Take the Beacon’s golf cart ordinance poll!

Despite overwhelming opposition from Boca Grande residents, Lee County officials say they intend to push ahead with a revised ordinance requiring operators of golf carts on county roads to be at least 16 years old and to be licensed drivers.

Steve Jansen, a traffic engineer with Lee County’s Department of Transportation, said that the ordinance has been given to a county attorney for revision.

“The ordinance has been cut way back from the original,” he said. “The part requiring seat belts and safety seats has been taken out, but the age and driver’s license stipulation is still in there. That’s because the sheriff’s office has the biggest problem with that one.”

The original proposed changes included that all drivers of golf carts must be 16 years of age and hold a valid driver’s license, that the number of occupants in the cart is restricted to the number of seats, no one is allowed to stand in the cart at any time while it is moving, and all laws applying to secured child safety seats in passenger vehicles would also apply to golf carts. The ordinance changes also requires all golf cart drivers to hold liability insurance.

While all golf carts may operate during daylight hours provided they have proper brakes, reliable steering, safe tires, a rearview mirror and red reflectors on both the front and the rear of the cart, only carts equipped with headlights, brake lights, turn signals and windshields will be allowed to use county roadways at night. This ordinance is only applicable to Lee County roadways. It does not apply to the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association path.

Jansen said he has received 41 emails so far about the ordinance. Two were from residents of Captiva.

“About 75 percent of the comments say to just leave it alone, that they are happy with what we’ve got now for an ordinance,” he said. “People have to understand, though, that this is a county-wide ordinance, not just for Boca Grande.”

According to Harry Campbell, the chief engineer for Lee County DOT, the ordinance changes came at the request of the sheriff’s office. He also said that, to his knowledge, the problems addressed in the revised ordinance are a result of problems in Captiva, not Boca Grande.

“There are a lot of young drivers who don’t know the proper driving etiquette or rules of the road,” he said. “They have had problems on Captiva with that, particularly at night. Right now, we are in the process of coming up with specific wording and exact language, to make sure we do this right.”

Commissioner Bob Janes represents Boca Grande. He was not available for comment. His administrative assistant Nan Summerall-Gonzales said that their office has received numerous comments on the issue. Because the final ordinance draft has not been finished yet, she said that Janes would not comment at this time.

Summerall-Gonzales also said that the proposed ordinance had come at the request of the Sheriff’s Office, particularly with plans for new cart paths on Captiva.

“A lot of this ordinance has to do with golf carts crossing from course to course on public roads on Captiva,” she said. “Captiva and Boca Grande are very different. Captiva is just now building their cart paths.”

Commissioner Tammy Hall, who was on the island last weekend to attend the spaghetti dinner at the Crowninshield Community House, said she is just now getting into the facts of the matter.

“The sheriff’s office doesn’t have the authority to pass the ordinance, we do,” said Hall. “When you have a non-licensed vehicle on a public right of way the sheriff has the ability to do some things with that, yes. But we don’t have to approve the sheriff’s recommendations. If it was in his authority to do this, he wouldn’t have to come to us.“

Hall isn’t the only one who feels that way. When Republican candidate for Lee County Sheriff Rod Shoap visited Boca Grande on Thursday, he agreed that the voices of island residents are not being listened to within Lee County government.

“There is a real important document that starts out with ‘We the people,’” Shoap said. “The sheriff doesn’t own the people, he is the people’s sheriff. What’s driving him (Sheriff Mike Scott) to want this so bad? Everything the department is doing right now is traffic-related, yet crime is through the roof and fatal accidents haven’t decreased.”

Hall fielded numerous questions pertaining to the proposed ordinance changes when she was on the island. One person who approached her, though, made the most impact because he was so directly affected by the proposed changes.

Parker O’Bannon, an island 14-year-old, circulated a petition on the proposed golf cart ordinance at the spaghetti supper. At 14, even though he has been driving a golf cart since he was a small child, he will lose the privilege of driving a cart on most of the island if the changes are adopted. He considers the cart a vital tool in his job and in helping out his family.

O’Bannon said that he helped out around the house by taking the younger children by golf cart to the school to play, and also by running errands for his parents. Now that it’s tarpon season, when Parker gets up at 3:30 a.m. to go to his job as a mate on a fishing boat, his mother will have to take him if he can’t drive the cart.

When he realized that the threat of not having a golf cart to use for work was more than just a possibility, he decided to take action on his own and started the petition. The spaghetti supper was his first attempt, and he got more than 80 signatures.

“There was only one person out of all of them I asked that said they agreed with it,” Parker said. “The people of Lee County are represented by the commissioners, at least sort of. I would hope that they decide to do what’s right and listen to the people.”

When Parker had a chance to speak with Hall at the dinner on Sunday, his words apparently made a difference.

“Parker, and many others, really feel that there is an ordinance in place already, and if it was enforced a lot of the golf cart issues would be addressed,” she said. “Almost everyone told me that we don’t need an additional ordinance. Parker did say to me that if there is an issue of compliance, just like with boaters there could be a golf cart safety course. He said that he didn’t think that anyone would be opposed to that, from what he has heard.”

