Estero Development Report
Volume 4, Number 1 Edited by ECCO--the Estero Concerned Citizens Organization
For further information, to provide
information or to add names to our mailing list, Estero Development Activities during May 2004 June Opportunities for Citizen Participation In Protecting Estero's Quality of Life
Permitted Housing Unit Growth Continues StrongDuring the first four months this year 506 housing units with a building value of $109 million were permitted in Estero. The following table shows how this performance compares with the prior four years:
Thus the current year ranks fourth of the five years in the number of housing units permitted but higher than all but 2001 in the building value of those units. The year to date housing unit data in 2003 is inflated by the large number of permitted units in Villagio during February, 2003. The building value of housing units permitted in Estero this year is up significantly from all prior periods, largely because the single family share of the market has increased so much. The residential building value understates the cost of each unit because it excludes the value of the underlying land. The building value of housing units permitted in Estero continues to exceed that of the City of Bonita Springs. During the first four months of the year the building value of Estero's residential permits exceeded Bonita's by 28%. Although commercial investment in Bonita Springs still exceeds that of Estero, the total four month building value of all Estero permits exceeds Bonita's by 16%. Estero Parkway Wal-Mart Progress ReportOn April 30th the Wal-Mart Committee once again met with Wal-Mart's representatives to resolve the remaining open issues. As a result of these negotiations Wal-Mart once again revised their plans and specifications for the project and submitted them to the Committee on May 7th. After reviewing these documents, the Committee and Wal-Mart's representatives resolved their differences and met with County zoning staff on May 14th to ensure that all of the changes are properly included in the staff report to be filed with the Hearing Examiner prior to his or her hearing on this matter. Bob Perry of The Vines summarized the agreement with Wal-Mart on this store as follows:
At present County zoning staff has scheduled the Hearing Examiner hearing for August 4th. The ECCL Wal-Mart Committee urged county staff to accelerate that hearing when they met on May 14th. Coconut Road Wal-Mart Status ReportThe following is a brief follow-up on our extensive report on this proposed project two months ago. On April 21st Wal-Mart filed with the County a "Request for appeal of an administrative interpretation to the Hearing Examiner" in an effort to overturn the county's denial of Wal-Mart's Development Order. County staff believes that Wal-Mart must rezone the property if it wants to build a superstore on the site. The appeal will be heard by a Lee County Hearing Examiner on June 4th. On May 13th Matt Uhle, the attorney for the following communities and institutions, filed a "Notice of Appearance" with the County to enable him to represent them at the appeal hearing:
If these groups and the County are successful, Wal-Mart will have to rezone the property, file another DO that can overcome the objections of the County as interpreted by the Hearing Examiner or appeal the decision to the Circuit Court. If the Hearing Examiner rules against the community and the County, either or both parties can appeal the decision to the Circuit Court. Coconut Point Progress ReportOn April 14th Oakbrook Properties and The Simon Property Group presented their 87 page Design Review Guidelines to the Estero Design Review Committee (EDRC). The Guidelines will provide the County, the community and the developers with appearance standards applicable to all 483 acres of Coconut Point, Estero largest commercial development. The Guidelines are required by the project's zoning and are subject to approval by county planning and development staff. The Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL) has appointed a Committee to review the Guidelines prior to county approval. On May 7th the Committee met and reviewed the Guidelines and identified three procedural issues and two substantive issues, parking lot landscaping and the size of on-building signage. It discussed these issues with the County review staff on May 25th. It is expected that the County will now complete its review and transmit its recommendations to the developer, the EDRC and to the Committee. The County has issued the developers a Development Order that permits them to begin some site preparation and that work has now begun. In addition a number of zoning amendment requests are now being reviewed by staff. North Point DRI Progress ReportNorth Point will be Estero's third largest commercial development after Coconut Point and Miromar Mall and Design Center. It will be located on 102 acres on the northeast corner of Williams Road and US 41 and, if approved as requested, will consist of 550,000 square feet of retail, 120,000 square feet of office, 150 residential units and a 150 room hotel. Because of its size it will be zoned as a Development of Regional Impact (DRI). In addition to the zoning change and the regional impact assessment North Point will need the BOCC and the State of Florida to approve a change in the County's Comprehensive Plan. The Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL) has appointed a committee to assess the impact of the project on the surrounding community and our roadway system; to review the county and regional reports on the project and to meet with county staff and the developer prior to the Hearing. On April 28th the Committee met to identify the project impacts and community concerns. On May 9th the Committee met with County staff to discuss those concerns and to learn about the results of the staff review of the project. On May 11th when the staff report became available, the Committee reviewed the report and met with the developer on May 17th. The Committee met once again on May 21st to discuss the developer's response to the issues and to develop a position paper for further discussion with the developer on May 24th. The principal issues identified by the Committee and discussed with the developer include:
