This month we estimate the number of housing units that will be permitted each year from 2005 to 2009 for each of the 32 residential communities now under development in Estero. The estimate for each community is based upon:

• the total number of units authorized by the property's zoning;
• the total number of units that the developer has announced will be built -- typically somewhat lower than the zoned amount;
• the community's prior permitting trends, or for new communities, the trends for comparable communities
• the stage of the community's development.

Our best estimate of the number of new housing units to be permitted in the Estero community planning area during the 2005-09 period is 7,999. Due to the volatility of housing markets we assume that the actual number of units permitted during this period will be no less than 90% of this total, or 7,199 units and no more than 110% of this total, or 8,799 units.

A total of twenty (20) communities are expected to permit 100 or more housing units during this 5 year period. They are:

This research indicates that Estero can expect at least five more years of rapid residential growth comparable to that experienced during the last five years. As some existing residential communities sell-out new ones begin on the remaining vacant residential land while others continue to develop.

Responding to Bonita Springs Annexation Initiative

On February 17^th the Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce sponsored a meeting that featured Bonita Springs City Manager Gary Price discussing the City’s annexation plans. Prior to that meeting the local press reported that Mr. Price had prepared an annexation map that he planned to present to the City Council at some future date. The annexation area shown by the map includes 44 square miles, 12 of which are within the Estero Fire Rescue District boundaries while the remaining 32 square miles are east of I-75.

The area in Estero that is included in the map is everything south of Williams Road apparently including all of West Bay, because the line appeared to swing northwest near the west end of Williams. The eastern lands are environmentally sensitive and about half of it is in the DRGR, Density Reduction Groundwater Recharge area, an area designated in order to permit our water supply to be restored by rainfall.

Some of the basic facts concerning Mr. Price’s presentation follow:

• The area depicted in the map is a study area, none or all of it may ever be annexed;;
• The area east of US 41 would be annexed on a voluntary basis, through discussions with the large landowners in that area;
• The reason for the annexation is money; the City has captured millions of dollars since it was created that would otherwise have gone to the county; annexation of valuable, populous areas in south Estero would allow the City to capture more tax revenue to be spent within the City, not throughout the County;
• Estero is nothing more than a Fire District, thus annexing 40 to 50% of it is no big deal;
• The land to the east would be kept as “greenspace” but when asked what assurances would be provided that it remain so he indicated that the City Council could change that policy at any time;

He personally is opposed to expansion of the City Council which now consists of six members elected by district plus the mayor who is elected at large; when asked he showed a map of the Commissioner’s districts and indicated they would generally move north, thus assuring annexed Estero residents that they would be represented by one or two of the six Commissioners.

This is our third article on annexation, for further information see the December 2004 and January 2005 editions on the websites listed above.

Coconut Road/US 41 Wal-Mart Site Status

In mid-November a new real estate sale sign appeared on this 46 acre parcel which is located on the northwest corner of US 41 and Coconut Road. Estero residents and the press started to ask what this meant. Finally on November 23^rd Wal-Mart told the local papers that they no longer had the property under contract and would not be pursuing the appeal of the County's Development Order decision denying them the right to build a super-center on the site without rezoning. ECCL had organized the communities around the site to hire a top land use attorney to assist the County in this fight.

One of our sources recently informed us that the property owners had sought purchase proposals on the site. Three proposals were recently submitted and we are told Wal-Mart is not among them. The proposals were due a week or two ago and the property owners are now in the process of evaluating them. 

Coconut Point Update

Ron Dillon of Oakbrook Properties is moving on to another job and made his final report to the ECCL on February 18th.  Dillon reported that Jim Wallace, the developer of Rapallo has sold all 540 of Rapallo’s condo units.  They will all be completed in 2 ½ years …in 2007. The Estero Fire Rescue station is nearing completion just south of Rapallo. Landscaping has been installed around the north end of Coconut Point.