She paused and said, “I don’t know, there are a lot of questions I don’t have answers to right now. I’m going to have to peel back the onion on this. I have not had an opportunity to speak with DOT staff, and I’m not really sure if there’s specific repetitive problems they have had. I want to know, is this more of a Captiva issue than a Boca Grande issue?”

Hall also said that because there has been no discussion on the matter for quite some time among the commissioners, she didn’t think that the facts were known by many. She said she will be doing a little homework, including checking golf cart accident reports for the last few years and talking to people on both sides of the issue.

“I don’t think it’s on the radar of the commissioners, it’s still with the staff,” she said. “It will eventually come forward to the commissioners and we’ll make a determination then. I encouraged Parker to send a letter along with the signatures on the petition to all the commissioners, and to state that there is a concern about this on Boca Grande. Meanwhile, I’m going to find out who is pushing this forward so much. I’m not convinced we need to make a change, but the sheriff’s office will have their opportunity to present to the commissioners why they feel they should have this passed. We will also provide an opportunity for folks from Boca Grande to speak, or read letters at the public meeting, to hear both sides of the issue.”

Parker plans to put copies of the petition at Hudson’s Grocery for those who didn’t have a chance to sign at the spaghetti dinner. He can also be reached at 964-0539.

Residents will have to wait until June to find out what their next bill for iguana control will be, after numbers were left out of the fiscal year budget for 2009 at the latest meeting of the Boca Grande “streetlighting and iguana tax” board.

According to Libby Walker, director of Lee County Public Resources, when the panel was discussing how much tax money would be needed over and above what would be left over in the program’s coffers from 2008, she forgot to include numbers from a loan the panel took out to complete iguana control this year.

“I had a wrong number,” Walker said. “As a result, the committee is going to meet again in June to look again at the numbers and make a recommendation.”

Walker said that the amount the panel decided on at the May 7 meeting, which was $25,000, was too low due to the error. She did give hope to taxpayers by saying they could still expect a significant reduction from the amount paid in a special assessment earlier this year.

“That amount, $25,000, is not correct,” Walker said. “I hadn’t deducted the final payment from what we had left over in the fund. It doesn’t show up as a budget line item, and I forgot to put it in there manually, so I gave them an inflated carry-over number. We still expect, though, to be able to reduce the assessment from this past January.”

Walker said the fund currently holds approximately $123,000, with the peak season for iguana-catching just around the corner and still not paid for.

“If George collects 4,000 iguanas this summer, that would be $80,000 to pay out between now and end of the fiscal year,” she said.

Wednesday’s meeting almost couldn’t be held because of a lack of quorum on the panel. With the departure of Chairman Bonnie McGee, as well as Beverly Furtado and Peter Sholley’s not coming back when their terms were up, panel member John Bourgoin had planned to resign as well. Once he discussed that decision with several of the people that are involved in the program, though, he rescinded his resignation.

“I am staying on because I was asked to,” he said. “Even George Cera asked me to stay. They are afraid if they get someone else, a person who may not know what has been going on here for the last two years. So, for now, they have twisted my arm and I am going to stay.”

Bourgoin has continued to be a driving force in the lizard battle, on occasion even taking out an iguana or two himself with a pellet gun.

Boca Grande resident Dick Ryan started his new position on the panel at this week’s meeting, making a quorum. As far as a lack of a chairman, panel member Ron Gutman said it isn’t a necessary position to name.

“We don’t need to have a chairman, per say, we’ll just go with what we’re doing,” he said. “We can have someone just be a moderator at the meetings and not formalize it. Hopefully we can get five member back on the panel, and not have a chair unless something happens that we need one.”

Walker also said that as of May 1, liens were put on the properties of those who didn’t pay the special assessment.

“We still haven’t received $6,000,” she said. “We went for $120,000, so we’re doing pretty well. Overall we got an excellent response. We were depending on the island to do this, and we got $114,000.”

Panel member Ron Gutman agreed.

“I would consider that response to be an editorial comment endorsing what we’re doing,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that everyone is happy with having to foot the bill, but it seems to speak to the fact that people are generally happy with what we’re doing. I consider this amount a home run.”

Lyman Randall, a resident of the Charlotte County portion of the island and the chairman of their iguana MSBU, gave a report on their progress with the United States Department of Agriculture doing the lizard hunting there.

Randall said that Charlotte County is preparing to do a baseline study to determine an iguana head count in that area. Gutman said that Lee County, too, would have to get to that point eventually as well, in order to complete the information necessary for possible government funding.

“We’ve had more than three months of experience with the USDA and Parker Hall,” Randall said. “Each catch has been examined to see what kind of bait in the traps works better, and how many eggs, if any, they are carrying. Parker reported that there has been roughly 3,000 eggs in those that have been trapped.”

Randall said that the USDA has taken two groups containing 20 iguanas each to set up a nesting ground so they can study their habits to obtain useful trapping information.

“Parker said that in those iguanas he has trapped, particularly in February through mid-March, there is evidence that they breed much earlier than they assumed,” Randall said. “So catching them, even in cold weather, is a big plus.”

George Cera, the iguana trapper in the Lee County portion of the island, also gave a report on his progress.

