It’s an issue Fort Myers Beach Town Councilman John King wants the full Town Council to look into, and they will at a future Management and Planning meeting.
King says, annexing San Carlos Island would give San Carlos Island residents greater say in local government. They could vote in Fort Myers Beach elections and become Town Council candidates. “With the Fort Myers Beach charter review coming up, any change would need to be included there. Many consider it to be Fort Myers Beach and as our “front door” I’d like to have a say in what that front door looks like.”
Even though San Carlos Island is in the 33931 Zip code it’s considered unincorporated Lee County. When Fort Myers Beach incorporated it was from The Matanzas Pass Bridge to the Big Carlos Pass Bridge and the main reason for incorporation was to control the height of buildings on the island. San Carlos Island residents pay property taxes to Lee County but pay Fort Myers Beach Fire Department and Library taxes.
According to Homes.com there are a little over 1,000 residents on San Carlos Island, which also includes all the restaurants and businesses under the Matanzas Pass Bridge, along Main Street and San Carlos Boulevard. King is suggesting Fort Myers Beach look into annexing up to Hurricane Pass Bridge.
Lee County Commissioner David Mulicka, who represents Fort Myers Beach and San Carlos island, said he was surprised to hear about the idea from King. “It will be interesting to see how the residents react to this discussion when the reasons are presented.”
Long-time San Carlos Island resident Joanne Semmer said annexing San Carlos Island is a bad idea and there would be no benefit to residents and property owners. “San Carlos Island is the Lee County working waterfront with marine industrial uses, three large marinas, a shrimp fleet and commercial fishing docks and land support, mobile home and RV communities, ship and boat yards, US Coast Guard military base, barge landings, marine industrial constriction yards, Key West Express and more. These uses are not compatible with the goals and objectives of the Town of Fort Myers Beach. I don’t believe the town has any knowledge or interest in protecting these uses. In the past the town outlawed commercial fishing docks from Estero Island. Most of the residents on San Carlos Island choose to live here because of the working people not the white sandy beaches. The San Carlos Island residents and property owners I have talked with do not want to become part of the government of Fort Myers Beach. Taxes would go up there would be an additional layer of government in permitting.”
According to Zipdatamaps.com the 33931 zip code includes property all the way past Walmart to CR869 (Summerlin Rd). To the south 33931 includes properties over the Big Carlos Pass Bridge to the Lovers Key area.
In Florida, there are four ways in which an annexation may take place: by special act of the legislature, a voluntary annexation, an involuntary annexation or an interlocal agreement with the county. Florida statute 171 states: “Any municipality may annex contiguous, compact, unincorporated territory.” It’s unclear if the body of water separating Fort Myers Beach and San Carlos Island negates the two areas being contiguous.
The easiest way to annex property would be for property owners, in this case San Carlos Island, to petition the Fort Myers Beach Town Council to be annexed into the town. The Fort Myers Beach Town Council would then need to pass an ordinance annexing San Carlos Island. That’s the voluntary annexation option.
There is also an involuntary annexation. If that’s the route a municipality chooses, they must approve an ordinance calling for the annexation and hold 2 public hearings. Fort Myers Beach would need to produce a feasibility study that details services that would be provided to San Carlos Island by the beach. The majority of San Carlos Island voters would then need to vote in favor of being annexed. Fort Myers Beach can also decide to ask beach voters to vote on the annexation. If a majority of either group votes against annexation the issue fails and cannot be brought up again for 2 years.
According to The Florida League of Cities, current law requires that if more than 70% of the land in the area proposed to be annexed is owned by individuals, corporations or legal entities that are not registered electors of the area, the area cannot be annexed without the approval of at least 50% of the owners.
Town Attorney Nancy Stuprich will be gathering information on annexing San Carlos Island for the Town Council to look over at an M&P meeting.
Vladimir King? You’re Putin me on. I’m Lenin it no credence!
Having talked with a lot of the residents on San Carlos Island it’s unanimous that no one wants FMB to annex our little island . What are the benefits ? There doesn’t seem to be any .
Increased taxes ?
We don’t need that either. It would be nice to see our taxes go to improving our little island . We are still suffering from hurricane Ian . Things don’t get done here without constant complaining like cleaning out the drains after a major hurricane. My point being that our local government doesn’t do what’s best for us now and being part of FMB doesn’t seem like it’s going to make it any better . The only thing I can see is that they want the control over the island and more importantly the revenue as they have lost quite a bit due to recent hurricanes.
No thanks!! We were allowed on our island after every hurricane. I felt bad for the rest of FMB. My taxes are way lower. I don’t deal with the red tape. I have my FEMA discount. I like how our island is run. That’s why most of us SCI residents are HERE and not THERE. Please leave us alone.
I spent a lot of years on San Carlos Island. It has always been a tightly knit community of rich people, poor people and everyone in between who look out for each other and live in peace with each other.
Just because you don’t understand how zip codes work or where they come from, you want to add them to your tax base.
Leave them alone. They’ve managed just fine without the hassle that incorporation brought to the Beach.
NO!! YOU’VE done your damage to the beach without regard to what the residents want. We don’t need your damage to our home! Please don’t try and bribe us with your empty promises, we are too smart for that. Leave us alone
Interesting reason for the original incorporation – building height. Were they wanting to prevent taller buildings? I ask because, if so, that is confusing since they’re now approving taller buildings. This is not meant to be snarky – it is an honest question.
I believe there is a way to eliminate this in the future, because if it does not pass they can try again in 2 years. We need to Incorporate San Carlos Island, change it from unincorporated.
