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Boca Grande parking prompts prolonged public comment; residents and businesses press Board for study or ordinance action; other public comments urge flood-barri
Summary
Residents and stakeholders strongly debated a proposed Boca Grande parking ordinance: some called for immediate ordinance action to address public-safety parking congestion, others asked for an independent parking study and stakeholder workshops; the Board noted a public workshop scheduled later in the day.
A prolonged public-comment period at the March 18 Lee County commission meeting focused on parking and access on Boca Grande, with residents, business owners and churches split on whether the county should adopt an ordinance now or commission a parking study and further stakeholder workshops.
Many residents and businesses pressed the Board to act quickly, citing public-safety problems and blocked driveways during high visitation. Speakers noted that vehicle congestion can impede emergency access and that previous measures on other barrier islands included parking and golf-cart rules. One resident: "Let's not send this to a study and a workshop where it languishes and somebody ... can't get access to the EMS when they need it," said Neil Montgomery, who identified himself as representing some property owners and businesses on Boca Grande.
Others—church leaders and long-time residents—urged the Board to gather objective facts before adopting policy. Kimberly Whipple, senior warden of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on Boca Grande, said: "Without facts and truly understanding what's going on, it's very difficult to understand what the problem is," and asked for an unbiased parking study and full stakeholder engagement before adopting island-specific rules.
Additional public comments included a range of topics: a resident proposed exploring a flood barrier with gates on the Caloosahatchee River near Iona to reduce storm-surge impacts after hurricane Ian and subsequent storms; another speaker proposed creating revenue-generating hostel-style housing to address homelessness and to replenish funds for affordable-housing programs.
Board response and next steps: the chair noted the Board had a public workshop scheduled later the same day at 1:30 p.m. and said the commission has previously discussed parking on Boca Grande; commissioners emphasized they have received numerous written public records and emails on the matter. The meeting record shows the Board has directed further review and will use scheduled public engagement opportunities to gather additional input before taking regulatory steps. No ordinance vote occurred during the March 18 meeting.
Why it matters: Boca Grande stakeholders described competing priorities—protecting residential quality of life and access versus preserving visitor access and supporting local businesses—while urging the Board to balance public safety and local interests. The comments indicate high community engagement and strong opinions on whether the county should act quickly or pursue additional study and public workshops.
