Estero Community Planning Panel

Minutes of Public Meeting #82
November 13. 2006
Estero Community Park, Estero, Florida

Panel Members Present:

Neal Noethlich, Chairman; Don Eslick, Estero Council of Community Leaders; Greg Toth , Estero Development Community; Dan DeLisi, Estero Development Community, Jack Lienesch, Estero Civic Association, Lin Welch, Estero Chamber of Commerce. Recording Secretary: Jim Ramsburg, ECCL.  Absent:  Treasurer: Fran Wagner, ECA.  

Noethlich called the meeting to order at 6:03 PM.

Public Participation:

Thirty-six participants were present including 29members 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 November 8th.  Notices of the meeting were posted in the South Regional Library, Colonial Bank and the Estero office of Realty World.

Treasurer's Report:

In Wagner's absence Noethlich reported an October 9th balance of $5,776.49 in the Community Planning Panel account on deposit at Colonial Bank in Estero. Toth: Motion to accept   Welch: Second.  Report accepted unanimously.
 
Noethlich then reported a November 13th balance in the account of $5,380.69.  Toth: Motion to accept   Welch: Second.  Report accepted unanimously.

Secretary's Report:

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

Developer Presentation - Kersey-Smoot
(Coconut Point Plantation):

Wayne Arnold of Grady Minor & Associates and Neale Montgomery of Pavese Law Firm presented revised plans for the 339-unit timeshare resort under construction on the 204-acre site at the north side of Raptor Bay Golf Course adjacent to the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort.  Original plans outlined 14 three-story buildings of 24 units each.  Three of the buildings have been constructed. The subsequent discovery of eagle nests on the property and the mandated 200-foot protective buffer zones surrounding the nests requires a revision of the site plan.  Montgomery presented a plan which reduces the total number of buildings to ten - the remaining seven to be six-stories each and contain 48 units.  Montgomery also cited nesting season conditions placed upon the developer by the US Fish & Wildlife Service which have been agreed upon.  Terry Dolan, environmental services director for developer WCI, explained the preserve and buffering situations that pertain to the site. 

Developer Presentation - North Point DRI/MPD:

Arnold of Grady Minor and Chuck Basinait of Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A., presented an amendment to plans for the 102-acre site located on the northeast corner of US 41 and Williams Road. The proposed changes reduce the amount of authorized retail and office development from 670,000 square-feet to 270,000, comprised of 120,000 square-feet retail and 150,000 square-feet office. The proposal also increases the number of residential units from 150 multi-family units to 860 single family, townhome and multi-family units. The plan also calls for a reduction of hotel rooms from 150 to 125 rooms. Basinait projected that 34% less vehicular traffic would be generated by the changes. Arnold presented several site plans under consideration which would incorporate a limited amount of  mixed-use of residential and commercial units. 
 
Eslick questioned why the project did not contain more true mixed use development and why the commercial and residential components of the development were at the opposite ends of the property. He also questioned the justification for so much density with so little true or well articulated mixed use.
 
DeLisi questioned the setbacks on each side of Sandy Lane where it cuts through the property at its southeast corner, leading north to the new Estero Community Park. He said the curve of the road will slow traffic and present the opportunity for attractive buffering and landscaping.  Toth expressed concern that Commercial Parcel #1 of the new plan creates the conditions for a typical shopping center with out parcels at the northeast corner of US 41 and Williams Road, terming it "a huge mistake". He urged that North Point be developed more like Coconut Point and Rapallo south of Williams. He called for a detailed design of the commercial parcels, citing the original North Point elevations which were universally admired. Noethlich asked how the list of uses would change with the reduction of commercial space. Arnold said another list of uses would be prepared and that the Panel would be provided the list for review. Lienesch questioned the accessibility of areas within the site to emergency service vehicles.  Arnold responded that Estero Fire Rescue would be consulted.

Developer Presentation - Santorini MPD:

Steve Hunt of Hunt Commercial Development, Sean Weeks and Javier Suarez of SRW Engineering.  Suarez presented plans for the 13-acre site on the west side of US 41 at Estero Parkway.  He introduced Santorini as one of the initial projects in the direction of true mixed-use.  Plans call for 200,000 square-feet of retail, 100,000 square-feet of office, 48 residential units in twelve four-unit buildings and 130 Aurban@ residential units built above street level retail space.  After a detailed presentation he asked for the Panel's support. The Panel was unanimous in its praise for the development and expressed support for its exceeding the maximum allowed building height using Amassing@ - described in this proposal as varied building heights from 35 to 65 feet to break up the roof lines, roof types and elevations to create a more typical urban environment. Noethlich suggested that Hunt, Weeks and Saurez join with others from the development community and county staff to help create true mixed-use standards for Lee County.

Developer Courtesy Presentation - Tuscany Park CPD:

Hunt and Suarez delivered a presentation for the 36-acre development consisting of retail and office space located on the northwest corner of Estero Parkway and Three Oaks Boulevard.  Toth pointed out that the site is outside the Estero Community Planning Area. Hunt added that it is their object to compliment the standards in the Estero Community Plan. The Panel expressed appreciation for the presentation.
 
Welch: Motion to adjourn.  Lienesch: Second.  Motion passed unanimously.   Meeting adjourned at 8:45PM.
 
NEXT MEETING: 6:00 PM, THURSDAY, DEC. 14, ESTERO COMMUNITY PARK.