Estero Development ReportVolume 5 Number 4 Edited by ECCL--the Estero Council of Community
Leaders
Estero Community Website
Estero’s Commercial
|
|
Year |
Total January- July Housing Units | Building Value of Units | Average Building Value Per Unit | Percentage of Single Family Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2000 |
1,122 |
$154,418,948 |
$137,628 |
41.2 |
|
2001 |
1,399 |
$213,746,261 |
$152,785 |
45.7 |
|
2002 |
905 |
$153,144,578 |
$169,221 |
56.7 |
|
2003 |
1,033 |
$155,139,745 |
$150,958 |
37.5 |
|
2004 |
1,049 |
$225,941,691 |
$215,388 |
64.5 |
|
2005 |
1,645 |
$340,070,708 |
$206,730 |
50.9 |
The 1,645 housing units permitted during the first seven months of 2005 exceeds the second highest year, 2001, by 246 units, or 18% and last year’s seven month total by 596 units or 57%. The permitted value of these units, excluding land, exceeds the second highest year, 2004, by $114,129,017 or 51% and is more than double the total in three of the five prior years.
The average building value of $206 thousand almost equals 2004 in spite of the fact that the percentage of single family homes is 14% lower.
REMINDER: The residential building value understates the cost of each residence because it excludes the value of the underlying land.
Coconut Point Update
Coconut Point is Estero’s largest development located on 483 acres along the east side of US 41 between the Bonita Springs northern border and Williams Road. It consists of three distinct areas:
- The North Village extends from Williams Road to the Halfway Creek Preserve about midway between Williams and Coconut Road
- The Town Center is located between the Halfway Creek Preserve and Coconut Road
- The South Village lies south of Coconut Road down to the Sanibel Steakhouse and the office building that surrounds it.
The South Village
Last month we reported on Lee Memorial’s purchase of 22 acres in the South Village for a possible future hospital. During August Oakbrook Properties, the developers of the South Village and the North Village, began clearing the remaining uncleared property in this 95 acre site. This land is available for development for medical offices, housing and assisted living uses. A berm has recently been constructed around six acres fronting on both US 41 and Coconut Road that is being purchased by Regency Centers for a 33,000 square foot retail center. Finally, the southern segment of Sandy Lane and its Pelican Colony Road extension is now under construction within this area. This four lane segment of Sandy Lane will extend from Coconut Road south along the railroad tracks until it intersects in a round-about with Pelican Colony Boulevard, which will also be four lanes wide and will extend west to US 41 to a connection point immediately east of the existing intersection of Pelican Colony Boulevard and US 41.
The Town Center
Last month we reported on the Simon Property Group’s presentation of their design plans for the 166 acre Coconut Point Town Center to the EDRC. When complete the Town Center will consist of three shopping areas – The Market, the Lakefront Shops and The Village.
View an Exciting Video of Simon’s Plans for the Coconut Point Town Center on the web at www.coconutpointretail.com
Also at the July EDRC meeting representatives of Muvico presented their design for the 16 screen, 3,500 seat theatre they plan to build in the Village section of the Town Center. As we reported the EDRC was not impressed by the architecture and design of the Theater and indicated their desire to have the rear of the theatre better landscaped.
On August 10th Muvico and Simon returned to the EDRC with a new and improved design for the Theatre. The architecture and the color of the building were greatly improved; blue mosaics were added to the front elevation of the theatre…their design is not yet complete, they will include a geometric design that will be presented later to the EDRC; the “Muvico” signs are a metal scroll work; the coping at the front top of the building has been thickened in order to be more prominent; the rear elevation facing Sandy Lane has a screen wall that pops out; tower elements have been added and the height and depth of the building is now being varied; many faux windows have been added; the signage is back lit with no spillover; nothing is animated or sparkling; stenciling has been added along the roofline and stairs coming down on the rear elevation. There are poster cases along the side elevations to indicate what movies are playing.
