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Text Box: “What’s a scrub jay?” you may ask.  Scrub jays are a variety of bird similar to the blue jay, but with distinctive coloration and unique habitat requirements.  They live only in the “scrub” habitat of Florida and are on the federal endangered species list.   Federal law requires counties to develop action plans to protect endangered species.  Recently, Charlotte County completed a survey of scrub jay populations and is currently requiring lot owners in properties designated as scrub jay habitat to receive federal approval prior to granting building permits for construction on their lots.  These approvals can create significant costs and property delays for owners who are seeking to build within scrub jay habitat.     Only a limited number of lots, scattered across the Cape Haze peninsula, El Jobean, Deep Creek and other Charlotte County neighborhoods are impacted.  Charlotte County is currently working to develop a scrub jay habitat conservation plan that will help decrease the impacts on individual lot owners.    To determine whether your current or prospective property is impacted by scrub jay regulations, you can check the Charlotte County GIS website.  (See the box below for detailed instructions.)  If you are buying or selling and are concerned about scrub jay issues, please call or e-mail me to discuss.     Text Box: Next year, Mote Marine in Sarasota will celebrate 50 years as one of our country’s premier marine research facilities.  You may be surprised to learn that Mote actually began in 1955 as the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory.   The lab was founded by Dr. Eugenie Clarke, who came to Cape Haze at the invitation of the Vanderbilt brothers, William and Alfred.  The Vanderbilt’s 2V Ranch encompassed thousands of acres on the Cape Haze peninsula, including the present day Cape Haze and Rotonda developments.   The lab was located on the southern edge of the Cape Haze West sub-division near today’s Placida Harbour condominium development.  Dr. Clarke and guest scientists conducted research from the lab on sharks and many other local marine species.   At the recent Englewood History Festival, Dr. Clarke commented that the Cape Haze Lab benefited from supplies offered to her by the owners of Bass Labs.  Located near the site of today’s Merchants Crossing shopping center in Englewood, Bass Labs operated in the 1920s and 1930s, providing marine specimens to universities and other organizations across the U.S.   For more details on Dr. Clarke’s days at the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory, her explorations at Warm Mineral Springs, and other adventures, read her book, The Lady and the Sharks. Text Box: Page 2 Text Box: Scrub Jays and Real Estate Text Box: History Around Us

Text Box: Cape Haze Corridor Quiz:   Which local community hosted the Superstars events in the 70’s?    Who won the first Superstars competition?    How many years of Superstars events were held locally?    (See page 4 for the answers.) Text Box: Volume 2, Issue 1 Text Box: Cape Haze Corridor Shorts:   Eighteen holes of the new Pinemoor golf course in Rotonda are now open, with an additional nine holes scheduled to open shortly.   A new Cajun restaurant, the Zydeco Grille, has opened on Placida Road in Grove City near Angelo’s Pizza.  Specialties include gumbo, jambalaya, and other Creole and Cajun treats.   On Boca Grande, the dining room at the venerable Gasparilla Inn is now open to the public with advance reservations.   Dinner is a multi-course, fixed price menu.  One caution:  take cash or a check.  Credit cards are not accepted.