Estero Development Report

Volume 6, Number 2
Issued June 2006
Edited by ECCL--the Estero Council of Community Leaders

This Report is available on the Estero Fire Rescue website at www.esterofire.org
and the Estero Community website at www.esterofl.org

July Opportunities for Citizen Participation
In Protecting Estero's Quality of Life

Index

Estero Community Website

About 2,000 persons per month learn about Estero and its growth management efforts by viewing the website of:

Estero Community Planning Panel (ECPP);
Estero Civic Association (ECA);
Estero Design Review Committee (EDRC), and
Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL)

www.esterofl.org

The site is still in formation.… Your suggestions for improvement are most welcome.

Facing Estero’s Challenges Through 2008

For nearly four years the Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL) has focused its efforts primarily on community-wide development issues. During this period the ECCL’s principal goal has been to work with our governmental agencies in an effort to grow our infrastructure as fast as our housing, population and commerce are growing.

Over the years the ECCL has successfully assisted the community on many roadway, roadway landscape, open space and recreation, arts development and public safety issues, to name a few.

The ECCL is an all-volunteer organization that has benefited greatly from the large pool of talented retirees that has relocated in Estero since 1998. This talent pool has supplemented a smaller core of Estero residents who had earlier anticipated the tidal wave of change that is now upon us.

As the community has grown so also have the challenges and the need for volunteers if Estero is to continue to be an outstanding, well planned community. In order to recruit those volunteers, the ECCL has developed the following list of priority projects for the 2006 – 08 time periods and has scheduled a workshop on July 14th for Estero residents interested in learning about the projects that most interest them and volunteering to help manage one of these twenty-four crucial projects. If you would like to participate in the workshop or to make some suggestions regarding these priorities go to the following page on the ECCL website,  http://esterofl.org/eccl/contact_eccl.htm, and send us an email or call Don Eslick at 949-4050.

Estero’s Priority Issues for 2006-08

Transportation and Traffic

• Complete 6 Laning of US 41 from Corkscrew Road to San Carlos by late 2008 and a Traffic Signal at US 41 and Estero Parkway at the earliest possible date
• Complete the Estero Parkway Flyover by late 2008
• Complete the three four-lane segments of Three Oaks Parkway by late 2007. The segments will extend the road from Bonita Beach Road to Coconut Road and from Corkscrew Road to Alico Road.
• Complete a comprehensive Environmental Study and integrate it with Coconut I-75 Interchange Justification Report (IJR)
• Support the Tollway Authority’s effort to begin widening I-75 to 10 lanes no later than 2010
• Interact with the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to ensure that Estero’s transportation needs are included in all future transportation planning
• Obtain funding for and begin the design of the Sandy Lane extension south to Old 41 by the end of 2007
• Obtain funding for and begin the design of the six-laning of Corkscrew Road between Ben Hill Griffin and Three Oaks Parkway by the end of 2007
• Complete the Right-of-way and Permitting of the Corkscrew I-75 Interchange so that construction of the new wider bridge can begin no later than 2010
• Widen the western approach to the Williams Road Intersection with the help of Paradise Shoppes and the West Bay Club in two phases by December 2007.

Environment and the Density Reduction Groundwater Resource (DRGR) Area

• By the end of 2006 obtain Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approval of a roadmap leading to a comprehensive DRGR data base and map that includes the following:
  • Population growth and density
  • Water supply and quality
  • Critical habitat needs
  • Wetlands, flow-ways, flooding and Estero Bay Preservation
  • Mining
  • Maintenance and use of public lands
• Study the impact of each of these factors upon the quality of life in Estero
• Increase public awareness of these issues through ECCL Seminars, Public Events, Public Education, Coalition Building and Publicity
• Participate in Bonita Springs DRGR review process

Community Infrastructure Projects

• Complete the Estero High School landscaping project by December 2007
• Complete the Roadway Landscaping on Estero Parkway, US 41, Via Coconut Point and Three Oaks Parkway
• Open a new Estero Post Office by the end of 2008 and incorporate service to all Estero plan communities seeking such service
• Obtain approval of a Free-standing Emergency Department by 2008
• Assess, enhance and start Phase 2 of the Estero Community Park by late 2008

Building Relationships with Bonita Springs and San Carlos Park

• Develop effective liaison relationships with both these communities
• Complete the three four-lane segments of Three Oaks Parkway by late 2007 (See Item in Transportation section above)
• Obtain funding for the design and begin the design of the Sandy Lane extension to Old 41 by 2007 (See Item in Transportation section above)
• Work jointly with the other communities and Lee Memorial to obtain a Free-standing Emergency Department as soon as possible
• Participate in Bonita Springs DRGR review process (See Item in Transportation section above)
• Support San Carlos Park’s park and recreation aspirations where possible.

