POSITIVE CHANGE
Welcome back to all who have been traveling, or away over the past few months. There have been many positive changes. Your PGI Section 22 Board of Directors has been very active, and you can see the results of these efforts.
Burnt Store Road has been re-surfaced from the Charlotte County line to Cape Coral.
The main gate at Burnt Store Marina has a new entry sign. Both gate houses have been updated and painted, and perimeter fences have been repaired and repainted. Islamorada and some of the side streets have been repaved and re-striped. Speed control signs have been added to all major thoroughfares, which has had a significant impact on slowing traffic. The Country Club and Fitness Center have been repainted and facilities upgraded, and the Dog Park is nearing reality. Many homes and condominiums have new color palettes.
Safe Harbor has made excellent progress repairing damage from Hurricane Ian. The South marina seawall at the marina entrance is completed. Installation of new bulkheads in the north basin have been completed, and new docks are being installed.
Unseen progress: drilling new wells to ensure adequate water for the golf course and residents, upgrades to the irrigation system, clean out of the overflow swale on Soundings Lake to prevent flooding, bulkheads have been repaired or replaced on the golf course, dead trees being removed, and a new tree replacement program is being implemented.
This issue of the Burnt Store Beacon is being delivered to you digitally. We urge residents to register their email address with Alliant Property Management, [email protected]. There are currently three new communities under development along Burnt Store Road. In Charlotte County, these developments will double the number of residents along Burnt Store Road, and exacerbate traffic problems. The Burnt Store Corridor Coalition, of which I am a member, has been working diligently for years to manage growth and development. We recently discussed re-zoning 40+ acres of land across from Peppercorn Drive for commercial purposes. A recent survey of members of the
coalition indicated preferences for 1) a grocery store, 2) an urgent care facility or clinic and 3) a bakery. Charlotte County agreed to the placement of three stoplights in each of the new developments and may require a stoplight for the commercial development project.
There has been progress on the Burnt Store Road expansion from the Charlotte County line south to Van Buren Blvd. in Cape Coral. The Burnt Store Road Corridor Coalition held a joint Charlotte and Lee County road planning meeting on September 16. The Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization stated that they do not plan on acquiring additional property along the 1.5-mile stretch east of the marina and have modified their design. They now propose a Continuous Green T (CGT) intersection at Burnt Store Road and Vincent Avenue. This design may eliminate the need for land acquisition.
The Continuous Green T intersection, or CGT, is a three- legged intersection that allows one direction of travel on the major street to operate under free-flow conditions. The opposite major street direction of travel and minor street approach are typically controlled by traffic signals. Here is how a CGT would function for motorists at the intersection of Burnt Store Road and Vincent Avenue (See Schematic). On Burnt Store Road, northbound traffic would proceed through the Vincent Avenue intersection without stopping. Motorists who wish to turn left onto Vincent Avenue from this direction must first stop at the traffic signal before completing their movement. Southbound motorists on Burnt Store Road would have the options of proceeding straight as through- traffic, or turning right onto Vincent Avenue, just like at a conventional signalized T-intersection. From Vincent Avenue, motorists would use the right turn lane to proceed southbound on Burnt Store Road. To turn left onto Burnt Store Road, motorists would use the channelized lane on Burnt Store Road to merge after passing through the traffic signal. This design would install a traffic light at Vincent Avenue for all southbound traffic only. Northbound traffic will be uninterrupted. Northbound traffic exiting Vincent Avenue would merge into southbound traffic after getting a green traffic light. This design is similar to the intersection of Burnt Store Road and Zemel Road, but in the opposite direction (See attached design schematic) and with a traffic light. Traffic exiting the marina via the main gate will not be able to turn left, or northbound, but will head south and then make a U-turn to the north.
Benefits of the CGT include improved efficiency and safety. The free-flow of northbound traffic on Burnt Store Road allows more green light time for other movements, reducing delays. Left-turning vehicles from Vincent Avenue would use a channelized receiving lane on Burnt Store Road to merge. The channelization of the left-turning vehicles from Vincent Avenue reduces the potential for angle crashes.
Lee County also confirmed the development of approximately 3,000 homes south on Burnt Store Road near the Tranquility Lake RV Park. Lee County recently allowed a density change from one home per 10 acres to 10 homes per acre on 35 acres across from the Dollar General store. As of this writing (September 27 to meet the October 1 publishing deadline), we are assessing the impact of Hurricane Helene on our community. Fortunately, damages seem to be minimal. To date, the hurricane season has been less active than expected. Do not let your guard down. The good news is that the Burnt Store Marina Certified Emergency Response Team (CERT) was ready for Hurricane Helene and is prepared to help. The team is composed of 22 residents who have completed their training with the Cape Coral Fire Department and are fully equipped for an emergency. Consult the September Beacon or the bsm22.org website for more information. Generators have been beefed up at both the Linkside Café and the main gatehouse. Remember, when the power goes off and you need support, the Linkside Café will be the primary staging area and assistance will be available. The hurricane season ends in November so always stay prepared.
Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) have been placed throughout the community. The newer units are programmed to call 911 when taken from the rack. Each AED provides detailed instructions regarding how to use it. Residents should take the opportunity to locate and familiarize themselves with units near them.
Vision 2025 was launched in 2023 and many of the ideas and suggestions have been implemented. During April, the Section 22 Board of Directors formed a Community Long Range Planning Committee to begin looking another five to ten years into the future. The primary focus will be on expanding and upgrading our amenities and evaluating the impact of explosive nearby growth on property values and services. To assist in this process, the board of directors has retained a professional planning consulting company’s services. Results of this planning evaluation should be available by the end of the year.
Life in Burnt Store Marina is good and will only get better, thanks to the efforts of the many volunteers who work diligently every day to maintain this beautiful community.
