FAQs: Can I Build On a Cape Coral Vacant Lot That Has Burrowing Owls?

Answer: Yes, you can. Either and Affidavit or a Permit is all that is needed. You or your developer will need to create a protection zone or relocate the nest.

From the Cape Coral city web site:

Many people wrongly believe that nobody can build on a lot if burrowing owls occupy it. One of the key management practices in Cape Coral is the site inspection provided by the contractor prior to permitting. The contractor must submit a Burrowing Owl Affidavit with all building permits. All burrows on the project site must be reported on the affidavit.

The developer must first determine if there is any way to construct the project while maintaining a protection zone with at least a ten foot radius in all directions from the burrow entrance. Building around an owl nest is the best scenario for the owls.

If the burrow is located within the building envelope, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s policy is to issue permits to allow destruction of burrowing owl nest. In order to minimize the adverse impacts to the species when a nest is destroyed, the contractor or homeowner is strongly encouraged to place a “starter burrow” some place on the property.

Burrowing owls are one of the many treasures of Cape Coral FL. For more information about burrowing owl nests and help with staking or relocating nests (starter burrows), visit the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife.

Lee County Florida Wants Your Business – $25 Million in Incentives

Fort Myers Regional Partnership

The Fort Myers Regional Partnership launched a new website, http://www.BringThem2Lee.com, as an interactive communications tool and companion element to the successful, grassroots “Together We Mean Business” campaign and $25 million in incentives to businesses.

“From world-class beaches and year-round warm weather, to affordable housing, experienced workforce and low corporate taxes, Lee County is a location that values and supports both business and life. And, now, there’s even more incentive to move to Lee County: $25 Million more, to be precise.”

If you or someone you know is looking to expand or relocate and take advantage of the incentives, the sunshine (think talent and productivity – no winter blues here!), learn more at the Together4Business web site.

Florida Property Tax for Canadians and British – International Buyer FAQs

A common misconception that many in Canada and the UK have is that Florida charges Canadians or British more in property tax than United States Citizens pay. We’ve had several calls lately saying they heard rumors that Canadians and Brits “get raked over the coals on property taxes.”

Not true!

Property tax is the same for Canadian or British snowbirds as it is for a Wisconsin snowbird, a Minnesotan snowbird, an Ohioan snowbird, or a Michigan snowbird.

All non-full-time residents are treated the same. The difference in the property tax structure is about to those who can claim the Florida property as their homestead (6 months or more and other conditions).

So what is the property tax rate for Canadian/British snowbirds or any other snowbird? Again, there is no difference in property appraiser valuation for snowbirds, no matter where they fly from. The tax rate (the mil rate) is the same for all residential property owners and the methods for assessing taxable value also are the same across the board.

Here’s the key difference between homesteaders and non-homesteaders (part time residents).

• Homesteaders have an annual cap of 3% on the property’s taxable assessed value.

• Non-homesteaders have an annual cap of 10% on the property’s taxable assessed value.

So when the market turns and property values increase, there is a limit to how much the property appraiser can increase the assessed value. If the property were to increase 15% in value in one year, the taxable assessed value can only be increased 3% (homesteaded) or 10% (non-homestead).

Homesteaders do have the option to take a homestead reduction, which reduces the assessed value. Once again, the tax rate remains the same for everyone no matter where their primary residence is.

Here is the Lee County brochure on Amendment 1 which pass in 2007 and which, thankfully, created the 10% assessed value cap for snowbirds: amendment-1-brochure

Cape Coral pushes to lure business

High-skill, high-salary jobs are goals of city

News-Press
September 28, 2007

Don’t let the economic downturn fool you: New businesses are moving into Cape Coral at an average of about 30 each month.

That’s according to city economic development director Mike Jackson, who said more than 65 percent of the now 8,584 businesses in the city are home-based operations. The three highest categories of industry in the Cape are administration and support, then construction, then professional.

The goal through the next year, he said, is going to be continuing that surge and simultaneously attracting more of the high-skill, high-salary kind of commercialism that means long-term economic strength.

“We’re looking for relatively smart workers and relatively advanced technology sectors,” Jackson said. “We have companies like that here today, and we’re trying to figure out the best way to help them grow and attract more like them.”

