Cape launches GO bond info meetings
The city of Cape Coral has begun a series of informal meetings to provide information on a proposed $60 million parks plan to be funded with general obligation bonds.
The city began the first of four such sessions Wednesday at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School where a handful of residents turned out to hear some details and ask questions.
Kerry Runyon, the city’s parks and recreation director, said parks not only improve property values and the quality of life for residents, but have health benefits, and can even be a money and jobs generator.
The first phase of the plan would fund improvements to 10 existing parks, create seven neighborhood and three community parks, design and create Yellow Fever Environmental Park and provide for land acquisition.
The second phase would seek public-private partnerships with restaurants and retail at the Yacht Club, Crystal Lake and Cultural Park to help fund operations.
Most of the dozen or so residents in attendance loved the plan.
Dolores Allende said she needed to know some facts before casting her vote in November.
“This clarified everything for me. I’m a ‘yes’ for this,” she said of the referendum on the Nov. 6 ballot. “When I moved here, I wanted to know where I could go to walk and it’s coming to be. I live near Jeff Jeffers and it’s lovely.”
“It’s fabulous. I love to see where the city is going. It’s a great place,” said Carolyn Erb.
Not everyone was happy.
Gunter Doell was concerned about what changes at Festival Park could do to Seahawk Air Field, as he flies model planes there.
He also said the lake behind his house is full of algae and would also then be full of trash from people laying on the beach at Lake Meade Park.
The city is asking the residents to decide in November whether the city should issue $60 million in “GO bonds” to finance its Council-approved comprehensive parks plan over the next 15 years.
Residential residents would pay a separate and additional millage of around .37 mills to start, officials have said, adding that rate is expected to decrease annually, to around .15 mills by the end of the term.
A mill is $1 for every $1,000 of taxable assessed property valuation.
The plan came following a study done by Barth & Associates that concluded the city is woefully lacking in parks and recreational facilities. The city needs 660 acres of parkland right now to meet the city’s needs. At buildout, the city would need another 2,570 acres.
Many of the parks and improvements to be funded by the bonds are expected to be to the north of Pine Island Road, where growth is expected to be the heaviest.
City manager John Szerlag emphasized Wednesday night that if the referendum is approved, residents will have ample opportunity to provide input on what they want in their parks.
The plan does not include the old golf course property or a possible sports complex near Oasis High School, projects proposed after the plan was complete.
Sparse attendance at the first meeting was attributed to ongoing construction on Burnt Store Road and the North 2 utility expansion project that forced a detour near the school.
Additional informational meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 3 at the Diplomat Elementary School cafeteria; Thursday, Oct. 4 at Oasis Middle School’s cafeteria; and Tuesday, Oct. 9, at the Cape Coral Yacht Club’s Ballroom. All meetings will start at 7 p.m.
For more information about the proposed Parks and Recreation improvements visit the City’s website at www.capecoral.net and select “Parks and Recreation GO Bond” from the menu on the left side of the page.