Early Voting Approaches for $35M Rail Trail Ballot Question

Bonita Springs, FL · August 4, 2026

Checking off your Tuesday morning task list gets a little easier today with community resources rolling into position and early voting prep underway across the region.

The Lead

With early voting set to launch this Saturday, August 8, local voters are weighing a pivotal decision on the August 18 primary ballot regarding Ordinance 26-05. The municipal bond referendum asks residents whether the city should issue up to $35 million in general obligation bonds to finance the acquisition and development of a 5.8-mile stretch of the former Seminole Gulf Railway corridor. Part of the broader 11.4-mile Bonita Estero Rail Trail vision, the proposed path aims to convert inactive track into a dedicated multi-use trail for walking, running, and cycling, designed to enhance pedestrian safety and connect eleven surrounding school zones. If passed by a simple majority, property taxes for an average homesteaded residence would adjust based on final repayment terms. Ballots are arriving in mailboxes now, and residents must re-request vote-by-mail ballots under updated state guidelines before election night.

Local Pulse

  • Local Real Estate Team Takes Top Ranking Domain Realty’s McGreevy & Comisar Team earned top municipal honors in the 2026 RealTrends real estate rankings for total sales volume.

  • Mobile Food Pantry Schedules Regional Stop Community Cooperative brings emergency fresh produce and groceries to Cape Coral High School today before visiting local partners next week.

Today's Outlook

  • High 88°F · Low 77°F — Overcast (32% chance of precipitation)
    • A humid, overcast Tuesday calls for hydration and keeping an umbrella handy for scattered damp spots.

What's On Around Town

  • Fort Myers: Burroughs Home & Gardens Tour Burroughs Home & Gardens (2505 First St), 11:00 AM–3:00 PM Explore historic 1901 riverfront gardens and learn Southwest Florida history.

  • Naples: Creative Sculptures Workshop The Baker Museum at Artis-Naples, 12:00 PM Join a hands-on make-and-take art session inside the museum studio.

  • Industry Night Craft Spirits Social (27975 Old 41 Rd), 5:00–10:00 PM Enjoy tasting room drink specials created for local hospitality workers.

  • Robin Hawkins Live The Center Bar (26811 S Bay Dr), 6:00–9:00 PM Catch open-air variety music on the outdoor courtyard patio tonight.

  • Limited Edition Live Rooftop at Riverside (27333 Old 41 Rd), 6:00–9:00 PM Pair live tunes with food truck bites overlooking Riverside Park downtown.

Spotlight & Story

  • Bonita Springs Lions Club Campus
    • Founded in 1962 when the town had just 1,500 residents, the Lions Club campus on Pennsylvania Avenue houses a community thrift store and the state's only free freestanding vision clinic, treating 2,000 uninsured patients annually with a hundred volunteer medical professionals.

Bonita Springs Daily Digest — compiled from local sources as of 6 AM. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.

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