Development Review Committee Update - 2022

Here We Grow - December 2022

Hurricane Ian was devastating to Cape Coral so you would think that it would put a damper on development projects in our area.  But it appears that what attracted many of us to Cape Coral is maintaining that attraction for developers.  In other words, they know a good thing when they see it.

For instance, Wisconsin based developer Continental Properties has broken ground on the Springs at Coral Shores apartment complex per a Dec. 2^nd article in Gulf Shore Life Business. 

The complex of just over 300 apartments will replace the open storage facility that sat to the east of McDonalds and will stretch over to the west side of the rehabilitation facility on the north side of Pine Island Rd.  There are plans for two restaurants at the front of the project with tenants to be named later.  Pre-leasing will begin in summer 2023 and the first residents are expected in the fall of 2023.   

Another project that broke ground is a 444-unit apartment complex on the east side of Chiquita between Embers Pkwy. and Pine Island Rd., just visible behind a row of houses.  As we reported several months ago, the Latigo Group bought out the Noble Vines planned development and moved quickly to get this project going.  Latigo Group is a high-end builder out of Los Angeles and had been busy in Florida over the last few years.  This complex will be known as The Hadley and is expected to be completed in 2024.

One other sign that developers aren't skittish about building in the NW Cape after the hurricane is Sovereign Properties is moving forward on permitting for their 380-unit apartment complex known as "The Atlantica at Cape Coral" which will sit east of the rehab facility and Springs at Coral Shores.  The project is valued at $80,000,000.  It too will feature commercial entities along Pine Island Rd.   

There's also a proposed plan on the table for a mix of multi-family and single family homes on the north side of NW 40^th Lane, west of Old Burnt Store Rd. in the far north of our area.  Called for now, the "Old Burnt Store Rental Community", the plan by AJW Development out of Dallas, calls for 300 units of garden-style multi-family and 210 units of single family homes.  Keep in mind this is only in the discussion stage, but it was submitted well after the hurricane so, again, it shows the continued interest in Cape Coral not only from in-state developers but those from across the nation.  

Environment Committee Update - Dec 2022

Leaders Against Litter Program

Concept for a program to plan, schedule, and conduct twice yearly (as a minimum) city-wide neighborhood cleanups (like the NWNA trash bash) has been accepted by City Council.

The program is on the back burner until hurricane recovery issues are completed.  Each district council person will identify and appoint a district captain and together with the Keep Lee County Beautiful (KLCB) organization , city code enforcement, and public works crews will conduct the cleanups according to the program requirements. 

Anticipated kickoff for this program is end of 1Q 2023.

Median Beautification

1. Minor damage to the Demonstration Median on Ceitus Parkway occurred as a result of hurricane Ian. NWNA members have conducted a cleanup here and the city has been in touch to identify the issues including plants that need re-staking or removal and replacement of the Experience Real Estate donor sign. It appears that all Royal Palms will recover. City maintenance will be addressed at the appropriate time, likely in 1Q 2023.

2. Discussions on improvements to the median in front of Joe Stonis Park (currently planted with 12 Adonidia Palms) were conducted with the City and Danny Yates Landscaping in September. Several questions were posed to the city on curbing, irrigation, plants selection, etc. that will affect what can be accomplished with limited resources. Still waiting for responses to the questions posed but this project is on the back burner and unlikely to be activated before 2Q 2023

3. Median beautification projects in SWCC on Sands, Agualinda, and Savona Parkway are approved and funded but on hold pending completion of hurricane recovery efforts by the city. These projects are anticipated to get underway in 1Q 2023.

4. A $6500 median beautification grant was received from LCEC for projects in SWCC. Grants requests from Cape Coral Community Foundation and Smith Family Horticultural Trust were unsuccessful. Additional fund raising activities are being planned.

UEP Progress by the City of Cape Coral - 2022

This past year saw the City of Cape Coral make considerable progress of the Utility Expansion Program (UEP).  Unfortunately, Hurricane Ian has slowed progress and the UEP has taken a backseat to repairing other critical infrastructure needs within the City.  Rest assured; the project will move forward. 