Subsequent discussions with the developer prior to the public hearing resolved all of the issues in principal except for:
At the Public Hearing both the developer and the Committee
representatives identified these differences and expressed a desire
to resolve them as soon as possible. In the end the Hearing Examiner
continued the Hearing until June 9th to give the parties and county
staff time to file final documents reflecting agreed solutions to
these issues. Embassy Suites Hotel Progress ReportArchitects for the developer of the Embassy Suites Hotel, to be located on the northwest corner of I-75 and Corkscrew Road, made their final presentation to the Estero Design Review Committee on February 11th. This was the third meeting between the developer and the EDRC all of which resulted in numerous improvements in this prominent seven story Mediterranean structure. Since then the developer has been working with the county to obtain DO and building permits for the hotel. The final permits are expected in June with hotel construction to start shortly thereafter. The Developer has commissioned a landscaping plan for the entire Estero Interstate Commerce Park and will present it to the EDRC when it is completed. West Bay ClubOn May 10th the new developers of West Bay, Lehman Brothers, presented a rezoning proposal to the ECPP for their review prior to filing the rezoning application with the County. In 1999 the former developers of this 864 acre property asked the county to eliminate one of three high rise sites on the property in order to sell that land (13 acres) as single family home sites. Since this was a down-zoning it was approved administratively by the county without a public hearing. The developer stated that this change did not reduce the overall approved density of the project of 1,121 units. Lehman Brothers wants to restore the zoning on that former high rise site and to add four units in another section of the property. About 25 West Bay residents attended the hearing and several expressed their concerns about the request. Many West Bay purchasers have been told by West Bay sales staff and through printed sales materials that the community would contain only about 750 to 800 housing units. They fear that if the property is rezoned the character of the community would be changed and that the amenities would be inadequate for that larger population. Testimony indicated that the 13 acre site to be rezoned could contain three (3) high rises with as many as 290 housing units while the other two high rise sites are zoned for 3 towers housing as many as 330 units, for a total of 6 towers containing as many as 620 housing units on a total of 20 acres. The developer indicated that they were studying the feasibility of building so many high rise units on these three sites. Once the developer files the rezoning application a zoning staff person will be assigned to the case and will prepare a report analyzing all the issues that it raises. That report must be issued at least two weeks prior to the zoning being reviewed by a Lee County Hearing Examiner as part of a public hearing. After the Hearing Examiner hearing, at which the public can testify, the hearing examiner will prepare his or her recommendations. These recommendations will then be reviewed and amended or approved by the Board of County Commissioners, once again after public comment by the same persons that testified before the Hearing Examiner. Cypress ShadowsOn May 10th the developers of Cypress Shadows presented the ECPP with their proposal for this project, a golf course community containing 100 single-family homes and 670 multi-family residences located east and north of the Bella Terra RPD on Corkscrew Road approximately three miles east of I-75. The project was zoned RM2 in 1982 with no density level defined. Adding a golf course requires a rezoning to Residential Planned Development. A concept plan was presented to the Panel in July, 2003. In addition to addressing Lee County staff concerns, the current revision is intended to answer concerns raised by the Panel last July. Items included: limiting the multi-family buildings to four stories; limiting the single-family portion of the project to detached buildings; increasing berm buffers between the community and Corkscrew Road and building access drives to the adjacent Bella Terra development; minimizing wetlands and wildlife impacts. With the depth of lakes proposed for as much as 40 feet, the Panel raised concerns about blasting during construction and its potential threat to the nearby Wildcat Run community and the new development of Bella Terra. The Panel suggested that the developer involve a Wildcat Run representative in the pre-blast planning to facilitate communications over the blasting period. Estero Community Park Progress ReportOn February 2nd the BOCC approved the zoning for the 65 acre Estero Community Park located between Williams and Corkscrew Roads just east of the railroad tracks. By March