“We’re not seeing as many large animals as we used to,” Cera said. “It’s telling me we’re moving along. I just removed an animal that was the size of my hand. When I did a stomach content study on her, I found 28 eggs. They’re breeding small now. Also, last year out of every 10 animals caught we were getting seven or eight females. Now, it’s reversed.”

Cera also reported that someone had smashed or stolen over $10,000 of equipment at the south end of the island’s public parks, and that he couldn’t place them in highly-populated areas anymore.

Gutman also told the panel that at a recent meeting of Lee County Commissioners, Commissioner Bob Janes brought up matter of Boca Grande residents having to pay for iguana eradication because it isn’t considered a “core level of service.”

“The idea he brought up was that some time ago, when this all started, Janes said that the commissioners could do nothing, but perhaps somewhere in the future they would participate,” Gutman said. “He suggested at the recent meeting that the problem was clearly not just a Boca Grande problem, but a central and southern Florida problem. Janes told the commissioners that assistance would be needed in Lee County in the future. So it is not a dead issue, they have not thrown it out the window. That is not the case. The wheels just turn very slowly. We would like to see Lee County become our partner, and now that the subject is alive it is incumbent on us to keep it alive and in front of them. We need to figure out how to do this.”

Bourgoin agreed, stating that he has seen iguanas on three different area golf courses, near the hospital in Englewood and on River Road as well.

“It looks to me like it isn’t just Boca Grande business, but a state or federal problem we’re facing now,” he said. “Soon, we’re going to be submerged with these animals.”

The next amount collected for iguana eradication will appear on resident tax notices in October, and will be listed in the section along with trash collection taxes. There will be a public hearing scheduled for some time this summer, and the next tentative meeting for June 2 at 2 p.m. in the Boca Grande Community Center Auditorium.

There are still two vacancies on the iguana panel. Contact Libby Walker’s office at (239) 533-2120 for applications. According to Walker, anyone has an interest in serving on the board would be appreciated.

A public meeting will be held by the Gasparilla Inn and Club in reference to a proposed expansion of the Inn’s marina on 8th Street.

The meeting will be held on Monday, May 19 at 4 p.m. at the marina. Jack Damioli, the Inn’s president and general manager, said that they have been contemplating expanding the marina for quite some time.

“We’re putting together our thoughts for the proposed renovations,” he said. “At this point nothing has been approved, nothing has been done on the permitting level with the county. We’re just getting our thoughts together, to find out what will work well.”

Damioli said he will walk through the renovation process with neighbors to get comments and suggestions.

“We want to be inclusive in the way we go about this plan,” he said. “As you know, public marinas and storage have become an endangered species … there’s fewer and fewer of them. We want to keep  our marina public. It is a really important part of the resort operation, and we have a lot of people that come by boat to the island. We don’t want to change that, it wouldn’t be in the public’s best interest.”

The Gasparilla Inn and Club  has operated the marina since 1990, and this will be the second renovation. The current boat storage facility holds 142 boats that are 25 feet in length or less. With the proposed renovation, 75 storage units would be added. They would be able to accommodate boats up to 30 feet in length.

Other changes in the marina would include building a new maintenance facility, new restroom facilities for patrons, a new ship’s store and the addition of a viewing deck for the public to use that overlooks the bayou. Damioli said the vegetative buffer that exists between the marina and the nearest neighbors will not be touched.

“The public can come, watch all the activity around the marina, watch the manatees, just relax,” Damioli said. “We plan to have some rocking chairs out there, and hope people will come and use it.”

Damioli said that Inn representatives have already met with Lee County zoning officials, but the meeting was informational only. No permitting processes have begun yet.

“Our plan is to build to the east of the current building, away from neighbors and close to the bayou,” Damioli said. “All the work is in compliance with historical district regulations.”

Damioli said they are also working with Lee County Parks and Recreation to create a new kayak launch at the end of 8th Street.

The old maintenance building and ship’s store building will be torn down, as well as the Marina Cottage. Damioli said that neither one is a contributing structure to the historic district.

Several neighbors say that the biggest concern on their mind is the additional noise and traffic.

One of them, John Bourgoin, said he is willing to go to the meeting and see what the Inn’s representatives have to say.

“I am willing to listen,” he said. “Right now, I’m against it because of the noise. But I will go and see what they have to say.”

Another neighbor, Tom Shaffer, expressed the same sentiments.

“We are concerned about more noise and traffic, but we’d like to see what they’ve got in mind,” he said. It’s fine to say that there won’t be noise and traffic, but they don’t have enough buffering already.”

Another one of Bourgoin’s concerns is the noise from the current forklift that lifts boats in and out of racks.

“If they get an electric forklift instead of the one they’ve got, that would be good,” he said.

Damioli said that, on average, they currently lift anywhere from eight to 10 boats a day. He didn’t think that the number would increase by more than a handful with the renovations. He also said that there was a possibility of routing large trucks and construction traffic through the Inn’s dormitories, away from other residents.

“I live at the end of the street, too,” Damioli said. “I think the proposal works well for the neighborhood and the island. There’s a big public demand for boat storage now. There a lot of things we still need to explore on many fronts, though. Now that we have a decent plan, we can go to the neighbors and explain what we’re talking about. We want to hear from our neighbors, to hear their thoughts on what could make this better, and ways to be better neighbors as we go forward.”

