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Editorial: Don’t limit preservation with Conservation 2020
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Conservation 2020 has been a success story in Lee County. On the books since 1996, when Lee voters approved an annual half-mill levy on themselves to buy and preserve green space, some 19,000 acres have been set aside for $140 million.
Those properties include two preserves in Bonita Springs.
Now it is proposed that as Conservation 2020 moves forward, the program ought to limit itself to parcels 40 acres and over.
We hope that was just the land purchase advisory committee thinking out loud to see if county commissioners were paying attention.
We were, and we have questions: Why? Why that size? Why any limit at all?
Forty seems to be an arbitrary number — someone’s notion of efficiency and practicality.
Yet, there are fewer and fewer properties of that size left these days, and even something small can be of value for environmental protection, beauty or both.
An example that will click with residents of Lee and Collier residents is the preservation of 10 acres directly south of Coastland Center on U.S. 41 in Naples.
The aptly named Naples Preserve is a prime example of location, location, location.
That ought to be the guiding force.
True for development; true, it seems to us, for non-development.
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Well said editorial staff. Bonitians have paid in $26 million since 2000 and have not realized any local Conservation 20/20 purchases despite several nominations- properties put before the Conservation 20/20 advisory board.
#1 Posted by MarthaSimons on May 18, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lee Conservation 2020 is a huge WASTE of taxpayer money and should STOP.
Charlie Green, LEE Clerk of Courts said the 20-20 conservation fund was not a mandate by the voters .. it was a straw poll.
Attendance was LOW at straw polls and public hearings.
http://www.lee-county.com/meetings/ma...
20-20 is adopted annually by the LEE County Commissioners because tax increases on the ballot FAIL.
2008 Amendment-1 to CUT taxes passed by 82%.
http://leeelections.com/download/elhi...
#2 Posted by jacktanner on May 18, 2008 at 7:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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