GPICA to meet Tuesday via Zoom
The Greater Pine Island Civic Association will hold its next monthly general meeting at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 14, via Zoom. Members and non-members are welcome to attend.
Join the meeting via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88252706040?pwd=ZjJxZTE2dkpQajhhKzhSQ2JhLzZaZz09 or visit https://www.zoom.us/join and use the meeting ID and Passcode to join the meeting.
Meeting ID: 882 5270 6040
Passcode: GPICA
The GPICA agenda
St. James City kayak launch public information session update: During the May 2021 meeting of the GPICA, Veronica Martin, senior planner with TDM Consulting, and Tom Odom, from mitigation resources, made a presentation about a rezoning and special exception application that the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is planning to submit to Lee County related to property in St. James City. Due to technical difficulties, no votes were taken during the meeting and residents had many unanswered questions. (You can view a recording of the meeting here; the discussion about the kayak launch begins at about 20 minutes into the recording.) Due to the extremely contagious Delta variant of COVID-19, and out of an abundance of caution, the GPICA has tentatively rescheduled this hearing for Nov. 9 at the Pine Island Methodist Church.
Bylaws review and discussion: The GPICA board has developed a draft document of revisions to the bylaws. Members are required to approve changes. (We need at least 20 members in good standing in order to hold a vote.) Please review the revised bylaws in advance of the meeting. View them here.
Palmetto berry harvesting on 20/20 land: There have been reports of people harvesting palmetto berries on Conservation 20/20 preserve land here on Pine Island. As the berries are an important food source for numerous species — including protected gopher tortoises — the GPICA investigated the issue and will provide a report.
Septic to Sewer Conversion Committee Report: This GPICA committee has shared its fact finding with the director of Lee County Public Utilities, Pam Keyes. The GPICA is requesting that Pine Island receive priority consideration as the county undergoes a $734,000 Countywide Wastewater Management Plan (approved by the Lee County Commission in June) and that the county helps to support a septic-to-sewer conversion study for Pine Island.
A new GPICA Committee Created to find old development orders: A request for members to come to the October GPICA meeting with ideas and questions for key speaker, Randy Cerchie, director of the Lee County Department of Transportation.