City Adds GIS Maps Online

Source: Cape Coral On The Move Newsletter

In August, the City added "GIS Online" to the eCape section of the City's website: www.capegov.org. eCape provides online services to citizens and visitors, allowing them to conduct various activities online. These services include paying water bills, tracking building permits, scheduling inspections, applying for jobs, calculating payoff amounts for assessments, and entering requests or complaints. GIS Online is the latest addition to this growing selection of eCape services. GIS stands for Geographic Information System. The City uses a system called the ESRI ArcGIS 9 GIS system, which is one of the leading systems for this technology. The GIS system maintains geographic detail about the city in various layers. These layers include "City Boundary," "Streets Centerline," "Canal," "Parcel," "Zoning," and "Future Land Use." The GIS system generates proximity maps used in land use cases brought before City Council. The system also is used to develop zoning and future land use maps sold to the public. The GIS includes comprehensive aerial photographs of Cape Coral.

"GIS Online" allows many of the features of the GIS system to be viewed by the public via the internet - here: http://capeims.capecoral.net/webmap/

GIS Online is accessed via the eCape link, and users will need a resolution of at least 1024 X 768 to view the features properly. A "Help" button is available to learn the basics about using the system. Citizens can zoom in to various areas in more detail and can conduct parcel queries by owner name, address or strap number. This will bring up the aerial view of that parcel along with a data pane on the right, which provides detail about the parcel. Links are provided to the City's "Assessment Payoff Calculator" and to the Lee County Property Appraiser's site for sales history and assessed value details.

What's Next for eCape?
The City has more online services on tap for the citizens. In September, two new features will be added. Click2Gov Business Licenses will allow Cape Coral businesses to renew licenses online. Another feature will be "Who is My Council Member?" This service provides citizens with the ability to enter their address and find their Council district and the name of the Council member who represents that district. The Council member's name and contact details will be displayed as well.

SharePoint Intranet
In July, the City launched the SharePoint Intranet program for City employees. An "Intranet" is an internal website used by companies and government offices to share information across the organization. SharePoint is a Microsoft product that makes it simpler for organizations to create an Intranet system. The first step for the City in setting up SharePoint was to build the Employee "Home Page," which allows employees to access various articles of information, such administrative regulations, frequently used forms, weekly departmental reports and any new announcements. The next step is to build the individual department sites. On these sites, specific procedures and information pertinent to a specific department are stored for access.

Tighter Watering Restrictions Remain in Place

Source: Cape Coral On The Move Newsletter

While we are in the rainy season, we might tend to forget that water is not abundant year-round in Cape Coral. About 70 percent of the city's 54 inches of annual rainfall occurs during this time of year. Our dry season typically begins in October and lasts through May. During the dry season, the city receives minimal rainfall.

This past dry season, the City implemented an emergency watering ordinance restricting irrigation to two days per week. This action was necessary because canal levels were dropping rapidly as a result of high irrigation demand. Water for irrigation usage exceeded 40 million gallons per day, which was far more water than necessary to keep grass green.

This overuse of water for irrigation also was causing a rapid drawdown of the aquifer in the Southwest Cape. The potable water supply in an area served by private wells was being threatened by the continuing drop in the water level. This same area had experienced several well failures the previous dry season.

A combination of the tighter watering restrictions and a much wetter winter than normal helped improve the water levels of the aquifer and replenish the canals. But that does not end the problem. This upcoming dry season will find more wells in the ground and more users on the City's irrigation system. Cape Coral is experiencing rapid growth, and this growth is putting significant stress on the water resources available for both irrigation and domestic use. The City is developing and implementing long-range plans to address the growing demand for water. Some improvements have been made and additional improvements are planned. Upcoming improvements include modifying the weirs and their capacity to store water, adding transfer pump stations to move water to areas that need it, and building Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) wells to store water from the rainy season for use during the dry season. However, the benefits from these improvements may be 3-5 years away.

Because water is a limited resource, we must be conservation-minded year round. For this reason, the City is continuing with the restricted watering schedule. This schedule limits residential irrigation to two days per week. Be a responsible and wise steward of our water resources and follow the City's watering schedule. Remember that during the winter, your lawn does not require as much water as it receives during the rainy season. Here is the watering schedule, which is in effect year-round:

Watering Schedule
Even homes: Thursday and Sunday
Odd homes: Wednesday and Saturday
Non-residential: Monday, Wednesday and Friday

No Watering between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Maximum of 4 hours per day.

