There’s been a lot of chatter in the Fort Myers Beach community about what steps will be taken by beach residents who oppose the recently approved Seagate Redevelopment project. Here’s what they are planning…
A number of residents believe they were let down by Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt and Council members John King and Karen Woodson for voting in favor of the Seagate project which could include as many as 5 buildings which would all be the biggest ever built on Fort Myers Beach. Fort Myers Beach incorporated back in 1995. The main reason for incorporation was to stop Lee County from approving tall buildings.
The Seagate plan includes two condo towers that could be as high as 17 stories. There are 3 other buildings (all 5 would be on the Bay side) that would be less than 17 stories. The two 17-story buildings will be over 200 feet higher (235 feet total) than what’s allowed by right. The plan includes 137 condo units, 4 single family homes, a restaurant open to the public, a 240 foot view corridor on the beach side of the property, a private pedestrian walkover and a private beach club with availability of local paid memberships. 
Town code allows for any developer to ask for more height and or density they are allowed by right through either a Commercial Planned Development (CPD) or the newer Development Agreements. If that happens, the theory is, that’s when the negotiation begins between the town and the developer who is then supposed to bring public benefits to the negotiating table to be considered for the extra ask.
The Seagate objector group has several gripes with the Town Council (the LPA recommended denial by a vote of 4-2). They do not believe adequate public benefit was provided to warrant the height of the buildings, they do not believe approving the project is in line with the spirit of the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code and they do not believe this Town Council is protecting the neighboring community.
The Town Council and LPA met jointly twice since Hurricane Ian. Both times together they voted unanimously to follow the LDC and Comp Plan. And while technically this approval, which was confirmed by the Town Attorney last Monday, does follow the rules, many in the community believed those 2 unanimous votes meant 4 floors over flood with maybe a little more height and or density with an adequate trade in public benefits. They never believed those two meetings meant 5 of the tallest buildings ever to be built on Fort Myers Beach on one piece of property.
It’s unknown exactly how many residents along the entire 7-mile island object to the project. There’s no debating that there’s an organized vocal group vehemently opposed, especially those that live in the neighborhood immediately adjacent to the Red Coconut property. What’s not unknown is that the approval of this project is the biggest story on Fort Myers Beach since Hurricane Ian and before that, the first run at Margaritaville, which was called Grand Resorts before it was toned down.
Since the vote last Monday, there were three ideas being shared on social media and discussed at community events. One was hiring a lawyer and filing a lawsuit against the town, alleging they did not follow their own rules by approving the project. Local resident Chris Patton tried that route against Margaritaville. She lost her bid to stop the resort, which, ironically, many people hold up as the model for going through the process for approval on Fort Myers Beach.
Another option being bandied about is a recall election. Right now, John King and Karen Woodson are the only two council members eligible to be recalled. They have just under two years left on their terms. Elected officials must have served ¼ of their term before they are eligible to be recalled. Mayor Dan Allers, Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt and Councilman Scott Safford were all recently re-elected and have only served one month of their current 4-year terms. A recall petition must be signed by 10% of the registered voters. Once those names are verified, a second petition with 15% of the registered voters must be signed and verified. After those signatures are verified, a recall election is set by the Lee County Board of Elections. If elected officials do not resign during this process, and all signatures are verified, a recall election is called within about 60 days. If a recall is successful a special election is held to fill the seat(s). It’s important to note that recalls are rarely successful and those filing for a recall must cover all the costs.
The third option being considered, and one that appears to be getting the most traction, is an attempt by the objectors to get this current Town Council to reconsider the issue at a future Town Council meeting. The Fort Myers Beach Town Charter has a provision in Article 12 called Initiative and Referendum. That chapter states that 25% of the voters can petition the council to reconsider an adopted ordinance. And, if the Town Council fails to repeal the adopted ordinance without any change in substance, the Town Council must place the repeal of the adopted ordinance on the ballot of the next municipal election as a referendum. The next Fort Myers Beach Town Council election is in 2026, the year the seats occupied now by John King and Karen Woodson will expire.
During the last election there were about 3,100 registered voters on Fort Myers Beach. The objectors would need to get 775 verified signatures to get this Town Council to reconsider it. Those signatures would most likely have to be verified by the Lee County Elections office. If this is the option the group pursues, we may once and for all find out whether the majority of residents on the island are opposed to the project or they are in favor of the project and have just chosen not to be vocal about it. As of the publication of this story, the objector group has an attorney looking into how to properly identify and verify signatures.