The opening of the first phase of the Coconut Point Town Center has been delayed until March 2006 due to permit delays. The opening originally scheduled for this fall. Among the tenants that will occupy the Coconut Point are: Dillard’s, Barnes & Noble, Muvico, Best Buy, Sports Authority, Bed Bath & beyond, Ross Dress for Less, Designer Shoe Warehouse, Petsmart, Old Navy, Office Max, Pier 1 Imports and Ulta Cosmetics.  

In the South Village, the property from Sanibel Steakhouse up to Coconut Road, Lee Memorial has purchased 21 acres from Oakbrook Properties for future use, no sooner than 2008. This property wraps around the Bonita Community Health Center. A housing developer has also purchased land in the South Village in order to construct 224 units of rental or sale housing. Finally in the South Village land has been acquired for an adult living community of 210 units with no health care services.

Mr. Dillon was presented a plaque for his “contributions in making Estero a special place” by the ECCL, the EDRC, ECCO and the Civic Association.

North Pointe, the 102 acre Oakbrook Properties project just north of Coconut Point, has thus far not entered into any land sales.

Sandy Lane Landscape Project

The grant necessary to fund this project was one of the reasons that the Estero Council of Community Leaders decided to become a 501(c)4 corporation.  Construction of Sandy Lane, a four lane county road built by the Coconut Point developers, is expected to begin in March and be completed late this year or early in 2006.

Because the road is being built by developers and then turned over to the County rather than directly by the County, no county money has been designated for median landscaping.  ECCL has worked with Lee County DOT to investigate available grant programs that could fund this project.  The grant will ask the County to pay for the trees and the sod needed for the full three mile project. (Called intensified core landscaping). The Coconut Point/North Point developers want to add shrubbery to the segment of the road south of the railroad tracks (North of Williams Road), so they will pay these costs and for the perpetual care of all the landscaping on that segment of the road. The County will be asked to maintain the trees and grass north of the railroad tracks in perpetuity.  It is expected that the Coconut Point developers will add about $200,000 in additional landscaping and pay for that maintenance (south of RR). The county grant is estimated to total about $300,000.

Estero Community Park Update

Early this year construction began on the lakes and site preparation for the remaining 55 acres of the Estero Community Park. The main entrance to the Park will be on the south side of Corkscrew Road midway between Sandy Lane and River Ranch Road, just west of the Corkscrew Palms office development.

At present the 2.7 acre north lake is almost completely excavated. Work will soon begin on the 3.1 acre south lake. The slab has been poured for the floor of the 41,000 square foot community/recreation building and the walls will soon be rising. The cross country hill can also be seen rising on the southwest side of the property.

Meanwhile the Estero Historical Society has an opportunity to add another historical building to its corner of the Park if they can raise the money necessary to restore it. Their original plan was to move the Boomer house from it location on the southwest corner of US 41 and Broadway. However that property is likely to be purchased by the State for an expansion of the State Park so it may not need to be moved. However the College of Life has offered the Estero Historical Society two buildings that it owns—the 1904 Schoolhouse on Highlands Avenue and the Collier House. Jeff Mudgett, the architect that designed the park has indicated that both structures would fit on the site set aside for the Historical Society. However, Lee County Parks and Recreation has indicated that it wants assurances that the Society has the resources to restore both buildings before permitting them to be located in the Park. 

This phase of the Park is expected to be completed by February 2006.

Village With A Vision

This program was developed to better inform residents about the community in which they live, either on a full time or seasonal basis.  It was initiated in early 2003 as a review of Estero’s history and a preview of its future.  It was presented 11 times last spring to over 1,600 Estero residents.  The 2005 program has been updated to include new information and illustrations pertinent to our fast growing community.

Special emphasis will be given in the new edition of the program to Bonita Springs’ possible attempt to annex part or all of Estero into its municipality.  Estero is currently a planning community in unincorporated Lee County.