Stormwater Fee Increase Will Expand Program

Source: Cape Coral On The Move Newsletter

On June 13, staff recommended a not-to-exceed stormwater fee of $75 per equivalent residential unit (ERU). This is a $25 increase from the current fee of $50. The fee increase has been requested to support the cost of providing the following services:

. Street Sweeping
. Swale Regrading
. Drain Pipe Replacement
. Canal Maintenance (10 percent of program cost)
. Catch Basin Maintenance
. Drainage Management
. Surface Water Management
. Public Works' Environmental Division

The $3.6 million of additional revenue will provide the funds necessary to sustain and expand the current program. While the service goal is to complete work on a preventive maintenance basis, the volume of work exceeds the resources available to the Public Works Department. Public Works has identified the greatest needs as swale maintenance and drain pipe replacement.

The complaint backlog for swale maintenance has increased 10 percent, from 730 to 800 complaints during the past year. This backlog creates a 2.8-year wait before service can be provided. The proposed budget includes the hiring of five additional swale crews and equipment to help reduce the backlog.

The other area of concern is the drain pipe replacement program. There are about 515 miles of drain pipe throughout the city. About 270 miles of the piping (more than half) is original to Cape Coral and is more than 40 years old. Because the system is underground, failures are not immediately identifiable. Reactive repair work is very costly at $90 - $120 per linear foot or $475,200 to $633,600 per mile. Having a proactive replacement/maintenance plan is less than half the cost of a reactive plan. The cost is about $46 - $56 per linear foot with a proactive program. There are various ways to complete a proactive or preventative drain pipe replacement. Currently, small projects are completed using existing in-house crews, while large-scale pipe relining projects are being performed by outside contractors. Additionally, pipe replacement is being done in conjunction with major construction projects, such as utility extension and roadway improvements. This helps take advantage of savings associated with restoration costs. The increase in the stormwater fee will permit the Public Works Department to address the backlog in swale maintenance and the need for more proactive maintenance work. This will result in a betterfunctioning system as well as long-term savings.

City Adds Services to Solid Waste Collection

Source: Cape Coral On The Move Newsletter

On August 1, City Council approved a five-year contract renewal with Waste Management for solid waste removal services. Waste Management has been providing this service to Cape Coral since 1998. As part of the contract renewal, Waste Management has agreed to the following enhancements:

. Start a recycling program at all municipal buildings and Parks and Recreation facilities.
. Provide solid waste collection at community events for no extra charge in the amount of $15,000 per year.
. Pickup and disposal of waste and recyclables found in the City's right-of-way.
. Begin a curbside electronics recycling program (start-up date to be determined).
.Change the distance from the curb for collection to six feet instead of three feet.
. Change the process to shorten the time allowed for missed pickups.
. Provide side door rather than back door pickup for those residents who are physically unable to take their refuse to the curb.

In approving the renewal, the residential rate for FY 2006 has been established at $190.81, an increase of $20.27 from the previous rate of $170.54. In determining a final annual rate, several component costs are considered. These costs include the collection fee, disposal fee, notification costs and statutory discounts. The collection fee that covers Waste Management's services was proposed at $9.55/mo. or $114.60. The second largest cost is the disposal fee, which is determined by and paid to Lee County Solid Waste on a per ton basis. The annual disposal fee is estimated at $67.14. While the per ton disposal fee is the same for all residents throughout Lee County, the collection fee being proposed for Cape Coral's residential customer is lower than any other area of the county.

The residential solid waste fee is billed as a non-ad valorem item on the annual tax bill from the Lee County Tax Collector. The fee is recalculated on an annual basis with the City Council adopting a tentative rate in June. This allows for public notification during the month of July and a public hearing soon after.

Utility Extension Program

Source: Cape Coral On The Move Newsletter

The City's next five-year Utility Expansion Program began in May with the start of construction in the area identified as Southeast One. The Final Assessment Hearings were held, and resolutions for all three systems - water, sewer and irrigation - were approved by City Council on July 25. The completion of the Southeast One project is expected July 2006.

As currently planned, the five-year program (2005 - 2010) will provide full utility service to all the remaining platted lots south of Pine Island Road. The total estimated cost for this phase is $250 million. Expansion maps showing the new project areas and the proposed schedule are available at the City Clerk's Office for $1. The new projects included in this program will be:

. Southeast One
. Southwest Four
. Southwest Five
. Southwest Six
. Southwest Seven

Design of the Southwest Four project is already in progress, and construction should begin in the spring 2006. The City plans to continue the program by beginning a new project every year.

