Fort Myers RV community protesting smelly retention pond

Residents of the Fort Myers RV Resort have been battling a pervasive odor issue for years.

The community, located on U.S. Highway 41 just north of Alico Road, is plagued by a stench emanating from a nearby retention pond.

People living in the area have expressed their frustration over the persistent smell, which they say has been an issue they cannot escape or resolve.

“Have you ever smelled raw sewage?” said Francis Churchill, a homeowner living next to the Fort Myers RV Resort.

Jim Debo, another homeowner, described the situation, saying, “You can’t open your windows; you can’t go for a walk. If you turn on your air conditioner, it smells of sewage.”

On a recent Tuesday, Debo and other homeowners gathered on Tamiami Trail with homemade signs to protest the odor outside their homes.

Churchill shared his long-standing experience with the smell. “I’ve been here since I was a kid. I visit my parents. It’s just been a life of smells. I’ve been smelling it since then,” he said.

Randall McGuire, another resident, recounted the impact of recent rainfall.

“We had the two inches of rain a couple of weeks ago. It was unbearable. You couldn’t go outside without your eyes watering. The smell was terrible. People had to close their windows. It was just bad,” McGuire said.

The community has sought assistance from various agencies, including the RV park, Lee County, the state and even the federal government, but with little success.

Debo mentioned some progress with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

“Jackson Verlie, with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, has been super, super helpful with this,” he said. “He’s putting together a plan, and we’re going to follow up in the next week and see where he is on that.”

The residents’ concerns have persisted over time, as evidenced by WINK News archives from 2020, which show neighbors expressing similar frustrations.

Donnie Taylor, a homeowner interviewed in 2020, said, “We’ve put up with this smell for nine years.”

Taylor also noted their frustrations with local authorities.

“We’re frustrated with the county, we’re frustrated with the state and we’re hoping to get help,” he said.

Despite these ongoing efforts, the issue remains unresolved. The manager on-site mentioned that the Environmental Protection Agency has been involved, but the only solution involves an expensive sewage system.

A recent code enforcement complaint by the county found no violations.

The community continues to seek answers and hopes for a resolution to the issue that has affected their quality of life for so long.