Estero Property Tax Base Grows by $860 Million This Year

Estero's 2005 property tax base grew by a record $860 million. This increase is almost $240 million larger than our previous high growth period in 2002. This year’s growth is larger than Estero’s total property tax base just six years ago.

The Lee County Tax Appraiser's preliminary 2005 data shows Estero’s property tax base to be $4.2 billion. That value is about 10 times what it was nine years ago in 1996 and nearly four times as large as 5 years ago, in 2000.

As a result of this growth Estero’s tax base is now:

• about 4 percent greater than the City of Fort Myers,
• 37 percent greater than the City of Fort Myers Beach, and
• less than 1 percent smaller than the City of Sanibel.

Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL) Actions

Endorsement of Independent Estero Arts Development Council

At its June 16th meeting the ECCL voted to encourage the formation of an independent Estero Arts Development Council (EADC). Cas Obie and Frann Wagner, members of the ECCL’s Arts Development Committee, will co-chair the steering committee of the new organization. The ECCL’s Art Development Committee recently sponsored the successful “Arts in Estero” event attended by over 500 people and supported by all of Estero’s existing arts organizations.

The mission of the new Arts Council is to act as a collective voice for the arts in Estero in order to bring artists and the community together in a mutually beneficial and humanizing relationship. The Council aims to increase the interest of Estero residents in the arts, to assist all who wish to make an artistic contribution, and to respond to the needs of its residents and to the creative possibilities unique to Estero.

Presently the Steering Committee is working on the following projects:

• Preparation of an Estero Arts Development Council flyer to explain the Council’s mission and ways in which the reader could get involved. This flyer would be distributed wherever and whenever Estero residents come together.

• Organize a meeting of the groups involved in the April 8th “Arts In Estero” Program to solicit their input on the feasibility of a permanent Arts Council.

• Plan for a large meeting in the fall that would begin the process of creating a Board of Directors for the Council.

• Plan for the creation of an Advisory Board of Professionals to assist the Board of Directors.

• Begin development of a Comprehensive Arts Calendar for Estero to be published and widely distributed to the public.

• Begin to develop a “Friends of the Arts in Estero” consisting of people who want to support the efforts of the Arts Council.

• Start planning “Arts in Estero 2007” to be held next spring, probably in February or March.

Mining in Eastern Estero

The Estero Fire Rescue (EFR) District boundaries extend about 10 miles east of I-75 on both sides of Corkscrew Road. This is all part of what is commonly thought of as Estero, in spite of the fact that the Estero Community Planning boundaries only include that part of the community that was thought likely to be intensively developed when that plan was adopted in 2001.

The area east of I-75 in the EFR district will greatly impact the growing number of residents in the western part of Estero. For years the communities east of I-75 along Corkscrew Road have had to tolerate the noise and traffic safety problems caused by the thousands of dump trucks that daily hauling fill dirt and rock from the mines in eastern Estero west to I-75 and US 41. In addition knowledgeable members of the local environmental community understand that mines are disruptive of the floways that surround them even when they are converted into lakes after the mining has been completed.

The residents of eastern Estero are quite concerned about the impact that blasting at the mines will have on their homes and the peace and tranquility that they sought when they purchased their property and built their homes in the area.

Since Southwest Florida’s storm water runoff flows west into Estero Bay, many of our communities have become concerned that the floways developed for their communities can handle all the rainwater coming from east of I-75 today and in the future if that area should be developed more intensively than is presently allowed.

Finally as the area west of I-75 is rapidly built out pressure is mounting to develop more and more of the land east of I-75. At present the vast majority of this land is classified by the county as Density Reduction Groundwater Resource (DRGR) land. The principal uses permitted by this zoning designation are mining, farming and one residence per 10 acres of land. The recent effort by some members of the development community to create an Interchange at Coconut Road and I-75 was widely believed to be motivated by a desire to open up the DRGR in this area for more intense development.