Thus far this year the program has been presented to the following communities:

• the South County Regional Library (general public)

• Stoneybrook

• Spring Run in the Brooks

• Fountain Lakes

• Marsh Landing

• The Vines

• Cascades
• Pelican Landing
• Lighthouse Bay in the Brooks

Also on the schedule for this season are:

• February 288^th…Villages of Country Creek
• March 9^th…Riverwoods Plantation
• March 233^rd …Rookery Pointe
• April 2^nd…Coconut Point Hyatt Resort (general public)

Roadway Project Update

CR 951 ALIGNMENT

At the ECCL meeting on February 18^th Neal Noethlich reported about the impact of County Road 951 from the Collier county line to Alico Road as a north-south corridor road. The Alignment Study is in the 2^nd year of a 3 year study. The County staff preferred road alignment infringes on the neighborhoods of Grandezza, Stoneybrook and Wildcat Run.   Reportedly Commissioners Ray Judah and Bob Janes are considering supporting a route that would go much further east than has been considered by this study. Noethlich stated that a huge effort is needed by the Estero community to prevent this staff recommended route from being selected.

John Ruehl of Stoneybrook indicated that 6 Estero communities with 12,000 people are resisting the staff recommended route and are hiring an attorney and an engineering firm to help in that effort.  Ruehl and his allies believe that there are alternatives that make good transportation and environmental sense.  The proposed route raises serious concerns for the Corkscrew Road/Ben Hill Griffin area if a disaster requiring evacuation were to occur.  The ECCL Chairman, Don Eslick, suggested a Transportation Committee be formed to organize and build upon what Neal and John are doing so far and to make recommendations to the ECCL. After the meeting a Transportation Committee was formed and met on February 25^thh to establish priorities for this and other transportation problems plaguing our fast growing area.

Barb Akins, President of the Civic Association, announced that the Civic Association will host a panel discussion on CR 951 at their meeting on March 14 at Stoneybrook.

Coconut Road/I-75 Interchange Proposal

the local press on February 12^th reported that the Bonita Spring’s City Manager Gary Price has drafted a contract for a consultant to implement a traffic study to determine if an interchange at Coconut Road and I-75 would improve traffic congestion on Bonita Beach Road, Corkscrew Road, Old 41, I-75 and Coconut Road. The study would cost the City $15,000 and would be handled by the same consulting firm that performed a similar study for Florida Gulf Coast University, Carter & Burgess, Inc. The study for the University recommended an on ramp at Coconut Road and I-75. FGCU President Bill Merwin mentioned the proposal when the Chairman of the US House Transportation Committee was at the University for a forum on I-75 widening on February 19^th

Since Coconut Road is in Estero and unincorporated Lee County there is not much Bonita Springs can do with the results of the study but to lobby the County and the Federal Highway Administration (FHA). At present the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) includes a recommendation in its long range 2020 Plan to extend Coconut Road over I-75 to connect with the proposed CR 951 (See CR 951 article above). The MPO, which includes a City of Bonita Springs member, is now in the process of producing a 2030 Plan and will consider the intersection proposal.

In order for the interchange to be built the FHA would have to change the designation of the area around the intersection from “rural” to “urban” in addition to other approvals and funding. Oakbrook Properties set aside enough land on the west side of I-75 when it sold the land for The Brooks to the Bonita Bay Group.

Many residents of The Brooks have expressed surprise and concern about the intersection proposal and the FGCU and City of Bonita Springs studies.

The Williams Road/US 41 Intersection

At present the eastbound left turn lane on the west side of the Williams Road/US 41 intersection provides space for only 4 vehicles. Oftentimes there are so many vehicles waiting to turn north on US 41 that vehicles seeking to enter the Albertsons/Coconut Point Ford entrance road are blocked by these vehicles, thus backing up all westbound Williams Road traffic. In addition, one east bound vehicle blocks all east bound right-turn vehicles from turning south onto US 41.

For several months an ECCL committee with representatives from West Bay Club, Pelican Sound and Fountain Lakes has been working with the developers of Paradise Shoppes and West Bay Club and county staff to find a solution to these growing traffic problems.

Since our extensive report last month the developers and  their traffic and engineering consultants have met with the County and the community twice, on February 33^rd and 18^th, to further refine plans for both phases of the needed improvements.

Phase one would add two new lanes to the intersection east of the existing Albertsons entrance road. The five lanes in this area would consist of:

• One west bound lane
• Two east bound left turn lanes
• One east bound through lane, and
• One east bound right turn lane.

