Council Moves AWT Forward, Debates Noise Ordinance

Marco Island City Council discussed several major issues at its June 1 meeting, including the long sought advanced wastewater treatment project, the repair of the Winterberry beach access boardwalk, the possible City purchase of the Turtle Lot parking property, and how to improve the City’s noise ordinance. 

Alcohol variance near Jewish Congregation passes 4 to 3 

The first major discussion centered on a variance request for property at 989 Winterberry Drive, where the applicant sought relief from the City’s 500-foot distance requirement for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages near a house of worship. 

The Planning Board had recommended denial after raising concerns about the property’s proximity to the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island. Council member Deb Henry opened the discussion by saying she disagreed with the Planning Board’s recommendation because the proposed development would be a “cafe, not a nightclub.” 

Council members Tamara Goehler, Stephen Gray, and Vice Chair Rene Champagne expressed concerns about granting such a large variance. During public comment, Keith Alter, president of the Jewish congregation, said he did not believe the synagogue had much choice in the matter but did not want its decision not to fight the request to be used as precedent in the future. 

Applicant Fred Kramer argued that the request was for a limited restaurant use and asked whether anyone could articulate a rational reason to deny beer and wine service when a larger restaurant could legally be built under the code. He also said the current garden and miniature golf concept was a unique and special place for Marco Island and indicated that his plans for the space would likely be far more attractive to the community than what could legally be built there in the future. 

In the end, the motion passed 4 to 3, with Champagne, Gray, and Goehler voting no. 

Advanced wastewater treatment takes major step forward 

Council then turned to one of the night’s most significant issues: advanced wastewater treatment, or AWT, which will reduce nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater and help promote cleaner water in the canals. 

Council agreed that the City will move forward by using unrestricted water and sewer reserves to begin the process, after which grants and other funding options will be pursued. Given the time needed to seek bids, design the project and build it, AWT will likely not be operational until 2029. 

The final AWT motion passed 7-0. The vote marked a major milestone for a project that has been discussed for years and gained momentum only after a citizen-led referendum. 

Winterberry beach access bridge will be rebid for repair options 

Council reconsidered the Winterberry beach access bridge after previously voting to replace it at a cost of more than $800,000. That earlier decision was based on information given to council that the condition of the bridge constituted an emergency and that it needed to be replaced. 

Council members later learned the situation was not an emergency and that repair may be possible instead. Several speakers questioned why council had not been given all available information before the original vote, including an earlier engineering report suggesting more affordable repair options. 

Goehler pushed for the City to seek new bids focused on repair and suggested that local contractors should be encouraged to bid. Council ultimately voted to go back out for bids to determine what it would cost to repair the bridge rather than move forward with replacement. 

Council agrees to further explore possible Turtle Lot purchase 

City Manager Dr. Casey Lucius presented a potential revenue option involving the possible purchase of the parking property on Collier Boulevard, commonly known as the Turtle Lot, along with an adjacent lot. The properties are currently listed for sale for $12 million. 

Lucius stressed that, despite rumors to the contrary, the proposal was not for a parking garage, but for a parking lot. She said the City could purchase the property with a loan and use parking revenue to repay the debt. Once the loan was paid off, the lot could become a long-term revenue source for the City. She also noted that City ordinance prevents the City from purchasing property for more than its appraised value. 

Public comment raised serious concerns about the numbers. Resident Dennis Bartolucci argued the proposal would “monetize the Marco Island Beach,” would not benefit residents and did not include all costs, including paving the additional lot and the loss of property tax revenue to the City. 

He also reviewed the property’s sales history, saying the combined properties sold for $2.8 million in 2018, $4.2 million in 2021, and $11.25 million in 2024. When Bartolucci questioned that increase in value, newly appointed Council member Kevin Dohm called for a point of order in an apparent attempt to stop him from speaking. Chair Darrin Palumbo reminded Dohm that the public has a right to speak during public comment. Bartolucci then said the Collier County Property Appraiser’s website lists the value at $3.3 million. 

