To the editor:

On Feb. 2, Dave Crabtree of Lee County Code Enforcement made a presentation to the members of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association. He repeatedly gave out his telephone number and urged Pine Islanders who have trouble with their neighbors to call him. He said if your neighbor does not mow his grass, or has a vehicle in the driveway that’s inoperable, or has a light that shines on your property, call him and he will come out and give that neighbor zoning code violations that will cost them lots of money. He said he will also issue citations on all other violations he sees in that community while he is there. That’s his job, he said, and he really likes his job.

I submit to you that if you think calling the zoning gendarmes from Fort Myers is the proper way to handle relations with your Pine Island neighbors, then your neighbors are not the problem–you are. Has it occurred to you that maybe your neighbor is sick and thus cannot mow their grass? Maybe they are out of work and thus cannot fix their car? Do they even know that their light is bothering you? Have you offered to help them? Have you even talked to them? Do you actually think code violation fines are the solution?

Pine Islanders have a long history of working with and helping each other. If you can’t do that yourself, we have neighborhood groups, homeowner associations, civic associations, churches, and a very impressive variety of island charities and other organizations that you should consult before you make that call to Fort Myers.

We also have a long history of live and let live on Pine Island. If you can’t bring yourself to work with or even talk to your neighbors, then at least mind your own business.

Of course, there are extreme cases (when all other avenues have failed) that justify bringing in the zoning police from Fort Myers — but such cases are very rare. Even Dave Crabtree admitted in response to questions that most of the calls he gets are from people that use the zoning laws to get back at their neighbors because of some real or imagined but irrelevant grievance. That’s sad, very sad, and so unlike Pine Island.

Phil Buchanan

St. James City