Cape Coral City Council to decide on plumbing, holiday property tax

CAPE CORAL

On Wednesday, Cape Coral City Council will discuss issues including bringing more needed water into the community and charging landlords tax on holiday rental properties.

During the dry season, water levels in the canals of Cape Coral can drop to dangerously low levels. The City Council will vote on whether to pass essentially the last step of a pipeline project, meaning they could soon begin horizontal drilling and Cape Coral residents will be even closer to getting it done. more water for irrigation.

The pipeline is a reclaimed water line that begins at Fort Myers. More recycled water is required and treated in an eco-friendly manner. Instead of entering the Caloosahatchee River, it will go to the Everest Mined Water Facility in Cape Coral.

“Bring more irrigation water to our city, that is what it will do once the line is up and we will collect recycled water from the city of Fort Myers,” said Tom Hayden, Councilman Cape Coral City said. “That will help us, especially during the dry season when our channels can go low, fortify those channels with water, and how important that is for water levels and pressure, too, especially for fire department when they use water from us. Canal. ”

However, the city’s water regulations will change, meaning Cape Coral residents will still only have to water two days a week. If approved at Wednesday’s meeting, that river drilling and pipeline installation would be ready to go.

Cape Coral is also considering charging anyone who rents out resort property, requiring them to pay the same taxes as hotels and motels.

It will be a one-time payment and the motel owner will only pay $5.50 per room. At that point, the total for a four-bedroom house will come to $22. The city wants to implement this tax because hotels pay the same fee, and there are more than 3,000 vacation rental properties in Cape Coral.

“It’s not like you’re going to be taxed per night for every single room,” says Hayden. “This is a one-time fee, the same fee that our hotels pay. And with so many rental properties, we think it’s only fair that they pay taxes too… they’re common in our area, you know, we have an area that’s increasingly becoming a destination. for everyone to stay. So I think the fees are very fair.”

If the other council members agree and the tax is passed, the tax will take effect immediately, although there will be a grace period; Cape Coral will let people know it’s coming and then apply the tax.

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