At a recent strategic planning session, the City Council and staff have discussed the subject of accelerating the utility extension program. An initial report on a proposed accelerated program was presented to Council on August 1. The accelerated plan could include all or parts of the north Cape. City staff continues to evaluate options and will bring these options back to City Council for further discussion.

Cape Coral neighbors may have final say

By DAVE BREITENSTEIN
Special Thanks to The News-Press

The Golf Club has agreed to sell its championship course in Cape Coral to the Lee County school district for $26 million, 11 percent below the average of two appraisals. Eventually, the 175.2-acre site could house five public schools and a city park with a four-mile jogging trail and other amenities. That depends on whether the school district can win the support of the golf course's neighbors, Superintendent James Browder said Friday.

Lee home prices up 40 percent in May

By Dick Hogan
Special to The News-Press

Ruby Rendon came to Cape Coral with her two children because they couldn't afford a house in New York City. When she bought a house in the Cape for $210,000, she discovered she already could sell it for thousands more.Now Rendon, 47, wants to become a real estate agent.

City to Offer Online Payoff Calculator

The City’s Information Technology Department has been working with Customer Billing Services to develop an online “Payoff Calculator.” The calculator will allow the public to obtain payoff data on loans and assessments via the City’s website. The service is accessible at the “eCape” online services section at www.capegov.org. The new automated service was developed as part of the City’s E-Government and Click2Gov initiatives, which is providing City services via the web for our customers’ convenience.

The online payoff calculator will be a valuable resource for title companies, real estate professionals and potential residents of the Cape. The City initiated the online payoff calculator service in two phases. The first phase converted the current “payoff information form” to a computerized format. This new format allows a search via the property address or STRAP number. The search extracts data for the specific property from billing and assessment databases, and then performs the precise payoff calculations. The completed data is presented on the payoff information form. The second phase of the project is the online version of the payoff calculator. Individuals and companies now can obtain real-time payoff data on properties for any potential payoff date by visiting the City’s web page.

Automating this process to an online service also provides a benefit to the City. The City’s Customer Billing Services typically responds to about 1,000 loan payoff information requests weekly on properties located within the city. The data is required by title companies to process loan closings. Prior to the payoff calculator, assembling this data manually was time-consuming. Staff had to research current balances for lot mowing, water and sewer impact fees, and assessment and betterment loan balances for potable water, irrigation and sewer services. The precise payoff then had to be computed manually using calculators, and the information transcribed to the “payoff information” form and faxed to the title companies. To access the online payoff calculator, go to www.capegov.org and select “SAM” from the eCape dropdown menu.

Source: Cape Coral on the Move - Quarterly Newsletter - Fall 2004

Cape Coral is 5th Fastest Growing City in the United States

The City of Cape Coral continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in the country according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Cape grew at a 5.8 percent clip in the 12-month period ending July 1, 2003. This places Cape Coral at No. 5 for cities with more than 100,000 people and at No. 10 regardless of population. Port St. Lucie was the only other Florida city on the list. Last year, Cape Coral was the 9th fastest growing city, and officials had expected the city to remain in the Top 10 again this year. “We know how many building permits we issued last year, and we know how many building permits we are issuing this year,” said City Manager Terry Stewart. “We expect Cape Coral to remain on everyone’s radar screen for the next few years.” Cape Coral grew to 118,737 people by July 1, 2003. The City estimates that the current population is more than 134,000 residents, and the city is on pace to issue more than 5,000 single-family home permits this year. “Cape Coral is a very attractive community for many reasons,” said Stewart. “We have sunshine, waterfront property, access to the Gulf and lots of potential. I am not surprised that people from all over the world want to move to our city.”
Source: Cape Coral on the Move - Quarterly Newsletter - Fall 2004

Cape Coral Crime Statistics

Cape Coral’s Index Crime Rate (crimes per 100,000 residents) increased 4.2% in 2002 according to statistics compiled by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Despite the modest increase in Cape Coral’s statistics last year, crime has gone down in 8 of the last 11 years. Further, Cape Coral remains among Florida’s safest cities, having the third lowest crime rate of the 13 Florida municipalities with populations exceeding 100,000.

