Estero Development Report
Volume 3, Number 11 Edited by ECCO--the Estero Concerned Citizens Organization For further information, to provide information or to add names to our mailing list, Email Don Eslick at doneslick@worldnet.att.net or call him at 949-4050 ·April Opportunities for Citizen Participation In Protecting Estero's Quality of Life
Index ·
Commercial
Corridor Projects
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Project |
Start-up Date |
Estimated Completion Date |
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Corkscrew Palms-Buildings 1, 2 & 3 |
December 2002 |
September 2003 |
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Eckerd Drugs at Miromar Design Center |
May 2003 |
November 2003 |
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Bank of
|
July 2003 |
January 2004 |
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September 2003 |
March 2004 |
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|
September 2003 |
March 2004 |
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|
August 2003 |
April 2004 |
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|
January 2004 |
April 2004 |
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|
December 2003 |
April 2004 |
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Miromar Outlets Mall -- Phase 4 |
July 2003 |
June 2004 |
|
March 2004 |
September 2004 |
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|
January 2004 |
September 2004 |
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|
March 2004 |
September 2004 |
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|
April 2004 |
October 2004 |
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Bank at Plaza del Sol (Royal Plaza) |
June 2004 |
December 2004 |
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June 2004 |
January 2005 |
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Miromar Design Center Phase 1 |
February 2004 |
August 2005 |
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Coconut Point Community Center |
May 2004 |
October 2005 |
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June 2004 |
October 2005 |
Public
Projects Underway
or Getting Started This Year
In addition seven (7) public improvement projects are recently completed, underway or soon to be started in Estero. They are:
|
Project |
Start-up Date |
Estimated Completion Date |
|
Corkscrew Road Landscaping -- US 41 to Three Oaks |
December 2003 |
March 2004 |
|
Three Oaks Boulevard Landscaping from Williams to Corkscrew |
May 2004 |
August 2004 |
|
US 41 Six-laning from Old 41 to Corkscrew Road |
September 2002 |
September 2004 |
|
Koreshan Boulevard Landscaping |
June 2004 |
September 2004 |
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Estero Fire District Coconut Point Station |
April 2004 |
October 2004 |
|
|
November 2004 |
February 2005 |
|
January 2004 |
April 2005 |
Permitted Housing Units Continue Growth
During January and February 248 housing units with a building value of $46.2 million were permitted in Estero. The following table shows how this performance compares with the prior four years:
|
Year |
Total Annual Housing Units |
Number of Housing Units |
Building Value of Units |
|
2000 |
2,088 |
329 |
$48,765,104 |
|
2001 |
2,104 |
289 |
48,480,038 |
|
2002 |
1,500 |
191 |
35,231,265 |
|
2003 |
1,425 |
376 |
58,389,930 |
|
2004 |
|
248 |
46,184,756 |
Thus the current year ranks below Estero's two big growth years (2000 & 2001) and last year (2003) but above 2002 in both the number of housing units permitted and in the building value of those units. The numbers of units in January and February 2003 are inflated by the large number of permitted units in Villagio during February. It is also worth noting that the building value of housing units permitted in Estero this year is up significantly from the 2000-01 period
(From $157,350 to $186,200).
The building value of housing units permitted in Estero continues to exceed that of the City of Bonita Springs. During the first two months of the year the building value of Estero's residential permits exceeded Bonita's by 44%. Although commercial investment in Bonita Springs still exceeds that of Estero, the total two month building value of all Estero permits in exceeded Bonita's by 19%.
"Village with a Vision"
The "Village
with a Vision" program is an educational program designed to inform
Estero residents about Estero's history, its recent growth and
development, our collective efforts to manage that growth and the
issues we must deal with today and in the years to come. Thus far
this year 1,023 Estero residents have attended the first nine
Village with a Vision programs - an average of 114 per
presentation. A community wide presentation is planned for the
Ballroom at the
Hyatt Coconut Point Resort on Saturday, April 3rd
and another large crowd is expected to attend the
Shadow Wood
at the Brooks presentation on April 6th. Our thanks go
out to Carlos Cabrera, Cynthia Metzger and the Hyatt Resort staff
for their generous contribution of facilities and support of their
fellow Esteroans.
