Construction returns to Four Mile Cove despite DEP warning

WINK News told you first about the urgent warning from the Department of Environmental Protection to the City of Cape Coral after crews ripped out mangroves along the Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve. Now, we are learning a developer wants to build over 200 homes at the same spot.

After two years of silence along the Coral Pointe canal, it is the reverberating construction equipment that is worrying neighbors like Joe Cruz.

“If you look at the developers plans,” Cruz said, “they seem to coincide exactly with what the city has inadvertently destroyed.”

Plans from developer DR Horton show its intent to build 268 homes on the private property at the Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve in Cape Coral.

“The city said they have to restore this or that they’re going to restore this,” Cruz said. “Why would you waste the money to restore it if the developer’s going to build exactly in that same location?”

Cruz said the timing is suspect.

Two weeks ago, the DEP launched an investigation in the City of Cape Coral and the property owner. The government agency said among other issues, there is possible unauthorized mangrove alteration. Initially, the city said it was clearing invasive trees and making the canal navigable.

As for these new plans, developer DR Horton said it is early in the planning process and still completing its “due diligence” work on the privately owned and zoned residential spot.

“I’d like to see an environmental study done,” Cruz said. “I can’t believe that there’s not gonna be an ecosystem impact here. You’re talking 250 air conditioners 500 to 1,000 resident, 250-500 additional cars.”