Public Comment on non-agenda items: Two residents of Shadow Wood in The Brooks spoke in opposition to the recently approved Phase 1 pickleball courts proposed by The Brooks CDD.
Ordinance 2023-06 – Coconut Road EDP rezoning (Woodfield Development)
Representatives of the Woodfield Development project team presented their rezoning request for this project which includes 596 dwelling units, 538 being luxury apartments and the remainder being townhomes, 80,000 square feet of commercial retail and dining, 42,000 square feet of office space, and 260 hotel rooms. The project also includes civic uses and amenities, and 10-foot-wide bike/pedestrian trails.
Council approved this second reading/public hearing of this ordinance with a number of staff recommended revisions pertaining to the applicant requesting a rezoning, with deviations, from Mixed Use Planned Development to Estero Planned Development (EPD) for the 45.6-acre parcel on the northwest corner of US-41 and Coconut Road. The zoning is for a Tier 3 development that allows a mixed-use project.
Public Comment: 14 eComment cards were placed into the record and 2 residents spoke of their concerns regarding traffic.
Estero Entertainment District P3 partners term sheets
Council approved the terms set forth in the Chicken N Pickle and High 5 term sheets, and authorized Village Manager Steve Sarkozy to proceed with negotiating a final public private partnership agreement and related CAM and lease agreements with each company based on these terms.
Chicken N Pickle is a national leader in the provision of private pickleball facilities and High 5 is a provider of multi-generational recreational activities also with facilities across the nation. Each firm will be investing approximately $15M of their own equity in the project. Both firms are being advanced concurrently as they provide complimentary activities and benefit from a collaborative planning effort on the site.
The Village will be required to invest approximately $12M for the public infrastructure to support this project. Funds for this purpose are available within the current Village budget but may require a reprioritization of the Capital Improvement Program or some form of debt financing, at the discretion of the Village Council.
Chicken N Pickle will include approximately 20,000 square feet of indoor entertainment space, 6 environmentally controlled pickleball courts, and outdoor socializing space to be defined. The project will also include 12-15 outdoor pickleball courts financed and constructed by the Village of Estero and managed by Chicken N Pickle.
The High 5 Entertainment Center is proposed to consist of two floors of indoor/outdoor entertainment space including, but not limited to, 16 full-size USBC bowling lanes, 8 lanes of duckpin bowling, bocce, 18-holes of outdoor miniaturized golf, axe throwing, laser tag, arcade and virtual reality, and escape rooms.
Resolution 2023-12
Council adopted this resolution setting the proposed millage rate for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 at 0.7500 mills ($0.7500 per $1,000 of assessed property value) which is equal to the prior year rate. Two public hearings are scheduled for 5:05 p.m. on September 7, and 5:05 p.m. on September 20, 2023.
Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
In compliance with Florida Statutes, the Village’s financial statements have been independently audited by a firm of licensed certified public accountants. Jeff Tuscan, CPA with Tuscan & Company, PA, presented the report in a workshop conducted on June 21, 2023, which provides details of operations for the 12 months ending September 30, 2022.
Water monitoring contract
Council approved the award of a supplemental task authorization to an existing contract with Johnson Engineering to provide additional water monitoring services for the Village for $146,340, with a contingency of $14,600.
Monitoring the water throughout the Village has been underway since 2020 to obtain data to better understand water levels and water quality around Estero and improve the accuracy of stormwater models.
Sandy Lane path prefabricated bridge
Council approved a contract with Contech Engineered Solutions, LLC, for $239,500 with a 10 percent contingency to provide a pedestrian bridge over the Estero River on Sandy Lane. The design of the bridge has already been completed.
This is included in the bicycle and pedestrian improvements along Sandy Lane. The contractor has 140 calendar days after execution of the contract to complete fabrication of the bridge.
Roadway/sidewalk assessment
Council approved a supplemental task authorization to an existing contract with Tetra Tech, Inc. for an engineering assessment of the existing roads and sidewalks maintained by the Village of Estero for $256,060, with a contingency of $25,600.
The Village Staff is proposing to update the 2016 FGCU roadway assessment with a more complete assessment of the Village owned rights-of-way. The proposed assessment will include roadway surface conditions, shoulder conditions, roadway signs, and sidewalk/pathways within Village rights-of-way.
The proposed assessment will use GIS software to document conditions and provide a mechanism for future updates to track changes. The assessment software will prioritize repair/preventative maintenance.
Seminole Gulf Railway license agreement
Council approved a payment of $55,233.34 to Seminole Gulf Railway (SGLR) to secure a license agreement; following years will be $48,533.34 plus CPI or 2.5%, whichever is higher. This license agreement gives the Village the authority to maintain the ditch from Broadway Avenue East to the Estero River. This flow way has never been maintained.
The ditch located on the SGLR property from Estero Parkway south to the Estero River is the stormwater outfall for Belle Lago, The Reserve, The Cascades, and a portion of Estero Parkway.
The Village currently holds a license agreement for the portion of the ditch located north of Broadway Avenue East. This license agreement allows the Village to maintain that section of the ditch as needed to maintain stormwater flows. The license agreement north of Broadway Avenue East does not have an annual payment.
Resolution 2023-14 – Budget amendment
Council voted to adopt this resolution approving the first budget amendment for FY 2022-2023 to approve the use of Village funds and to recognize increased revenues and increased expenditures for capital projects and debt retirement.
During the audit for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, the Village’s external auditors, Tuscan & Company, P.A., noted the Village had expenditures in excess of its final approved budget in two funds; the building fund and the driving range fund.
To correct this minor discrepancy, the auditors recommend the Village budget its audited carryforward in each fund upon completion of the prior year financial audit which will provide a contingency and help to eliminate the potential of an over expenditure.
Workshop
FY 2023-2024 proposed budget introduction
Finance Director Kevin Greenville presented the FY 2023/2024 proposed budget introduction which is required by the Village charter. The first public hearing for the budget will be at 5:05 p.m., Thursday, September 7, with the second public hearing scheduled for 5:05 p.m., Wednesday, September 20, 2023. The new fiscal year begins October 1, 2023.
No voting occurs during workshops.
Residents may view the archived meeting by going to the Village website.
The next Council meeting will be held at 5:05 p.m., Thursday, September 7, 2023.