Estero Community Planning Panel Minutes of
Public Meeting # 90
August 13, 2007
Estero Community Park, Estero, Florida
Panel Members Present:
ECPP Chairman Neal Noethlich, ECCL; Vice Chairman Jack Lienesch, ECA; John
Goodrich, Estero Council of Community Leaders; Lin Welch, Estero Chamber of
Commerce; Greg Toth, Estero Development Community; Dan Delisi, Estero
Development Community; Tom Siegfried, Estero Fire and Rescue, Frann Wagner,
Treasurer, ECA; Recording Secretary, Bill Brown, ECCL. Noethlich presented a
bouquet of flowers to Frann in appreciation for her service as Treasurer of the
Panel. She explained that it was necessary for her to resign because she no
longer drives at night. Beverly MacNellis was elected Treasurer to succeed
Wagner.
Public Participation:
21 participants were present including 10 members of the general public.
Brown reported there was a display ad in the Bonita Banner on August 8th. The
notice was is in the Estero section of the News-Press Web page , our joint Web
Page – EsteroFL.Org. and the Naples Daily News Web page Calendar. There were
stories in the News-Press on August 8th and August 10th. The notice was posted
in the Library, Realty World and the Wachovia and Colonial Banks.
Secretary’s Report:
Toth: Motion to accept May 9th Meeting Minutes. Goodrich: Second.
Minutes accepted unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report:
Treasurer Wagner reported an August 13 balance of $3,544.75. Goodrich: Motion
to accept Treasurer’s Report. Delisi Second. Minutes accepted
unanimously.
Presentations:
Bob Gleason of Coastal Land and Homes explained that when he last appeared
before the Panel in October 2005 he was proposing a 30 unit gated Townhomes of
Estero Park on 5.02 acres on Block Lane north of Estero High School. The County
Planning staff had problems with the townhomes concept so he has redesigned the
project as a 26-lot gated single family community with a main street in the
center and one-way alleyways circling in the back. Siegfried said the Fire
District was concerned with only one entrance, but after he saw the width of the
double entrance that was being proposed he felt it might be acceptable. Toth
suggested the need for a wall on the west as well as the east. Concern was
expressed [NEN1] that a 10 ft. driveway wouldn’t leave
enough room for parking, Gleason said daytime parking would be permitted in the
front. Gordon Lyons expressed concern about enforcement of the rules once it was
taken over by the residents. Gleason said he thought it would work in such a
small community.
Catherine Backos, President of Newport Development, told the Panel that
County Planner, Tony Palermo, who was present, suggested that Panel be asked for
its interpretation of Estero’s 45 foot height limitation since the proposed
condominium buildings would be 48 feet to the peak of the roof to provide
parking under three stories of condo units. Siegfried said the Fire District
considered the 45 feet limit to apply only to the roof deck, not counting the 3
feet of decorative ornamentation. The Panel agreed. Delisi said that original
language proposed by the Panel allowed for more than 45 feet with parking, but
that the County Planning Staff had problems with that. Noethlich indicated that
Wildcat Run Community Association and many residents were willing to share a new
joint entrance. The old Wildcat Run entrance would be available as an emergency
entrance. Gordon Lyons asked Backos to go on record that this new entrance would
be built at no cost to Wildcat Run,
which she did. The Panel agreed that it would look at heighth restrictions on a
case by case basis.
ECCP:
Noethlich brought up the problem of Design Review Committee member attendance
during the summer and said that Gordon Lyons had suggested increasing the
membership from 8 to 10. After much discussion, Welch moved and Toth seconded
that the Design Review Committee membership be increased from 8 to 10 with one
of the new members being a landscape architect and the other a regular
architect. The motion was agreed to unanimously. The Panel then considered
the suggested Mission and Action Plan for updating the Estero Community Plan
prepared by Goodrich. Noethlich pointed out that the County Commission wanted
the Sunshine Law to apply to the Panel when it is considering planning issues.
Commenting on developer’s proposed projects is not planning. He said that the
County Liaison, Jim Mudd, had made it clear that all the funding that Estero
could receive to update its Plan was the budgeted $50,000. He suggested that
Goodrich should proceed with the grant application, requesting $25,000 available
for Plan updates and $25,000 available for Land Development Code in support of
the Estero Plan.
The Panel adjourned at 8:05 PM.
NEXT REGULAR MEETING: 6 PM, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th, ESTERO COMMUNITY PARK.
[NEN1]By several people
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