Neighbors should receive letters this week inviting them to the meeting.

For those who love fishing in the dark, the next Howl at the Moon Invitational Tarpon Tournament is edging closer, and there is still room for anglers who haven’t signed up yet for the May 31 date.

The previous three years that the tournament has been held have been very successful. So far, out of four tournaments (two were held last year), 180 tarpon have been released.

This year things will be a bit different than in former years, as the captain’s party has been opened up to the public.

“We really want to let everybody know,” said Melina Chapman, one of the coordinators of the tournaments. “The party is open for everyone to come, it’s a celebration of traditional fishing for the whole community and it’s for a great cause.”

Proceeds from the entry fees will benefit the Lighthouse Museum, and all fishing action will be monitored from that location the night of the tournament.

“When the tournament starts everyone can go down there,” Chapman said. “Reggie (Norman, the official judge) will be setting up down there, talking to all the boats from the beach instead of out on the water like usual. Anyone can go down there to  hear what’s going on, and we will have the leader board up there.”

It’s also a good spot to watch some of the tarpon being released.

After sunset, the action will be monitored by radio from the lighthouse.

Three places will be awarded, with 90 percent payback. The cost is $2,500 per team. Each team will consist of a captain, an observer and four anglers.

The captain’s party will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Eagle Grille, located at the Boca Grande Marina the day of the tournament. There will be entertainment, prizes and games.

Fishing will take place in Boca Grande Pass from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Chapman explained how the name “Howl at the Moon” came to be.

“My brother was standing here at the store (Melvin’s store, Gasparilla Outfitters and Special Effects), and he had a hat on,” she said. “We were just talking about the tournament, and I looked at his hat. It had a wolf on the front, and on the side it said ‘Howl at the Moon.’ I told Sandy that has to be the name of the tournament … it’s so cool.”

Last year, a Howl at the Moon “Lite” tournament was also held, due to great response from those who had already fished the big 2007 “Howl” tournament, and from some who didn’t get a chance to enter the first time. This year, two “Lite” tournaments are scheduled, one on June 14 and one on June 28. The fishing hours will be from 8 p.m. to midnight, and the entry fee will be $500.

“We had a lot of interest and so much fun,” said the tournament’s founder, Capt. Sandy Melvin.

“We’re trying to bring back some of the fun of the old Millers Marina tarpon tournaments by having the cocktail/captain’s meeting at the old marina. We wanted to keep alive the traditional methods of tarpon fishing, and especially the night fishing which is very popular and never got the credit it deserved.

Night fishing often goes in under the radar, and some people are intimidated by going out at night. But we have shown we can catch a lot of fish. We wanted to showcase the great night fishing we have here.”

Melvin said that previous years’ records will tell the tale of how many fish are caught during these tournaments, and how every second counts when recording the time each tarpon is released. During last year’s main tournament, the longest time anyone went without catching a tarpon was at the very end, when there was a 33-minute lag time between the 57th and 58th fish caught.

To date, Melvin has won every tournament with the exception of the “Lite” tournament. While some captain’s have needled him about winning his own tournaments, Melvin said it’s just a fluke.

“Every captain out there has the capability of winning the tournaments,” Melvin explained. “At least that’s the story I’m sticking to. Really, I’ve just been very fortunate. There’s no secrets … at least none that I’m going to tell.”

Melvin said next year there will be two main tournaments – The Howl at the Moon Open and a “Howl” ladies-only tournament, dates to be announced.

“It’s going to be a good next year,” said Melvin. “We’ve had great support from the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses and all the fishing guides.”

Another tournament, the Billy-Bo Memorial Tarpon Tournament, is slated to be held on Father’s Day, June 15. This tournament has become a favorite with many island fishermen with its tradition of no jigging allowed and all-release fishing with live bait.

The tournament will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. in Boca Grande Pass, with a post-fishing award party to be held at 8 p.m. at Miller’s Dockside.

The first place angler will receive 60 percent of the total net registration fees, and will be the team with the most tarpon released. Second place will take home 40 percent of the total net registration fees.

The registration fee for the tournament is $700. Of that amount for each entry, $600 will go toward prize money and $100 will go toward expenses.

Entry forms can be picked up at the Boca Beacon office, upstairs at 431 Park Avenue, or at Whidden’s Marina. All entry fees must accompany the entry forms. Checks can be made payable to the tournament’s founder and coordinator, Peggy Denby. Final registration will be held at Whidden’s Marina from noon to 2 p.m. on the day of the tournament. Tournament bags can be picked up there as well.

Denby and Smith created the tournament in memory of Capt. Billy Wheeler and Capt. Bo Smith, two of the foremost fishing captains in Boca Grande’s history.

For more information contact Peggy Denby at 964-1393 or Capt. Timmy Smith at 697-5544.

If you are a resident of Boca Grande and you’ve always envisioned your canine’s charisma and good looks as star material, Nancy Blank at Fugates is looking to talk to you about a new calendar that Fugates is sponsoring.

Blank is working with “Balimama,” otherwise known as Chris Carey of Sarasota, on a “Dogs of Boca Grande” calendar, and the good-looking hounds of the island will be featured. It will be a desk calendar, neatly kept in a CD jewel case, of professional quality.

