Trash is not justification for developing island

Neglecting an island jewel should not be rewarded by annexation and subsequent development.

Let's make sure the citizens of Key West get this right: Because the owners of the 21-acre Wisteria (aka Christmas Tree) Island off the shores of Key West neglected and allowed this jewel to deteriorate into a trash heap, they now want the citizens of Key West to reward them by annexing it and permitting them to build [168] condos on it.

The July 10 Citizen reported that "part- owner of Wisteria Island, Roger Bernstein ... lamented the island having become an eyesore." It further reported that he stated: "The uninvited guests out there have really made a mess, and with the island sitting at the mouth of the harbor, there could certainly be a better introduction to Key West; the city is only 2,100 feet away and the people using the island are not treating it nicely."

I don't know many folks here in Key West who have the wealth or are fortunate enough to own an island off our shores, but if they did, I suspect they would take pride in maintaining it. I know I would. Many folks can't afford the rent here, let alone their own private island.

According to Mr. Bernstein's logic, it would seem to me that the city should also annex Higgs Beach from Monroe County and build condos on it because "vagrants" and "uninvited guests" inhabit the area and leave trash there.

We're a tourist destination and it doesn't surprise me that litter is a problem, just ask the folks on Duval Street or residents near Old Town how many bottles and cans they pick up daily. The trash on Wisteria Island, however, poses a serious threat to marine life and causes nearshore [water] pollution; the owners, like so many residents already do, should clean up the trash on their property for the good of all of Key West.

If Wisteria (aka Christmas Tree) Island has become a burden to Mr. Bernstein and his co-owners, I wonder if they would be so gracious as to donate it to the city as parkland. I'm sure the citizens of Key West would strive to clean it up and maintain it so Mr. Bernstein's vision of a "better introduction to Key West" can be realized. Or at least Mr. Bernstein should state the real reason for his desire for annexation and development. My guess, it is money and lots of it.

Ken Domanski, Key West