THE GESTAPO HAS SPOKEN

johnny · New Member Joined: Jun 28, 2009 Posts: 7

Water-only is not worth six figures to any property owner.

I have had several responses from the council.They all say they are forwarding my email to some other department/person to help me better understand the program. I understand the program, the bill is $88,800 cash! Pay up or get out! or you have the option of paying $325,000 in ten years, so start saving now. I will have to tell my children they will not be going to collage!

johnny · New Member Joined: Jun 28, 2009 Posts: 7

History of Cape Coral Utilities
Cape Coral is a pre-platted community with approximately 400 miles of dredged canals. At 115 square miles, Cape Coral is the 3rd largest City in the State of Florida by area (behind Jacksonville and Tampa) and the 12th most populated.

Cape Coral was built about 50 years ago by two land speculators who believed that the property's location on the Gulf Coast provided abundant sunshine and almost endless opportunities for waterfront living. The Rosen brothers purchased the property, platted the community and began a massive marketing campaign that resulted in the sale of nearly all of the 350,000 residential building sites, the majority to people who lived in other states.

It’s worth noting that the City was pre-platted into building parcels, each lot is typically 40ft x 120ft and a minimum of two lots are required to make a buildable parcel which is typically a quarter of an acre.

Cape Coral is one of the fastest growing population areas in Florida. CC has presently over 165,000 residents and is forecast to double this population within the next 30 years. At full build out, the population is estimated to be over 400,000 which would make it one of the most populous cities in Florida.

The population growth rate in Cape Coral has been significant over the past 7 years. The City’s 1999 Master Plan predicted the population of 150,000 people would be achieved in 2015. This population was actually achieved by 2005. This rate of increase led to an acceleration of the utility extension planning by the City.

There have been some extensive studies conducted of the utility extension to suit the population growth in Cape Coral. The history of the utility extension within the City can be summarized as follows: -

Initial Density Agreements
Water Quality Problems in Late 1980’s
‘Water Independence for Cape Coral’ (WICC) Master Plan of January 1988
‘Initial’ utility extension program (UEP) of early 1990’s
Master Plan Update of 1998
Utility Extension Program 1999-2005
Utility and Facility Extension Program 2005 to Date
Greeley and Hansen Study of Wastewater Collection Alternatives
Initial Density Agreements
By State Law, pre-platted communities prior to 1972 did not need to have the otherwise required ½-acre of land area for septic tank drainage. The City of Cape Coral was pre-platted in 1950’s. The original density agreements agreed with the Health Department depended on the City developing a Master Plan to provide treatment to densely populated areas. The Health Department identified that if an area had a housing density greater than 50%, there was less than an average of ½ acre for land area treatment and a wastewater treatment solution had to be identified.

Ground water wells and septic tanks provided utility service to the developing areas of the Cape from inception in 1950’s. However, as the population became more dense in certain areas the Health Department became increasingly concerned that there was not the required ½ acre of drainage area per household for sewage treatment and that there too many wells or “straws” into the mid-Hawthorne aquifer which stressed the valuable water commodity. Wells in the Cape were running dry during the dry season in high density areas due to a high demand. When wells go dry there is a high risk of salt water intrusion into the aquifer

johnny · New Member Joined: Jun 28, 2009 Posts: 7

The change eliminating the "discount" flew beneath the radar because few were affected.

Now, particularly in the north, the impact of the change has become apparent, especially to those who own in the Cape's only rural area. The owners of small parcels of grazing land - as little as nine acres - are looking at a water-only assessment of $88,000-plus. An owner of one home on a similar small parcel is at looking at $98,000 for water only.

Some common sense, please. Water-only is not worth six figures to any property owner, much less one home in the lone low-density area of Cape Coral.

Revisit the assessment methodology and undo the change unthinkingly made three years ago to earn political brownie points with residential property owners.

Not only will that be much more fair to "rural" property owners asked to pay far more than any benefit received, it will better position the city for economic growth north of Pine Island Road.