To the editor:

First I need to apologize to county staff and fellow Pine Islanders for my inexcusable outbursts at the Pine Island Sewer meeting on Thursday, Feb. 25, at the Fishers’ of Men Lutheran Church. They were born out of frustration with the inability to get any credible information regarding the installation of a sewer line from Bokeelia to PI Center.

My primary interest in this sewer project is that it will assist in a developer’s plan to build a major marina for large boats at the northern end of the island (Capt’n Con’s pier area). The application for this project has been denied by the South Florida Water Management District but appealed to the Division of Administrative Hearings and, after a short delay requested by the developer to decide if he wanted to continue with the project, he indicted his intent to continue and a final judgment hearing is being scheduled for the June/July timeframe.

One of the facts that the Administrative Judge will be deciding upon is the strength of the support from Lee County for this sewer system. In a statement to the SFWMD the developer’s lawyer has stated that Lee County has provided reasonable assurances that sewer service has been obtained for the upland development and proposed marina. I’ve been trying to get a straight answer regarding the accuracy of that statement.

At the Thursday meeting the county officials continued to provide two versions: Version One is the LDO is approved but on hold until the developer decided if he wants to continue with the project. Version Two is that the LDO is approved with stipulations and the developer has not met those stipulations. The reason for my frustration has now been publicly demonstrated.

As mentioned earlier the developer has decided to continue with this project, a fact unknown to county staff. Staff, and maybe rightfully so, is not keeping current with other developments on this community project possibly because, other than the existing sewer LDO, they have nothing presented to them for a decision. A Development Order already exists for the uplands portion of the project but an application to the county for a marina permit has not been submitted. (It should be mentioned that the development proposal for the uplands portion presented to SFWMD is different than the Development Order currently approved by the county for the uplands.)

I strongly believe that the developer is “getting his ducks in order” before pursuing any other permits and variances and, should he get the Administrative Judge to overturn SFWMD’s denial, he will use the approval as evidence that all other required permitting should also be approved

My second frustration is that several people on Main Street Bokeelia were promised a meeting with county staff to discuss this sewer proposal, especially the Main Street portion (a gravity line vs. a force main). This meeting was to be held in December but was postponed. I attended the Thursday meeting ready to discuss that topic only to be told, in no uncertain terms, that this was not that meeting.

Thirdly, the meeting agenda was to discover Pine Islanders feelings regarding sewer projects on Pine Island before any changes were suggested for a Comprehensive Plan revision in September. This will turn out to have been an exercise in futility if the developer is permitted to install a sewer line from Bokeelia to PI Center. Once that line is installed the only thing left to decide is how/when/who will be hooked up. At the Thursday meeting discussion already started about connecting the most problematic septic systems to the existing lines on the south end of the Island and homeowners were rightfully worried about the costs, especially those owners on limited/fixed incomes.

I can surely understand that there are septic systems on Pine Island that probably contribute to the pollution of surrounding waters. But how significant is that pollution? There were several suggestions that studies should be conducted to determine the current impact of septic (and other) pollutants on the Island’s waters, and I strongly agree that such studies be made before any more money is spent to add new sewer lines or septic treatment enhancements.

Just as the force main line from St. James City cannot connect single family homes neither can the proposed line from Bokeelia. The immediate benefit is to large project developers and once that snowball starts rolling Pine Island becomes ripe for major development.

People ask why one developer would want to spend so much money on a sewer line just so he can develop 8 acres in Bokeelia. A good question. While he does have a lot of money I would have to believe that financial help will become available from other waiting developers who would benefit from the sewer line’s installation.

Maybe there is nothing the county can do. Without a pending application they are not staffed enough to follow ongoing community development projects. Perhaps they have no choice but to allow a developer to connect to existing sewer treatment systems if that developer pays for the project. I don’t know. What I do know is that it appears that the desires of the majority of the affected people are not, or cannot, be protected.

Ronald Lueth

Bokeelia