Communities that still have not scheduled a Village with a Vision presentation may still do so. The evenings of April 13th and 15th and April 26-29 are still available before "the season" ends. Interested communities should contact Jim Ramsburg at 949 0362.
Coconut Point Progress Report
On
January 27 the Simon Property Group announced some of the tenants
that will occupy part of Coconut Point's town center. This phase
will consist of 40 to 50 stores containing 600,000 square feet of
retail space surrounding a 15 acre lake. This is Simon's "Community
Center" with a scheduled opening date of October 2005. Some of the
larger stores in the Community Center will be Best Buy, T J Maxx,
Sports Authority, DSW, Petsmart and Ross Dress for Less. The balance
of the Community Center will be occupied by smaller stores and
restaurants. None of these stores will look like the ones you have
seen elsewhere around the country nor will they be configured as
they are in your typical shopping center.
The "Village" that will be designed around a main street concept
will be an exciting, mixed use project along an active street
anchored by Dillard at the south and the lakefront at the north.
The lake will be surrounded by restaurants and a boardwalk. Over
the retail on Main Street will be condominiums and offices. The Village in the Town Center will open in September, 2006. The Village will consist of about 100
stores containing about 620,000 square feet of retail and
entertainment, 200 condominiums,
30,000 square feet of condominium office and a hotel. The announced
anchors in this phase are an 180,000 square foot Dillard's and a
93,000 square foot Muvico twenty screen theatre. In addition the
Town Center is expected to include a major book store, a hotel, 80 to 90 smaller
stores and several restaurants.
All of the buildings in the Town Center (the Community Center and the Village) will be designed in
accordance with an architectural overlay of Mediterranean design.
Zoning for Coconut Point requires the developers to prepare
appearance standards for the entire 483 acre site that must be
approved by the County. The developers will present the appearance
standards to the Estero Design Review Committee (EDRC) at their
April meeting. In addition the Council of Community Leaders has
formed a Committee to review the standards and to work with the
EDRC, the developers and County staff to ensure that they are
consistent with the appearance standards established by the
community for other commercial projects during the last several
years.
Site preparation for both the Community Center and Town Center is scheduled to begin with some mass grading activity in May with the heavier site work in the early Fall. Construction of the Community Center is scheduled to begin in September with Town Center Construction expected to begin in January 2005.
Construction of Sandy Lane from Corkscrew Road to Pelican Colony Boulevard is also scheduled to begin this fall.
Other Projects in Process
The following projects have recently passed some significant milestones or announced new plans:
FGCU South Housing Complex
According to press reports the University recently contracted with TKW Engineering to provide engineering and project management services for a 4,000 student, 80 acre South Housing Complex. The contract includes construction of a new south entrance to the University and the two roads leading to the campus from Ben Hill Griffin Parkway.
The Lakes of Estero
D.R Horton, a national home builder headquartered in Arlington, Texas has purchased the 82 remaining units in The Lakes of Estero and has taken over marketing of this 102 unit single family housing project located immediately east of Estero High School at the corner of River Ranch Road and Williams Road.
Estero Heights at the Park
Site preparation, streets and other infrastructure, street lighting and roadway landscaping has been completed for this 24 single family housing development located just north of Estero High School west of River Ranch Road and just east of the new Estero Community Park.
Potential
Rezoning
of the
Corkscrew Commerce Center
At the February meeting of the ECPP Charles Winton, who has been granted a Chevrolet dealership franchise for Estero, presented his plans for developing about 10 acres of this 20 acre site at the southwest Corner of I-75 & Corkscrew Road. Prior to this meeting a public meeting had been held with the Corkscrew Woodlands and Island Club communities where the plan had received favorable response.
