifieds 27
Residential Customer ECRWSS
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