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Shell Game Playing Out In Homeowners‚Äö?Ñ????ë?????´?¬¨‚Ä¢ Driveway11-12-08 | News

Shell Game Playing Out In Homeowners?EUR??,,????'?????<

The shell driveway in front of the home owned by Ann Sepe and Alfred Marchand has become controversial as code enforcement officials say the shells, installed in April, are banned. Owners and members of the Planning Board interpret city ordinances to possibly allow for the shell driveway. Photo courtesy of: Marco Eagle

A driveway comprised of shells has led to conflicts, controversy and consternation for a pair of homeowners and city officials in a small Florida community.

Ann Sepe and Alfred Marchand installed a shell driveway at their home with the approval of the Marco Island, Fla. planning board. The city disagrees with that decision, however, believing shells are an illegal material for driveways.

Marco Island Community Development Director Steve Olmsted said he believes the city?EUR??,,????'?????<

Olmsted said his interpretation is that no shell, aggregate, gravel or stone is allowed on Marco Island, Fla. driveways, and when he asked if Planning Board members agreed, he found most did not.

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Another section of the ordinance, which Milk said applies specifically to single-family residential properties, lists the same options plus ?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Planning Board members and city officials recognized that water quality, aesthetics and the environment were factors to be considered. It was argued that shell and gravel may be better for the environment limiting runoff and allowing water to percolate into the ground.

Milk said the city inherited the code of ordinances from Collier County and in 2001 he worked with former Community Development Director Greg Niles and former city Zoning Administrator Kelly Smith to amend the ordinances.

Milk said that from his ?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Milk said the concern may be more about the sub-grade, the condition of the layer beneath the shells and gravel, than about the dust or the smoothness.

Marchand, said he constructed the base of his shell driveway the same way one would if they were installing a concrete driveway, adding that washed shells are environmentally friendly.

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Olmsted said there was a concern that gravel and shell driveways allowed for more weeds and potholes contributing to ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The driveway was installed in April and the homeowners owners received a notice of code violation July 7. The driveway must be corrected by Nov. 22, according to Code Enforcement officials.

If the couple decides to leave the shell driveway they may be able to appeal before the Code Enforcement Board, however they said they had not yet decided how to handle the time and expense of potentials fees, fines and attorney representation.

Source: Marco Eagle (Marco Island, Fla.)