If Winton's plan is accepted by the community, the County and the owner of the property only three businesses would share the site as opposed to the eight authorized by current zoning. Since the property is located in an Interstate development zone the likely use under present zoning is fast food, gas stations, motels and other interstate service facilities. The appearance of the property would be greatly improved by the proposed change and the project traffic would be greatly reduced.
About 18-20 months will be required for the rezoning process. The applicant will again meet with the ECPP if the plans for the parcel are accepted by the property owner. Winton asked for support from the Panel to substantiate the financial outlay required to hold the property while it undergoes the rezoning process.
Winton expressed a desire to purchase the entire 20-acre parcel including two outlots which would occupy approximately one and a half acres each. The remaining 45% of the acreage would be allotted to water management and green space.
Neal Noethlich, ECPP Chair, cautioned that auto dealership outdoor display requirements could create a problem regarding compliance with the Estero Community Plan. Mitch Hutchcraft, a member of the Panel, expressed concern over the potential of traditional car dealership signage and outside promotional devices. Winton responded his dealership would reflect the character of the Community Plan in its display and landscaping. The Panel voted unanimously to support the proposed change.
Estero Town Center at Sandy Lane
On March 8th the ECPP heard a presentation by representatives of Stephanie Miller Real Estate developers of another Estero Town Center project. This one is located on the south side of Corkscrew Road just west of the railroad tracks and abutting the Estero Community Park on the south and east.
The zoning request is for six parcels on a 38 acre site extending along Sandy Lane as it will extend south from Corkscrew Road. The plans call for attractive Mediterranean multi-story mixed-use buildings on each parcel with retail on the first floor and office or residential above. A total of 300,000 square feet of commercial and 150 residential units is contemplated by the plan. The maximum height of any building would be 45 feet. In addition to Sandy Lane the site is also served internally by another new street called Crissy Lane.
The ECPP reacted favorably to the mixed use aspects of the development and agreed to work with the developer to help achieve this goal. The project is designed to complement the Community Park and the proposed North Point project immediately to its west.
Corkscrew Three Oaks CPD
The ECPP also heard a presentation by the Bonita Bay Group for a small retail and office development on 1.63 acres on the southwest corner of Corkscrew Road and Three Oaks Parkway. The plan envisions one two story building facing Three Oaks Parkway with a preserve along most of the Corkscrew Road frontage concealing the parking that would be in the rear. The building would contain a maximum of 30,000 square feet, all of which could be retail. Alternatively, the building could contain some retail and up to 10,000 square feet of medical office and/or up to 20,000 square feet of general office uses.
Coconut Road Wal-Mart Status Report
On February 11th Wal-Mart presented architectural and landscaping plans for a proposed 208,000 square foot super-store on the northwest corner of US 41 and Coconut Road to a packed meeting of the EDRC. Wal-Mart decided to present to the EDRC in spite of considerable community opposition based upon Wal-Mart's failure to hold preliminary meetings with the neighboring communities as they had done at The Vines on their proposed Koreshan Boulevard store.
As a result over 100 people attended the EDRC meeting and joined the Committee in raising numerous objections and suggestions for Wal-Mart (see last month's edition). Subsequently Wal-Mart submitted revised plans to the EDRC responsive to many of the suggestions for improving the appearance of the superstore and its site, but not reconfiguring it as was repeatedly suggested at the meeting.
On Friday, February 13th Wal-Mart met with County staff for an informal pre-filing meeting regarding their DO application for the site. County staff informed Wal-Mart that they considered the proposed development plan for the eight commercial parcels they planned to use for the store to be inconsistent with the zoning for those parcels. Wal-Mart’s proposal for the site would build the superstore on a combination of a large 13.4 acre parcel, 7 outlots and the land designated for internal roads. The parcel Wal-Mart would not use for the store is an 11.2 acre parcel at the west end of the property that is zoned for “light industrial” use, with a residential backup alternative. This parcel must be rezoned if it is to be used for retail purposes.
