Many people on Pine Island still are re-building from the damage of Hurricane Ian. And they're also dealing with concerns that the island could lose its natural beauty and small community charm.
The island is about the size of Manhattan. Yet this piece of Old Florida features palm tree farms and mango groves, instead of skyscrapers. The population is about 9,000 full-time residents. Ian caused catastrophic damage, and now long-time Pine Islanders like Margie Cooper worry that re-building could drastically change the place.
"It's scary. The future of the island is not a good future, I don't think," Cooper said.
Mike Shevlin has lived on the island and worked as a realtor for more than 40 years. What's happened since Ian?
"There's a lot of interest from people wanting to come in and pick up property quick, cheap," Shevlin said.
But he added that zoning regulations and the bottleneck at the Matlacha drawbridge are stalling major housing developments. That two-lane bridge is the only road on and off the Island. Shevlin said he hopes the place stays mostly rural.
"It's a bit of a haven, and it's a relief from the everyday stress of cars and people, and that sort of thing," he said.
Diana Khalil said she and her husband bought land and a home on the island a couple of years ago, and they cherish how their two young children can enjoy nature.
"I don't want to see it built up," she said. "If they're going to be cutting down all the trees and the wiildlife goes away, that will be totally against why we even moved here."
Robert Ballard is Pine Island born and raised. Now in his 70's, he heads the Calusa Land Trust. Ballard said some people are piecing together land to build 20 or 30 homes, and he's worried.
"The threat is always there," he said. "There's plenty of land for people to spread out, and I would rather see that than lots of homes going in."
Ballard said there has been talk for some years about a second bridge, but no plans have come together. He said if a second, bigger bridge is built to the island, the slow pace and country charm will vanish. He said he'd move away if the island becomes like parts of built-up Cape Coral.
Margie Cooper blames post-Ian housing pressures for driving up rents, and driving out those who aren't wealthy. She too fears the special feeling of the island could be lost.
"Everybody knows everybody, everybody watches out for each other, even when there is not a hurricane," she said of people on the island. "But a lot of people aren't going to be able to be here anymore."
Mike Walcher is an Assistant Professor in Journalism at FGCU. He also works some for WGCU News. He can be reached at mwalcher@fgcu.edu
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