Security will be provided by Simon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A Sheriff’s substation is still being pursued, but has not yet finalized.
The July meeting concluded with a discussion about how the EDRC and Simon could work together so that the EDRC could satisfy itself that the applicable code requirements and the Coconut Point appearance standards are being met by this large project in their advisory capacity to the County.
On August 25th the members of the EDRC, County Development Review staff and Simon met to ensure that all affected parties are agreeable regarding the role that the EDRC should play in the Coconut Point Town Center review process. It was agreed that Simon would formalize its Design Review Authority (DRA) process for all projects included in the Town Center; that Simon would present monthly to the EDRC for as long as there is a need; that the next meeting would focus on the landscaping plans for the project (there are over 300 landscape design drawings that have thus far been prepared for the project); that Simon would review the comments presented to them based upon EDRC review of about 110 building design drawings previously provided by them to the EDRC; Simon would present to the EDRC on each outlot that has been reviewed by their DRA and any other buildings that are being designed by tenants after the DRA has completed their review and negotiations; that signage, lighting and parking plans will be presented and discussed with the EDRC when they become available and after approval by the Simon DRA.
Simon further indicated at this meeting that additional housing will be constructed by Kosene and Kosene on an outlot located just north of Coconut Road and just west of the railroad tracks; that several outlot deals are nearing completion and they will be presented to the EDRC after they have been reviewed and approved by the Simon DRA. It is still Simon’s expectation that the north end of the Market area (the north end of the Town Center) will open for business about April next year; that the Lakefront and Village sections will open for business in the fall of 2006 except for the housing units above the stores and the Muvico Theatre which should follow soon after.
The North Village
The 540 unit Rapallo residential development has been proceeding rapidly for several months. By now construction has begun on all 18 phase-one multi-family buildings containing 176 homes. The homes will be broken down as follows: 28 Terrace homes, 90 Coach homes, 42 Carriage homes and 16 Courtyard villas. Four (4) of the 18 buildings with 32 homes have now been completed.
The four Gatehouse buildings (4) along with the surrounding rockscape entry ponds and perimeter wall around the west side of the development are nearly complete. In addition, the main amenity complex including the Clubhouse, Arts & Learning Studio and Sports Club & Tennis Center will be completed in time to open next month. The official grand opening of The Club at Rapallo has been scheduled for Thanksgiving.
Finally, construction of Rapallo’s second phase is scheduled to start next month.
Chevrolet Dealership
at the Corkscrew Commerce Center
On August 10th the developer of this 39,000 square foot new car sales and service dealership and his design staff presented their plans to the EDRC for a second time. The dealership is located in the Corkscrew Commerce Center on the southeast corner of I-75 and Corkscrew Road
The revised plan made to following changes:
- Roof elements and lines were changed to reflect the Mediterranean style sought by the EDRC.
- The color palette has been changed to earth-tones.
- Seating has been added for pedestrians around the fountain area.
- Picnic areas have been added by the pond and on the corner.
- Access to the site plan has been softened and landscaping added.
- Trellis’s has been added.
- Parking lot lighting has been changed to Mediterranean style, however, not as much shielding is provided by this type of fixture. A very small amount of light will spill from the premises contrary to county policy. However, these lights are on the I-75 side of the property where any spillover is overcome by the highway lights. The developer would like support from the EDRC with the County to allow the new style lights. EDRC agreed to support the proposed change in parking lot light fixtures. In addition the light standards will be staggered throughout the parking lot with fewer standards because the Mediterranean lights have greater candlepower than those previously proposed. About 45-50% of the lights will be turned off after business hours.
- The Building’s northeastern elevation shows trellises which stand out from the base of the building, 8 to 10 feet high braced to the building. This is not reflected on the building plans, but the applicant agreed to add them.
- Landscaping on the eastern elevation was discussed. The Committee suggested sabal palm on the building perimeter in groups of 3’s and 5’s. Applicant agreed.
- Roof tile has not yet been chosen but will be standard barrel type.