work crews completed clearing the exotic vegetation from the site. About that time the designers completed the construction drawings. The County Parks and Recreation Department plans to present its plans for the 42,000 square foot Recreation/Community Center to the EDRC on June 9th. The Park will be built in two or three phases. Phase 1 included the Recreation Center and all the amenities located in the northern half of the park. Ground is expected to be broken for Phase 1, which will cost almost $10 million, in August. Roadway Progress ReportUS 41 Design Review MeetingOn May 3rd FDOT and Inwood Consulting Engineering met with the ECCL North US 41 Committee to discuss their preliminary plans for widening US 41 between Corkscrew Road and San Carlos Park. The consultants conducted a power point presentation that made the following major points:
Representatives of the bordering communities asked questions about planned access facilities adjacent to their communities; the future of Estero River Outfitters (it is too close to the road for continued operation) and the three buildings adjacent to Lords Way street (they can be relocated). In addition a no-turn-on-red sign for the east side of US 41 at Broadway was discussed and is being investigated with the County and State. Funding will be provided for median landscaping of the road, but street lighting, neither conventional nor historic, will be designed at this time. Sandy Lane Alignment StudyCella and Associates, the County's consultant on this project, completed their research and prepared their preliminary recommendations for the corridor which extends from Alico Road to Old 41 in Bonita Springs. Since the alignment has already been established for the segment to be built by the Coconut Point developers from Corkscrew Road to Pelican Colony Boulevard, the recommendations relate to the three remaining segments: • The San Carlos Park segment from Estero Parkway to Alico Road, General Findings and Conclusions"Many roadways in southern Lee County are currently congested and are becoming even more congested due to the large amount of growth in the area. The problem is exacerbated by the limited number of north-south facilities in San Carlos Park, Estero and Bonita Springs. In December 2000, the Sandy Lane Extension was added to the Metropolitan Planning Organization's (MPO) 2020 Financially Feasible Highway Plan as a two-lane undivided arterial from Old US 41 in Bonita Springs to Alico Road in San Carlos Park. In February 2004, the MPO added the Sandy Lane Extension from Old 41 to Estero Parkway as a four lane facility in the 2020 Needs Plan. The purpose of the proposed facility is to provide congestion relief to US 41 and Three Oaks Parkway in southern Lee County." "The traffic study (part of the Alignment Study) concluded that the traffic volume reduction on US 41 with the construction of Sandy Lane is projected to be as much as 10,000 vehicles per day (vpd) in certain locations. This is a significant reduction which will help ease the congestion on US 41. Congestion relief on Three Oaks Parkway with the extension of Sandy Lane is also projected to be fairly significant. Based on the congestion relief predicted by the traffic model, the Sandy Lane Extension will provide additional north-south capacity and provide traffic volume reduction on US41 and Three Oaks Parkway." The San Carlos Park Recommendations"The scope of work envisioned tying into Oriole Road with no major improvements or right-of-way acquisition. The traffic volumes drop off to 10,000 vpd at Estero Parkway (Koreshan Boulevard) from 16,000 vpd. The limited right-of-way, excessive number of driveways and stop signs would degrade the quality of this segment as a viable alternative and could pose a safety issue for pedestrians. After the widening of Three Oaks Parkway and U.S. 41, the traffic conditions should be reevaluated to determine when this segment may be needed….It is recommended that Lee County pursue the acquisition of the 100-foot right-of-way from Estero Parkway (Koreshan Boulevard) to the south end of Oriole Road." The Estero Segment Recommendations"The consultant's recommended alignment for Sandy Lane between Corkscrew Road and Estero Parkway…begins at Corkscrew Road and runs north along existing Sandy Lane for 370 feet. The alignment curves to the west just before the Estero River. It continues straight as it crosses the Estero River over a new bridge in a new location. The alignment then curves north as it parallels the Seminole Gulf Railroad. After crossing Broadway Street, the alignment slightly curves to the east as it ties into The Cascades dedicated right of way for Sandy Lane, which ultimately connects to Estero Parkway (Koreshan Boulevard). This alignment is recommended because it reduces the direct impacts to the residences along existing Sandy Lane, will accommodate drainage requirements and will provide for a four lane section in the future. Existing Sandy Lane right-of-way width is only 50 feet wide and would not accommodate future four-laning without the need to purchase right-of way on one or both sides. Traffic impacts to the existing residences on Sandy Lane could be reduced by terminating Sandy Lane at the Estero River and only allow access to existing Sandy Lane from Broadway Street. An advanced railroad signal would be required on relocated Sandy Lane due to the proximity to the railroad crossing of this recommended alignment." Estero's Sandy Lane North Committee met on May 21st to discuss the consultant's recommendations and adopted the following positions regarding this segment:
