A Message from Mayor John Gunter
With the warm weather we’re already experiencing, it’s hard to believe the official start of summer is a month away. Speaking of summer, the Parks and Recreation Summer Program Guide and Summer Camp Guide were both recently released and are available to view on the City website. Summer in Cape Coral is a good time to learn something new and connect with others, and what better way to do that than to try an activity offered by the City’s Parks and Recreation?
Summer 2022 will be a busy time for the City, with many projects underway and others scheduled to start soon. North 1 UEP is in the engineering design and permitting phase, and construction is set to begin this summer. The remaining areas of the city without public utilities are part of the UEP Master Plan, a guide for future utility expansion. The Master Plan is a necessary tool utilized to prioritize future areas of utility expansion, identify existing infrastructure needs required to accommodate future development, and establish realistic schedules and preliminary cost estimates.
Construction has begun on the Cape Coral side of the Caloosahatchee Connect Project. Crews are installing pipe along Everest Parkway and near Horton Park, and we are still on schedule... READ MORE-->
Sincerely,
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Mandatory One-Day Watering Schedule Effective May 2
Due to an abnormally dry season and irrigation water usage exceeding supplies, the City is restricting lawn and landscape watering to a mandatory one-day watering schedule, effective at midnight on Monday, May 2, 2022.
The watering days and hours depend on the last number of the home address as shown on the attached image.
Hand watering is allowed at any time. For details regarding large properties and new lawns, please click the link below.
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On Friday, April 22, the City began pumping water from a private reservoir in Charlotte County to help replenish Cape Coral's irrigation water.
Millions of gallons of water have been pumped into the U.S. 41 swales and will travel to the Gator Slough Canal, which feeds Cape Coral's canal system.
Click on the video below to see how the process works and learn more about what the City is doing to serve our customers during the dry season.
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Caloosahatchee Connect Update
In 2018, the City of Cape Coral and the City of Fort Myers entered into an interlocal agreement to construct a pipeline across the Caloosahatchee River to transmit reclaimed water from Fort Myers to Cape Coral. Upon project completion, the City will receive up to 12 million gallons of reclaimed water per day from the City of Fort Myers to help maintain freshwater canal levels and provide property owners with water for irrigation and fire protection services.
Construction of the Caloosahatchee Connect Reclaimed Water Transmission Main Project in Cape Coral is underway. In March 2022, the Everest Parkway contractor began clearing the north side right-of-way and installing reclaimed water main pipe via open-cut method near Horton Park and will continue west to the Everest Parkway Water Reclamation Facility.
A contractor specializing in Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) will install a portion of the reclaimed water main under the Caloosahatchee River from Horton Park in Cape Coral to a connection point north of San Marcos in Fort Myers. During construction, Horton Park visitors can expect some interruption of park facilities during HDD work.
Residents, boaters, and park visitors can expect signs about temporary park closures to be posted at the park. Temporary park closure information will also be included in the project construction look ahead and on the project website. The project is expected to be complete by mid-2023.
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New Redistricting Map Shows Updated Council Districts
Based on the results of the 2020 Census, City Council created a districting commission and appointed seven electors to comprise the commission after deciding they should consider adjusting district boundaries. The redistricting commission did its best to ensure there was equal population representation. The redistricting commission drew the maps based solely on the U.S. Census.
The Cape Coral City Council voted to approve the city's new redistricting map, changing the boundaries of districts 3 and 5 in a 7-1 vote on January 19. Cape Coral has 194,016 residents and is expected to have more than 430,000 by 2070, with most of the growth expected in the city's two northern quadrants.
Councilmember Welsh's District 5 now makes up the western side of the Mid Cape, while Councilmember Hayden's District 3 represents the eastern side of the Mid Cape. Each district shall be formed of compact, contiguous territory, its boundary lines following the centerlines of streets or canals, with as equal a population as possible.
