The Sanibel weather has been great this week, although hot and with a few quick afternoon rain showers. With news reporting dangerous heatwaves in other parts of the country, I hope you have been staying cool where you are.
The SanibelSusan Team has been manning the office all week, while I am in Orlando attending the Florida Realtors 2019 Convention, Trade Expo, and Annual Meetings.
The convention educational sessions and expo have wrapped up, with committee meetings today and tomorrow. The highlight today was at the Capital Club annual luncheon with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. It was so inspiring to hear the many positive initiatives underway, thanks to his leadership, including in water quality. As he said, it’s all about “Florida first”. He is without a doubt, smart, energized, and working hard for our state.
Below are a few local news items from the Sanibel team, before a summary of the islands’ Multiple Listing Service activity this week.
County Approves Wulfert Bayous Acquisition
As reported in this week’s “Island Sun”: On August 20, the Lee County Board of Commissioners voted in favor of supporting the acquisition of the 68-acre Wulfert Bayous parcel. The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) and the JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge have been working with the county on the collaboration for more than a year to make the acquisition a reality.
Lee County’s Conservation 20/20 program will fund $6.5 million of the total $9.5 million cost to purchase the property. DDWS has raised the additional $3 million through private donations. The refuge, for its part in the collaboration, will manage the property as part of its complex.
The city of Sanibel had already approved development of the land with up to 28 new homes. To preserve the tract from such development, DDWS, in February 2019, kicked of its public campaign to preserve the acreage.
Located along Wulfert Road and Sanibel-Captiva Road and adjacent to refuge boundaries, the property is home to a number of species that would be seriously threatened by development of the habitat. The preserved acreage will also help protect water quality as a natural filter.
The conservation and planned restoration of the Wulfert Bayous property will forward the goals and objectives of the Gulf of Mexico and the Greater Everglades Ecosystem restoration plans. In addition to 16 acres of existing mangroves, Wulfert Bayous contains 15 acres of wetlands that can be restored and enhanced to create wading bird colony of roseate spoonbills, wood storks, white ibis, and other egrets and herons, while serving as a natural water filter.
If you would like to help restore Wulfert Bayous’ 68 acres, contact DDWS at 472-1100 ext 232 or director@dingdarlingsociety.org.
2019 “Ding” Darling Day
Sunday, Oct 20, in preparation for the Refuge’s 75th Anniversary Celebration, this year’s “Ding” Darling Day is full of the best traditions and it’s FREE. Here’s a summary:
TOURS:
8 a.m. Birding with a biologist
9 a.m. Biking at the Refuge (4 miles)
10 a.m. Birding Indigo Trail (meet at flagpole)
10-4 Tram tours on Wildlife Drive (every hour) sign up at the Tram Booth
ACTIVITIES
10 a.m. Nature sketching on Indigo Trail (meet at flagpole)
10 a.m. Wildlife yoga (in classroom)
11 a.m. iPhone photography walk (meet at flagpole)
12 p.m. Wildlife origami (in classroom)
1 p.m. Canvas painting (in classroom) limited to 1st 25
2 p.m. Wildlife cartoons with Dave Horton (in Visitor & Education Center)
PRESENTATIONS
10 a.m. “Ding” Day Amateur Nature Photography Contest (in classroom)
10 a.m. & 3 p.m. Live animals with C.R.O.W. (under the Big Top tent)
11 a.m. Python talk (under the Big Top tent)
11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Puppet show (in classroom)
12 p.m. Cartoon content award ceremony (auditorium A & B)
1-3 p.m. Federal & Junior Duck Stamp award ceremony (auditorium A & B)
2 p.m. Snakes Alive (under the Big Top tent)
ON-GOING
Exhibitor booths, face painting, live music, nature crafts, archery, chalk drawing, hot dogs, butterfly house, fly-fish demos, art demos, plein-air artists, fire equipment demos
ON-GOING AT TARPON BAY EXPLORERS
Touch tank, stand-up paddle-boarding.
Sanibel & Captiva Islands Multiple Listing Service Activity August 16-23, 2019
Sanibel
CONDOS
No new listings.
1 price change: Sanibel Arms #B1 1/1 now $450K.
No new sales.
1 closed sale: Cottage Colony West #117 1/1 $605K.
HOMES
No new listings.
4 price changes: 9195 Dimmick Dr 2/2 now $437K, 1684 Bunting Ln 2/2 now $499.5K, 1536 Bunting Ln 3/2 now $599.5K, 772 Birdie View Pt 3/3 now $1.189M.
4 new sales: 980 Sand Castle Rd 3/3 half-duplex listed at $549.9K, 1060 White Ibis Dr 3/2 listed at $749K, 1119 Seagrape Ln 2/1 listed at $800K, 534 N. Yachtsman Dr 3/2 listed at $899K.
No closed sales.
LOTS
No new listings.
2 price changes: 2372 Wulfert Rd now $134.9K, 9345 Dimmick Dr now $359K.
1 new sale: 933 Strangler Fig Ln listed at $495K.
1 closed sale: 1817 Longpoint Ln $269K.
Captiva
CONDOS
No new listing or price changes.
1 new sale: Sunset Captiva #204 2/2 listed at $1.149M.
No closed sales.
HOMES & LOTS
Nothing to report.
This representation is based in part on data supplied by the Sanibel & Captiva Islands Association of Realtors® Multiple Listing Service. Neither the association nor its MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by the association or its MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. The information provided represents the general real estate activity in the community and does not imply that SanibelSusan Realty Associates is participating or participated in these transactions.
To those asking about the gulf waters, though not taken personally, here is a photo posted yesterday afternoon on Facebook’s “Beautiful Sanibel” page, from a West Gulf Dr beach. With a storm now stalled out over the Atlantic off the east coast, a rainy weekend is expected. Let’s hope it still looks like this next week! Enjoy your weekends!
Until next Friday! Susan Andrews, aka SanibelSusan
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