The conversation has been heated at the last two Town Council public hearings on the item and it’s been spilling into the community. There has been one verbal altercation with a Town Council member at a beach restaurant over the topic and reports to Beach Talk Radio that council members continue to get nasty e-mails and some are even getting threatening letters. The Mayor has asked residents to tone down the nasty rhetoric in a post on his Facebook page.
Some of you may recall the early days of The Grand Resorts project (now Margaritaville) when it was first proposed. Tom and Mari Torgerson, who live on the island, were receiving the same kind of negative treatment when the project was first proposed. After years of community meetings, redesigns, land donations and other public benefit, the community embraced the project and it was eventually approved by the Town Council. From land acquisition to the ribbon cutting it took Margaritaville 10 years to become a reality. Seagate purchased the Red Coconut property in September of 2023.
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The three thousand voters need to rally against this development if they feel it’s too extreme. They need to come together to protect what they feel is right for the Island. What they do RIGHT NOW will show the future path of FMB.
“the community believed those 2 unanimous votes meant 4 floors over flood with maybe a little more height and or density”
Not a good idea to have such a vague statement open to interpretation. What is “little more”? Kind of like prunes. Are three enough? Six too many?
Every real estate project has risk. If they overpaid, that’s on them. If they can’t make a profit with existing plan they should not have paid so much for the land. Let them now sell it at a loss. Someone will always buy on the beachfront.
Three members of the Town Council really let down the residents (Atterholt, King and Woodson). Everyone is supportive of responsible build back. This is not close to responsible build back. Everything for the billionaire developers and cake crumbs for the residents.
This truly is all so sad…to keep it short..FMB island residents, business owners,rebuilding of the pier and restrooms should have 100% been 1st priority …all support should have helped them…it really is simple…IT HAS ALL BEEN ABOUT LAND GRABBING AND MONEY!!! SO SAD.. there is no more rv park..(red coconut) someone could have opened another there! Food trucks are a GREAT ADDITION to FMB…people were lined up daily…they are appreciated…Nothing was wrong with FMB before these hurricanes..people loved the old Florida feel and simplicity…🌴🌴🌴..(very hard to keep it short)
No, another Red Coconut (RV park) could *not* have been built… not with FEMA regs and building codes.
The town doesn’t have any priorities to make regarding the pier; it’s owned by LeeCo. At least – finally – LeeCo has it in the design and permitting phase, which they said would take 18 months.
I own a condo on the south end. I see both sides, but I support Seagate’s proposal. FMB is never going to go back to what it was. Things on the south end are taking forever to rebuild and I don’t want to see years of empty lots. Agree with the comment a virtual reality look for the neighboring community would be helpful.
We also live on the south end. Most of the people that spoke at public comment are not against the development as a whole, only to keep the development to the Comp Plan. Is following the Comp Plan, no more height, density or intensity too much to ask from a developer or the Town Council?
If you don’t care about what the residents of the neighborhood around the red coconut think, then I hope London Bay asks for 20 stories and uses the canal for commercial purposes.
This too will come to the south end. If you support Seagate be ready to support a 17 story building at the Wyndham,, London Bay development. Etc.
Reaffirming the pre-Ian plan post-Ian was short sighted. Taking time to adjust for the financial realities of land costs, construction costs, code requirements, insurance , etc should have driven a well thought out “new” reality for a destroyed FMB.
Should that have resulted in 6,8,10 stories or a maximum height; who knows but it might have reduced the arbitrary nature of each proposal approval vs denial.
I own in the south end and feel for those struggling to recover but accept what FMB was can’t return. I don’t want to see a decade of fights, lawsuits, etc.
I’m surprised that the Seagate proposal was approved as is, compromise for less height (still more than neighbors would want), was something the elected officials should have considered.
This chaos could have been avoided. Let’s make major deviations from the comp plan be subject to resident approval or at least a super majority of council and LPA. Option three at least would give citizens a voice. If Jim or the other yes voted could ask council to bring it back for reconsideration – that would be helpful- there are almost no real public benefits for the Seagate parcel with this plan.
Lee has a point. All we need is one more hurricane of significant magnitude; if FEMA and the insurance companies pull out, FMB will be history.
What happened to negotiating with developers?
JoRo,
Yes. That’s how close this council’s petty fight with FEMA has brought it’s property owning constituents to total disaster. And now it is spending a good sum with Ron Book’s lobbyists to try and bail itself out of trouble. Book is very good and been around a long time. He once represented the Dolphins then-owner Wayne Hyzienga in getting huge state tax rebates on his stadium.