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Task Force Reduces Building Permit Backlog
In mid-April, the City formed a Dedicated Backlog Reduction Task Force with the primary goal of mitigating the backlog of building permits. The acceptance of new permits was suspended so the Task Force could work toward that goal without interruption.
The Customer Service Division worked overtime all week, including on Easter, to process 4,848 permit applications and issue 2,059 permits. The City is addressing permit processing times and focusing on software optimization to efficiently process the near-record number of new permit applications.
For more details on the building permit process, please click below or contact the Customer Service Permitting Division at 239-574-0546 or [email protected].
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Public Art Unveiled on CRA Utility Boxes
Fifteen works of art by local artists were selected to be on permanent display downtown. The artwork can be seen on utility boxes on SE 47th Terrace from Coronado Parkway to SE 15th Avenue.
A call to artists was advertised in October of 2021, and CRA board members voted on their favorite designs in January. On April 7, 2020, City Council granted permission for the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to place artwork downtown.
The artwork was installed on the utility boxes in the form of a vinyl wrap during the first few weeks of April 2022. On April 15, 2022, the CRA, City Staff, media, and members of the community all gathered for the art unveiling ceremony.
The CRA is proud to support local artists and add a splash of color to SE 47th Terrace for everyone to enjoy.
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Cape Coral Fire Department Celebrates 60th Anniversary
In 1961, the residents of Cape Coral began talking about the need for a fire department. At the time, emergencies were covered by Fort Myers and North Fort Myers with a response time of 30-45 minutes.
On April 10, 1962, the Cape Coral Volunteer Fireman’s Association was incorporated. Fire Station 1 opened in 1963, the first fire truck was ordered in 1964, and in 1965 the volunteer fire department was in full operation. The City of Cape Coral was incorporated in 1970 and in 1971 took over fire operations. When the fire department was first established, it was responding to approximately 750 emergency calls each year. Now the CCFD responds to over 26,000 calls annually!
The CCFD is honored to have served the Cape Coral community with commitment, accountability, professionalism, and excellence for the past 60 years and is excited to continue to do so for the next 60 years and beyond.
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CCFD Introduces New Ladder Truck
On April 19, the Cape Coral Fire Department placed its newest apparatus, Ladder 11, into service. The unit replaces Ladder 7 which will be moved to reserve status after 16 years of frontline service. Engine 11 was moved to Station 7 to become Engine 7.
The decision to move the new ladder to Station 11 was due to the station's more centralized location in the City and the City's expansion and economic development in the area.
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Burn Ban is Currently
in Effect
On March 29, in accordance with the City’s Code of Ordinance, Chapter 8-14: Burn ban implementation procedures, the City of Cape Coral issued a temporary burn ban with the intent to limit fire hazards within the City to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our residents. This measure prohibits recreational burns (i.e., fire pits, campfires) and City permitted burns (i.e., bonfires and land clearing control burns).
Fires solely for cooking purposes where the fire, flames, and heat generated are fully contained within the device's confines (i.e., grill) are still allowed. The burn ban shall be in effect until the local drought index is below 600 for seven consecutive days.
In addition to following the burn ban restrictions, the Cape Coral Fire Department requests the community be vigilant in not disposing of lit smoking materials outdoors, including from a car window. The Department also requests that vehicles, including ATVs, only be operated on paved, gravel, or dirt surfaces and not on grass or other vegetation
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Remember to "Move Over" for Flashing Lights
The City of Cape Coral is growing in record numbers, and the increased year-round residency has called for a significant surge of vehicles on our roadways. The Cape Coral Police Department recognizes the necessity for increased traffic enforcement to help mitigate and avert vehicles committing traffic infractions, which ultimately means safer roadways for our residents and visitors.
The Florida Move Over Act F.S.S. 316.125 requires motorists to move over a lane if you safely can for stopped law enforcement, emergency sanitation, utility service vehicles, tow trucks or wreckers, and maintenance or construction vehicles with displayed warning lights without advanced signs or channeling devices.