The Bonita Springs RecommendationsThe Consultant recommends that Sandy Lane be extended directly from the eastern end of Pelican Colony Boulevard in the Coconut Point project to Old 41 using one of two routes depending on what the City of Bonita Springs decides to do about improvements to Strike Lane. The following is the consultant's recommendation regarding this road segment: "The consultant's final recommendation in Bonita Springs is the 'Railroad/Tuck Drive/Old US 41" Alignment…Of all the alternative alignments considered, this alignment was the most desirable geometrically, socially, environmentally and from a traffic operations perspective. The alignment also proved to be the least disruptive to the San Carlos Estates community, where residential impacts were minimized and neighborhoods were not isolated from each other. The commercial impacts were limited as well. This would only require one new railroad crossing at the northwest corner of San Carlos Estates. The Seminole Gulf Railroad is under a mandate to eliminate railroad crossings. The existing crossing on Strike Lane is not a permitted crossing and is sub-standard. The railroad may close the Strike Lane crossing. San Carlos Estates residences would use Sandy Lane to access Old US 41 and US 41." "The City of Bonita Springs is currently evaluating their area network. The Production Circle alternative may become the preferred alternative alignment subject to changes in the 2020 plan. Revisions to traffic operations may be necessary. Under this scenario, Sandy Lane would become the extension of Old US 41." This recommendation is a welcome response for those of us that have been working on this issue over the last year. But it will be for naught if the BOCC and the Bonita Springs City Council do not support the consultant's recommendation regarding this segment. About 150 citizens attended the County's Sandy Lane Workshop on May 25th. Many of them completed and filed comment sheet that will be summarized by the consultant in the final report to be presented to the BOCC and the Bonita Springs City Council. Persons who did not attend have until June 8th to file comments with the consultant. If you wish to have your voice heard on this matter send an email to Kris Cella, the County's Consultant at kcella@cella.cc. Be sure to include you name, address and city or community in your email. Proposed Sandy Lane--Williams Road RoundaboutLee County DOT has recommended that the developers of Coconut Point consider including a two lane roundabout at the intersection of Williams Road and Sandy Lane instead of a stop light. The developers have agreed to do so if the Estero Community supports the idea. On May 21st David Plummer, the head of one of the two engineering firms that are designing Sandy Lane from Corkscrew Road to Pelican Colony Boulevard, presented their preliminary design for this traffic facility to two of Estero's issues committees, the North Sandy Lane Committee and the North Point Committee. After considerable discussion the majority of each committee appeared supportive of the idea for this location. Mr. Plummer will present these plans at the June 14th meeting of the Estero Community Planning Panel and the June 18th meeting of the Estero Council of Community Leaders. The following comments about modern roundabouts are excerpted from some recent traffic engineering articles on this subject:
County Road 951 (CR 951) StudyThe CR 951 Planning Development & Environment Study is moving right along. It appears that the "no-build option" is not viewed by the Lee and Collier DOT's and the Consultants as practical. Although they have yet selected the proposed route, they have settled in on two alternatives, both of which will affect Estero Communities like Wildcat Run, Stoneybrook, Bella Terra and Cypress Shadows. One would be located between Wildcat Run and Stoneybrook. The second would be between Wildcat Run and Bella Terra and Cypress Shadows. The alternatives further to the east have been rejected. The Study Team is expected to soon begin seeking funding for the Design and ROW phases of the project. CR951 will also have a significant impact on Corkscrew Road and the CRSA road widening project. CR951 could become a reality as soon as the 2010-- 2012 time frame. Estero Fire Rescue Board VacancyCommissioner Larry Westin has sent a letter to Estero Fire Rescue announcing his resignation from the Board of Commissioners, effective May 21, 2004. Mr. Westin is moving from the district, making him ineligible to sit on the Board. At the next Board meeting, scheduled for 6 pm, June 8th, at Estero United Methodist Church, the remaining board members will officially declare Mr. Westin’s seat vacant. The Board will then have the option of appointing a replacement, or waiting until the November elections to fill the seat. In the past, when the Board has decided to appoint a new commissioner to fill a vacant seat, they have requested applications from interested parties in the community. If a new commissioner is appointed, he or she would be required to run for election if they wish to retain the seat beyond November. Four of the five seats on the Estero Fire District’s Board of
Commissioners, will be on the ballot in this fall’s election. Seats
3 and 5 will be for two year terms. Seats 2 and 4 will be for four
year terms. Only seat 1, currently occupied by Gayle Sassano, will
not be on the ballot this year. The period for qualifying as a
candidate for a Commissioner of the Estero Fire District is from
Noon July 12, 2004 through Noon July 16, 2004. For more information, contact Jim Clarke – Community Relations Manager, Estero Fire Rescue. |
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