The second phase would relocate the Albertsons entrance to the rear of the West Bay property; extend the eastbound right turn lane; extend the eastbound left turn lanes and move the Albertson's left turn lane to the west of the Paradise Shoppes exit onto Williams Road.

At the February 33^rd meeting the developers presented detailed cost estimates of the phase one improvements and the contributions that they would make to the project. The total value of the developer contributions is estimated to be about $600,000.  Questions were raised as to how much additional right-of-way would be needed to complete this design and whether or not the signal mast arm on the southwest corner would need to be relocated, at an estimated cost of $100,000. The county agreed to review the plan to determine if it met county requirements and what amount of additional land would be needed to implement the plan.

At the February 188^th meeting the County found the phase one design to be geometrically workable. Thus, the developers of Paradise Shoppes have asked their engineers to work with the County and FDOT to refine the phase one design. In addition the West Bay developers will ask their engineers to develop a conceptual design for phase two and coordinate that design with the Paradise Shoppes phase one design. When the designs are complete the two developers will prepare a summary of the proposal that can be used to educate the County Commissioners about the proposed improvement.   

Zoning and
Development Order Reviews

Estero Medical Center at Plaza del Sol

On February 9^th the developers of the Estero Medical Center presented their plans to the EDRC for a large, two story medical facility to be located on the west 4 acres of the 11 acre anchor parcel at Plaza del Sol. Plaza del Sol is located on the northeast corner of Corkscrew Road and Three Oaks Parkway. The facility would provide a wide variety of health services from 7 to 7 five days a week but would not contain any inpatient beds.

The EDRC found the building to be too austere and in need of articulation in order to break up its size. They were concerned with the smallness of many of the windows that are required because of the uses included in those areas of the building. They suggested that additional plantings be used to overcome this deficiency. They found the Fascia on the towers to be too small for the size of the building. They suggested that the center banding on the building be lowered.

The developers agreed to the following:

• Mix grass, shrubs and trees in parking islands.
• The use of 10 gallon 4 foot plants in the dumpster area.
• Add a base to the building.
• Change the cornice so that it projects out from the building thus eliminating its rectangular and flat appearance.
• Add 3 shades trees on each side of the front entrance.
• Use S tile or better – not Capri—throughout the project.
• Breakup the long roof lines.
• Increase the height in the front center of the building and add a roof over the doors.

Finally they agreed to return to the EDRC with revised drawings for the project.

AT&T Tower Site Redevelopment

in the Colony of Pelican Landing

On August 9, 2004 the ECPP heard a presentation by AT&T Wireless, the developers of a landlocked communications tower parcel in the middle of The Colony/Pelican Landing community. The AT&T Wireless proposal would relocate the existing 250 foot communications tower from the middle of the parcel to its northern end and replace it with a 149 foot stealth tower and would rezone the parcel from AG-2 to Residential Planned Development for 15 single family lots with access to Pelican Colony Boulevard, the main road through the gated Pelican Landing community. The 5 acre parcel is located on the east side of Spring Creek Road south of Coconut Road. The site is currently accessed for maintenance using a narrow easement off of Spring Creek Road. Additional land would have to be purchased from WCI if the project were to be accessed from that road and the layout approved by Lee County DOT.

At that meeting many members of the public, Pelican Landing and WCI expressed general support for the stealth tower proposal, but strong opposition to granting access to Pelican Colony Boulevard.  Pelican Colony Boulevard is a private, gated road inside both The Colony and Pelican Landing. Concerns were also raised about the project’s financial obligations for the existing infrastructure; security etc. that has been paid by Pelican Landing residents and that would have to be used by the purchasers of the proposed housing.

AT&T’s representatives indicated that they would like to work with Pelican Landings to see how these costs could be handled. They further indicated that they have a written communication from the County Attorney’s Office affirming the right of this project to access Pelican Colony Boulevard, because of its membership in the Bayside CDD.

A few days later, in August 2004, Lee County approved a Development Order (DO) providing the project access to Pelican Colony Boulevard. AT&T had not indicated that this application was pending when they made their presentation to the ECPP.  