You don’t want to incorporate. Things are just fine under the control of Lee County. If the Town wants to annex San Carlos Island, that’s what is called an “involuntary annexation,” and both a majority of the Island residents AND a majority of FMB residents have to vote in favor of the annexation. Separate majorities, not combined. So as long as the majority of SCI residents vote NOT to be annexed, then it won’t happen. If the majority of FMB residents want it to happen, and the majority of SCI resident’s DOESN’T want it to happen, still won’t happen. The residents of SCI just need to stand our ground!
I’d vote for Fort Myers Beach to be more like San Carlos Island and return to unincorporated Lee County.
“Quash” a transitive verb. To put down or forcefully and completely.
Mr. Mayor, Please help your fellow council members to keep their collective eyeballs on renovating your own island. I’m fairly certain the good folks on San Carlos island don’t need the likes of Mr. King in their affairs.
You can’t be serious; the town council can barely manage FMB as is and now they want to take on another area? No – forget it.
I agree.they can’t run the beach.
No way should Ft Myers Beach annex San Carlos Island.They have way to much on there plate as it is.
You have more luck getting san Carlos island to annex fmb i bet more residents on the beach would agree get rid of all the red tape .and bad decision making.
Contiguous lands are described as lands touching each other. The annexing town must be touching the lands to be annexed.
San Carlos Island is a separate island not touching any part of Fort Myers Beach. Claiming the bridge or the bay makes it contiguous is a stretch, political manipulation not withstanding. It would be like the City of Fort Myers trying to annex Lehigh Acres.
I believe Florida law considers land connected by bridges to be contiguous; However, I’ll await the opinion of the Town Attorney.
Maybe you should have consulted the attorney before spouting off.
Another “agenda” to pursue coming down the pipes … for FMB TC
Amazing what this TC will think up.
Instead of supporting what the residents of FMB want ?
So the only reason for annexation would be if “after” annexation” we could get rid of the strip club. But that’s doubtful, so NO to the proposal.
No, thank you. This has already come up, and the residents didn’t want it. It is of zero benefit to us. Don’t try to fix something that isn’t broken.
FMB TC can’t handle what is already on its plate. They are so over their heads and totally incompetent. They don’t listen to their constituents. King is one of the worst of the bunch. Clueless to even bring this up at this point in our recovery. But then John always seems clueless. He adds little input and zero value to the Council, beyond a stupid joke once in a while. He barely (or selectively) answers resident’s emails. Definitely a one termer in my opinion. Can’t wait for him to be off council.
As a resident of FMB , I couldn’t agree more with Joanne Semmer and the residents of San Carlos – why would anyone want to be part of the insane , directionless , stupidity that is FMB?
I believe a majority of the FT residents want out – either to move out or put the Beach back in control of Lee County . The preposterous proposal by King doesn’t even consider views of residents on either San Carlos or FMB –
What a clueless clown and the shit show roles on .
There is very little going on on FMB that a majority of residents support , heck, FMB still has third world streets like Bahia Via – they can’t maintain and execute the basics of Govt.
Agree 100%. I’m sure WAK would love to put 17 story buildings on San Carlos Island. You wreaked the Beach, leave them alone.
Wrecked, not wreaked. Siri is as much of an idiot as WAK are.
San Carlos island. The door front to FMB. Aka the arm pit dump. Especially along San Carlos Road. Dump after dump. No trees. Literally the new strip club will be the nicest structure along the road. Sad!
This household likes San Carlos Island community the way it is. FMB can keep there rules and restrictions over bridge. Why all of a sudden do they bring this idea to the table ?
So we can vote or run for FMB office ? FMB must have a better reason right ?
something is up!
Hell No!!! We do not want Vladimir King and their political disfunction invading San Carlos Island with a special military operation toward annexation.
In my opinion, having the Town’s attorney gather information on the annexation is a waste of time and money.
TC spends our money like it’s endless and then points to the town’s financial situation as a reason for approving large projects. They are arsonist firefighters!
Thank you Joanne Semmer! I will support any efforts to keep San Carlos Island from being annexed.
Remember, annexing San Carlos Island would give FMB more influence over the use and governance of the Estero Aquatic Preserve; not such a good idea.
Leave our little island alone. I can bet the only interest here is greed and what big developments you can shove off FMB to our little peaceful little space. Tax out all the little people and move in the big money 20 story condos. NO!
Why does John King want more residents when he doesn’t even listen to the residents he already has on FMB.
AMEN!!!
Exactly!!!
Amen.
The Council doesn’t listen to residents so buckle up for a good ride.
King has helped to destroy FMB by voting against the people’s wishes with Seagate. Why does he need to get in the business of San Carlos Island? Hasn’t he done enough damage to one island already? The next election can’t come soon enough!!
True that !
Yes, it’s a great idea. More funding for join projects. Those two island only make sense.
My best guess is you are an out of town realtor.
We are a San Carlos Island homeowner. We would not be in favor of annexing to Ft. Myers Beach. The island is just fine the way it is! The working Shrimp Fleet as well as this “residential island” is more laid back than FMB. Our community is not designed to be “touristy” and we are not “big enough”, (like our neighbor, FMB) to accommodate anything more than what we already have here.
I agree with Ms. Semmer….. bad idea. Leave them alone! Their land use and demographics are much different than FMB. As for public hearings????? They usually mean nothing! Height and density restrictions for some but not for others is only one example of uselessness of asking for public opinion.
Given FMB council’s past record of asking a vote from residents on approving important issues such as seagate, I’m doubtful they will be asking approval of this. I’m also doubtful San Carlos Island wants 17 story structures in their neighborhood.
That is exactly what they would get if WAK had their way.