Work completed in 2022 included the following:

• Completion of construction and most punch-list items related to construction of utilities in North 2.
• Completion of much of the design of utilities in North 1 and bidding of several of the construction contracts.
• Completion of the overall City-wide UEP Master Plan.

A map detailing the utility areas is as follows:

Each of the above completed tasks is discussed briefly below.

Completion of North 2

While there are still some minor items to be repaired, installation of utilities in North 2 was essentially completed in 2022. Water, sewer and reclaimed water lines were brought to all residential and commercial properties within North 2.  Roads have been reconstructed, landscaping repaired, and currently there has been a good response from homeowners required to hook up to the new utilities.  For practical purposes, we are calling North 2 complete.

Completion of Design of Area 1

The City used much of what was learned in design and construction of North 2 and incorporated much of that into the design of North 1.  North 1 will be broken into 12 different construction contracts, all of which will be considerably smaller than those of North 2.  To date several construction contracts in North 1 have already been bid and the remaining ones will be shortly after the new year.  Construction in North 1 can be expected to be in full force in 2023. Please keep in mind that North 1 is completely in the NE section of Cape Coral.

UEP Master Plan

The UEP Master Plan is necessary to prioritize future areas for utility expansion, to identify existing infrastructure needs necessary to accommodate future expansion, to establish realistic schedules, and to establish preliminary cost estimate.  Please note that dates presented below are from the UEP Master Plan and will likely be adjusted due to Hurricane Ian impacts.

The following is brief summary of the findings and recommended improvements within future service areas. 

• North 3 will be the next area to receive utilities after North 1. This area is west of Burnt Store Road, north of the recently completed North 2 area, and extends north to Kismet Parkway.  North 3 is expected to be complete by 2025.

• Also expected to be complete by 2025 is expansion of utilities north on Burnt Store Road to the city line. This allows the planned Hudson Creek development to move forward and will spur commercial development along Burn Store Road.  Much of this expansion may be funded by the Hudson Creek project.  Finally, by 2025 a new 22,000 linear foot sewer main on Veteran's Parkway will be constructed which is necessary for future sewer expansion.

• By 2027, the existing North reverse osmosis water plant on Kismet Parkway needs to be expanded from 6 to 18 million gallons per day.

• By 2030, the city intends to construct utilities in the North 4 and North 5 areas. Also, a new water storage tank will be constructed in the northeast section of the city.

• By 2035, the city intends to construct utilities in North 6 and North 7 areas. The city also intends to build a new water reclamation facility (wastewater treatment plant) in the northwest.  The site is adjacent to the existing reverse osmosis water plant on Kismet Parkway near Chiquita Boulevard. 

• By 2040, the city intends to construct utilities in North 8 and North 9 areas.

• North 10 through North 12 areas are planned for 2045.

The City is progressing well on the UEP, although recent weather impacts have certainly impacted the planned schedule.  If you have comments or questions on work completed or on planned work, please contact me at publicworks@NWNA.com. 

Don Freeman, P.E.

NWNA Public Works Committee

Seven Islands Changes - Breeze Editorial

NWNA Members,

Please see the recent Cape Coral Breeze Editorial on the Seven Islands Project. I will update you as this situation unfolds, but I find this change in plans disheartening, and all of the points made by the Breeze to be spot on.

Make your voices heard.

Send an email to citycouncil@capecoral.gov.

Cape Coral Breeze Editorial

SHIP-DR Homeowner Insurance Deductible Assistance

State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP)

Hello Members,

Lee County has received funds to assist homeowners with their insurance deductibles.  We wanted to share this important information with you and ask that you also pass along this notice to your neighbors if you can.

If you would like to be considered for the program and meet the income guidelines, please send the following information to housing@capecoral.gov.

Name:
Address:

Phone Number:

Email:
Homeowners Insurance Carrier:

Deductible Amount:

Income Limits are as follows and are based on the gross household income of all persons over 18 in the household.