Blank is excited about the prospect of the calendar, particularly since $1 of every calendar’s proceeds will go to the Englewood Animal Rescue Sanctuary. It is a cause near to her heart, and Fugates has sponsored two adopt-a-thons for the organization right outside their store.

“EARS  is one of my passions,” Nancy said. “I do whatever I can for animals, primarily dogs. I love them.”

Response to  the calender, however, has been slim so far, and Nancy is hoping that some of the year-round dogs will come out and seek a little fame.

“I think our target time was late,” Blank said. “By the time we got the flyers out in the store and started putting them in shopping bags, season was over.”

The desk calendars are made of 15 pages with a large photo on the cover. Each of the 12 months will feature a “Boca-style” background with a half-size photo, one page with photo credits and pet info and the back page showing the theumbnail photo of each month. The lucky dog chosen for the cover shot will have a large photo on the front.

Photos can be submitted to www.balimama.com, and 12 photos will be chosen along with the coveted “cover shot.” According to Blank, all photos will be judged on the “Four C’s,” which are Content, Character, Color and Cuteness.

Photos need to be submitted by June 1 for consideration. Include a bit of information on your dog, such as favorite tricks, pasttimes, treats or quirky behaviors. Nancy said if there are dog owners out there that don’t have what they consider to be a good photo of their dog, she or Carey could take the photo for them.

All dog owners who are chosen will be notified by July 15. The calendars should be available in October.

Carey is a graphic artist living in Sarasota with two spoiled rotten dogs of her own, one of which  is a rescue dog.

“I have always loved visiting Boca Grande,” she said. “On one kayak visit this year my friends and I happened to go into town afterwards for dinner, and I noticed the wall in Fugate’s with pics of “island dogs” and got the idea for my calendar. I did a little mock-up, had a meeting with Nancy and that’s the story.”

Blank can be reached 964-2323. Chris Carey can be reached at (941) 954-3880.

The Boca Grande Community Planning Panel will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, May 13 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Crowninshield Community House, 121 Banyan Street. The public is invited to attend.

The agenda for the meeting is scheduled to include a review of a meeting with the Lee County Department of Transportation regarding several matters that the panel discussed at their April 1 meeting.

At that meeting the panel discussed items such as parallel parking on Park Avenue, adding delivery zones to the downtown area, making Park Avenue and 3rd Street a four-way stop, dual-use parking spaces on 4th Street by the Loose Caboose, and relocation of the post office drop box.

The panel also plans to review and discuss the off-island Cape Haze cumulative traffic analysis. Ted Treesh, the panel’s traffic consultant from TR Transportation Consultants Inc. has been putting the study together to determine possible hazards in an island evacuation situation, as well as for emergency vehicles going on and off Gasparilla Island.

The panel has also slated a discussion on proposed wellfield protection measures for the Gasparilla Island Water Association’s water source, which is just off County Road 771 in an industrial park.

This will be the last scheduled meeting for the panel until the fall.

The Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum will be the focus of a new island event, the First Ziggy Memorial Poker Tournament and Cook-Out, which is being held on Friday, May 23 at the Boca Bay Power House.

The event to be held from 6 to 10 p.m. is purely for fun and bragging rights, as all money raised will go to benefit the museum.

The First Ziggy Memorial Poker Tournament and Cook-Out will feature music, a mullet toss and casting contest, to be held concurrently with the poker tournament. Throughout the evening raffles will be held for a wide array of prizes.

Proceeds from the event will go toward the development of environmental education programs for children of The Island School and other local elementary schools, as well as visiting grandchildren. An emphasis on the ecological balance between traditional fishing methods and protecting the local fishery’s habitat will be the hallmark of these programs.

The public is encouraged to show their support for island heritage and the Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum by taking part in the evening of fun and entertainment.

Ziggy the Pig was the mascot of Whidden’s Marina for 15 years, after taking the place of his predecessor pig, Susie.

Melissa Joiner Steyer inherited Ziggy when he was just 3 months old from islander Scooter Darna, and thousands of visitors paid tribute to the black pig who lounged with ducks and other animals at the entryway to the historic marina.

There are sponsorship opportunities available for local businesses to participate in the event.

For more information and to reserve tickets call Dave Arner at 964-0222.

Sea turtle season started on May 1, and beach patrollers are getting ready for the first nests of the season to pop up soon.

On average, 40,000 to 84,000 sea turtles nest on Florida coastline. Gasparilla Island is host to between 80 and 120 nesting turtles each year. Last year one area of the beach was honored to host six green turtle nests, a species that is becoming more endangered each year.

Grace Harvey, the state permit holder for the island’s sea turtle patrol, said that last year at this time no nests were on Boca Grande beaches. This year is no different.

“This season came upon us so fast,” she said. “Last year the activity started out slowly. We’ll see what happens this year.”

Harvey said that a few sea turtle patrollers got to participate in some early beach action, a unique census study of snowy plovers done earlier this week.

The study is conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geographical Survey. The objectives are to assess the size of the snowy plover population and distribution of breeding of Florida’s snowy plovers.

Two independent observers will visit each site on the same day within one hour of each other and record all the adult birds and their locations. They are not allowed to speak to each other or record the other’s data until the test is complete. Conditions such as the weather at the time, wind speeds and the type of land being studied are also recorded.

