by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
Environmental Protection Agency representative Bill Sekowski presented the final report in the Recovery and Resiliency Partnership Project (R2P2) program. The program provides free technical assistance to communities impacted by a major disaster declaration. The program’s goal is to develop a set of community-driven conceptual designs that reflect a vision for long-term recovery and are poised to leverage federal, state, and nonprofit funding resources for implementation.
This effort focused on design concepts for: island-wide mobility and connectivity, potential barge landing, naturalizing existing seawalls, enhancing Sanibel’s Town Center, and the evolution of Sanibel Island Golf Course.
City Manager Dana Souza, as well as Mayor Richard Johnson, stressed that all these projects are very conceptual and Council accepting the report is in no way a commitment to move forward on any of the projects.
“This is an opportunity to take a look at potential projects,” Johnson said. “A lot more discussion will take place, and we will check public input.”
Souza added that City staff will not be spending any time on any of the projects.
The full report is available at coastalFLR2P2.com.
Ten members of the public spoke to object to the mention of the Sanibel Island Golf Course in the EPA report. Even the fact that it is in the report, without any action taken, has hurt property values, they said, and jeopardized a potential sale of the golf course.
Councilmember John Henshaw said to keep in mind the R2P2 effort was a service provided to the City free of charge. “I regret the golf course was added to the items. There was no intention to cause any kind of harm or anxiety,” he said.
After discussion, Council voted to accept the report with the golf course item omitted, in a 4-0 vote, with Councilmember Laura DeBruce recusing herself, as she is the lawyer for the golf course.
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