- The Committee suggested and applicant agreed to add a mixture of cornices and corbels between the top of the wall and the soffit.
- Developer agrees to add banding on the far left element and center tan element on one side of the building.
- Perimeter landscaping will be on a 1.5 foot berm with double hedge row and palm trees.
- The developer will add ixoras and annuals in islands.
- The perimeter of the pond will be undulated.
- The developer wants to create view windows along the I-75 perimeter and use more landscaping along the Corkscrew Road and Island Walk perimeter. The Committee supports this idea and told the developer that a variance is not needed. The committee suggested clusters of palms, using 10-12 sabal palms in each group.
- The committee suggested the developer use shady lady and black olives trees instead of elm.
- The committee suggested the developer substitute Queens Crepe Myrtle for regular Crepe and Ixora Nora for Maui.
- The developer agreed to send his revised landscaping plan to the committee so that he need not return for another EDRC meeting.
- The developer agreed to increase the size of all required trees to 45 gallon, 12-14 foot high, 3 inch caliper.
The dealership will use over 20 acres in the Corkscrew Commerce Center thus reducing the number of outlots from eight to two. A Hampton Inn will also be located in the Commerce Center.
Zoning Activity
during the Month
Galleria at Corkscrew
and International Design Source (IDS)
On August 15th the BOCC approved the zoning for these two projects with the condition that the amount of retail space authorized for each be reduced and replaced with an equal amount of office space. The Galleria project retail was reduced from 100,000 square feet to 70,000 square feet and the International Design Source was reduced from 60,000 to 30,000 square feet.
Background
The developers of these projects first disclosed their plans to the ECPP sixteen months ago, in April 2004. They continued to improve their plans and presented their detailed plans to the EDRC on December 8, 2004. The detailed architectural and landscaping plans for both projects are among the most attractive that have thus far been presented to the EDRC and the community.
The "Galleria" is located on 9.9 acres on the north side of Corkscrew Road adjacent to Sandy Lane. The developers were seeking 100,000 square-feet of retail space to be developed on four parcels, but now only 70,000 square feet can be used for retail.
The plan for the "IDC" contains seven buildings located on 15.6 acres immediately east of the Galleria site. The developers sought zoning for 143,000 square feet of commercial space of which no more than 60,000 square feet could be retail space. After the BOCC acted the 143,000 square feet will divided so that only 30,000 square feet may be retail and 113,000 square feet for office. The eastern 4.2 acres has been sold to Empire Builders as a site for their corporate headquarters.
The eastern terminus of the property is about 100-feet east of Corkscrew Palms Boulevard. The main entrance to the project on Corkscrew Road is directly across from Corkscrew Palms Boulevard, the entrance to the new Estero Community Park.
Unique to the proposal is a 20-foot deep “water feature” with two fountains in the front of the property along Corkscrew Road and requires a 125-foot setback of the two IDC buildings from the road, in contrast to all the other buildings on Corkscrew being only 25 from the road right-of-way.
The BOCC decision in this case was the result of the Hearing Examiner’s concerns about the independence of the ownership of the two projects and the implication of this on the amount of retail that could be authorized if it were indeed a single project presented by a single owner.
Other conditions agreed to by the developer, the community and county staff include:
- Extensive buffering and attractive architecture on the north side of the property adjacent to Estero River Estates
- A general prohibition of outdoor display and storage
- Property owner documents that will ensure compatibility of landscaping and architecture among all components of the development.
All parties agree to the following deviations:
- A setback of 125 feet for the center building in the IDS in order to build the water feature mentioned above
- Authority for the lake and the building to be conjoined, and
- Permission for the tower on the central building to exceed the height limits established for this area.
