Land use application for Redfish Pointe withdrawn
An application for a land use change for Redfish Pointe, a first step needed for development, has been withdrawn.
Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, who represents ZZW Development LLC, sent the letter Feb. 3 to city Development Services Department Director Brett Limbaugh, withdrawing the Redfish Pointe Future Land Use Map Amendment application effective immediately.
City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn noticed the Cape Coral City Council that city staff will be closing the case with no further action required by City Council or Planning and Zoning.
“This does not prevent a transfer of the property, development under current regulations, or resubmittal later,” Ilczyszyn wrote.
The withdrawal was hailed by an environmental group opposed to development on the 350-acre riverfront site east of Tarpon Point Marina.
According to Redfishpointe.com, the proposed land use amendment called for a mixed used community on 110 acres – 90 for the development area and 20 acres for public access and amenities. The remaining 240 acres was designated as preserve.
“We are very surprised that they withdrew, but very pleased that they decided to abandon their effort to develop the land, or change the land-use to sell it,” said Paul Bonasia, of Protect Our Wetlands in Cape Coral.
Bonasia said their grassroots effort has been fighting development for four years.
“It became known to the public back in 2021. We thought after (Hurricane) Ian, they wouldn’t advance their request to change the land use. In spring of 2023, they started it back up. That is when we organized our grassroots organization, Protect our Wetlands in Cape Coral, to oppose this and have been active since,” he said.
Bonasia said although it’s great news they are only cautiously optimistic.
“They can bring it back in a different political atmosphere where they can get the votes on city council,” he said, adding that a city staff report recommended denial in March 2023.
“They didn’t have the votes, the staff is recommending no. I would like to think our efforts, community outcry, and raising awareness, was part of their decision to not move forward.”
The organization’s focus is now moving to have the land purchased for conservation.
To that end, Bonasia said their focus is to try to bring the owners, Zemel family and related trust, to the table, or their agents, to nominate their property for Lee County’s Conservation 20/20 program.
“Hopefully through that program, and potentially through other state and federal funds we can come up with and negotiate a contract to sell the land for conservation,” he said.
Since its inception, Bonasia said the organization has done protest marches, brought people to speak before city council, as well as had meetings with all the council members, and planning and zoning members.
“We have been very fortunate that we have at least 1,000 people that are on my direct mailing list and close to 7,000 people on our petition,” he said.
Bonasia said he lives on Pelican Boulevard, north of Rotary Park. He said one of the chief reasons that people were rejecting the development was due to the risk of flooding to their homes.
With Hurricane Ian, Bonasia said he had $130,000 worth of damage to his home.
He said with high tide water coming in every day, and the proposed road through Rotary Park, it would change the whole hydrology of the park because he would say about 60% is high tide inundation.
The proposed development would also have impacted the habitat for wildlife, he said.
“It’s a huge environmental win for residents of Cape Coral,” Bonasia said of the withdrawal. “It’s a win to protect our homes from storm surge and I think it’s a win for all the wildlife to call that area, 350 acres, home.”
Meanwhile, an application has been submitted to Lee County’s Conservation 20/20 program, offering to sell a separate but nearby 102-acre riverfront parcel at the southern tip of the Cape Coral.
The parcel, which has different owners, is across from Tarpon Point and west of the Redfish Pointe site.
The application was submitted by Noel Davies, trustee of the Glover Bright Land Trust, on Dec. 17.
The application authorizes Lee County to evaluate the property for potential purchase in the Conservation Lands Program and states the owner is willing to consider a fair market value offer for the purchase.
The property wraps around the Cape near Tarpon Point Marina and the Westin Resort.
The application states “this particular site is still in pristine condition with areas of natural mangrove lagoons and tidal pools, sea grapes, and cocoplums as a dominant woody vegetation.”
The application also includes information about surrounding waterways being identified as an important breading area for the endangered smalltooth sawfish.
It has the potential for passive recreational development, the application states.
Conservation 20/20 is a voter-approved program that provides for the purchase, and preservation, of environmentally sensitive lands.
To reach MEGHAN BRADBURY, please email news@breezenewspapers.com