John Bashaw
(920) 449-2000

Lee County, Florida
Income Guidelines Chart (2022)*
Gross Income of all HH members must not exceed
Household Size	80% Area Median Income (AMI)
1	$45,050
2	$51,450
3	$57,900
4	$64,300
5	$69,450
6	$74,600
7	$79,750
8	$84,900

Displaced Vessels & Marine Debris

Cape Coral Police Department 

 The Florida Department of Emergency Management has set up resources for people who wish to report vessels displaced by Hurricane Ian (both lost and found), as well as debris in and around the waterways created by the hurricane.The public should call 850-961-2002, email IanDebrisCleanup@cdrmaguire.com, or visit www.iandebriscleanup.com to report displaced vessels or marine-related debris.This applies to boats that are missing after the storm, as well as boats that have been found after the storm. This also applies to boats that are washed up on land, boats still in the water, as well as any debris in the water or on land, like docks or sections of docks, pilings, etc…Please visit www.iandebriscleanup.com, for additional information.

Cape Coral, Fl Truth in Millage (TRIM) Update

NWNA Members:

I am excited to tell you the City of Cape Coral has adopted the Rollback Millage Rate for 2022 Taxes. In simple terms, this means our city leaders adopted a very conservative budget and lowered property taxes. For most of you, property taxes for 2022 (remember, taxes are paid in arrears), will be lower than the property taxes you paid for 2021. We looked at forty properties owned by NWNA members and found the reduction in individual property taxes to be hundreds of dollars each. 

The budget for Fiscal Year 2023 is $34 million less than the previous year's $978 million budget. Mayor John Gunter championed this historic reduction in both taxes and spending. Supporting Mayor Gunter was our Council Member Keith Long in District 6, Council Member Dan Sheppard in District 2, Council Member Jennifer Nelson in District 4, and Council Member Gloria Tate in District 1. These Council Members asked tough questions and were tenacious in their charge to lower the city budget and lower your property taxes. The vote was split, however, with the remaining three Council Members voting no on the Rollback Rate.

Please look at your TRIM Notice and compare Column 1 (YOUR PROPERTY TAXES LAST YEAR 2021) and Column 2 (YOUR TAXES THIS YEAR IF NO BUDGET CHANGE IS ADOPTED) to see the impact on your 2022 taxes. Column 2 is the Rollback Rate and the amount of property taxes you will pay.   

I want to thank all the Council Members who voted in favor of the Rollback Rate. On your behalf, I have sent emails to all Council Members who voted YES expressing our appreciation.  

John Bashaw

(920) 449-2000

New Vacation Resort Proposed for NW Cape

White Stone Developments LLC, a Cape Coral-based real estate developer, is proud to announce the proposed development of a resort in Northwest Cape Coral.

In July of this year, the City of Cape Coral accepted permits from White Stone Developments to begin construction of the Lake Shadroe Resort.  Once approved, Construction will begin on the 48-unit, 4-floor resort development complete with a marina, pool with jacuzzi, and private mini-beach, retail stores, a restaurant & tiki lounge, a coffee shop, and a bait & tackle shop.

The development will be located at 218 Burnt Store Road in Northwest Cape Coral, Fl, and upon approval is expected to be completed and open to the public by early 2025.

"It was a real honor to be able to share our vision for the future of the northwest cape.  Not only will it bring visitors to the beautiful area of the country, but it will also bring business and jobs to this quickly growing part of Florida," said Robert Knight, Founder & CEO of White Stone.  "Its retail, dining, and waterfront amenities will provide great additions to northwest Cape Coral, " he said.

The Lake Shadroe Resort will feature 48 resort-style waterfront units with unobstructed water views.  It also includes a 2-floor commercial space with spa facilities, a coffee shop (Because Coffee Co.) waterfront restaurant & tiki bar, and onsite management offices.  The marina will have slips and boat rentals, a fuel pump station, and is conveniently located next to the Burnt Store public boat launch, plus a bait & tak=ckle shop where guests have access to souvenirs and snacks.  The Pool Deck will have a resort-style pool jacuzzi, plenty of lounge chairs and a small private beach.

Ceitus Median Ribbon Cutting Event

Join us on Friday, August 26, at 10:00 a.m. for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Ceitus Parkway Median for the Adopt-A-Median Project

The ceremony will be held at the intersection of Ceitus Parkway and SW 38th Place. The public is welcome to attend.

