Rezoning and Variance Requests Will be Focus of March GPICA Meeting

The Greater Pine Island Civic Association (GPICA) will hold its next monthly general meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, in person at the Pine Island Methodist Church, 5701 Pine Island Road NW, Bokeelia, FL 33922. Members and non-members are welcome to attend. We’ll also be live-streaming the meeting on our Facebook page.

The March meeting will focus on several rezoning and variance requests from across the community.

In unincorporated communities like Pine Island, developers are required to hold public information sessions to inform residents about their plans. On Pine Island, the GPICA is typically the designated forum for these public information meetings required before developers may obtain Development Orders that allow them to begin site work or obtain building permits. During these hearings, GPICA members and community residents have an opportunity to ask questions of the developers and vote on whether they support plans. Following these hearings, the GPICA Board summarizes community response to the proposed changes and communicates the results — including questions and concerns — to the Lee County Department of Community Development and the Lee County Commission.

The three items on the March agenda:

• Representatives from the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast will discuss their plans for land across from Flamingo Bay in St. James City. The Foundation is submitting a rezoning and special exception application to Lee County to rezone 229 acres from C-1A and AG-2 to the Environmentally Critical (EC) zoning district in order to allow a boardwalk, kayak launch, and small parking lot. A special exception is required to permit impervious surfaces for passive recreation in the EC zoning district. The property doesn’t have an address yet, but the STRAP No. is 10-45-22-00-00001.0050. The project is called Pine Island Preserve at Matlacha Pass.
• A rezoning request for 8523 Stringfellow Road, which is currently zoned commercial general, and needs to be rezoned to commercial planned development. The developer is seeking to build a small lawn and garden center.
• An administration deviation to the 25-foot setbacks required for a proposed dock and boat lift at 12060 Shoreview Drive, Matlacha.

In-person participants are asked to wear masks regardless of vaccine status.