Snowy plover numbers have declined over the last decade and their distribution throughout the country, as well as the world, is patchy. The birds tend to keep to large, flat expanses of sand, and avoid all competition for food in habitats where other birds cannot nest. For a time the birds nested on the gravel roofs that were popular until the last few years. Now that the architectural style has been used less and less, it has also lessened the amount of area where plovers can nest.

The snowy plover’s patchy distribution, not only in North America but elsewhere in the world, is also due to the fact it avoids competition for food in a habitat in which few other birds can exist.

The birds are unique in many ways. The snowy plover frequently raises two broods a year, and sometimes three in places where the breeding season is long. The female deserts her mate and brood about the time the chicks hatch and initiates a new breeding attempt with a different male.

Young snowy plovers leave their nest within three hours of hatching. They flatten themselves on the ground when a parent signals the approach of people or potential predators. They walk, run, and swim well and forage unassisted by parents, but require periodic brooding for many days after hatching.

Nancy Lingeman, a sea turtle patroller for many years, is also a lover of the plovers. She said the birds are currently living in front of The Island House on Gulf Boulevard, in front of the Boca Grande Club, and two other locations on the island.

“The Island House plover and the Boca Grande Club plover are not nesting right now,” Lingeman said. “Out of the four nests we have, three have been gotten into by foxes. We found fox tracks and scat at the scene.”

Lingeman said that one nest, which is located between beach accesses two and three, is due to hatch in the next couple weeks, and requests that if dog owners do let their pets run loose on the beach, they be particularly careful that the animals don’t get into the plover nest or, in the future, sea turtle nests. The plover site, as well as all sea turtle nests, are marked with stakes and sometimes roped off.

“Some nice person found the plover nest before I did and surrounded it with shells,” she said.

Harvey said that while coyotes, foxes and raccoons are some of the biggest sea turtle egg predators on the island, dogs running loose can dig up nests as well, and that the smell of freshly-laid eggs could be enticing.

“Raccoons that raid the nests eat a lot of eggs,” she said. “They have a lot of young to feed. It’s like they’re just sitting there waiting for mama turtle to finish.”

Harvey also said that the stakes that The Island School students artfully decorated have been handed out to patrollers, and will hopefully be put to good use soon. The students have been making the stakes for several years, and learn a little more about sea turtle habits each time.

Lee County residents will now be fined for leaving beach furniture out after dusk from May 1 until October 31. The Lee County code was amended and approved last August to include beach furniture and equipment. Dune vegetation issues and more beach lighting stipulations were also added.

Lee County’s definition of furniture and equipment includes chairs, tables, cabanas, umbrellas, sailboats, tents, bicycles, personal watercraft, canoes, and the like. All beach furniture must be removed from the beach from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. during turtle nesting season, and to be stored behind the landward edge of dune vegetation.

Violators will be warned first, then cited with a Notice of Violation. The case will go to a hearing examiner, and fines up to $500 a day can be imposed.

Vehicles are also not allowed on the beach, unless driven by researchers, police, fire or EMS. Charlotte County already has these same statutes in effect.

Turtle nesting season along Florida beaches begins May 1 and ends October 31. Here are some do’s and don’t’s that people can remember to help clear the way for nesting turtles:

Do:

• If you encounter a nesting turtle, remain quiet and observe from a distance

• Shield or turn off outdoor lights that are visible on the beach from May through October

• Close drapes after dark and put beach furniture far back from the water

• Fill in holes that may entrap hatchlings on their way to the water

• Place trash in its proper place

Do Not:

• Approach nesting turtles or hatchlings, make noise, or shine lights at turtles

• Use flashlights or fishing lamps on the beach

• Encourage a turtle to move while nesting or pick up hatchlings that have emerged

• Use fireworks on the beach

Sea turtles are protected under federal law and any harassment or interference with a sea turtle, living or dead, is subject to penalty. If you witness anyone disturbing a turtle or find an injured or disoriented hatchling or adult, please notify agents with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1 (88 404-FWCC (3922), the local sheriff’s department, and/or Mote Marine Laboratory’s Sea Turtle Program at (941) 388-4331. If you find a dead or injured sea turtle contact Mote’s Stranding Investigations Program at (941) 988-0212.

New watering restrictions were effective as of May 1, and Lee County business owners and residents should adjust their irrigation time clocks.

New watering restrictions include:

• Irrigation is allowed on your days as defined below between midnight and 10 a.m. and/or 4 to 11:59 p.m.

• Odd addresses may irrigate lawns and landscapes on Wednesdays and Saturdays

• Even addresses may irrigate lawns and landscapes on Thursdays and Sundays

• Locations with both even and odd or no addresses such as multi-family units and homeowners association may water lawns and landscapes on Thursdays and Sundays

• Hand watering of stressed plants is allowed for 10 minutes each day

The South District’s Phase III Water Shortage Order that became effective January 16 required the Lee County portion of Gasparilla Island to follow the watering restriction mandated by Southwest Florida Water Management Districts (SW District) which still allows only once per week watering. However, the new restrictions do not have the same stipulation.

The severe water shortage regulations that have been in place are still in effect for the Charlotte County portion of the island. It allows landscape watering only one day per week, which must be one of five separate days dependent upon address.

