INSIDE: Legal Notices
www.capecoralbreeze.com
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
$1.00
Cape looks to allow boat docks on vacant lots By MEGHAN BRADBURY
news@breezenewspapers.com
If you own a vacant waterfront lot in Cape Coral, you may soon be able to build a dock and cover your boat even if you don’t build a home. A public hearing will be held Wednesday to amend sections of the Land Development Code for accessory structures and marine improvements during Wednesday night’s meeting. If approved by the Cape Coral City Council, the changes would allow property owners to obtain permits for marine improvements and boat canopies on residential sites
“There may be a delay in when they want to move here. Everything has to be built to code and everything has to be permitted correctly.” — Councilmember Tom Hayden, who said the land use change would make waterfront properties more accessible to lot owners who may not want their house constructed right away but want a dock and boat lift on their homesite.
without a primary structure, such as a singlefamily building. Councilmember Tom Hayden said he thinks the ordinance would benefit the citizens as the city tries to make its waterways
more accessible to people who may not want their houses constructed right away but want a boat lift on the property. He said it makes sense to allow construction of a dock, lift and canopy cover to take place.
Beware jury scam
INDEX Legal Notices . . . 5-12 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . 3
7
48445 46010
1
See DOCKS, page 4
Work set to begin on Littleton expansion
NEWS OF NOTE The State Attorney’s Office is warning the public to be on alert for a scam threatening people for “failing” to appear for jury duty. These scammers demand payment as a “fine” for failing to appear for jury duty. The scammers will claim to be calling from an official government agency, including the State Attorney’s Office, and demand payment in lieu of being arrested. The State Attorney’s Office will never call you regarding jury service, officials said. Things to know: ■ A jury duty summons will never be delivered over the phone, but always by mail. ■ Court officials will never demand payment over the phone, or by wire transfer, or by gift card. Anyone getting such a call should hang up and call law enforcement or the State Attorney’s Office. Do not provide personal or financial information over the telephone even if the call appears to be is coming from law enforcement, officials said.
“There may be a delay in when they want to move here,” Hayden said, adding that it provides accessibility for the property owner. “Everything has to be built to code and everything has to be permitted correctly.” In other business, Council’s agenda also includes Ordinance 94-23, which would dissolve the Community Redevelopment Agency and makes city council the CRA’s Board of Commissioners. Council adopted an ordinance on Jan. 22, 2018, establishing a CRA Board of
By CHUCK BALLARO
news@breezenewspapers.com
Nonprofit proffers plan for Lee Civic Center By MEGHAN BRADBURY
A
news@breezenewspapers.com
local nonprofit wants to transform the Lee County Civic Center into a destination with profits going back into the community to other organizations — an option it hopes will be among those discussed by the Lee County Board of Commissioners in December. The Charity Pros, which was established a few years ago, would like to improve the county-owned facility off Bayshore Road by including an 18,000seat amphitheater on the grounds where the Southwest Florida Lee County Fair has long been held. With the 100-acre Lee County Civic Center complex being underutilized and not available, Brad Maloney, vice president of operations/events for The Charity Pros, said they want to make it more accessible with an outdoor amphitheater with 8,000 seats underroof and 10,000 lawn seats. The nonprofit has dubbed this as their Legacy Project — the give-back project. “What we do as a nonprofit is we help other charities raise money,” Maloney said. The plan would be to donate proceeds back to local charities, including 4-H from proceeds of the amphitheater. “We love the 4-H and want to continue to support them — build bigger and better. We want to be a
financial partner, the prime charity partner out there,” Maloney said. “We want to help keep the fair every year and have the outside vendor come in and work with the fair board. We want to make the fair bigger and better — tie entertainment in with the fair.” The bottom line, The Charity Pros wants to expand what is at the Lee County Civic Center grounds. “We want to redevelop the acres and utilize all of it,” he said, adding the music and amphitheater would only take up 30 to 40% of the site. Other visions include adding a rodeo to the grounds and creating a space for cultural, community and agriculture events, all family-oriented, affordable events. Maloney said The Charity Pros would operate the land with an operational philosophy of giving back to the community through sharing revenue. He said they would like to do a long-term lease of the grounds from Lee County and build the amphithe-
See CIVIC CENTER, page 4 The Charity Pros would like to improve the county-owned facility off Bayshore Road by including an 18,000-seat amphitheater on the grounds where the Southwest Florida Lee County Fair has long been held./RENDERING PROVIDED
The contracts have been signed, the rights-of-way have been purchased, and work can now begin on a long-awaited project that will create a new east-west artery from Cape Coral to North Fort Myers and U.S. 41. The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted last week to award a construction contract to widen Littleton Road from Corbett Road east to U.S. 41 in North Fort Myers. Fort Myers-based Wright Construction Group will perform the work on the $20.4 million project which is set to begin in January and is expected to be completed in 18 to 24 months. The project is part of an ongoing effort to improve a key commuter route between Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and Fort Myers. This effort will widen the existing twolane undivided Littleton Road to a three-lane undivided roadway. The project includes widening an existing bridge crossing, drainage improvements, two on-road bike lanes, 6- to 8-foot sidewalks on both sides and utility relocations and improvements. County Commissioner Brian Hamman, who has championed the project, said it will be a huge benefit for those in the Northeast Cape looking for another corridor to get to Fort Myers. “This is going to be a crucial thoroughfare for people to get to and from work every day. The road is not in its safest configuration. Once it’s done, it will be safe for drivers, walkers and bikers,” Hamman said. In Cape Coral, the project is going to be one more way for residents to get to Fort
See LITTLETON, page 4