Help protect future funding for the Bonita-Estero Trail
The Office of Greenways and Trails recently dropped the Seminole Gulf Railroad Bonita-Estero Trail from their maps, making funds less available for this project. Bonita Springs and Estero have been working together to have the railroad corridor retained for a 9 mile shared use trail starting on the south side of Estero Parkway traveling south to Bonita Beach Road. The goal of the two municipalities is to have the Bonita-Estero Trail connect to the statewide system of trails that provide safe, scenic and shady multimodal paths which also promote healthy lifestyles and low impact tourism to the adjacent communities. Bonita [Read More.]
Council approved bonus density fee, amendment to Stormwater Master Plan contract, and conducted several workshops at their meeting October 18, 2017
Action Item – Resolution No. 2017-19 Council voted to adopt this resolution establishing a fee of $20,000 per unit for Estero’s Bonus Density Program for certain properties, unless a landowner establishes a vested right to a different fee. This program applies only to existing zoned projects that have previously been approved for bonus density by Lee County. Those projects are Estero Grande, Estero on the River and Downtown Estero. Bonus density allows a developer to build more units than permitted in exchange for paying a fee. These funds would be held in a separate account to be used only for [Read More.]
Future land use and prohibition of medical marijuana facilities reviewed by the Planning & Zoning Board on October 17, 2017
Comprehensive Plan – Future Land Use Village consultants Jim LaRue and Laura DeJohn from LaRue Planning and Management Services conducted a workshop on the Future Land Use goals, objectives and policies at the Planning & Zoning Board meeting October 17. They explained that the goal for Future Land Use is: Promote the development of Estero as a community with a unique quality of life, distinct character, and diverse housing, economic, recreational, and social opportunities by protecting the natural resources, environment, and lifestyle; establishing aesthetic and design requirements; managing the type, location, quality, design, density and intensity of future land uses; [Read More.]
Council to address fee for bonus density and Stormwater Master Plan contract, and conduct workshops on FDOT landscape enhancement plan, Comprehensive Plan status and Legislative priorities at their meeting on October 18, 2017
Council will address Resolution 2017-19 adopting a fee for bonus density for land acquisition and an amendment to increase funding by $40,000 for the Stormwater Master Plan contract at their meeting at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, October 18. Council will then convene to conduct workshops. The first workshop will be a presentation by the Florida Department of Transportation describing the preliminary design of their US 41 landscaping enhancement project which is designed to create a beautiful corridor through the Village. There will then be an update of the Comprehensive Plan and proposed meeting calendar, and then a discussion of the Legislative [Read More.]
Future land use and prohibition of medical marijuana facilities on the agenda for the Planning & Zoning Board on October 17, 2017
Comprehensive Plan – Future Land Use Village consultants from LaRue Planning and Management Services will conduct a workshop on the Future Land Use goals, objectives and policies at the Planning & Zoning Board meeting, 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 17. Public Hearing Following the workshop, there will be a Public Hearing for Ordinance 2017-10, an ordinance to amend the Land Development Code to prohibit medical marijuana cultivation facilities and treatment center dispensaries within the Village. Residents are invited to attend and offer comments, or they may watch the meeting online at: http://estero-fl.gov/council/watch-meetings-online/. The Village’s first Comprehensive Plan is underway and, as [Read More.]
Bassett Furniture, Chase Bank, Miromar Design Center & Heartland Dental presented their plans to the Design Review Board on October 11, 2017
Public Information Meeting – Bassett Furniture Representatives for Bassett Furniture presented their plans for a new 15,100-square foot store at 23230 Via Villagio at Coconut Point Mall, adjacent to City Mattress. The building will be Mediterranean in style, with fabric canopy on two windows and the building will be painted in Earth tones. Their plans call for enhanced landscaping, park bench seating area with a fountain, and auto and bicycle parking areas. There will be no monument sign, the only signage will be on the building itself. Regarding drainage, the applicant stated there will be no increase in impervious areas; [Read More.]
Bassett Furniture, Chase Bank, Miromar Design Center & Heartland Dental on the agenda for the Design Review Board on October 11, 2017
The Design Review Board will conduct Public Information Meetings for Bassett Furniture, Chase Bank and the Miromar Design Center’s monument sign at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 11. Also on the agenda is a Public Hearing for Heartland Dental’s application for a development order. The full agenda is available here: http://estero-fl.gov/agendas/ Residents are invited to attend and comment on the proposed projects or they may watch the meeting online at: http://estero-fl.gov/council/watch-meetings-online/. Design Review Board meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of each month in the Village Hall Council Chambers, 9401 Corkscrew Palms Circle, near the entrance [Read More.]
Council approved lowering the millage rate at their meeting on October 4, 2017
Public Hearings – FY 2017-18 millage rate and budget Council adopted resolutions lowering the FY 2017-18 millage rate again and approving the budget at their meeting on Wednesday, October 4. The millage rate is now set at 0.7798 mills ($0.7798 per $1,000 of assessed property value), which is the lowest rate of all municipalities in southwest Florida. (Resolution 2017-27) The FY 2017-18 budget of $12,459,210 was adopted which includes expenditures of $5,423,750 in the General Fund, $1,123,260 in the Special Revenue and $5,912,200 in Capital Projects. (Resolution 2017-28) Ordinance Second Reading & Public Hearing Ordinance 2017-07 – Declaration of state [Read More.]
Council to finalize millage rate and budget followed by an FDOT workshop on interim improvements on Corkscrew Road and I-71 at 5:30 p.m., October 4, 2017
Council is scheduled to finalize the FY 2017-18 millage rate and budget at their meeting on Wednesday, October 4. In addition, they will address an interlocal agreement with Lee County for landscape maintenance along portions of Corkscrew Road, Estero and Ben Hill Griffin Parkways; an amendment to a residential planned development called Park Place of Estero, a re-plat at University Highland and a City Mattress re-plat. Following the meeting, representatives from the Florida Department of Transportation will present at a workshop regarding the interim improvements planned for the Corkscrew Road and I-75 interchange. The full agenda is available here: http://estero-fl.gov/agendas/ [Read More.]
Genova, Heartland Dental & Lee Health were among the applications presented at the Design Review Board meeting on September 27, 2017
Public Information Meeting – Marsh Landing Representatives for Marsh Landing are proposing to extend the community’s sidewalk, curbing and lighting from their clubhouse to the existing sidewalk that connects to Autumn Leaves Memory Care. This proposed six-foot sidewalk would make it possible for Marsh Landing residents to walk or bike to some of the commercial properties and restaurants in Coconut Trace. Marsh Landing is located west of US 41 between Williams Road and Coconut Road. (Presentation) Public Information Meeting – Estero Dialysis at Corkscrew Palms Estero Dialysis at Corkscrew Palms is proposing to develop a 6,592 square foot medical office [Read More.]