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The tombstone on Imperial Landing, i.e., Bonita Springs downtown redevelopment, should read: Born out of need, with the hope for re-energizing the community. Buried by a lack of vision and a few self-serving City Council members.

Play “Taps.” Fade to black.

The redevelopment plan proposed by the highly respected Naples-based Antaramian Group suffered an excruciating death late Wednesday night at City Hall.

Martha Simons poked holes in the project’s density. Richard Ferreira cut apart the setbacks from the Imperial River. Pat McCourt hammered home his contention that the people just don’t want it. And Alex Grantt shoveled dirt on what dignity remained in the process by proposing a lease agreement.

John Passidomo, Antaramian’s attorney and spokesman, paced like a man on Death Row and out of appeals. Not even the overflowing pro-redevelopment crowd could step in front of the bullet.

With four “No’s,” the City Council members pierced the heart of the community. They killed any chance the downtown area will be a viable hub in the next 20 years.

Gone is the hope. Gone are the years of yearning for improvements. Gone is a dream for a better Bonita Springs.

“I always thought this city had an opportunity to be great,” said City Manager Gary Price said. “After (Wednesday) night, I’m concerned by the direction of the council. But it’s the council’s right to go in that direction.”

Yet its direction, which I describe as 10 paces backward, has immediate repercussions.

Gone is possibly $40 million from the Community Redevelopment Agency. Gone are the hundreds of hours, and thousands of dollars, the city’s staff spent working with Antaramian.

Gone is the innocence of this fledgling government. Gone is the respect the city has been desperately trying to gain.

“I would question if another company would want to do business with (Bonita Springs),” said Charlie Thomas, an Antaramian representative. “It will set them back substantially.”

With the vote, the majority of the crowd that remained became unruly.

“This city is a joke,” one man shouted.

A few, Mary Ann Kilgannon and Bill Simons, Martha’s husband, cheered and raised their arms in victory. The council showed that the silent minority does speak.

“This is what we all campaigned on and why we won,” McCourt said of the March election that produced the three new members. “This is what the people wanted, and if I had voted for the project, I should be impeached.”

The naysayers on council, however, didn’t listen to the loud and obvious majority. McCourt calls this “a special interest group.” Special or not, the numbers don’t lie.

The city received 135 letters from citizens in favor of redevelopment and only four against. A petition with nearly 700 names for redevelopment more than doubled the one with 300 names against. The fact that 135 people cut out and mailed back a petition ad placed in the Bonita Banner to keep redevelopment alive speaks volumes.

Simons should be given credit for meeting with the Antaramian company in hopes of finding a middle ground. But Ferreira, McCourt and Grantt knew where they stood. They showed that redevelopment’s grave had already been dug.

“Call me Councilman Mud,” Grantt said before the meeting even started. “That’s M-U-D.”

Now we can only mourn. We’ll console each other. We’ll pay our respects.

In lieu of flowers, please send letters to the editor or to the city. Lets us know just how upset you are about this tragic loss. Show that redevelopment is gone but not forgotten.

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E-mail Tom Hanson at tahanson@bonitanews.com