Local businessman Anthony Oliverio also questioned the proposal. He said he had passed on purchasing the same property because the numbers did not make sense and said it would be “pretty difficult to make these numbers work.” Oliverio said the property had failed to sell in prior rounds with no bidders, suggesting the current asking price may be too high. 

Council voted 6 to 1, with Gray opposing, to continue investigating the potential purchase by having the property appraised. 

Noise ordinance debate focuses on enforcement, not lower decibel limits 

Council then turned its attention to the City’s noise ordinance and Gray’s efforts to help residents who say their peace at home is being disrupted by noisy neighbors. Noise on the island has been identified as a top community concern. Gray said he continues to hear from many residents who believe the City needs a stronger noise ordinance and better enforcement to improve quality of life in residential areas. 

Gray’s proposal would also hold property owners responsible for noise disturbances at their properties. The current ordinance allows property owners to be held jointly responsible with those who make the noise, but in practice, the City has tended to cite only the person making the noise. 

Gray urged council and the public not to be misled by what he described as false narratives suggesting that a stronger noise ordinance would target children in pools. He said less than 6% of noise complaints involve children and said, “No one wants to pick on kids in pools.” 

It was then clarified that the largest source of complaints, 68%, involves amplified music in the evening and nighttime hours, with weekend nights being the peak time for noise complaints. 

Both Henry and Palumbo questioned whether the data supported making noise one of the City’s top priorities and suggested it may not be a major concern on the island. Under the current ordinance, more than 90% of called-in noise complaints have been dismissed as invalid. 

Gray argued that the data reflects the limits of the ordinance itself, saying, “Lower decibel limits would mean complaints are validated, not dismissed.” Marco Island’s current decibel limits are considerably higher than those in nearby communities such as Naples and Collier County, meaning complaints that may be valid elsewhere can be dismissed under Marco Island’s existing standards. 

Goehler said she had promised during her campaign to address the noise problem and said better enforcement was needed, especially when complaints involve noise from the rear of properties, but measurements are taken from the front. 

Interim Police Chief Joseph Belardo said he recognizes noise is an important issue on the island and that the police department is working to improve enforcement practices. He said officers now have a template to follow so complaints should be handled more consistently. He also said that, when officers are given permission by the complainant, they will measure sound from the complainant’s residence rather than from the front of the property. 

Palumbo expressed skepticism about whether the issue is as widespread as some residents say, noting that he hears more often about concerns such as parking and shark fishing. He also emphasized that renters and property owners have rights. He suggested focusing on enforcement, owner accountability and possibly adjusting the measurement distance. 

The discussion ultimately moved away from lowering decibel levels and toward improving enforcement and encouraging owner accountability. A consensus on that direction was reached before public comment, during which several residents pushed back strongly against suggestions that noise is not a serious problem and urged council to lower the decibel limit. 

Teri Sommerfeld said, “This is the reason that I’m going to be running for City Council…This island that you call paradise, people leave because their quality of life is being infringed upon, and if you don’t value quality of life…then that’s a problem that I hope to correct when I get on City Council.” Her comment drew applause from the audience. 

The key takeaway: council did not move forward with reductions to the decibel limits. Instead, the direction given to the city manager was to focus on enforcement and encouraging owner accountability. That leaves Marco Island with noise limits that remain higher than those in nearby communities. 

Fresh water supply raised during consent agenda discussion 

During discussion of an item removed from the consent agenda concerning the failure of wells used to supply potable water, Bartolucci warned council that fresh water supply should be treated as the number one strategic issue facing the island. 

Bartolucci urged council to start discussing potable water quality and sufficiency, saying it will take a long time to plan for such an important issue and that the City needs to begin now. 

Police services and mosquitoes 

During council communications, Council member Bonita Schwan asked whether the City should find out what it would cost to contract with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office for police services. Palumbo strongly opposed the idea, but the request to at least explore the cost ended up passing 4 to 3. 

Palumbo also said mosquito spraying is being adjusted and encouraged residents experiencing high mosquito activity to report it through the county website so treatment plans can be adjusted.