Uncharted waters
Pine Island Elementary working with developer and school district to resolve flooding issue
It’s no secret that a new development on Pine Island has caused quite a stir among islanders, but now it seems construction of the new Publix shopping center and Orchid Cove Condominiums has caused unexpected flooding at Pine Island Elementary.
School Principal Tom Millins said the water retention is a bit concerning as it is currently prohibiting his state mandated physical education.
“This is only my first year,” said Millins, “so I really don’t know what the field or the back of the school has looked like, like some people who have been here for many many years.”
Millins said when the property was purchased by the school district, back in the 1950s, it was the lowest lying area in all of Pine Island Center. There has always been some degree of flooding, he said, however in the past four or five months, the rainwater is simply not draining the way it’s supposed to.
“Normally what it would do is the water would come down and sheet across the property back there into the estuary — Little Pine Island,” he said. “What we’re seeing is, there is something that’s not right, that we’re very very concerned about. In the dry months, it really wasn’t discussed, but then when the rainy months came in April, May and June, we’re now seeing the effects.”
Millins said his major concern is the $100,00 children’s playground recently purchased by the Lee County School District. The new playground, he said, cannot go in until the old one is taken out, which cannot happen under present conditions.
Millins contacted the School District office to request a meeting with the district and property owners of both the Publix shopping center and Orchid Condominiums.
“They both showed up to the meeting,” Millins said, “and we walked to the back of the school, where they saw that it was a mess.”
Both property owners, said Millins, utilize Banks Engineering, whichg has agreed to see that the water is drained.
“It’s a touchy situation all around,” said Millins. “You have big business coming in and you have Pine Island, where people are already leery of them coming in, and now the school is being dumped on.”
The situation is, at best, inconvenient, Millins said, as both recess and P.E. are currently being carried out in the parent pick-up line area. Millins sent a video to parents regarding this issue as well as having several discussions to explain the situation. He said the district has been very much involved and supportive throughout the entire ordeal, as they don’t want the school to be unable to utilize its facilities.
Lee County School District Public Information Officer Rob Spicker said the district is very engaged in helping the school rectify the flooding issue, both temporarily and permanently.
“We have brought in our own engineer to help assist and work out a solution,” said Spicker.
According to Spicker, Lee County School District engineers are currently working with the developer, Banks Engineering.
“We are working with the school board to resolve the problem,” said Banks Engineering Vice President Brent Addison.