Estero Council of Community Leaders

Minutes of the Regular Monthly Meeting

September 16, 2005

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Eslick in the River Club of Pelican Sound at 2:00 p.m. A quorum was present.

Forty-five people were in attendance representing eighteen communities plus three community wide organizations.

Minutes

A motion was made and approved to accept the minutes of the July meeting.

The Treasurer’s report was read by Chris Smith. Total expenses for the month amounted to $140.00 for the FEIN Annual and $78.75 was paid to the Florida Department of State for annual incorporation fees leaving a balance of $1068.60. The report was approved and seconded.

Transportation Committee Report

Don De Berry from the county is responsible for road planning, permitting and right of way acquisitions. Eleven projects will be advertised for construction and bid during the next 24 months. They will be staggered throughout this period because of the few contractors available. The county is doing what they can to keep things on schedule. A construction conference will be held at the Coconut Point Hyatt to make information available to contractors from throughout the nation about the forthcoming projects. About 53 RSVP’s have been received. The cost of materials and labor are a very big problem right now because of high demand and shortages of materials and supplier capacity. About $2 million a month is about as much as any company can complete. A copy of DeBerry’s handout is attached.

State Transportation Issues

Don Rowe reported on the Coconut Road/I 75 interchange. The Brooks communities would like to keep Coconut Road a residential street as it is now. The MPO is not ready to take the “windfall” $10 million put forward for this intersection, but put these monies into other needs, primarily I-75. A letter writing campaign has begun to encourage the MPO to turn this project down. A Lighthouse Bay committee voted 9-0 against this new interchange. A motion was made to inform the MPO that the ECCL feels that the $10 million could be better used on some other project. A unanimous vote by a show of hands was taken with all in opposition to the MPO amending its 2020 plan. Don Eslick will report this vote to the MPO board next week.

The MPO had all of the federal agencies, for the first time, comment in detail on the proposed bridge from Fort Myers Beach to Coconut Road. A large number of them stated their opposition to the project because of its impact on wetlands and the environment. The likely construction of this project is probably nil, but needs to be watched until the 2030 plan is adopted by the MPO in November or December.

On the design of the widening US 41 from Corkscrew to San Carlos Park, FDOT indicates that a community meeting (promised for a year) should be held in October or November.

County Manager, Don Stillwell is seeking retired professionals to serve on a Task Force to review the road planning and construction process which presently takes 6 to 8 years. The goal is to shorten this time by one year. Experience in project management is the quality he is looking for. It is important for the ECCL membership to ask their community boards to help us find qualified persons who might fill a position on the Task Force. It would probably mean one meeting a month plus some home work

This is a cost saving effort. Last year the price of Lee County’s existing road projects went up $80 million from their cost the prior year. Shaving one year off of all future projects could potentially save $80 million.

Performing Arts Center

Kristin Coury, the Producing Artistic Director of Gulfshore Playhouse, a professional, not-for-profit theater organization gave a presentation to the members about the proposed theater in Estero. They will have a full season of five productions from September to May in a 499 seat theater, with a smaller theater seating 125-150 designed for children’s theater, cabaret and/or smaller productions. One performance a year will be a classic reaching back 30-40 years. Property has been donated and exciting plans are underway. They will be raising $15 million for the building fund. The JED Group, developers of the proposed Estero on the River at Corkscrew and US 41 has 85 acres and will donate about two acres for the theater.

Three Oaks Parkway Funding

Neal Noethlich reported that the funding for the Three Oaks Parkway extension has been “found” by Bonita Springs and is waiting final approval by the BOCC. This would finish the segment to East Terry Street in Bonita Springs and a second segment of Imperial Street to Bonita Beach Road. A cost increase of $17 million dollars has been split between the County and Bonita Springs. This should keep the project on schedule and make it available for use in mid 2007. It also looks like the widening of Three Oaks to Alico Road north will start in 2006 and be completed in 2007.

These changes would not have been possible without the input and effort exerted by the Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce who invited the ECCL to join with them in furthering these improvements with the County.

Estero Parkway Flyover

This roadway starts at Three Oaks Parkway on Estero Parkway and goes east over Interstate 75 to Ben Hill Griffen Road. Impact fees are projected to be used for shortfall on this project making up for increased prices. This road is planned for completion in 2007 also.

Don Eslick and Arnie Rosenthal attended the recent BOCC Management Planning meeting and learned that there were three changes made in the County Capital Improvement Program and two were the last two items mentioned, i.e., the Estero Parkway flyover and Three Oaks extensions. This will bring the Estero area an additional $26-27 million in this coming year’s roadway improvement.

Between now and the end of the year, the design, the right-of-way acquisition and the permitting of all of these projects (except for the US 41 segment) should be complete in order to be able to bid these projects and get them started no later than 2006. These projects need to be kept on schedule and heading for completion in 2007, when the widening of I-75 is planned. With the opening of many commercial developments in the next few years in Estero (Coconut Point and the Design Center, as examples) the more roads completed, the better things will flow.

Membership

Barb Akins reported the following. Two representatives from the Cascades, Grant Carlson and Joe Beausoleil. A motion was made and seconded to accept these new representatives.

Impact Fees

The State Legislature during this most recent session as a part of the Growth Management Bill established a Task Force to study impact fees. Arnie Rosenthal has been tracking this bill. Dan DeLisi of Bonita Bay Group is a part of this task force. This year Lee County will collect $110 million in impact fees to keep up with infrastructure. $45 million will be for roads and about $45 million will be used for schools. Getting rid of impact fees would mean we would be taxed that $110 million. Several politicians (State Senator Mike Bennett, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the State House) are all involved in the building industry and are pushing the elimination of these impact fees because it is they who pay these fees to insure that new development bears the cost of new infrastructure. This is something the communities should be aware of and monitor for further developments.

The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
Faie Saunders
Secretary