As a result of these considerations in April the ECCL added Jim Lytell, a longtime resident of eastern Estero, as an ECCL member representing this section of the Estero community and asked him to make a presentation to the ECCL at its June meeting. Mr. Lytell was assisted by Kevin Hill, another long time eastern Estero resident at the meeting. They indicated that in addition to the existing mines in the area the County now has three applications for new mines, all along the north side of Corkscrew Road.

The three proposed mines are:

• The 1,356 acre Corkscrew Excavation application for a fill dirt mine that would provide that product for 8 years without blasting prior to being developed with 135 two acre lots around a 600 acre lake.
• The 255 acre Golfrock proposal that would use blasting for 10 years to supply rock for construction purposes. It would later be developed as a 24 home subdivision.
• The 318 acre Estero Group Ltd. application for a dirt fill mine without blasting.

The ECCL voted unanimously to work with the eastern Estero community on issues regarding expansion of mining in that area.

Roadway Progress Reports

Estero Parkway Flyover

On June 5th Dave Loveland, Lee DOT Transportation Planning Manager, presented the Transportation Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to the BOCC. Loveland indicated that three project would have to be delayed because of an $87 million increase in the cost of projects from their cost in the prior year CIP. Only two projects that were scheduled for the coming fiscal year are being delayed for financial reasons:

• The Estero Flyover whose costs increased by $17.5 million during the year, and
• Six laning of Summerlin Road from Cypress Lake Drive to Boy Scout Road whose costs increased by $14.5 million.

The staff report noted the following for the BOCC:

“Last year the Board created the General Fund Road Projects Revolving Loan Program, funded with $30 million in ad valorem revenues, to help advance project phases that were constrained by available funding. Given the recent rapid cost increases in land and materials, advancement of key phases can save money as well as putting the infrastructure in place sooner….However, if the Board was inclined to provide additional ad valorem funding as a continuation of the loan program, there are five key project phases currently within the CIP that are scheduled based on available funding rather than production issues and could potentially be advanced…” The first project listed in the report for possible acceleration is the Estero Parkway Flyover.

The Estero community needs to express our support for advancing the funding for the Estero Parkway Flyover throughout the budget process that extends from the present through the September 7th and 21st BOCC Hearings.

Expressway Authority Progress

On June 15th the Southwest Florida Expressway Authority Board heard a report from Turnpike Enterprise, Florida’s primary Tollway Authority, regarding the feasibility of adding 4 toll lanes to I-75. The feasibility study indicates that traffic on I-75 will increase from 70,000 vehicles per day presently to 170,000 vehicles per day in 2030. An estimated 30,000 vehicles per day would pay 20 cents per mile in tolls to use the highway. These tolls would produce about 40% of the revenue needed to support construction of the toll lanes. The balance would need to come from other public or private sources. They have been involved with several projects with comparable financial needs in addition to the toll revenue.

The Authority indicated that it would entertain proposals from the two firms that have expressed interest in the estimated $469 million I-75 six-laning project that is planned to start next April.

The Board also decided to solicit the Lee and Collier County Boards to provide startup funding for the Authority. On June 27th the Lee County BOCC was asked to provide a $775,000 start up funding loan. The Lee BOCC did not take action at this meeting although some members expressed support for it and staff indicated it could be financed from the County’s Road Project Loan Fund. Earlier the Collier County Board had received a similar request and the Authority Chairman indicated that they were “very receptive and are planning to put it into their upcoming budget”.

Three Oaks/Imperial/Livingston Projects Status Report

In order for the residents of Southwest Florida to have a third north-south arterial corridor extending from Naples to Ft Myers three projects must be completed. They are (from south to north):

• The segment of Imperial Street from Bonita Beach Road to East Terry Street,
• The segment of Three Oaks Parkway from East Terry Street to just south of Coconut Road in The Brooks, and
• The segment of Three Oaks Parkway from Corkscrew Road to Alico Road.

Imperial from Bonita Beach to East Terry Street

This segment involves construction of a new four lane road that crosses over the Imperial River. Posen Construction, the Michigan firm that is constructing this segment, has been awarded the contract and will soon be getting underway. Completion is expected in late 2007 or January 2008.

