Estero Community Planning Panel

Minutes of Public Meeting #85 - February 12. 2006
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 6:03.  

Public Participation:

Twenty-three participants were present including 18 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 February 7th.  Notices of the meeting were posted in the South Regional Library, Colonial Bank and the Estero office of Realty World.

Treasurer’s Report:

Wagner reported a February 12th balance of $5,176.29 in the Community Planning Panel account on deposit at Colonial Bank in Estero. Eslick: Motion to accept   Lienesch: Second.  Report accepted unanimously.

Secretary’s Report: 

Noethlich distributed minutes of the January meeting.  Toth: Motion to accept minutes. Eslick: Second.  Report accepted unanimously. 

Administrative Amendment - Estero Town Commons:

Attorney Matt Uhle outlined an administrative amendment applied for the site at the southeast corner of Corkscrew Road at Three Oaks Boulevard.  The amendment would add Commercial School to the list of approved uses to allow establishment of a martial arts school in an outbuilding west of the Lowes store.

No objections were raised.  Eslick: Motion to endorse amendment. Toth: Second.  Motion approved unanimously.  

Lee County Presentation - Channel Dredging & Deposits:

Steve Boutelle, Lee County Division of Natural Resources marine operations manager, and engineer Mark Kincaid presented the county’s plan to dredge the confluence of Broadway and Hogue Channels, and Intrepid Waters/Fishtrap Bay Channels in Bonita Springs, then truck the spoils to two and one-half acres of a ten acre site north of Williams Road between the Gulf & Seminole Railroad tracks and the Golf Coast Driving Range.  The estimated 10,000 cubic yards of sediment would be used to elevate the future site of Christ Community Ministries church, expected to be constructed in one to three years.  Boutelle said that the spoils would be clean fill of beach compatible sand and shells.  Toth, speaking as the owner of the driving range, posed the problems of potential odor from decomposing organic matter in the sediment and runoff possible from heavy rains.  He requested a written guarantee from the county assuring against such problems.  Boutelle answered that the project’s permits from the US Corps of Engineers and Florida Department of Environmental Protection would serve as guarantees.  Eslick recommended the panel request a condition in the project’s development order to provide such a guarantee.  Lienesch estimated that the 10,000 cubic yards of fill would require 667 dump truck trips in Estero to complete the project.  Boutelle replied that the trucking would take place over ten to twelve weeks during the summer months when traffic is at its seasonal low.

David Graham Award for Excellence in Development:

Lienesch reported that nomination information and forms have been posted on esterofl.org. Ramsburg was instructed to notify the press that nominations close on March 15th.  Nominations are to be sent to the Estero Community Planning Panel at Box 955, Estero FL 33928.

Estero Five Year Planning Update:

Subcommittee chairman John Goodrich reported the group is in formation regarding function and funding.  DeLisi has been appointed consultant to the group. Noethlich added that developers who have demonstrated interest in the project also be invited to participate.

Barnes & Noble Coconut Point Signage:   

Noethlich reported strong input from the Panel and Estero Design Review Committee regarding a request for an administrative amendment from Barnes & Noble to add signs to its building advertising its in-store Starbucks coffee franchise and its hours of operation.  After Panel discussion Noethlich agreed to forward to Lee County  the Panel recommendation that, 1/ Additional signage should not exceed the maximum allowable under LDC Chapter 33; 2/ No wall signage for hours of operation be allowed, and 3/ If Starbucks signage on outside table umbrellas is not feasible, one small hanging sign perpendicular to the building identifying Starbucks be allowed only on the east side of the building.

Mining Applications in East Corkscrew Area:

Noethlich reported that a February 23th status report is due shortly.

Midtown Estero HEX Hearing, March 22:  

Noethlich reported that the Panel has not been given the opportunity to review proposals for building uses.  Welch said that no definition has been made in the site proposal differentiating “affordable” and “workforce” housing.  Toth added that no definition in “workforce” housing appears in county regulations. Welch said that DeLisi  has agreed to appear to interested Estero groups to define the proposed standards for “workforce” housing.  Eslick said that the appeal of the project is affordable housing provided there is no increase in commercial development within the project.

Estero On The River HEX Hearing, March 21:

Eslick reported little change from the renderings previously review with less Mediterranean design.  He has requested the county staff report on the project due March 7th. Toth said that issues discussed earlier regarding the proposal have not been addressed again with the Panel. 

Panel Member Issues:

Toth questioned if signage issues should not be revisited to fully cover all areas of the subject. Noethlich agreed that another workshop with County Staff should be convened to determine what is and is not covered.

Toth: Motion to adjourn.   Eslick: Second.  Motion passed unanimously.   Meeting adjourned at 7:58PM.
NEXT MEETING: 6:00 PM, MONDAY, MARCH 12, ESTERO COMMUNITY PARK.