Voters overwhelmingly approve Conservation 20/20 referendum
The Conservation 20/20 program, brought back to the voters in a non-binding referendum, received overwhelming support Tuesday, passing with a whopping 83.68 percent of the vote.
The program, celebrating its 20th year, was brought back to the voters by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners, whose members supported its passage.
“It’s the only thing I feel happier about than my own race,” said Commissioner Frank Mann, who was re-elected Tuesday night. “I am so proud for that tremendous support (for 20/20).
That is the most important program Lee County has – it’s what will keep Lee from becoming wall-to-wall concrete and stay a place want to call home.”
Originally passed by Lee County voters in an earlier non-binding initiative in 1996, its passage has resulted in the purchase of nearly 25,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land.
Since the program is part of the county’s general budget, and it will not carry any new financial impact.
Helping spur the referendum to passage was last winter’s water quality disaster. Extreme rain raised water levels in Lake Okeechobee, which resulted in dirty discharges into the Caloosahatchee River, and then flowed into the Gulf and surrounding estuaries.
“I think what we’ve seen the past several months, that the people got it, they understood the importance,” said Rae Ann Wessel, the Natural Resource Policy Director at the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation. “Twenty years ago, the (referendum) passed by around 54 percent. Today it passed by nearly 84 percent. Everyone gains the benefits of preserving the land, with property value increasing and Lee County also enjoys a discount tax rate for FEMA purposes because of the preservation of land.
“The big reason it received so much support, is that the people wanted to send a message.”
The Conservation 20/20 program also is a spearhead initiative to a much larger project, that of the Everglades Restoration to start moving the overflow of Lake Okeechobee south.
Wessel pointed out the massive support the Lee County voters gave the Conservation 20/20 program, shows that they are invested in improving water quality and conserving land.
“This area puts a lot of money into the coffers used to fund the Everglades Restoration and we haven’t received much back in return,” Wessel said. “This is an important voice, this vote shows we are very clear what the issues are and we recognize the value these (conservation) projects bring.”
Now that the big hump of passing the non-binding referendum has been cleared, the next steps can be taken.
“This does show that Lee County voters care about conservation of their land and water,” said Marisa Carrozzo, Senior Environmental Policy Specialist of the Conservancy Southwest Florida. “Hopefully now we’ll start seeing some good acquisitions for the program. There is currently a nomination in process of 570-plus acres north of Corkscrew Road and there is lots of conservation in Lee County still left to do.”
Another of those nominations and projects is the Edison Farms.
Carrozzo also added how important water quality is to the Lee County economy.
“The Lee County Convention and Visitors Bureau rates water quality in the top five important issues to visitors,” she said. “Maintaining a clean natural system is very important and to continue that trend, we need to ensure to preserve our natural environment.”
Although the referendum is non-binding, the message is clear and the County Commission now needs to follow it, said John Cassani, the designated “Waterkeeper” of the Caloosahatchee River Watch, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the Caloosahatchee River and its watershed.
“The next step is to implement the program as the voters intended,” Cassani said. “Back in 1996, the plurality for the referendum was around 53 percent, this time it’s 83 percent, so it’s a stronger message. The people want to see more open space, more conservation lands and better water quality.
“It’s all about the watershed, maintaining it and restoring water quality, that’s what this program is all about now. There is more emphasis on water quality. I just hope the board implements the will of the people.”
Land purchased through the Conservation 20/20 program is to be maintained, preserved and monitored, thus keeping it in its natural state which includes marshes, wetlands, hammocks, flatbeds, prairie and scrub.
Much of the land is also open to the public for “passive recreation” such as hiking and even some fishing and other water sports such as canoeing and kayaking.