ESTERO COMMUNITY PLANNING PANEL

Minutes of Public Meeting #105 - March 16, 2009

Estero Community Park, Estero, Florida

Panel Members Present: Jack Lienesch, Chairman, Estero Civic Association; Neal Noethlich, Estero Council of Community Leaders; Dan DeLisi, Estero Development Community; John Goodrich, ECCL; Greg Toth, Estero Development Community and Erik Dickens, ECCL.  Recording Secretary: Jim Ramsburg, ECCL; Treasurer: Beverly MacNellis, ECCL.   Absent: Lin Welch, Estero Chamber of Commerce. 

Public Participation: Lienesch called the meeting to order at 6:04 PM.  Twenty-eight participants were present including 20 members of the general public.  Ramsburg reported that public notices of the meeting were distributed to 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 the community Web site, www.esterofl.org.  Notices of the meeting were posted in the South Regional Library, Colonial Bank and Estero Community Park.

Secretary’s Report: Ramsburg distributed minutes of the February meeting.  Goodrich: Motion to accept minutes.  Toth: Second.  Report accepted unanimously. 

Treasurer’s Report:: MacNellis reported a current balance of $1,090.41in the Community Planning Panel account on deposit at Colonial Bank in Esterohttp://www.estero.org..  Toth: Motion to accept report   Goodrich:  Second.  Report accepted unanimously. 

University Highlands Presentation: Attorney Neale Montgomery of the Pavese Law Firm led a team of presenters including John English and Dan Waters of Wilson-Miller Development, Al Moscato and David Nassif of NM Development Group and Joseph Grubbs of Johnson Engineering.  The group narrated a Power Point presentation in support of the 209 acre site bounded on the west by US I-75, on the east by Ben Hill Griffin Road, on the north by the new Estero Parkway addition and on the south by Germain Arena.  Moscato said his group proposes to sell 110 acres of the site to Lee County for “Fenway South,” the new spring baseball facilities of the Boston Red Sox which will include a stadium and six practice fields.  University Highlands is one of four sites under consideration for the project.  Wilson addressed environmental concerns by describing the property as melaleuca infested and uninhabited by wildlife.  English illustrated the site’s points of access from Estero Parkway and Ben Hill Griffin Road.  He presented information to contradict FEMA information that the site was in a flood plain.  Montgomery explained that site will require a zoning change to a Mixed Use Development which its proponents estimate will result in an economic impact of $230 million.  Moscato added that a retail and entertainment center, “Yawkey Way South,” is also planned for the site adjacent to the baseball complex.

Addressing concerns of traffic overloads on Corkscrew Road between US I-75 and Ben Hill Griffin Road, Mark Gillis outlined proposals to create two left turn lanes on eastbound Corkscrew to northbound Ben Hill Griffin, create two right turn lanes from southbound Ben Hill Griffin to westbound Corkscrew, and create two right turn lanes from westbound Corkscrew to northbound Ben Hill Griffin.  He said the ultimate solution is to six-lane Corkscrew from I-75 to Ben Hill Griffin.  Noethlich asked English to detail traffic flow estimates.  English responded that traffic estimated to result from Red Sox spring training games was averaged into 12 month projections for Estero Parkway and Ben Hill Griffin Road.  He added that game traffic would be handled by the Lee County Sheriff’s Department as Special Events Traffic with deputies present to direct traffic. 

Toth congratulated the developers and endorsed the site.  In response to DeLisi’s question, Montgomery said that the site is currently zoned for 1,500 residential units and 200 hotel rooms.  DeLisi estimated that the residences and hotel would generate a higher 12 month traffic impact that the proposed baseball complex. He endorsed the University Highlands site.

A question was asked from the floor about future traffic impact and safety on Estero Parkway at US 41 and Estero Parkway at Three Oaks Boulevard when the Estero Parkway extension is opened, connecting US 41 and Three Oaks to Ben Hill Griffin.  It was generally agreed that a traffic signal is imminent for Estero Parkway at US 41.  A signal is already operating at Estero Parkway’s intersection with Three Oaks.

Midtowne Estero: The Panel revisited the development proposed for the southwest corner of Corkscrew Road and Three Oaks Boulevard.   Lienesch said that the Lee County Board of County Commissioners would consider Ascot Development’s revised proposal, which includes the reduction of retail space from 300,000 to 200,000 square feet with the largest, single user structure no greater than 99,999 square feet.  He added that the Estero Council of Community Leaders had deferred to the Panel for a community response to the proposal.  Noethlich prepared and distributed an eleven point response for Panel review.  The response was critical of the proposal for its commercial density, estimated traffic problems and environmental concerns.  Lienesch distributed a site map illustrating the traffic situation.  The Panel discussed each point in detail and endorsed the statement with modifications.

David Graham Award: It was announced that the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort has been entered in the 2009 competition for design excellence in the Estero Community Planning Area.

Chapter 33 Signage Amendments: A meeting to structure a Public Workshop to address signage details contained in the Lee County Land Development Code specific to Estero - Chapter 33, has been scheduled has been scheduled for 9 AM, Tuesday, March 31^st,  at the offices of DeLisi-Fitzgerald in Fort Myers.

Secretary Replacement: Lienesch reported that Ramsburg has submitted his resignation as recording secretary.  Bill Brown has been appointed to replace him.

Marsh Landing Concerns: Marsh Landing residents Jack Mansfield and LuAnn Houseman presented concerns of community residents regarding the buffering between the east side of the residential development and the adjacent Tulip Trace commercial development.  Noethlich offered to guide the couple to the proper county authorities.

DeLisi: Motion to adjourn.   Goodrich:  Second.  Motion passed unanimously.   Meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM.  

NEXT MEETING: 6:00 PM, MONDAY, MAY 18^TH, ESTERO COMMUNITY PARK.