Estero Community Planning Panel
Minutes of
Public Meeting # 87
April 9, 2007
Estero Community Park, Estero, Florida
Panel Members Present:
Neal Noethlich, Chairman; Don Eslick, Estero Council of Community Leaders;
Greg Toth , Estero Development Community, Jack Lienesch, Estero Civic
Association, Lin Welch, Estero Chamber of Commerce. Recording Secretary: Jim
Ramsburg, ECCL, Treasurer: Fran Wagner, ECA. Absent: Dan DeLisi, Estero
Development Community.
Noethlich called the meeting to order at 6:04.
Public Participation:
Twenty-six participants were present including 19 members of the general
public. Ramsburg reported that public notices of the meeting were
published in the Fort Myers News-Press, the Bonita Daily News and the Bonita
Banner. Notices were posted on the Internet in the Estero Development
Report and on the Web sites of the ECCL/ECPP/ECA/EDRC and Estero Fire Rescue.
A paid advertising notice of the meeting was placed in the Bonita Banner of
April 7th. Notices of the meeting were posted in the South Regional
Library, Colonial Bank, Estero Community Park and Realty World of Estero.
Treasurer's Report:
Wagner reported a April 9th balance of $4,652.24 in the Community Planning
Panel account on deposit at Colonial Bank in Estero. Toth: Motion to accept Eslick:
Second. Report accepted unanimously.
Secretary's Report:
Noethlich distributed minutes of the February meeting. Toth: Motion to
accept minutes. Lienesch: Second. Report accepted unanimously.
Bob Nelson, President of The
Villages of Country
Creek residential community, and Jim Elliott, President of Source, Inc.,
presented a proposal to construct a 30 foot high, 50 foot diameter holding tank
for reuse water supplied by Lee County Utilities on the grounds of Villages of
Country Creek with a total capacity of 591,000 gallons. Nelson stated that
Lee County staff is in agreement with the proposal prior to its entry into the
rezoning process. Elliot pointed out that the site selected for the
construction is surrounded by a 50 foot buffer which, when planned landscaping
matures around the facility, will mask it from view - particularly from traffic
on the adjacent Three Oaks Parkway. He also distributed samples of the colors of
the material to be used on the tank, designed to blend into surrounding
landscaping. Toth and Noethlich suggested additional buffering between the
facility and Three Oaks be considered.
Joe Pavich, owner/broker of Realty World Florida and Elly McKuen, Planning
Manager of DRMP, Inc., presented plans to rezone
1.4 acres on the
southwest corner of US 41and Fountain Lakes Boulevard at the entrance of the
Fountain Lakes residential community from Agricultural to Commercial Planned
Development. The plan was initially proposed to the Panel in March, 2006 as a
20,000 square foot building. The applicant now proposes a 19,000 square
foot building of mixed office and light retail uses no higher than two stories
and 35 feet. The site currently holds the abandoned Centex sales center.
The proposal requests a deviation in the buffering between the site and Fountain
Lakes Boulevard from 20 to 15 feet. Toth questioned the 200 parking spaces
planned on the site as sufficiently meeting county standards for some retail
uses. McKuen replied that county staff has raised no objection to the
number in previous reviews.
Eslick cautioned that the site's buffering on US 41 at 20 feet does not match
the 25 foot wide buffers agreed to by other developers of other sites along the
west side of US 41. Toth questioned the proposal's use of water retention
areas for buffering between the site and the Fountain Lakes residential
community. Questions were also raised over the impact of traffic flows on
Fountain Lakes Boulevard.
David Graham Award for Excellence in Development
Lienesch reported that four nominations have been received. The
award committee is scheduled to meet within the
week to begin the decision process. The award is scheduled to be presented in
May.
Estero Five Year Planning Update
Noethlich reported that the Subcommittee would meet within the week.
Estero Community Planning Area
Eslick noted that activists within San Carlos Park have objected to areas
north of Estero Parkway and within the San Carlos Fire District being included
in the Estero Community Planning Area. The area has been approved by the
Lee County Board of County Commissioners. Eslick: Motion stating the
Panel's support of Lee County staff recommendation and Board of County
Commissioners' decision to affirm the boundaries of the Estero Community Plan
Area as defined in the Lee County Comprehensive Plan of December, 2006, and
transmitted to the State Department of Community Affairs. Toth: Second.
Motion carried unanimously.
Toth: Motion to adjourn. Eslick: Second. Motion passed
unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 7:38 PM.
NEXT MEETING: 6:00 PM, MONDAY, MAY 14, ESTERO COMMUNITY PARK.
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