Police Chief Dan Alexander said, “The police department recognizes the community’s role in combating crime. We remain grateful for the ongoing support of our residents, business owners, and elected officials. Our city is growing rapidly, as well as undergoing a significant change in demographics, including an ever-increasing younger population. I’m optimistic that recent city council and city manager supported initiatives will have an impact on improving the quality of life in Cape Coral. These initiatives include:

• Technological advances (computer aided dispatch, computerized records management, crime analysis, etc.) • The pay initiative that will help us fill our 14 police officer vacancies • The structural reorganization • COPSTAR (Community Oriented Policing Strategy Tracking Analysis and Reporting)”

Major Rob Petrovich, commander of the Operations Division, added, “The Cape Coral Police Department is at the threshold of an exciting and challenging time. The implementation of progressive policing techniques such as COPSTAR, along with the planned upgrades to our technology, will allow us to more rapidly analyze and respond to crime trends in our high growth community.”

Source: Cape Coral on the Move - Quarterly Newsletter - Winter 2004

City Offers Alternative Financing Plan to Property Owners
Zero Coupon Municipal Bonds will provide another option for paying assessments.

The City has developed another payment option for property owners in the utilities expansion areas. Thanks to some help provided by Montgomery, Watson & Harza (the construction manager), property owners now will have the option of financing their assessments through a zero coupon bond (municipal bond).

Zero Coupon Bonds are municipal bonds that do not pay interest during the life of the bond. They function much in the same way as savings bonds, as investors purchase them at a discount to the maturity value. The City uses a financial institution to issue these bonds, which are held by investors until their maturity date. Assessments financed through this option will accrue interest and must be repaid no later than the established term period of 20 years.

Currently, your assessments are collected in 20 annual payments on the tax bill. With this new municipal bond option, there is no set annual payment. The amount you pay is left up to you. You can pay nothing, make a partial payment or pay off the entire assessment. Payments are not collected on the tax bill, so you are responsible for repayment of the debt. You will receive an annual statement showing the details of your account, and making a payment is your choice.

This sounds great, right? Well, it could be a good option for many property owners. Owners of vacant property can defer the payment until the property is sold or developed, and homeowners can tailor their payments to their financial situation. But there are some disadvantages.

• The interest rate charged will be higher. (For example purposes in this article, we will use 7.5 percent, which probably is on the high side.) • Interest compounds on the unpaid amount, which can create a substantial balloon payment if deferred the 20 years. The balloon payment would be about $50,000 on an initial assessment of $11,600 (using the 7.5 percent interest rate). • Assessments are not assumable. The balance must be paid in full upon the transfer of the property (either by sale or inheritance). • Because the City is responsible for satisfying the bonds upon maturation, failure to pay at the end of 20 years will result in the City initiating foreclosure proceedings on the delinquent property. • The interest rate is constant. Customers who stay with the current traditional financing option will see a rate reduction when the City retires the higher-interest bonds that were issued for the project. With only low-interest State Revolving Funds remaining to be paid, the City will reduce the interest rate charged to these customers to less than 4 percent. • Once you select this option, you cannot opt out and go back to the traditional financing.

The City will begin offering this option to property owners in SW 2. Property owners in the previous expansion areas (Pine Island Road, SW 1 and SW 3) will have the opportunity to sign up for this option sometime next year. The City will schedule public information meetings in these areas to discuss the process and the estimated costs. All property owners will be notified by mail of the dates and times.

Source: Cape Coral on the Move - Quarterly Newsletter - Winter 2004

Council Approves New Boatlift for Northwest Spreader

There is some good news for boaters in the Northwest Spreader Waterway. City Council approved funds to replace and upgrade the aging boatlift located near Ceitus Parkway. The Ceitus boatlift, which has been in continuous operation since 1980, allows boaters to access Matlacha Pass through the spreader waterway.

The new swing boatlift is being designed to handle larger boats, with a lifting capacity of 16,000 pounds. This is about three times more weight than the existing lift can accommodate.

Design and planning efforts have been underway since August. Public Works staff has prepared a schedule to complete the design, permitting and construction of the new boatlift by the first week in October 2004. Should the permitting get approved sooner than expected, the project potentially could be completed ahead of schedule.

The City will attempt to minimize down time; however, the lift will be out of operation during construction of the new lift. Staff anticipates that the lift will be out of service for about three to four weeks. Advance notice of the construction schedule will be advertised to allow all interested parties to plan for the down time.