Quantum Fiber is now in NW Cape Coral

New Fiber Optic Internet Service for the NW Cape!

Hi Members, I wanted to share this important update with all of you! The trucks and workers you see all around the NW Cape belong to subcontractors working for Lumen, known locally as Centurylink, and are installing fiber optic lines for:

Quantum Fiber Internet Service

Remember this video that was posted recently as I videotaped the subcontractors installing the internet infrastructure in front of my house?

The installation will be ready for a residential hookup by the end of August in some areas. It will provide us with lightning speeds of up to 940 Mbps unlimited data 99.99% reliability, and no annual contracts for $65 per month. The remaining areas will follow accordingly.

 I have been told that anyone using the Quantum Fiber Enrollment Link provided below to sign up for service by Sept 30th, will also be eligible for a $100 gift card regardless of their installation date.

Please feel free to visit the Quantum Fiber website for additional information and details, address verification, and/or to sign up for your service by clicking the link below.

Quantum Fiber Enrollment Link

Some areas may be presented with the message below, that Quantum Fiber is scheduled to be available soon. This allows for a Quantum fiber installation order to be scheduled in advance, so when Quantum fiber service is available, they may be one of the first homes to be installed when that area is activated with Quantum fiber services.

As well, some addresses may not reflect the ability to schedule Quantum fiber service. This deployment is a large endeavor that the residents of Northwest Cape Coral have been eagerly awaiting. As is visible across Northwest Cape Coral daily, Quantum fiber crews are placing service infrastructure to expedite service availability.

Together We're Better!

Linda Stevens
Secretary@nwcape.com 

Burnt Store Widening Project Public Workshop

Discussion of Alternatives for the Florida DOT BSR Widening Project

The Florida DOT sent out an invitation for a Public Meeting/Workshop of the Burnt Store Road Project Development & Environment (PD&E) Study from Van Buren Parkway to the Charlotte County Line in Lee County.

The purpose of the study is to evaluate alternative concepts to widen this segment of Burnt Store Road from two to four lanes, with future accommodation of six lanes, to address projected travel demand as a result of area-wide growth.

The workshop is being held to present information about the preliminary alternatives and provide the opportunity for the public to offer feedback.

You're Invited to a Public Workshop!

Date and Time:

In-Person: August 30, 2022 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Northwest Regional Library

519 Chiquita Blvd N, Cape Coral, FL 33993 OR

Live Online: September 1, 2022 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Register at:

http://www.swflroads.com/burntstorerd/vanburentocharlottectyline

Broadband Update from Comcast - Aug 2022

Your Secretary's Notes

Hi Members: I wanted to share this latest update with all of you! This is the official statement received from Comcast: Comcast has begun installing its Xfinity services to homes in the Gator Circle area in the northeast part of the city. More neighborhoods will be launching over the next few weeks. Once the expansion of Comcast's state-of-the-art network is complete later this year, high-speed Xfinity internet services will be available throughout all of Cape Coral for the first time!  Residents can expect a notification in their mail from Xfinity to let them know their home is now ready to get service.  They are expected to complete the expansion by the end of the year. Together We're Better! Stay Healthy! Linda Stevens Secretary for the NWNA secretary@nwcape.com

Free Property Fraud Alert Service From Lee County

NWNA Members:

Property fraud is a serious problem in the United States, especially in Florida.  The Lee County Clerk of Court and Comptroller Office is offering a free alert service that notifies you if you are a potential victim. 

Check out this link to register for this free service. 

Register Here for Free Property Fraud Alert Service

I encourage everyone to sign up for this service and enjoy the peace of mind it provides. 

For more information on this free service, check out this video. 

A similar service is available at a cost.  Perhaps you have seen it advertised on television.  The ad states "no one is going to call you…."   Well, this service goes one step further and emails you when potential fraud is taking place. 

As always, thank you for being a member of the NWNA. 

Together we're better! 

John Bashaw
(920) 449-2000

Burnt Store Rd Development Town Hall Meeting

The Town Hall Meeting at the Northwest Regional Library this morning was informational, enlightening, and educational for all of the residents attending and for all the people watching our live FB feed.