When ECPP members noted that a Public Hearing had been scheduled to rezone the project for February 16^th, they contacted the County to schedule a meeting with the zoning staff to discuss the pending issues since AT&T had not followed up with anyone during the six months that had lapsed since the ECPP community meeting.

On February 77^th representative of the ECPP, the Pelican Landing Board, WCI and residents of The Colony met with County zoning staff and AT&T Wireless. AT&T still had no answers to the issues that these groups had raised six months earlier. As a result when the Hearing Examiner considered the matter on February 16^th about 35 residents of The Colony plus the Pelican Landing Board and their attorney and WCI and their attorneys registered for the Hearing in opposition to the proposal.

Much of the four hour Hearing was devoted to legal arguments about what information was admissible regarding the County’s decision to approve the Development Order providing AT&T with access to the parcel from Pelican Colony Boulevard. Prior to adjournment four community representatives were allowed to express their concerns about the impact of the project upon the surrounding community and asking the Hearing Examiner to add conditions to the zoning that would:

• Require the development to satisfy the same requirements that the surrounding properties satisfied;
• Pay their fair share of all past, present and future costs of all the surrounding community institutions whose assets they will need to utilize in order to access the site;
• Redesign the site plan so that it is compatible with the surrounding developments.

All of these objectives could be accomplished by the proposed project becoming a part of The Colony and Pelican Landing rather than being a free standing project as AT&T has proposed.

Coconut Trace

On February 14^th the Estero Community Planning Panel (ECPP) heard Ned Dewhirst, representing Hole Montes Engineering & Planning, present two adjacent commercial planned developments located on 25 acres along the west side of US 41 between Williams and Coconut Roads, immediately adjacent to the east side of Marsh Landing.  The two developments, now in development order process, have been previously known as Tulip Associates CPD at the north and Estero Pointe CPD at the south.  The developer has combined the two projects into one, known as Coconut Trace. 

Dewhirst presented site plans of both developments and indicated changes that have been made in combining them that require an Administrative Zoning Amendment.  The first of the revisions is a dry retention area in the northern half, 15-feet wider than that presented in the original proposal.  The second is the elimination of a small lake in the southern half.  Dewhirst pointed out that as part of this change the internal roadway has been moved further east, away from Marsh Landing residences, thus permitting an increase in the natural buffering distance from the residential community to a range of 60 to 150 feet.  Dewhirst also noted that lot lines within the combined project have been standardized and all use/size restrictions previously agreed upon remain in force. 

Alvin “Chip” Block of Lee County Zoning Staff attended the meeting and answered questions regarding the proposal from the Panel and members of the public.  Block represented the County when both the Tulip Trace and Estero Pointe projects were originally zoned. 

The Panel asked that the buffer between each of the projects and US 41 be as wide as the widest of the two, and preferably 30 foot wide as is being done across US 41 in Coconut Point.

Jim Ramsburg of Marsh Landing noted that the southern half of the property has an eight-foot concrete wall separating it from Marsh Landing whereas the northern half has a chain link fence.  As a result the Panel asked that a well landscaped, continuous concrete, painted wall be constructed all along the rear of the property next to Marsh Landing.

Bayside Community Development District (CDD) Maintenance Facility

Also on February 14^th the ECPP heard a revised zoning proposal by the Bayside CDD of Pelican Landing regarding the construction of a landscape maintenance facility to be located on a 1.45 acre tract with a 175-feet frontage on the north side of Coconut Road, across the road and approximately 300-feet east of the entrance to The Colony. The proposed facility had been greatly improved both architecturally and with landscaping since it was originally presented. The revised proposal also includes an off-center gate and an eight-foot buffering wall along Coconut Road. The facility is also well screened from view on its western side where it is adjacent to the Pelican Landing beach-goers parking lot. 

The developers had distributed detailed information on the project to all surrounding homes and had attempted to discuss this information with each of them. All of them that were reachable were either neutral or favorable to the proposal. No one spoke in opposition to the proposal. Noise, smell, fire and other possible issues were discussed and satisfactorily answered by the developer’s representatives.