Source: Cape Coral on the Move - Quarterly Newsletter - Winter 2004

Reminder: Year-Round Watering Schedule in Effect

With the dry season approaching, many residents may be preparing to turn on the sprinkler system and water their lawns. When you do, please remember that the City Council approved an ordinance earlier this year establishing a year-round watering schedule for all Cape Coral residents. The year-round watering schedule is effective now and not just from December 1 to May 31, as in the past. The Council action mirrored similar action taken by the South Florida Water Management District in April, which approved year-round restrictions for all counties within the district

Watering days and times will remain the same as they have been for Cape Coral residents. Here are the days and times for all residents throughout the year. You can water a maximum of four hours per day; however, there is no watering allowed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please remember that you do not need to water on all three days.

• EVEN numbered addresses Tuesday, Thursday and/or Sunday
• ODD numbered addresses Monday, Wednesday and/or Saturday
• NON-RESIDENTIAL properties Monday, Wednesday and/or Friday

Source: Cape Coral on the Move - Quarterly Newsletter - Winter 2004

Several Major Development Projects on Tap for Cape Coral
By Debbie Glynn, Acting Planner

The City of Cape Coral has several major development projects coming to the city. The City’s Planning Division currently is processing and reviewing 16 Planned Development Projects (PDP’s). Here are five of the more significant projects submitted:

“Veterans Parkway West” Cape Coral Development Associates, LLC, recently submitted a PDP for a development to be known as “Veterans Parkway West.” This 524-acre tract is located between SW Pine Island Road (SR 78) and Veterans Memorial Parkway West. The development is within the Pine Island Road Corridor District.

The development will be located just west of Surfside Boulevard, and east of Burnt Store Road. The project consists of 115 single-family "pods" with 1,081 lots, and four multi-family tracts totaling 488 units. The development has three commercial tracts covering about 32 acres, which will have the potential of providing 311,000 square feet of commercial building area. Also included are a 5.9-acre amenity center tract, and a 2.1-acre recreation tract. Public hearings on this project are anticipated in the Spring.

“Publix at Coral Shores” A PDP for the Publix at Coral Shores has been submitted by the Halvorsen Development Corporation and Cape Investments Overseas Corporation, Inc. The site is a 38- acre parcel situated on the northeast corner of Burnt Store Road and SW Pine Island Road. Publix is proposing a 45,000-square-foot store, with about 22,000 square feet of tenant retail space bordering the store on both sides. In addition, six out parcels ranging in size from 1.2 acres to 1.87 acres, will front Pine Island and Burnt Store roads. The end-users for the out parcels are unknown at this time. Public hearings are anticipated for this project also in the Spring.

“Wal-Mart Supercenter” A “Wal-Mart Supercenter” PDP, represented by CPH Engineers, is also under review by City staff at this time. The proposed store is located on a 32.51-acre parcel that recently was annexed into the City limits. The parcel is just west of Chiquita Boulevard and east of Burnt Store Road on SW Pine Island Road. This project is situated within the Pine Island Road Corridor District, and is proposing a 203,091-square-foot store. The project anticipates employing about 450 employees.

“Neighborhood Wal-Mart” Another Wal-Mart, known as a “Neighborhood Wal-Mart,” is proposed on 7.19 acres of land that has been assembled and is located at the northwest corner of Skyline Boulevard and Mohawk Parkway. The applicant has submitted a Future Land Use Map Amendment for Commercial/Professional Land Use, which is scheduled for City Council consideration in December. This Planned Development Project will consist of a 40,000-square-foot grocery store that will employ about 90 people. Both Wal-Mart PDPs will be before City Council next year.

“Engle at Entrada” Tousa Homes, Inc. has submitted an application for a Planned Development Project entitled “Engle at Entrada.” The site comprises 165 acres of land in Unit 86 within the Entrada Subdivision. The property is located along the northeastern side of the Del Prado Extension. The “Engle at Entrada” development contains 457 single-family and multi-family development dwelling units. The developer also intends in the future to develop a private community sports facility within the residential component of the project. This facility, which consists of baseball and/or soccer fields, will be designed to serve the Engle Homes residents. In addition, the development will contain a clubhouse and pool, fitness center and a community room.

These are a few of the more significant projects currently being reviewed by the Planning Division staff. The division will provide updates to the community about projects that are on the horizon in upcoming issues of On The Move.

Source: Cape Coral on the Move - Quarterly Newsletter - Winter 2004

Council Approves 5-Year Road Resurfacing Plan

The City Council recently approved the proposed 5-year road resurfacing plan for Cape Coral. This plan directs the expenditure of funds that Council has set aside for roadwork through the city.

Click here to open the article in a separate window.

Source: Cape Coral on the Move - Quarterly Newsletter - Winter 2004