He wouldn’t be specific on exact corporations the city wants to hook, but he said his office will be transforming in the next few years into somewhat of a sales operation.

“It is our goal to be able to focus exclusively on identifying the gazelles,” he said. “Those are the fast-growing companies with high wages. We want to look for those in Cape Coral, and we want to identify and target those on the outside. That means literally calling them up, getting them to take a tour of the city, meeting our developers and showing them what a high quality of life we have here that is attractive to workers.

“We’ve been doing extensive advertising in the central U.S. edition of the Wall Street Journal and Crain’s business publications. These are advertising campaigns that allow us to increase people’s awareness of Cape Coral as a large city in Southwest Florida that is not just a retirement community.”

And the city is hoping the results of recent studies will help drive business the city’s way. Two studies — a workforce study and a target industry study — are set to be released in the next month. They will identify, Jackson said, what sort of business clusters would be a good fit for the kind of labor force and businesses already in the city.

About 48 percent of the city’s population works full time, and the median age has dropped since the last census from 45.2 to 43. From 2004 to 2006, the median household income rose from $46,933 to $54,026.

Mayor Eric Feichthaler said he wants to develop the city as a cultural center before going after the big businesses.

“High technology businesses are looking for more of an educational base,” Feichthaler said. “It means we need to provide them with what other cities have, and we simply do not have those cultural amenities right now. We have the land, but we need to mature as a city before we start seeing those results.”

But he does want to focus more on attracting office professional and light manufacturing-type operations, while moving away from the construction and real estate industries. Landing one large corporation, he said, could spur others to follow. He doubted whether the studies were going to be helpful.

“What I said to the economic director is I expect to see substantial and immediate results,” Feichthaler said. “For the money we’re putting into surveys and studies, I’ve not seen the benefits citywide. If they lead us to attracting those businesses, I’ll be happy about that, but I’m not sure it will bring the benefits of that promise.”

The studies are costing the city about $205,000. Jackson said they won’t be a “magic bullet,” but, at worst, they will be a “compass.”

One thing he thinks the studies will show is that building office space before big businesses arrive would be a smart move.

“I don’t like to say, ‘If you build it, they will come,’ ” he said. “But if you don’t build it, they won’t come.”

Large corporations don’t rush to relocate when office space isn’t already available, he said. Site selection can take years, and most want to be able to move in right away, either buying or leasing buildings that already exist.

In the second quarter of 2007, real estate firm Cushman & Wakeman determined Cape Coral had 263,684 square feet of vacant office space, 100,840 square feet of industrial space and 72,110 square feet of vacant medical space. Office space vacancy really did not exist in the city less than two years ago.

Anita Simmons, who owns the Cape Dog Bakery downtown, said that while she doesn’t think the city needs more “big box stores,” bringing in more professionals is probably a good thing.

“There are some businesses suffering, and it’s because we’ve relied so heavily on real estate,” Simmons said. “We need things that will draw big companies to this area — clean up the landscape and have more unique shops and restaurants that will make this a destination.”

Related Posts: INC Magazine Rates Cape Coral-Fort Myers #1

Cape Coral CRA

One of the reasons we chose Cape Coral was our excitement about the long-term vision of the Cape Coral Redevelopment Agency (CRA) for the downtown area of the Cape. While we are frustrated that the CRA’s progress has been slower than anyone would like, we are glad to see them dogging it along and making some progress.

The mission statement for the agency is that it “will facilitate the emergence of a vibrant urban village where people of all ages will live, work, shop and be entertained.” The master plan adopted by the CRA and City Council designed the Downtown as a compact urban village.

The primary goal is to create a high-intensity pedestrian friendly urban area with open spaces and a system of both pedestrian and traffic circulation so that visitors, employees, and residents alike can easily find their way, park, and enjoy their walk to their destinations. And the CRA aims, through development incentives, to assist in the development of plazas and covered pedestrians walkways that improve access to waterways and the riverfront.

Visit the Cape Coral CRA website.

Captiva’s South Seas Resort is Back

Normalcy is returning to South Seas Island Resort.

A year after reopening on a limited basis, the Captiva resort pummeled by Hurricane Charley in 2004 has undergone an estimated $140 million makeover.

