We need do what we can to preserve this lovely island
To the editor:
I read with great interest (and a touch of fear) the letter written by Mr. Lueth. Like him, we moved here because of what Pine Island offers: among other things, we’ve found a relaxed, friendly, easy-going, kinder way of life that exists without the big boxes, city traffic, and, at least until now, overdevelopment.
I’m writing in support of Mr. Lueth’s timely wake-up call, which will certainly inspire my husband and me to become more involved in the future of this lovely island we inhabit.
I would also add a cautionary tale:
For 43 years prior to moving to St. James, I lived in a beyond-beautiful, rural area in the mountains of northern New Mexico. Although all of us griped about the newcomers who snuck through the gate (despite our own attempts to close it after our arrival, of course), we never believed that it would turn into an overdeveloped, commercialized, kitschy tourist trap.
The first subdivision built caused only minor griping. It was put in by an out-of-state developer who had much more funding to grease the palms of politicians than we did collectively. Local politicians seemed all too willing to be “persuaded” to make planning/zoning exceptions in his favor. The arrival of Walmart gave birth to louder noise, particularly as it put one after another of our family-run businesses straight out of business. Over a period of years, the condominium-ization and big box invasion changed our little town from it’s agricultural roots to an upscale enclave in which 250-year-old local families could no longer afford to live on their land. Taxes went up. Ranches turned into subdivisions. No one thought it would happen, and it snuck right by us. By the time we started going to town council meetings, it was too late. Our town had lost it’s heart; it had lost it’s centuries-old character. It had lost it’s charm, while we whistled our way down the slippery slope of indiscriminate development.
Thanks to Mr. Lueth’s letter, we will be very alert from now on. We had just recently heard about the Texas mega-biz that has been quietly buying up Pine Island. It would break our hearts to see Pine Island turned into a commercialized, sub-divided clone of Sanibel. I’m sure that native and long-term residents looked with concern upon the influx of people like us, and I certainly understand and respect that. We try to be respectful of everything that was here before. Now, we will be paying very close attention to that which lies ahead, in hopes that we can prevent the worst from happening. We are so fortunate to live in a place like this. It would be nothing short of tragic to see it destroyed. I’ve seen it happen.
Linda Gamlen
St. James City