Policy
James is committed to finding solutions to the key issues that impact Bonita Springs.
Water
Bonita’s waterways must be protected as much as possible and flooding must be prevented. New developments are required to contain only 15 inches of rain over 3 days to meet city standards. That rule is over 40 years old. Hurricane Ian dropped 20 inches of rain in just a few hours. Homes in District 5 have historically experienced flooding, and the new development east of 75, more water will flow into the Imperial River each time it rains. With storm surge coming up the river and rainwater coming down river, homes will flood again and again unless new policy is enacted.
Environment
Parks and natural areas beautify our city and make it a more pleasant place to live. They also absorb rainwater that would otherwise runoff into the river, possibly causing it to flood. The development of wild areas also displaces pests such as rats and cockroaches to nearby homes. The few remaining green spaces within Bonita’s core and the uplands and wetlands at the edge of the city should remain as they are or be converted into public parks.
Quality of Life
Development must benefit the whole community, not just the developer. new developments must include roads, sidewalks, and bike paths that connect to existing roads, sidewalks, and bike paths so that it does not dump every car out through one entrance on to a major road. It must also be easy and safe to walk or bike short distances so that we take cars off the road in Bonita Springs. The city should promote the Ultra Bus and the Microbus service that the City offers but doesn’t advertise. This will help alleviate traffic in Bonita. There is also a need change the noise ordinance so that people are not disturbed by outdoor music venues that don’t care about their neighbors, or tourists having a loud party at some short-term rental.
Housing
The city must build affordable housing so that the people who work in Bonita can afford to live in Bonita. This would help with traffic as well because workers would not have to drive from Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh or Immokalee. One of the ways we do that is by making it easy to put apartments on or above commercial space in every shopping area. The city could also allow homeowners with lots that are big enough to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that take the form of guest homes or garage apartments.