Three Oaks Parkway from East Terry Street to the Brooks

This four mile segment is also new construction of a four lane highway and is now under construction with plans to complete the roadbed prior to the rainy season. The segment is planned to be opened for use in January 2008.

Three Oaks Parkway from Corkscrew Road to Alico Road

This long segment will be widened from two to four lanes. Three firms recently bid for this project with Posen Construction submitting the lowest bid of $23.8 million, over $4 million more than the County had budgeted for the project. The County believes that it can adjust its budget so that the project can move ahead without delay. It is expected that the project will be considered by the BOCC later this summer and, if approved, construction will commence this fall. Construction is expected to take about 15 months, thus completion is expected in late 2007 or early 2008.

Major Land Transactions

Lee Memorial Property at Coconut Point

In June 2005 Lee Memorial Health System closed on the purchase of 22 acres in the section of Coconut Point that lies south of Coconut Road. The property is located behind the Bonita Community Health Center.

That purchase agreement prohibits Lee Memorial from building more than 30,000 square feet of medical space and more than 100,000 square feet of office or retail space prior to 2009. However, this restriction would not preclude the development of a free-standing emergency department. Such a facility would permit major emergencies to be handled locally rather than requiring transport to the nearest hospitals about 10 miles away.

On June 22nd Lee Memorial’s Board of Directors Finance Committee voted unanimously to purchase two adjacent parcels, totaling another 10 acres for $9.4 million. The parcels to be added would extend Lee Memorial’s existing site north to Coconut Road and west to US41, just south of the Bonita Community Health Center. Both had previously been designated as retail sites. The full Board was expected to approve the sale on June 29th.

Jim Nathan, President of Lee Memorial, has indicated that this purchase makes the possibility of a medical campus in south Lee County even more likely. He has further indicated that building an array of medical services is more logical than a hospital at this time. In addition the parcel south of the Bonita Community Health Center could be used to expand that facility, a facility that is jointly owned with the Naples Community Health Care System.

Estero Parkway 36 Property Sold

36 acres on the northwest corner of Estero Parkway and Three Oaks Boulevard has been sold by the Koreshan 36 Partnership to Estero Oaks LLC for $17.6 million. Steve Hunt of Hunt Development, the developer of Santorini, is the principal of this development group.

The property has been zoned for 170,000 square feet of retail, 50,000 square feet of office and 80,000 square feet of additional retail in outlots rimming the property. According to press reports 3 of the 8 out parcels are under contract. Press reports indicate that the developer plans to include high-end retail, restaurants, a bank, an art gallery and entertainment and maybe a book store in the project.

Grand Openings

2006 is the year of the “Grand Opening” in Estero. In May Miromar Development’s International Design Center opened to the public. Over 3,000 persons toured the country’s newest interior design center during its first weekend. This impressive 150,000 square foot facility contains a beautiful marble floored central atrium extending from the first floor to the skylight ceiling.

On June 17th The Embassy Suites Hotel at Estero Interstate Commerce Park opened for business. The seven story building will house 150 two room suites plus conference rooms capable of hosting events for 250 persons, a 250 person ballroom and executive board rooms. The central garden atrium is open from the main floor to the seventh floor skylight with a waterfall and glass elevators. The hotel also contain a bar and restaurant, both of which are open to the public.

On November 10th the Grand Opening of the Coconut Point Town Center is scheduled. With this event many of the nearly 140 stores that will eventually call Coconut Point home will be open for business.

On week later on November 18th the Estero Community Park will host its Grand Opening. Many of the Park’s features are expected to be available for use by the residents of Estero and south Lee County as early as mid-August.