Estero 4.2 CPD
On August 8th Bob Thinnes of Q. Grady Minor & Associates presented this 4.2 acre commercial project to the ECPP for a second time. The development is located on the west side of US 41 in front of the Breckenridge community just north of Estero Parkway. Thinnes reported that he had met with County staff since his last appearance in June and made the following changes: The larger commercial building has been moved to the front of the property just behind a long, narrow pond fronting US 41 with parking in the rear. A “temporary” right in/right out entrance has been added off of US 41 to be used until a southern interconnect becomes available. A pedestrian connection with Breckenridge has been added.
The ECPP and the community stressed the importance of having a landscaped buffer across the entire US 41 frontage and that the Panel be furnished with the schedule of uses when it becomes available. The Panel will then provide the developer and the County with their suggestions for change.
Meritage Homes Plans to Build “Estero 30”
On August 8th Meritage Homes, the successor to Colonial Homes, presented Estero 30 to the ECPP for the second time. This project is located on the east side of US 41 north of Broadway with a back entrance off Broadway just west of the railroad tracks.
Tony Persichilli, division president of Meritage Homes, reported that the revised proposal eliminates the commercial development along US 41making Estero 30 a totally residential project. A density increase is being sought by the developer in order to compensate for the high cost of the land along US 41 that was originally designated for commercial development by the property owner. Elimination of the commercial development fronting US 41 had been suggested by the Panel when the developer last appeared before the ECPP. The Panel was supportive of the elimination of the commercial development.
The developer indicated that they will meet again with the
Cypress Bend residents to address their concerns with buffering,
etc.
In order for the developer to obtain the requested density they must either make payments to the County’s low/moderate housing fund or provide some low/moderate income housing on the site. The Panel questioned the purchase of additional density from the County instead of providing low/moderate income housing on the site because it does not help to alleviate our home to work traffic problems.
The Panel suggested that the developer landscape US 41 in order to soften the appearance of the rear of the buildings along that thoroughfare and to build them all the same height.
Cypress Shadows RPD
On August 8 the developers of Cypress Shadows, located on Corkscrew Road west of Bella Terra and east of Wildcat Run, made their third presentation over the last two years to the ECPP. The developer told the Panel that they:
- had abandoned plans to use blasting on the project
- have reduced the height of buildings from 5 to 4 stories in response to concerns previously expressed by the Panel
- plan to build a concrete wall and install landscaping to make certain the golf maintenance building will not be visible from Corkscrew Road
The Panel questioned the developer in order to clarify the need
for 18 requested deviations. In response to a question about the
height of buildings near the property line, the developer indicated
that the Bella Terra recreation center is immediately adjacent so
the building heights will not be a problem to that community.
Regarding the deviation that would eliminate the requirement for a
second entrance, the developer indicated that an emergency entrance
through the road leading to the golf maintenance building offsets
this deviation. Tony Palermo, the County Planner assigned to this
project, indicated that the developer had satisfied the South
Florida Water District’s site use concerns. That approval mitigated
the County’s site use concerns and thus the draft staff report will
be amended to support the project.
Other Developments
Miromar Lakes
Just over Estero’s northern border along Ben Hill Griffin Parkway, Miromar Lakes sold 187 new housing units during the first six months of the year with a total value of $150,000,000. When completed the community will contain about 2,200 housing units. Prices currently range from $600,000 to more than $6,000,000.
Miromar International Design Center (IDC)
Phase one of the IDC, consisting of 250,000 square feet, is expected to open for tenant improvements this fall. When all three phases are complete the facility will contain 400,000 square feet of interior design stores. The first floor of the three story building will be open to the public while the upper two floors are reserved for design professionals and their clients. In addition to the IDC the 38 acre site will house a hotel and a 50,000 square foot office building.
Public Purchase of the Boomer Estate Is Completed
On July 27th the State and the County closed on the purchase of the 104 acre Boomer Estate on the southwest corner of Broadway and US 41. This purchase will roughly double the size of the Koreshan State Park. The site contains about one-half mile of shoreline along the Estero River and a historic home that was built in 1917. About 26 acres is reserved as a “life estate” so that Nola Boomer can live in the family home for the rest of her life. The property will be managed by the State Parks and Recreation Division in coordination with the Lee County Parks and Recreation Department.