Subsequently Wal-Mart explored developing another DO that would overcome the County's reservations about the one they presented to the EDRC and county staff. On March 24th the County formally informed Wal-Mart that the DO amendment that they had filed was not consistent with the zoning on the property and was therefore rejected. Wal-Mart has three options:
- It can try to reconfigure its site plan to satisfy the existing zoning and submit another DO, or
- It can appeal the County staff decision to a Lee County Hearing Examiner by April 8th with a public hearing required to be held no more than 45 days later and subsequently decided by the BOCC, or
- It could begin to rezone the property.
As we go to press Wal-Mart has not indicated which option they will choose.
On March 15th Wal-Mart conducted a public meeting with the Marsh Landing community after several meetings with the leaders of that community that borders the Wal-Mart site on the north. Wal-Mart's presentation contained several changes responsive to the concerns of the Marsh Landing leadership. However, the 100 Marsh Landing residents attending the meeting had many questions about the store and how they would be affected by it.
Residents of several other surrounding communities have asked Wal-Mart to hold a meeting in their communities. In addition the community has offered to arrange a single large meeting at the EsteroHigh School. Wal-Mart has resisted all these efforts. Wal-Mart's representatives have frequently suggested that they meet with leaders of these communities, provide them with information on the project and have the leaders meet with their community. We have repeatedly told Wal-Mart that this is not an acceptable approach. Recently Wal-Mart has been contacting the leaders of some of these communities to arrange a meeting of those leaders.
During this period the leaders of nine surrounding communities and some local businesses have decided to employ an experienced Lee County land use attorney to identify issues that could be used to prevent Wal-Mart from developing a superstore on this site or to require Wal-Mart to rezone the site so that the store and its surrounding property would be developed consistent with community desires.
If Not Wal-Mart, What?
This large 46.36 acre parcel of property was zoned in 1998 to contain two development areas…a 31.95 acre retail/commercial tract and a 14.41 acre limited light industrial tract. The retail/commercial tract is divided into 8 parcels…7 outlots ranging size from 1.27 acres to 2.5 acres and a large 13.44 acre parcel. The light industrial tract contains one parcel of 11.17 acres. The zoning authorizes the property owner to build up to 250,000 square feet of retail space and 50,000 square feet of office space on the retail/commercial tracts and up to 200,000 square feet of light industrial on that tract.
Among the 72 permitted use categories applicable to each of the seven outlots are: automobile service station; bar or cocktail lounge; car wash; convenience food and beverage store; lawn and garden supply stores; package store; repair shops; fast food restaurants; vehicle and equipment dealers. Unlike our more recent zonings that are no limitations on the number of outlots that may be used for service stations, fast food restaurants etc. The four outlots along US 41 could be developed as a fast food, gasoline alley.
In addition to these outlot uses the large retail/commercial parcel can be used for the following uses: Boat parts, rental, repair and service and sales stores; building material sales; bus station/depot; golf driving range; helistop; hotel/motel; mini-warehouse; nightclubs; vehicle and equipment dealers; and warehouses. Zoning for this parcel permits 95 categories of uses such as these few that we have enumerated. Without rezoning this parcel could be used for 100,000 to 120,000 square foot "big box" or strip center or a boat or automobile dealer.
In addition to many of the above use categories zoning for the 11.16 acre light industrial parcel includes the following uses among the 55 use categories listed in the zoning ordinance: factory outlets; government maintenance facility; manufacturing of apparel products, electrical machinery and equipment, food and kindred products; leather products; lumber and wood products; measuring, analyzing and controlling instruments, novelties, jewelry, toys and signs, rubber and plastic products; mobile home dealers; processing and warehousing and research and development laboratories.
Should Wal-Mart not purchase the property there are many authorized, but undesirable, uses of each parcel within this property that would require only one public meeting with the EDRC, the filing of a report on that meeting with County staff before the County would be legally required to issue a Development Order and construction could begin.