“It’s a rebirth,” said managing director Craig Schwan. His biggest challenge, Schwan said, “is really getting the word out that we’ve reopened.”

To that end, owner LXR Luxury Resorts will throw a grand reopening celebration tonight for about 250 local movers and shakers. A separate party and open house for neighboring Captiva residents is planned for April or May. After the VIP party, Schwan will go to New York City to meet with key travel publications.

Schwan estimated 1,600 to 1,800 people will stay at the resort this week. That’s about half the population Schwan’s predecessor said filled the resort during a weekend in the high winter season before Charley. Schwan said the pre-Charley estimate probably included non-overnight guests who used to be permitted on the property to shop and dine. With weather up north still chilly, this week is one of the most desirable and pricey.

Accommodations range from about $300 a day at the Harborside Hotel to $1,300 for a three-bedroom condo at Seabreeze overlooking Pine Island Sound on the resort’s north end.

About 529 out of 579 lodging units in the resort rental pool are restored and ready for use, Schwan said. The rest, all privately owned condos, are close to completion, he said.
With about 700 workers on the 330-acre property, the resort is close to pre-Charley staffing.

New owners, new look
Owner LXR is an affiliate of The Blackstone Group, which bought South Seas and nine other Florida properties in early 2005 for $367 million.

LXR took over South Seas in the middle of post-hurricane repairs and injected its ideas into the evolving plans. Choice property along Pine Island Sound was stripped of damaged and outdated meeting spaces and a couple of older pools.

In their place: The Pointe Restaurant & Grill and two pools ringed with cabanas that are soon to have LCD and plasma TVs as well as high-speed wireless Internet access.

With the exception of the clubby old King’s Crown restaurant — now reserved for private social functions such as weddings — group meeting space is concentrated away from the water and closer to the public Captiva Drive. In January, LXR “privatized” South Seas. That means only overnight guests and community members of the resort’s club are able to dine and shop behind the security gate.

Schwan said privatization is working out better than he expected.
“It provides exclusivity, and allows us to provide the best service possible,” he said.

Memberships for people who aren’t property owners start at $500 a year for access to all restaurants and shops and the on-resort trolley service.

A second level at $2,000 adds use of the fitness center and golf course. A $3,000 premium membership includes all available amenities such as a private stretch of beach with comfy chairs and beach toys.

Steep adjustment
Michigan resident Edward Thomas said he doesn’t mind privatization, but noted there aren’t as many dining options as before and “the food prices are high.” “Four dollars for one scoop of ice cream, $10 for a hamburger. I can afford it, but I don’t need to pay $10 for a hamburger.”

As he watched his 21Ú2-year-old grandson, Carsten Melbye, play in one of the new swimming pools, Thomas said he’s most impressed with the new landscaping.
On the golf course alone, that included adding about 200 coconut palms, 330 sabal palms and 7,000 shrubs, along with 5,000 aquatic and dune plants.

Thomas has been coming to South Seas for more than 30 years and especially prizes “the relaxed atmosphere, the weather and meeting good people who have become friends.”

This is Thomas’ first visit since Hurricane Charley because he couldn’t bear to see the resort in tatters. Plus he had health problems to overcome.
Now, he said, he’s well and the resort is, too.

“Some things have a different flavor, but that’s all right,” Thomas said. “I just hope the prices don’t drive away the families.”

From the News-Press, March 2007

Fisherman’s Village Marina Officially Reopened

Fishermen’s Village is a waterfront retail and yacht basin complex in Southwest Florida is located on the Charlotte Harbor in beautiful downtown Punta Gorda, Florida.

And finally, the full-service marina is now open for business.

The marina closed in May of 2003 due to structural problems on the 25 year old docks. Now completely renovated, they opened the fuel dock and have a total of 111 permanent slips, 97 are available for public use, and approximately 31 temporary, free docking areas for day use of boaters visiting the Mall, shops and restaurants. They are also constructing a new dinghy dock for boats that anchor in the Harbor and wish to use facilities.

Now SouthWest Florida boaters can once again take advantage of the shops, entertainment, dining, and nightlife at the village and in downtown Punta Gorda. It’s a good thing!