Take Action Now: Sign the Petition to Protect Yellow Fever Creek Preserve!

The residents of The Villages of Entrada, in partnership with Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife, strongly oppose the proposed water storage and pump station project in Yellow Fever Creek Preserve. This project poses serious threats to the wildlife we cherish and could negatively impact property values in our community. We need the support of our entire community to stop this project and protect our preserve.

Yellow Fever Creek Preserve was established as a sanctuary for wildlife and a respite from urban development. Building a facility with noisy pumps, bright lights, and towering tanks will harm the very ecosystems this preserve was designed to protect. Residents on Amadora Circle and Del Prado Boulevard will face constant noise and light pollution, disrupting their quality of life and reducing property values. This preserve is meant to be a haven for both people and wildlife, and this project goes against the city's stated commitment to conservation.

Why This Matters

Noise Pollution: Water pump stations generate significant noise from motors, pumps, and fans. This disrupts wildlife, drowning out vital sounds such as mating calls, warning signals, and bird songs. Chronic noise can cause stress in animals, affecting their reproduction and survival. Residents on Amadora Circle will also endure this constant hum, disrupting their peaceful enjoyment of their homes.

Light Pollution: Artificial lighting radically changes the nighttime environment. It disorients nocturnal animals like Florida bonneted bats and migratory birds, interfering with feeding and reproduction. Amphibians, such as frogs and toads, whose nighttime calls are crucial for breeding, will also be impacted. Increased lighting from this facility will turn the natural darkness of the preserve into an artificially bright landscape, harming countless species.

Habitat Destruction: Construction will require clearing acres of trees, destroying habitat for species such as gopher tortoises, coyotes, otters, eagles, and countless others. Wetland ecosystems, home to frogs, toads, and aquatic life, will also be disrupted. Gopher tortoises, which forage far beyond the observed range of the project area, will lose critical habitat.
Wildlife at Risk: Yellow Fever Creek Preserve is a sanctuary for an incredible diversity of species, each playing a critical role in the ecosystem. From coyotes, which naturally help control feral cat populations to protect bird species, to migratory birds that rely on natural cues for navigation, the preserve supports a delicate ecological balance. It is home to Florida bonneted bats, which depend on the darkness for hunting; gopher tortoises, whose burrows provide shelter for over 350 other species; roseate spoonbills, whose feeding and nesting are threatened by habitat disruption; and Sherman’s fox squirrels, which require large, connected landscapes to thrive. Building this facility, with its noise, light pollution, and habitat destruction, will severely disrupt these ecosystems, reducing biodiversity and putting many of these species at risk of decline or local extinction.

A Call for Responsible Planning
We urge the City of Cape Coral to prioritize wildlife conservation and property values by considering alternative locations for this project. Industrial areas or sites near businesses—not nature preserves—are far better suited for such development. Yellow Fever Creek Preserve is one of the last refuges for wildlife in our rapidly developing city. Destroying it for a pump station betrays the very purpose for which it was established.  The City of Cape Coral has 175 acres at Kismet and Del Prado next to an industrial park that would be much more suitable for this project.  They would only need 10 acres of this tract for this project and the land resides on the same infrastructure that Yellow Fever Creek Preserve resides on for the main waterlines.

Immediate Action Needed
The city plans to classify this as a "small-scale project" to bypass state approval, with a vote scheduled for February. Your voice is critical. Sign the petition to show your opposition and protect Yellow Fever Creek Preserve from unnecessary destruction.

How You Can Help
*Sign the petition and share it with friends, family, and neighbors.

*Attend the Zoning Meeting on February 5th at 9:00am at 1015 Cultural Park Boulevard, Cape Coral, FL 33990 and sign up to speak at residents input for up to 3 minutes to the Zoning Commission regarding this project.

*Spread awareness about the impact of light and noise pollution on wildlife.

Yellow Fever Creek Preserve is a treasure for both wildlife and residents. Together, we can ensure it remains a sanctuary for future generations. Sign the petition today!