Dear Council: I just read an article advising that the Marco Island City Council might require that all swales have ground cover rather than stone. As I understand the article, the cost of the transformation ($1,500-$1,800) plus monthly water maintenance, will be borne by the property owner.

This measure will severely impact property owners, like us, because we currently have a stone covered swale (which affords us with occasional, helpful overflow parking).

Foolishly, I thought we had a severe water problem. If this is, in fact, true, why on earth would a prudent City Council take an overt action to unnecessarily increase our water usage to maintain this ground cover? Or is the water shortage simply a convenient excuse whoever conditions warrant?

I believe that this proposed measure is truly the wrong idea at the wrong time. Consider that many property owners have already had to expend $15,000 for sewering plus $1,400-plus for hookup. And now the city expects us to come up with another $1,500-$1,800, plus an increase in our monthly water bill, for a totally unnecessary ground cover? I don’t think so.

We strongly urge the City Council to consider grandfathering existing homes while, perhaps, requiring new homes to cover their swales.

I respectfully ask that the City Council immediately cease and desist from enacting this and similar legislation which will ultimately force many property owners to leave this island paradise. Please do not let this happen.

Thanks for your consideration and action.

Yale and Pat Kellman

Marco Island