Estero Community Planning
Area Boundary To Be Changed
On August 1st the BOCC voted to accept the staff recommendation to remove a small section of the Estero Community Planning area along Pine Road, across US 41 from The Vines. This small residential area was originally included in the area by Lee County Planning staff when the Estero Community Plan was developed in 2001. The BOCC decided to leave Breckenridge, The Vines, Osprey Cove, the Wal-Mart site, Belle Lago and The Reserve of Estero in the Planning Area because the residents of those areas indicated that they want to keep the protections afforded by the Community Plan and Estero LDC provisions.
Embassy Suites to Open In December
The seven story,150 suite Embassy Suites hotel on the northwest corner of Corkscrew Road and I-75 plans to open for business in December according the hotel’s developer. In addition to the rooms the Embassy Suites will contain about 4,500 square feet of meeting space and a restaurant. In anticipation of the opening the hotel has hired its general manager and sales director.
FGCU Opens for Fall Semester
On August 22nd over 7,200 students will begin their 2005-06 school year studies at Florida Gulf Coast University. With the completion of phase seven of on-campus housing, 1,860 students will reside along the northern boundary of the FGCU campus during this school year. In addition to the on-campus student housing two large and expanding off-campus student housing projects provide homes for nearly a thousand more students. FGCU’s enrollments are up 13% from last year requiring 35 new faculty members.
Professional Regional Theater May Come to Estero
The D’Jamoos Group has agreed to donate land in the proposed “Estero by the River” project, on the northeast corner of US 41 and Corkscrew Road, in order to encourage the development of a 35,000 square foot, 500 seat professional regional theater with a 125 seat studio, rehearsal and office space. The Theater is the proposal of Kristin Coury of Gulfshore Playhouse (see their website at www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org). If Gulfshore Playhouse is able to raise the $15 million necessary to finance the Theater, they plan to open the theater in the fall of 2008.
Roadway Improvements
Federal Transportation Funding Increase
On August 10th President Bush signed The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) Act into law. This legislation will shape federal highway and transit programs through 2009. Of the $286.4 billion authorized by the bill, Florida is authorized $10.4 billion. This represents a $920 million increase for the State of Florida over the prior 5 year legislation. Of this increase $620 million has been earmarked for specific projects including about $80 million for the widening of I-75 and $10 million for a new Coconut Road/I-75 interchange. The remaining $357 million will be used by FDOT mainly to pay for the increased cost of existing planned improvements.
Proposed County General Road
Fund Projects Revolving Loan Program
On August 1st Dave Loveland, Transportation Planning Manager for Lee DOT, presented the BOCC with a proposal that, if approved, would use $30 million of property tax growth revenues to establish a revolving loan fund to be used to accelerate the implementation of road projects that might otherwise be delayed because of the recent escalation in the cost of road construction materials…cement, steel, asphalt, fill etc. If approved the $30 million spent on accelerated road projects in the coming fiscal year would by repaid with 2% interest from funds allocated to the same projects in the succeeding fiscal year. The repaid funds would then be used to once again accelerate another set of projects planned for the following years. Two of the projects on Loveland’s list for acceleration would impact Estero. They are:
- Widening of Corkscrew Road east of Ben Hill Griffin, and
- Construction of Three Oaks Parkway between Alico Road and Daniels Parkway.
The BOCC seemed to like the idea so it will, undoubtedly, be included in the County’s capital improvement budget for 2005-06 to be approved by the BOCC in late September. If approved, this would be the first time that the County has allocated property tax revenues for a countywide road construction program. Until now all County roads have been financed from gas taxes and road impact fees.
