Captiva

The South Seas Group has been battling residents and civic groups on Sanibel and Captiva as it tries to persuade the Lee County Board of County Commissioners to sign off on a deal that would significantly expand the number of people at the resort.South Seas encompasses the northern third of Captiva Island.To get to Captiva by car, you have to drive through Sanibel Island. Both islands swell significantly during the winter tourist season.

A swath of red tide stretching for more than 200 miles has formed from Tampa Bay to Key West and the bloom started near Tampa Bay shortly after Hurricane Milton in October.

Homeowners who have elevated their homes after hurricanes in Florida will share experiences. All welcome.

At issue are changes Lee County's government made to the Land Development Code freeing South Seas from density and height limits.

Captiva residents will vote in a special election Tuesday on a referendum concerning beach renourishment.The bond referendum up for a vote seeks to approve the Captiva Erosion Prevention District ability to finance beach nourishment for up to $25 million.

Representative says he's taking a wait and see approach

The Board of Count Commissioners recently released South Seas resort from the shackles that preserve the charm of the barrier island

Imagine the surprise felt by sea turtle lovers when the number of egg-filled clutches laid on Southwest Florida beaches during last summer’s nesting season totaled a normal year despite shorelines transformed by Hurricane Ian.Even better: The mommas kept coming.Female sea turtles often return to the beach of their birth to nest every three years or so, which made understandable the fears of the large and active cadre of turtle volunteers that Category 5 Ian in September 2022 had rendered nesting beaches so unrecognizable the females would be lost, search aimlessly, then dump their eggs at sea.

For decades, South Seas Island resort has been bound to the same set of strict density and height restrictions as the rest of Captiva Island in unincorporated Lee County. Until recently, when the Lee County Board of County commissioners exempted the resort from such restrictions. Residents now believe their worst fears could come true.

Commission vote on removing height language from code has islanders roiled; Litigation and state legislation expected