Estero Design Review Committee (EDRC) Update

On June 14th the EDRC took the following actions:

• Confirmed appointment of Gerald Simon, a retired architect who lives in the Villages of Country Creek, to the EDRC as its eighth sitting member.
• Viewed a presentation by the Simon Development Group of the detailed plans for hardscape, fountains, amenities, lighting and graphics to be installed in the Coconut Point Town Center. The following features were among the items that were reviewed by the EDRC at this meeting: bridges, benches, seating, planting pots, bike racks, kiosks, directional signage and lighting fixtures. Simon also presented some graphics demonstrating the improvements to the US 41 buffer landscaping that they had developed in response to earlier EDRC concerns about the appearance of this part of the project.
• Discussed the plans for the proposed Tangomar at Coconut Crossing condominium development to be built at the rear of this property. Coconut Crossings is located on the northwest corner of US 41 and Coconut Road. The Committee suggested that the roofing be built-up and extended so that it looks more substantial; that the architecture of the residential buildings be upgraded so that it is as elaborate as the design of the clubhouse; that the landscaping around the buildings be upgraded in terms of both the number and size of the plants. Finally the Committee asked the developer to return when his signage designs are completed.
• Once again, McGarvey Development, the developer of Estero Park Commons returned to the Committee with another office building. This project is located just west of the entrance to the Estero Community Park. The presentation concerned a two story building that would replace the final one story L-shaped building previously presented. The Committee urged the developer to plant larger trees than were shown on his drawings and to add some detail to the architecture.
• The proposed Steak n Shake at Paradise Shoppes project returned for another review by the EDRC. Several of the Committee’s earlier comments were addressed by the new design. Additional changes suggested by the Committee include: breaking up the long side roof line with some vertical or horizontal articulation; increase the Mediterranean styling of the building by adding some medallions or appliqués to the front of the building and replace the side awnings with some Mediterranean features. The applicant agreed to return to a future Committee meeting with revised elevations.
• The proposed CVS Pharmacy at Coconut Crossings, located on the northwest corner of US 41 and Coconut Road, also returned for further review by the Committee. When the project had first been presented the Committee felt that the design contained too many inconsistent design features. This design was just the opposite, it was too plain. Thus, the Committee suggested that the architect try once again to include a good combination of significant Mediterranean design features and bring it back to the Committee for review.

Recent Zoning Actions

Chevrolet Dealership at the Corkscrew Commerce Center

On June 5th the BOCC approved the zoning for this 39,000 square foot new car sales and service dealership located in the Corkscrew Commerce Center on the southwest corner of I-75 and Corkscrew Road.

The project has the support of the ECPP and the residents of the adjacent Island Club and Corkscrew Woodlands communities. All of the issues had been worked out by County zoning staff, the community and the developer prior to the hearing. The project had been presented to both the ECPP and the EDRC on several occasions.

The dealership will use over 20 acres in the Corkscrew Commerce Center thus reducing the number of outlots from eight to two. A Hampton Inn, now under construction, and an office building will complete the development. Construction is expected to start later this summer and be completed early in 2007.

Terezei 4.2 CPD

Also on June 4th the BOCC approved the zoning for this 4.2 acre commercial project located on the west side of US 41 in front of the Breckenridge community just north of Estero Parkway. The approved zoning would permit the developer to build a 4,200 square foot restaurant and a 36,200 square foot retail and office building on the site.

This project had been presented on two occasions to the ECPP and all the issues had been resolved. Thus the BOCC approved it without controversy or change.

Cypress View CPD

On June 12th the BOCC approved zoning for this 10 acre project that surrounds Cypress View Drive along the north side of Estero Parkway just west of Three Oaks Parkway. This property is located just outside the Estero Community Planning boundaries but the developer had made a courtesy presentation to the ECPP in January 2006.

The approved zoning would permit the developer to construct up to 67,400 square feet of office space and 47,300 square feet of retail space accompanied by up to 5,000 square feet of outdoor dining space. Should the developer seek a Development Order for outdoor dining the County retains the authority to regulate it for noise, hours of operation, outdoor entertainment and lighting.

The BOCC denied the developers request for a convenience store and a package store. If the developer later seeks a package store he must obtain approval of an exemption from the County.

Weeks Fish Camp Property

According to press reports in late June the Federal Bankruptcy Judge in the Weeks Fish Camp case approved a deal that could lead to the property being released from bankruptcy and being developed with a condo hotel on the site. The deal would inject new money provided by a new development partner, RCMP Enterprises, a Pennsylvania based development company, into the project.

The press report indicates that the new partnership plans to discuss the project with the Lee County staff soon. Since the property is not zoned for this kind of development, the project will have to be presented to the ECPP and the community prior to the developer filing a zoning application. Subsequently the community will also have an opportunity to testify when the Lee County Hearing Examiner hears the case and later when the Board of County Commissioners hears it prior to making a final zoning decision.