The NWNA would like to formally thank City Staff Members for putting together such an excellent presentation and staying to give the residents solid answers to the many questions that followed.  We also wish to thank Mayor John Gunter, and the following members of our City Council, District 6 - Keith Long, District 2 - Dan Sheppard, and District 4 - Jennifer Nelson for attending and for staying to assist city staff with resident questions.

Feel free to watch the presentation and the Q & A Session that followed by clicking on the links below.

Video of Town Hall Meeting - Burnt Store Rd Development

Several People came out to speak with City Staff and discuss the map showing the Proposed Burnt Store Road Plan that was on display at the meeting.  Several members of the city council also attended and were willing to meet with the residents to discuss aspects of the presentation also.

John Bashaw, also a guest speaker at the meeting, was able to answer several questions for the residents that had specific questions about development closer to their homes or businesses.

Resident Question and Answer Session After MeetingThe Breeze and NBC2 were also covering this important event today in addition to the City of Cape Coral's live FB feed and our own NWNA live FB broadcast.

As always, thank you for being a member of the NWNA!

Burnt Store Road Town Hall Meeting

NWNA Members:

The City of Cape Coral is hosting a town hall meeting on the Land Use and Zoning for Burnt Store Road. This is an opportunity to hear the plans-to-date for a major commercial corridor in Cape Coral and for you to provide input. This meeting will also include some updates from the NWNA on other happenings in the Northwest. This meeting is open to the public and is a great next step in the development of Northwest Cape Coral. I hope to see you there.  

John Bashaw
(920) 449-2000

Town Hall Meeting

The Northwest Regional Library
519 Chiquita Blvd.
Cape Coral, Florida
Saturday, July 30th
At: 10:00 am

Join us for this informational meeting to discuss the future plans for the last commercial corridor in our great city!

New Development in Cape Coral, Fl - June 2022

Here We Grow Again!

Say goodbye to the open storage facility next to Mcdonald's at Coral Shores and say hello to a sprawling apartment complex.  "The Springs at Coral Shores" is a proposed 17-acre development consisting of ten multi-story apartment buildings (304 units total), an amenity center/clubhouse, pool, three garage accessory structures, and open yard areas, and a lake. Primary access to the development is proposed on Ceitus Parkway and Pine Island Road and each entry will feature an automatic key-coded gate.

The Springs at Coral Shores

If "The Springs at Coral Shores" sounds familiar, that's because there are "The Springs" apartment complexes all over the nation and many in south Florida.  There's "The Springs" in Cape Coral, Port Charlotte, Six Mile Cypress, and Estero. It's a national brand of residential communities owned and managed by Continental Properties Group.  All complexes are about the same size with a similar appearance. Continental starts and completes several of these complexes every year nationally so chances are good that there will be follow-through on this plan.

The Springs at Cape Coral above and The Springs at Six Mile Cypress below

The Springs at Six Mile Cypress

If you follow the local news, you'll know that Matlacha and Pine Island raised concerns about the voluntary annexation to Cape Coral of two sets of property on the south side of Pine Island Rd.  One on the east side and one on the west side.  Because it was a voluntary annexation by landowners, there appear to be no legal grounds to challenge the annexation. 

For residents in the Northwest Cape, this proposed project could be one of those iconic developments that define an area.  At a minimum it will bring badly needed housing and retail to our area, not to mention a hotel to accommodate tourists.

The Pine Island Civic Association received a copy of the developer's initial concept plan for the west portion of land from Lee County and posted it on their website. 

Here's what we know about the proposed development, as it enters the initial review process.

• A four-story residential building with 520 units and room to park 875 cars
• A five-story hotel with 150 rooms and parking for 150 vehicles
• A 16,000 clubhouse/pool, a fitness area
• 58,000 square feet of commercial space in one story
• 30,000 square feet of office space in a two-story building
• A park and a children's play area

If you have trouble reading the notes on the plan, there will be offices, commercial, and a hotel along the west side of Veterans Pkwy, a park on the lake in the middle, a kids area, a pool and sauna on the southwest side and apartments around the western lake and along Pine Island Rd.