Koreshan Wal-Mart Progress Report
If the zoning and Development order (DO) applications are approved by the County, Wal-Mart will be able to construct a 208,000 square foot super Wal-Mart on the northeast corner of Koreshan Boulevard and US 41. Super Wal-Mart's contain a large grocery operation and a tire-lube facility in addition to the general merchandise stocked by all Wal-Mart stores. The application also would authorize one additional store on an outlot located directly on the corner of US 41 and Koreshan.
On February 12th the Wal-Mart Committee of the Estero Council of Community Leaders met with Wal-Mart's representatives and experts for a briefing on the zoning and Development Order (DO) applications found "sufficient" by county staff. In addition to the briefing, Wal-Mart addressed in detail the 37 issues contained in "Wal-Mart Issues Raised by the Community", dated July 12, 2003, that was submitted to Wal-Mart when they made their presentation to the ECPP. As its title implies the issue paper incorporates all the questions and concerns raised by Estero residents at several community meetings on the proposed project.
At this meeting, Wal-Mart addressed all the issues raised by the community, committed to substantial concessions and agreed to change their zoning application accordingly. Major commitments made on February 12th are as follows:
Eliminated their request for outdoor displays and sales
Eliminated their request for outdoor storage
Significantly increased landscaping
Significantly improved noise abatement
Significantly reduced truck delivery times
Committed to a property maintenance “Bond”
Committed to no blasting
Site lighting complies with Lee County’s new lighting ordinance
Agreed to prohibit auto shows and parking lot special events.
The meeting was monitored by Jerry Murphy, the County Zoning staff member assigned to the project.
In earlier meetings Wal-Mart had agreed to store design and architectural changes sought by the EDRC and the community and eliminated some outlots that they had originally planned. Separately Wal-Mart has agreed to provide The Vines community with a private entrance road that will provide Vines residents direct access to Koreshan Boulevard. This gated facility will allow Vines residents to travel south on US 41 using the signal at Koreshan rather than having to use the dangerous intersection at their main entrance.
On February 13th the Wal-Mart Committee made a progress report to the CCL. On February 16th the Committee met to discuss their recommendations to the CCL and on February 18th met with Al O'Donnell, a knowledgeable landscaper with extensive experience in southwest Florida and member of the EDRC, to discuss Wal-Mart's detailed landscape proposals. The CCL approved a position paper dealing with the following unresolved issues:
- Further restricted the delivery hours;
- The timing of outlot buffering and landscaping;
- Specification of the store operations agreement and bond to include code compliance; cleanliness rules and procedures; security provisions and landscaping maintenance; and periodic inspections;
- Prohibit temporary signs throughout the site;
- Cooperate to prohibit right turn on red on Koreshan at US 41;
- Limit compacting pick up and delivery hours;
- Require outlot purchaser to work with FGCU to install a western university "gateway" feature on the corner;
- Greatly increase the size and intensity of trees and plants in front of the store; in the parking lots and in the street side buffers;
- Increase the width and height of the roadside buffers and intensify the trees and plantings located therein;
- Provide landscaped sidewalks to the store in large enough numbers to break up the parking lot and provide safer access to the store;
The approved position paper was provided to Wal-Mart so that they could negotiate them with the CCL on March 8th. At that meeting Wal-Mart agreed to most of these community positions. The CCL asked Wal-Mart to update the list of agreed zoning conditions, the Master Concept Plan and the Landscape Plan for the project. Wal-Mart updated these documents and transmitted them to the Wal-mart Committee about March 19th. The Wal-Mart Committee met on March 30th to review these documents incorporating all the negotiated changes in the project. Upon summarizing the results of this meeting and obtaining the approval of the CCL, Wal-Mart was asked to provide more detail on their landscape plans, make two changes in proposed parking and delivery provisions and further enhance four landscape elements. Wal-Mart has yet to respond to the latest CCL request.
