Proposed cell phone tower, Betsy Parkway development and disaster recovery presentations on GPICA agenda
The next meeting of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association has a jam-packed agenda that Island residents won’t want to miss. Presentations will include updates from island hurricane preparedness and recovery groups and two public information sessions covering rezoning cases
The GPICA meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 5, at First Baptist Church of Pine Island, 5363 Ave. D, Bokeelia, (next to Pine Island Elementary School).
All Pine Islanders/Matlacha residents are welcome to attend, regardless of GPICA membership
Disaster recovery and preparedness group presentations
Greater Pine Island Alliance Executive Director Erin Lollar Lambert will provide an overview and updates from the GPIA, which was created in the weeks following Hurricane Ian to improve disaster response coordination and help islanders rebuild and recover from the storm. The group incorporated as a nonprofit in December 2022. Since then, the GPIA has continued its work, providing support to Island residents following hurricanes Helene and Milton. In 2024, the GPIA assisted more than 2,000 residents with help from more than 900 volunteers who donated more than 6,000 hours. Since its inception, the GPIA has closed 240 cases, returning residents to safe, sanitary and secure housing.
Greater Pine Island Emergency Task Force (GPIETF): Beacon of Hope President Elsie Stearns will provide an overview of the GPIETF, which was created under the umbrella of The Beacon of Hope in 2024 to “disaster-proof” the community before a hurricane and help reduce the recovery time following a strike. The task force says its mission is to “lead the Greater Pine Island Area’s emergency management efforts in preparation, response, mitigation, and provide centralized leadership for other groups & volunteers through an organized effort to kickstart recovery from all local disasters.”
Public information sessions
All developers of multifamily residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and infrastructure projects and subdivisions are required to hold public information sessions in Lee County’s unincorporated areas — including Pine Island — to inform residents of their plans and especially any variances they are seeking. On Pine Island, the GPICA has historically been the designated forum for these public meetings and allows property owners or their representatives to present their case and gives residents the opportunity to ask questions. After the Q&A, the GPICA will call for a voice vote on whether the attendees — including the GPICA membership — support or oppose the requests, then send a summary of the meeting, including the results of the non-binding voice votes, to Lee County development staff to include as part of the development order (or rezoning) package.
August sessions
• Pine Island Center: Property owners Pi Daze LLC and Joseph & Florence Polotto Trust are requesting a zoning change for nearly 24 acres of land at 10300 Betsy Parkway and 5041 Pine Island Road. The parcel on Betsy Parkway is currently zoned AG-2, while the Pine Island Road property is currently zoned for C-1A (commercial). The owners are requesting both be changed to mixed use planned development (MPD) to allow for 50,000 square feet of various commercial use (medical/office building), 275,000 square feet of outdoor/enclosed storage as well as various industrial uses. View the initial submission package at www.GPICA.org/pidaze.
• Bokeelia: Property owner MPW Pine Island LLC/Skyway Towers LLC is seeking a variance that would allow them to build a 150-foot-tall tower at 7645 Barrancas Ave., that would include a communications tower with antenna, a fenced compound with ground equipment and easement for access to the tower compound. The site, near the Barrancas Post Office, is currently vacant and zoned AG-2. View additional details at www.GPICA.org/skywaytower.
For more information about the GPICA, visit https://gpica.org/