He may be able to avoid the looming disaster at the beach. Residents better hope so. Doesn’t seem Donalds and Scott have done anything of significance. Just some photo ops.
I have never seen any confirmation that they were asked to help with anything. I think they would have played a significant role had they been included.
I say it again and again if Margaritaville had to play by the rules and redo their plans several times then every developer should have to do the same. Residents had to follow the rules especially the ridiculous 50/50 rule which makes no sense whatsoever!!!! Rules are made for a reason!!!!!
Agree 110%
Rules are made for thee not me.
The THEE have spent blood, sweat and tears, sleepless nights, etc. etc. to rebuild their home. Always being forced to go through inspection after inspection.
But “ME” just comes in with a wishful plan, gets it approved and says “here’s my phone number call me anytime I will talk to you, not change my opinion because I have town council in my back pocket, but I will talk to you”. What disrespect to the neighbors.
Option 3 sounds good. I would support any though to stop or bring into compliance the seaGate project.
Unfortunately ian caused many gvc residents owning the land and many residents from Red to lose their homes permenantly.I don’t know that any of us can afford to live at Seagate. My thoughts let others with children and grandchildren enjoy the amazing area we lived at.
Atterholt seemed the shakiest on the apprival vote. He’s the one to focus on. Perhaps a small group of the opponents’ most polished presenters can be sent to change his mind and request re-consideration.
Recall is a long journey and an outcome remains uncertain.
Yes, the council’s signal that the long popular community vision may be history is the
biggest story on the island now but there’s, another story that could explode in the not so distant future – the very real threat to the end of FEMA assistance after the next storm and the loss of federal flood insurance.
The possibility of that disaster, created by this same council’s actions in its no-win fight with FEMA, should be as concerning as the the threat to the community vision.
Agree 100%! Both situations illustrate how incompetent our TC and their minions Andy and Frankie really are.
They try to negotiate with FEMA where FMB has no negotiating power. RESIDENTS AND HOMEOWNERS LOSE!!
They don’t negotiate with Seagate when FMB has all the power with one simple word – NO!! But, they buy Seagate’s “take it or leave it” ultimatum. AGAIN, RESIDENT AND HOMEOWNERS LOSE!
We deserve better. They clearly do not understand that they are OUR representatives. Very sad!
As the song goes (You Can’t Always Get What You Want)
I’ll sign! Seems there’s always a couple A-holes who have no problem destroying this island for some money.
Sign us up – for sensible development as per the long standing plan that was UNANIMOUSLY voted on twice within last 16 months with overwhelming support from the residents – I would be happy to knock on doors or support financially-
LETS GO FMB !
All this fear talk and what ifs is an insane way to live life – FEMA is a criminal organization that will cease to exist in its current form .
Tell me where to sign!
right on my ass after you kiss it!
both cheeks, both lips !
Very thoughtful and inclusive comments from Deb and Alexander. Does anyone know what tax revenues are currently being generated on the old site of the Red Coconut and what are the projections of increased tax revenues with the new Seagate proposal? Would those added revenues be used by the town as a public benefit to increase funding for schools, fire, transportation, parks, general fund, etc?
They won’t!
They might fix their own house and Beach people will be screwed again.
Let’s get the petition started. I will gladly volunteer to go door to door and ask for legitimate signatures. Put it to a vote ! Let the people decide rather than 3 rogue council members who think they know what is best for their constituents and refuse to listen to the voices of the people.
I understand and fully support the community of residents who want their voices heard, but can not and will not condone verbal threats and harassment. Be careful of who you align yourself with as to not lose the value of the fight. One bad whackadoodle will make or break the legitimacy.
Have you seen any threats or harassment? And who’s a whackadoodle? Seems like you’re the only one name calling. No one threatened anyone. Stop the stupid rumors please and leave our community alone.
Can you even read??
Ed clearly reported what threats and incidents have occurred.
Deb is not “name calling” but stating a simple reality: if you allow “whackadoodles” (those who threaten and harass elected officials) to speak for your cause, you lose all credibility.
Deb’s comment was 100% correct.
Town comp plan states
Policy 4-A-1
Maintaining the town’s current “*humanscale” is a fundamental redevelopment
principle. Fort Myers Beach is best enjoyed
from outside a car; new buildings should be
designed to encourage use or admiration by
people on foot or bicycle, rather than sepa-
rating them with gates, walls, deep setbacks
or unnecessary building heights
Policy 4-A-3
The town shall protect residential neighbor-
hoods from intrusive commercial activities
They should have taken a vote on this from the start and accepted what the majority didn’t want.
I agree