There is a plan in the early stages for the land between the Cape Coral Boat Ramp on Burnt Store Rd. and the Blue Water Vista Development.  Whitestone Development is planning an Airbnb Resort for the property.  It would consist of a resort building for lodging, a food shack, a pool, and boat slips with a fueling station.  It would also have commercial retail and a coffee shop fronting Burnt Store Rd.  Whitestone Builders has been busy in the local area building rental homes for investors. 

7 Islands Update - June 2022

Gulf Gateway Resort and Marina Village

It's been over 3 months since the City Council received a presentation on February 23^rd from Forest Development, the city's first choice developer for the Seven Islands project.

The mixed-use project, now known as the "Gulf Gateway Resort and Marina Village," will include a hotel, restaurants, and commercial and residential units, all in line with the city's concept plan which restricts construction to 995 residential units with a maximum building height of 8 stories.  

All's quiet on the information front, but we do know the city's timeline in their February presentation put the purchase contract agreement timeframe as June/July 2022.

Council liked what they heard from the developer in February but wanted commercial and hotel construction to be in the first stage of development along with some residential.  Lawrence Zabik, project manager for Forest Development, said they would make adjustments to accommodate Council.

We are including, below, a timeline chart that was presented by Forest on February 23^rd.  It will give you an idea of how this project could play out over the next 10 years, but keep in mind that this is an initial timeline and, as in many projects, things could change.  So, keep flexibility in mind as you review.  

Since the timeline puts marina design and plans first, it would be interesting to see if hotel and commercial aspects either surround or lay next to the marina.  Plans would run along the lines of Nautilus 220, Forest's project in Lake Park, FL though restrictions on building height here would apply.  Roads and infrastructure could start as soon as late 2023. 

Despite references to their Nautilus project, Mr. Zabik said, in his presentation, that Gulf Gateway will have its own identity.

• Forest will work with Cape Coral to implement the D-1 Legacy Development Plan
• Burnt Store Corridor is the city's opportunity for a legacy destination resort
• Gateway to a waterfront lifestyle with full access to the area's waterways
• Smart, environmentally responsible development
• Plan will add over 2,500 new residents, increase visitors and tourism to Cape Coral
• Plan will be complimentary to existing neighborhood development

So, for now, we're waiting for the agreement to get hashed out and then, soon after, we should be able to get our first glimpse of what's coming to the Seven Islands but we're not quite there yet. 

In the meantime, repeat until it sinks in:

Gulf Gateway Resort and Marina Village

Gulf Gateway Resort and Marina Village

Gulf Gateway Resort and Marina Village…

View from above of Forest Development's Nautilus 220 in Lake Park, FL

Cape Coral Capital Improvement Projects Update

On May 25, 2022 the City Council was given an update on all major Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) and Public Works projects currently ongoing in the City.  Attached is that presentation. 

This presentation touches on the project status of the Utilities Expansion Project; Parks Go Bond; Police, Fire and Fleet training and Maintenance Facilities; Road, Trail and Sidewalk programs; water quality projects, utility projects, and several other miscellaneous projects. We thought this was a thorough, albeit brief, update and worth sharing. The presentation is also available on the City's website.

CIP Project Status

Gopher Tortoise Monitoring/Maintenance Help

NWNA Members:

The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife (CCFW), Members are seeking volunteers to assist with Gopher Tortoise Monitoring and Maintenance. 

To sign-up, click the link below (or cut and paste it into your browser) and provide the information requested: https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/904496814071/false#/invitation

I plan to sign up. It's a great opportunity to do something positive for our community and for wildlife.  

Thank you
John Bashaw
(920) 449-2000

If you have any issues with the sign-up, please contact Tammy at TCarterCCFW@gmail.com.

If you have questions about the Gopher Tortoise Monitoring/Maintenance please contact Cheryl Anderson: at azlebird@aol.com or Greg Borchardt: at stinkrats@gmail.com.  

Thank you

Register Here!

What is the speed limit on Cape Coral's canals?

Local Resident Tom Dawson's - Letter to the Editor of the Breeze

On March 18, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission announced the state has "passed the mark of one million registered recreational vessels across the state" and here in Lee County, at the end of 2021, there were 50,304 registered recreational vessels.