Landscape watering is allowed:

• On Monday if your address ends in 0 or 1

• On Tuesday if your address ends in 2 or 3

• On Wednesday if your address ends in 4 or 5

• On Thursday if your address ends in 6 or 7

• On Friday if your address ends in 8 or 9, and locations without street addresses.

• Properties less than two acres in size, may water before 8 a.m. or after 6 p.m. on their designated day

• Properties more than two acres in size, may water before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. on their designated day

• Hand watering or micro-irrigation of non-lawn landscape is allowed

• Car washing is limited to one day per week

• Rinsing and flushing of boats after saltwater use is allowed after each use as necessary.

New plant material is allowed additional watering days and times but varies by county. Contact GIWA at 964-2423 for further information.

CLICK HERE TO TELL LEE COUNTY WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE PROPOSED GOLF CART ORDINANCE
The following are emails sent to Lee County Department of Transportation’s Steve Jansen concerning proposed changes to the county’s ordinance regulating the operation of golf carts on public streets.

The proposed changes to the Lee County ordinance on golf carts include requiring all drivers of golf carts to be 16 years of age and hold a valid driver’s license, that the number of occupants in the cart is restricted to the number of seats, no one is allowed to stand in the cart at any time while it is moving, and all laws applying to secured child safety seats in passenger vehicles will also apply to golf carts.

The ordinance changes also require all golf cart drivers to hold liability insurance.

While all golf carts may operate during daylight hours provided they have proper brakes, reliable steering, safe tires, a rearview mirror and red reflectors on both the front and the rear of the cart, only carts equipped with headlights, brake lights, turn signals and windshields will be allowed to use county roadways at night.
This ordinance is only applicable to Lee County’s island roadways. It does not apply to the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association path.

The emails published here were sent to Jansen, Lee County Commissioner Bob Janes and were carboned to the Boca Beacon:

GOLF CARTS ARE A WAY OF LIFE
I apologize if you are suddenly receiving opinions on a topic that you thought was no longer an issue. It seems to me that many islanders were busy during the tourist season with their businesses. Many people were unaware of the measures that you are considering regarding new golf carts rules.

I think that the fact that it is now on the headlines, and we have a chance to respond, you will find that golf carts on Boca Grande are a different issue than the bigger and busier islands. Golf carts are a way of life here.

A way that people get to and from work, school, recreation and worship.
Considering the costs of gas and the congestion in the downtown area during the busy weeks, we would be doing a great disservice to our community by limiting an inexpensive, efficient and safe mode of transportation. We would like to see the reasons for the suggested changes as pertain to our island.

Do children really fall off? I’ve never heard of such a thing. It would be a terrible inconvenience to move car seats to golf carts. They also only go around 14 miles per hour, so seat belts?

Our family has been using golf carts for transportation for over ten years and I am happy to say that no one has ever been hurt. Are these rules necessary?

I sat outside the Pink Pony last weekend and watched as a father carefully loaded five sandy children enjoying their ice creams onto a golf cart.

Three big children on the back, and two little ones in front, right next to him.

He cautiously pulled out and went on his merry way. Just envision how he will respond when he returns to vacation next year and discovers this joyful memory cannot happen again! Not of Boca Grande, he’ll just find somewhere more fun, convenient and less intrusive to vacation!
Please do not attempt to pass this law without proper discourse.
Ann Roman
Boca Grande

WHY ISN’T CURRENT LAW ENFORCED?
My entire family is totally opposed to the proposed golf cart ruling. I would ask the deputies why they have not enforced the rules we have, instead of making new ones.

I don’t hear the public outcry for change, so why go further?

If the people of Sanibel want it that is fine, but the people of Boca Grande do not support this ordinance.
Philip, Mary and Parker O’Bannon
Boca Grande

LET PARENTS DECIDE
I am concerned about kids driving golf carts. I don’t want to see them lose this privilege.

Boca Grande is a unique place, and the freedom to move around the island on electric golf carts via the bike path is a large part of the special relationship families have with the community.

Kids in particular often find their first hint of freedom and responsibility by taking a cart ride into town for an afternoon ice cream treat.

Over the past 25 plus years, I cannot recall a single accident caused by a kid on a cart. I can recall several that involved adults. Playing the “safety” card to justify keeping the kids off the carts just makes no sense.

We can always make a case for what “might” happen or “could” happen.

I will grant that there have been times where I have seen young kids driving a little reckless, having a little too much fun and not paying quite enough attention. In each case I’ve seen adults, not necessarily their parents, catch their attention and remind them to be safe. The wide-eyed ones would then tone it down in fear of losing the driving freedom or the thought of someone telling a parent. Sometimes a village really can help raise a child, and this village has proved over the years that it will help.

Which brings me to the real point on this comment.

Parental responsibility is the issue here. Parents are capable of deciding whether their child is responsible enough to drive a golf cart on the bike path much better than the government.

My personal opinion is that any age kid a parent deems responsible should be able to drive a cart on the bike path as long as a parent is seated next to them. Kids between the age of 10 and 15 should have the freedom to drive on their own on the bike path. If someone is caught acting in an unsafe manner, call the parent or write the kid a ticket that would require some community service. Have them pull some weeds or clean something for a day to learn a lesson.