- If a vehicle is unable to safely move over if traveling on a two-lane roadway, the vehicle must slow to a speed that is 20 mph less than the posted speed limit or slow down to a speed of 5 mph when the posted speed limit is 20 mph or less.
- If the roadway has two or more lanes, the vehicle must vacate the lane closest to the stopped flashing vehicle.
When you fail to move over, this puts yourself and others at an increased risk and could result in a non-moving, uniformed traffic citation, with points and fees associated with your license.
The Cape Coral Police Department will celebrate Police Week from May 15-May 21 and wants to thank everyone for driving cautiously on our roadways and remembering to “Move Over” to help keep our officers safe.
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May is Water Safety Awareness Month
Did you know that drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of five? Drowning is silent and only takes a few moments.
Approximately 75% of child drownings occur when a child has been left unsupervised with access to pool for less than five minutes. However, drowning is preventable.
Adult supervision, barriers, and swim lessons are the best measures to prevent pediatric drowning. If there is a drowning incident, begin CPR immediately and have someone call 911. Do not stop CPR until the child’s breathing has resumed or until medical assistance arrives to take over. How long a child is submerged and how quickly they receive CPR are important factors in how they will recover from a drowning incident.
The Cape Coral Fire Department offers Family and Friends CPR training at no cost for individuals and groups. For more info and to sign up, visit www.capecoralfire.com/cpr
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Boaters Reminded to Practice Safe Boating
The abundance of canals in and around Cape Coral makes this area a boater's paradise; however, it is essential to practice safe boating.
With National Safe Boating Week coming up May 21-27, remember that excessive speed and improper lookout are two of the top contributing factors to boating accidents. Make sure you understand the local rules and laws of the waterway and follow them closely.
Take note of visibility, traffic density, and proximity to navigational hazards such as shoals, rocks, or floating objects. Victims drowned in ~80% of fatal boating accidents. Of those, 83% were not wearing a life jacket. Insist that your crew and guests all wear a life jacket that fits them well. This can help them stay afloat in rough waters, protect them against hypothermia, and in some cases, can keep their head above water.
Get additional boater safety information on the following websites:
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Parks & Recreation Summer '22 Program Guide is Ready
Summertime in Southwest Florida is a good time of year to learn something new, connect with others, get close to nature, and recreate!
The Cape Coral Parks & Recreation
Summer '22 Program Guide, which includes details on summer camps, day trips, classes, and other activities being offered from May through August, is complete and program registrations have officially started.
A limited number of hard copies are available for pick-up at Cape Coral's recreation centers, public libraries, and Cape Coral City Hall.
You may also click on the button below to see the Summer Parks & Recreation Program Guide with links to online registration. Be sure to sign up early for the best selection!
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First City Arborist Begins Work on Arbor Day
The City of Cape Coral is pleased to welcome Omar Leon as the City's new Arborist, whose first day was, ironically enough, Arbor Day.
Mr. Leon received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Florida International University and is a Certified Arborist through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), a Certified Landscape Inspector through the Landscape Inspectors Association of Florida (LIAF), and a Certified Horticulturist, Maintenance and Installation Professional through the Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA). Mr. Leon has been part of the green industry for over 20 years.
As Cape Coral's first City Arborist, he will continue to strengthen The City’s commitment to creating a more sustainably managed Urban Forest by improving its tree canopy coverage percentages and creating beautiful and vibrant landscapes that will enhance the quality of life, walkability and serve as a vital part of The City’s green infrastructure system.
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The City of Cape Coral puts together a variety of quarterly department reports to help keep the public and business community informed. |
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May Happenings Around Cape Coral
Friday, May 7
Friday, May 13
Saturday, May 14 -or- Friday, May 20
Tuesday, May 17
Thursday, May 26
Sunday, May 29
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Click below for a summary explanation of the three referendums regarding amendments to the City Charter that are scheduled to be on the 2022 Ballot. |
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