Once these issues are resolved County zoning staff can proceed to prepare their report and set the date for the Hearing Examiner public hearing. Only persons and organizations testifying before the Hearing Examiner are permitted by law to make presentations to the BOCC when they make the final zoning decision on the project.
If Not Wal-Mart, What?
This property is zoned for 320,000 square feet of retail and 20,000 square feet of office space. As with most "bubble plans" the number of possible retail uses is almost endless. Fortunately for the community the existing zoning limit the hours of operation on a parcel that Wal-Mart would otherwise be able to operate on a 24/7 basis. That is the primary reason that Wal-Mart is seeking to rezone the property. Any other "big box" user or combination of retail users that do not require 24/7 operation would not need to rezone the property and thus would not need to work with the community as Wal-Mart has this last year.
All that those users would be required to do is to present their site plan and design to the EDRC for advisory review and file the necessary report with the county as part of their application for a DO. They would be subject to the same "Concurrency" requirements as are discussed below, but the only opportunity for community participation would be that one EDRC meeting.
The Widening of US 41
Present plans call for the six-laning of all segments of US 41between Naples and Ft. Myers to be completed by the end of 2005 except the segment between San Carlos Park and Corkscrew Road, which is now scheduled for 2010. The Estero community has been working with FDOT and Lee County for several years to accelerate the 6-laning of this segment of US 41.
Jointly we have now achieved funding for the first two phases necessary for the widening. The County loaned the State about $2.3 million so that the design could begin last year. FDOT was able to obtain a $7 million loan from the State Infrastructure Bank so that right-of-way acquisition could begin later this year and permitting soon thereafter. All parties worked together last year to get the Metropolitan Planning Organization to add $17 million for construction of the road in 2008-09 to its five year funding plan.
As things stand
today, widening the road could begin in the fall of 2006 but the $17
million needed to pay for it will not become available until
Wal-Mart has offered to pay the interest on a low cost County loan to the State that would permit the widening to start in 2006 instead of 2008. This offer need not and cannot legally be considered by the County until after Wal-Mart is zoned. Because traffic on this segment of US 41 is so bad, with or without Wal-Mart, Florida's "Concurrency" law prohibits Wal-Mart, or anyone else, from obtaining a Development Order (DO) allowing construction to start on the project until July 1, 2005, the first date that is within three years of the funding for construction of the road becoming available.
Before Wal-Mart
can obtain a DO they must also obtain a "Concurrency Certificate"
from the County. Before the County can issue a Concurrency
Certificate the Metropolitan Planning Organization must advance the
On Monday, April 5th the BOCC will discuss the use of the County low-interest commercial paper program for loaning FDOT about $17 million in order to accelerate the construction of US 41 between Corkscrew Road and San Carlos Park. CountyDOTstaff opposes this proposal in favor of FDOT applying for another State Infrastructure Bank (SIB) loan in order to provide funds for construction when needed in 2006. Unfortunately, we will not know until 2005 if the legislature will fund the SIB program and later if the project will be successful in competing for some of those funds.
Three Oaks Parkway Progress Report
On March 12th Don DeBerry and Nicole Maxey of Lee DOT briefed the Estero Council of Community Leaders about the status and plans for completion of the two remaining segments of Three Oaks Parkway in Estero.
The design of the segment between Corkscrew Road and Alico Road is 60% complete. They forecast that permitting and right-of-way for this segment will be completed about one year from now, in the spring of 2005. Widening of this segment from 2 to 4 lanes, within a 6 lane right-of-way, will begin construction then with completion expected in the summer of 2006.
The design of the Coconut Road to E. Terry Street segment is nearly complete and 35 of the 52 parcels that are needed for right-of-way have now been purchased. The permitting and right-of-way phase for this road is expected to be completed during the summer of 2005. Construction of this 4 lane road within a 6 lane right-of-way is expected to take from 15 to 18 months, thus this road segment should be available for use in late 2006 or early 2007.
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