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We don’t need to become a string town

3 min read

To the Editor:

Fellow Pine Islanders, I want to tell you a story, a true story. Several years ago, the Lee County Land Use Plan had to be updated and the Greater Pine Island Civic Association assumed responsibility for upgrading the Pine Island portion of the plan. The Greater Pine Island Civic Association and Pine Islanders devoted so many, innumerable hours of hard work on the update effort. The Greater Pine Island Civic Association even sold their building to have funds for paying a planning consultant to work on the plan. The final plan was accepted by the County Commissioners, by Tallahassee and received much praise, it even won an award because it’s such a good plan.

On July 27, 2009, I was in the Lee County courthouse for a meeting with the Lee County Community Planning Committee because the Lee County staff wants to make a change to the land use plan which would allow various commercial development to be built in various locations on Pine Island, rather then concentrating commercial growth in Pine Island’s already established business area.

Some people say that the Greater Pine Island Civic Association is against any growth on Pine Island, this is not true. The updated land use plan’s goal is to control growth on Pine Island, not prevent growth. Years ago, in Kentucky, before interstate highways, little towns which grew along the main roads were called “string towns” just strung out along the roads. My fear is if the proposed change is approved, Stringfellow Road might become Stringtown Road and bring problems with it.

At the July 27 meeting, only four supporters of the present plan attended, but the ones for the change, developers and landowners, were well represented, even had a lawyer. Fortunately, a vote of the committee could not be taken, thankfully, because one committee member requested more information from the county, delaying the vote for a month. Writing the plan took a long time, the development of the plan was not rushed. I feel this proposed change should not be rushed and I feel PIne Island should be able to meet and discuss this change, so I’m asking you all to contact our county commissioners, requesting a vote delay to November so more Pine Islanders can participate. The county commissioners are: Bob Janes, 533-2224; Brian Bigelow, 533-2227; Ray Judah, 533-2223; Tammy Hall, 533-2226 and Frank Mann, 533-2225.

Many thanks,

Pasty Anderson

Bokeelia