Proposed Coconut Road/I-75 Interchange Proposal
During 2004 FGCU commissioned a study of road improvements that would increase the University’s ability to cope with a Hurricane or other disaster. One of the recommendations in that report was the construction of an I-75 on-ramp at Coconut Road and I-75. In February the City of Bonita Springs hired a consultant to conduct a traffic study to determine if an interchange at Coconut Road and I-75 would improve traffic congestion on Bonita Beach Road, Corkscrew Road, Old 41, I-75 and Coconut Road.
FGCU University President Bill Merwin mentioned the proposal when the Chairman of the US House Transportation Committee was at the University for a Forum on I-75 widening on February 19th. In early August Congressman Connie Mack announced that $10 million had been included for this intersection in the recently approved $286 billion Federal Transportation legislation. Press reports indicate that the money was added by Chairman Young of the House Transportation Committee.
At its August 25th meeting the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) directed its staff to have their Technical Advisory Committee review inclusion of this intersection into the long range 2030 plan now under review so that Federal funding of the intersection could be appropriated.
If the MPO amends its long range plan to include the intersection and the Congress approves the money, the MPO and FDOT could initiate a Planning, Development and Environmental (PDE) study to determine what type of facility can be constructed at this intersection.
In order for the interchange to be built the FHA would have to change the designation of the area around the intersection from “rural” to “urban” in addition to other approvals and funding. Oakbrook Properties set aside enough land on the west side of I-75 for a flyover or intersection when it sold the land for The Brooks to the Bonita Bay Group.
Many residents of The Brooks have expressed concern about the
impact that such an intersection would have on their homes and
quality of life.
Proposed Coconut Road
to Lover Key Bridge Proposal
On August 25th the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) received a “Long range Transportation Plan Update” from MPO staff. The report indicates that because of the environmental sensitivity of this route that the staff submitted three bridge alternatives between Fort Myers Beach and the mainland to FDOT’s “Efficient Transportation Decision Making” (ETMD) process for review. The staff’s summary of the results of the ETMD Report is as follows:
“The mid-bay bridge between Black Island and Coconut Road and the Winkler Road Extension to mid-island were both red-flagged with seven significant conflicts that would require dispute resolution to be permitted; even the bridge from the east end of San Carlos Island to the vicinity of the Fort Myers Beach town hall drew three such red flags.”
The ETMD Report itself states: “It has long been realized that at least two of these locations (Coconut Road to Black Island or Winkler Road to Bayland Road) may have adverse environmental impacts of sufficient magnitude to preclude them from serious consideration. But since the responsible environmental agencies have never before been asked to put their specific concerns on the record, these proposals have repeatedly been resurrected. The purpose of submitting these alternatives for ETDM review is to try to determine once and for all whether any of these alternatives is feasible in light of their environmental and community impacts.”
The following are the potential red flags that were raised by the agencies regarding the Coconut Road Bridge:
- Florida EPA—potential impact on floodplains, recreation areas, water quantity and quality, wetlands and wildlife and habitat.
- Federal Highway Authority – potential impact on wetlands.
- National Marine Fisheries Service – potential impact on coastal and marine and wetlands.
- US Army Corps of Engineers – potential impact on wetlands and wildlife and habitat.
- US Environmental Protection Agency – potential impact on secondary and cumulative effects, water quality and quantity and wetlands
- US Fish and Wildlife Service – potential impact on special designations, wetlands and wildlife and habitat.
The Report also noted that “The Coconut Road alternative would have to pass either north or south of the Hyatt Hotel located on the eastern shore of Estero Bay at the current terminus of Coconut Road…” As we who live in Estero know that is easier said than done.
None of the MPO members commented upon these findings after Executive Director Glenn Ahlert summarized the report. The results of the ETDM process will provide the MPO with the information necessary to make a well informed decision about inclusion of any of the three alternatives in the Long Range 2030 Transportation Plan when it is adopted later this year.
