Eminent domain battle continues over 5-acre property in Cape Coral

CAPE CORAL, Fla. – The ongoing feud between the city and one landowner has heated up after a full page ad appeared in the Cape Coral Daily Breeze.

In the ad, Jeff Bunch calls out each city council member. The city wants to seize his 5-acre property through eminent domain instead of purchasing more expensive land around it, Bunch said. Those properties are highlighted in red on a map included in the ad.

“The red are all the other properties that are actually for sale. The reason they didn’t want to pay for them is because they’re expensive,” Bunch said.

The City of Cape Coral notified Bunch of its plans to use his land, located off Pine Island Road just west of Chiquita Boulevard, for irrigation storage tanks two months ago. It would offer Bunch $330,000, the notice said. But Bunch said at least one nearby property has sold for over $1 million.

“They’re trying to steal it from me, rip me off, give me next to nothing for it,” Bunch said.

Bunch’s property, a small piece of land in the middle of properties for sale, is outlined in yellow.

Bunch tried to set up meetings with the city for weeks. The city is now willing to meet with him in late July. He said that is unacceptable.

“I’m think that they’re trying to delay everything until they can tell the council that it’s too late and try to strong arm them into making a decision,” he said.

The city has declined to comment during active litigation.