This increase in boats and boaters along with the increase in new residents on the Gulf-access canals in Cape Coral is creating a lot of tension over what the speed limit is for boats on those canals. As any boater knows the canals are filled with signs that say "Idle Speed No Wake." If there are these signs, it must be true?

Even our city council believed it should be true, so back in 2020 they added an ordinance to Chapter 10 of the Land, Waterway Use Restrictions. In Section 10-10 (b) it says: "The following areas are hereby designated as idle speed zones: (1) Any area which has been duly designated as a manatee sanctuary area or posted as an idle speed zone."

Unfortunately, our city council members and the city attorney at the time either misunderstood or never bothered to read the applicable State of Florida codes governing Manatee Protection Zones. In Florida Administrative Code 68C-22.005 (d) 5. It clearly states; "Slow Speed (All Year) …. including the residential canals of Cape Coral."

Further reading of the Florida codes says that a municipality can petition the state for a different speed limit under certain conditions in Manatee Protect Zones. The conditions don't include blanket speed limits for the entire Gulf access canal system. However, the state would approve a request for an idle speed zone within 300 feet of either a boat launch area or fuel dock.

In the spring of 2020, the city of Cape Coral, under pressure from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, put a notice in the city's quarterly newsletter "On The Move" titled "Outdated Signage in Local Waterways to Be Removed." You can read the notice yourself; it can be found on the city's website on the Community Newsletter page. Some key passages include:

"State law prohibits the placement of any signage in the waters of the state without a state permit." Meaning all signs, private and city posted, that say, "Idle Speed No Wake" must come down. The city also admitted that, "The City's tidal waterways are manatee speed zones and are marked appropriately with "Slow Speed/Minimum Wake" signage at the entrance to our canals from the river." The Gulf access canals are "tidal waterways" and as anyone who lives on them knows manatees forage for food in those canals.

There is a legal definition for "Slow Speed/Minimum Wake" - unfortunately many boaters and canal residents are not familiar with it. The state in F.A.C. Rule 68C-22.002 (4) defines it as follows:

"Slow speed requires that a vessel be fully off plane and completely settled into the water. The vessel must then proceed at a speed which is reasonable and prudent under the prevailing circumstances so as to avoid the creation of an excessive wake or other hazardous condition which endangers or is likely to endanger other vessels or other persons using the waterway. Due to the different speeds at which vessels of different sizes and configurations may travel while in compliance, there is no specific numeric speed assigned to Slow Speed."

The city has a Waterway Advisory Board and in my remarks to the board last September, I advised that information and education were keys to addressing many of our boating related problems. The State of Florida only mandates basic boater education classes for those people born on or after Jan. 1, 1988. We know the bulk of our new residents don't meet the requirement so they get a boat and hit the waters without learning the rules.

A city employee told the Waterway Advisor Board it can do nothing to remove the illegal speed limit signs in the canals that private residents have on their property. Beyond the article mentioned previously, the city has not taken any substantive measures to inform canal residents and boaters the current rules and regulations. Even the current "Canal Owner's Manual" which was written in 2009 doesn't address any boating rules and regulations.

The following are some of the recommendations made to the city's Waterway Advisory Board

1. Repeal city ordinance 10-10 (b) and harmonize the city regulation with one that mirrors F.A.C. 68C-22.005 (d) 5. "Slow Speed (All Year) - including the residential canals of Cape Coral."
2. Add the state's definition of Slow Speed Minimum Wake to city ordinance 10-10.
3. Notify all canal homeowners and boaters what the legal speed limit is and post this information online.
4. Notify all canal homeowners the need to take down all of the illegal "Idle Speed No Wake"signs on their property.
5. Obtain a permission from the state to establish "Idle Speed No Wake Zones"at boat ramps and gas docks.

Finally, for all boaters new and old in Cape Coral learn all the boating rules and regulations by taking an approved Boating Safety Course and earning your State of Florida Boating Safety Education ID Card. This course covers all of the Federal, and State regulations along with boating basics that Florida boaters need to know. A listing of approved course providers is available at myfwc.com.

Tom Dawson

Cape Coral