The Williams Road/US 41 Intersection,
Paradise Shoppes and West
Bay Rezonings
On August 24th community leaders from the ECCL, Fountain Lakes and West Bay Club met with County transportation staff members and the developers of Paradise Shoppes to discuss concerns raised by the County regarding the design of the Williams Road access point to/from Paradise Shoppes. The county suggested several changes to the configuration, all of which were accepted by Paradise and the community. They also suggested that Paradise study the possibility of extending the entrance lane to Paradise further west to the entrance of the Estero Life Center.
As a result of the meeting Paradise’s engineers will begin preparing engineering plans for the intersection, so that the improvements can be implemented and Paradise can obtain County approval of Development Orders for their first projects, including a Walgreen’s drugstore on the northwest corner of US 41 and Williams Road.
Background
At present the eastbound left turn lane on the west side of the Williams Road/US 41 intersection provides space for only 4 vehicles. Oftentimes there are so many vehicles waiting to turn north on US 41 that vehicles seeking to enter the Albertsons/Coconut Point Ford entrance road are blocked by these vehicles, thus backing up all westbound Williams Road traffic. In addition, one east bound vehicle blocks all east bound right-turn vehicles from turning south on US 41.
For over a year an ECCL committee with representatives from West Bay Club, Pelican Sound and Fountain Lakes has been working with the developers of Paradise Shoppes and West Bay Club and county staff to find a solution to these growing traffic problems.
On November 29, 2004 the BOCC voted to require, as a condition of the Paradise Shoppes rezoning, that the project's Williams Road exit shall not include a left turn exit until the Williams Road intersection with US 41 has been improved satisfactorily. Subsequently the ECCL Committee, County staff and the two developers met to develop intersection improvements that would alleviate these problems and satisfy County standards.
As a result of this effort the developers of Paradise Shoppes have committed to finance the phase one improvement (described below) at an estimated cost of about $500,000. In addition the developers of West Bay have committed to contributing 15 foot of land adjacent to their sales center in order for another lane to be added to the south side of the intersection and to work with the community and the County to relocate the south access road to the west end of their property all at a cost of about $150,000. The leaders of Fountain Lakes have agreed to this relocation.
The relocation of the Albertson's entrance will take considerable time because some wetlands are in the path of the new entrance and will require South Florida Water District and Federal EPA approval. As a result the intersection improvements are planned to be implemented in two phases. Phase one would add three new lanes to the intersection east of the existing Albertsons entrance road. The five lanes in this area would consist of:
- One west bound lane
- Two east bound left turn lanes
- One east bound through lane, and
- One east bound right turn lane.
In addition Williams Road's signalization would add a left turn sequence.
The second phase would relocate the Albertsons entrance to the rear of the West Bay property; extend the eastbound right turn lane; extend the eastbound left turn lanes and move the Albertson's left turn lane to the west of the Paradise Shoppes access road.
Broader Issues
Impacting Estero
Public Purchase of Babcock Ranch
Commissioner Bob Janes and others are leading the effort to ensure that the 91,000 acre Babcock Ranch in northern Lee County and southern Charlotte County is preserved through purchase by one or more public agencies. If you agree that this area needs to be preserved please for environmental and water supply reasons take the time to review the Babcock Preservation Partnership website at www.babcockranch.org and communicate your concerns with the key State and County decision-makers listed on the site now.
Florida Impact Fee Review Task Force
The Growth Management Act recently approved by Gov. Bush contains a provision establishing a Florida Impact Fee Review Task Force. This 15 member body will review the use of impact fees by Counties and Cities throughout the state. In high growth areas like Lee County these fees provide a substantial part of the funding necessary for the expansion of our road system, park and school facilities. If those fees are cut back, as some in the legislature and in the building industry would like, either the ability of the County and our Cities to fund their road and park programs will be greatly reduced or our property taxes will be increased.
Dan DeLisi of the Bonita Bay Group has been appointed to the Task Force. The Task Force recently held its first meeting and must file its report in February 2006 so that the Legislature can further address this issue during the Spring Legislative session. If you want to track the activities of the Task Force you may do so by accessing the following website: http://fcn.state.fl.us/lcir/taskforce.html.
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