Lets let kids be kids and enjoy island life, not try to regulate ourselves into boredom.
Capt. Sandy Melvin
Island Businessman

LET’S NOT COMPLICATE THINGS
Leave the rules alone. Seat belts in golf carts is the dumbest thing I ever heard of.

I feel that golf carts require a licensed driver. This eliminates the idea that golf carts are not go-carts or toys. Boca Grande in not a race track.

Seating for most regular size carts depends on personal comfort, approximately five. Child restraint seats or seat belts should not be required. There is no one more protective of their children then parents. Let it be their decision.

Too many requirements will force people to use their cars.

Many years ago the use of county streets to get to the golf cart path was legalized.
Boca Grande equals easy living, let’s not complicate it.
Beverly M. Furtado
Boca Grande

RECONSIDER THE ORDINANCE
My husband and I purchased a home in Boca Grande last year. It is a wonderful island and has many amenities but part of the charm for us is the use of golf carts.

We have a 14-year-old son who drives the cart as well and safely as any adult. Most of the island has paths but even without these, he is a safe driver.

We certainly wouldn’t allow him to drive if we felt it was unsafe to do so. 14-year-olds are in high school. I don’t believe they should be treated like a 10-year-old. We are definitely against changing this law. If you want to insure safe driving, give them a test.

From my experience however, 16- year-olds tend to be much more reckless. What are you going to do about them? I agree younger children should not be driving, but don’t penalize everyone for a few irresponsible adults that allow their children to do whatever.

Also, don’t penalize Boca Grande island. There are no busy roads that interfere with golf carts. Please reconsider this ordinance. Will the next law restrict cell phone use for adults on golf carts? Or maybe, adults over 70 can’t drive a cart?

Of the worse wrecks I’m aware of involving carts, they have mostly been adults with a few too many cocktails in them. This is just another bit of “Big Brother” we simply don’t need.
Karen Katchur
Boca Grande

NO CHANGE NEEDED
We do not need to change the rules for golf carts. This is another example of our politicians attempting to increase taxes on everything we do. Bet the insurance industry is licking their chops just waiting for golf cart owners to have to insure them. And then to have to add seat belts to them! Please leave us alone!
Barbara Taylor
Boca Grande

DON’T SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT DON’T EXIST
In reference to the proposed increased restrictions on golf cart use on Boca Grande, I find it incredible you insist on attacking a problem that doesn’t exist.

I have neither seen nor heard of any significant issues with golf carts on the island.

Additionally, there are plenty of laws on the books addressing every potential issue that could potentially arise. This appears to be a law specifically designed to permit law enforcement officials to harass residents and visitors alike. A large part of Boca Grande’s appeal is the casual atmosphere and that is enhanced by the ability to use golf carts instead of cars. It makes us unique when compared to Naples or Sarasota. You should be promoting their use instead of restricting them.

Tourists renting golf carts contribute to the downtown economy. Use of golf carts reduces demand for gasoline and reduces pollution.

Golf carts take up far less precious parking space in the downtown area. In summary they are a great benefit, not a detriment.

In regards to the proposed safety restrictions, get a life! How ridiculous is it for you to require seat belts on a golf cart! I presume you are also going to require all golf courses in Lee County to install and enforce seat belt use on their golf courses. An intoxicated golfer might fall out. Surely they can benefit from your “protection” as well.
Dave Taylor
Boca Grande

HOW LEGAL IS PROPOSED ORDINANCE
In your article April 25, you requested copies of emails sent regarding the golf cart ordinance. Unfortunately I did not have this saved on my computer, but you got a copy directly, and I had sent the original to Steve Jansen.

Mr. Campbell says “Hoopes was the only Boca Grande resident to email …” What happened to those sent to Steve Jansen?

Following your printing of mine, I received at least 10 phone calls from others (many of whom I did not know) complimenting me on my views. I think your poll says it all, but unfortunately what goes to the Beacon seems to have no effect on the county.

I wonder how legal some of the restrictions to be imposed in fact are. Those 14-year-olds who now are allowed to operate golf carts will have their rights withdrawn; carts which were bought years ago will have to undergo expensive retrofits; seniors, who for whatever reason no longer drive their cars but are legally allowed to do so, will have their rights taken away.

When the government imposed pollution restrictions and seat belt requirements on cars years ago, the existing cars were exempted (no ex post facto), and only new ones were required to meet the new rules.

When states changed the drinking age (New York for example) from 18 to 21, those who were already 18 and allowed to buy alcohol were allowed to do so since the new law would only take effect on those yet to become 18. Again no retroactivity. Is this not a fundamental right?

Thanks for your continuing efforts to represent the views of Boca Grande residents.
Peter Scott-Hansen
Boca Grande

DON’T CHANGE THE RULES
Don’t change rules regarding golf carts, use more effective posting on roads and the bike paths, remind cart renters and real estate renters to post golf cart rules and limit golf cart speeds to 15 mph.
Jane Schlegel
Boca Grande

NO MORE REGULATIONS
Please no more regulations or ordinances. We are regulated to death already. For the most part, everything works just fine most of the time. Leave things as they are.
E. Elliot
Boca Grande