Hilton Garden Inn
Public Hearing – Hilton Garden Inn
The Board conducted a public hearing for of a development order for the proposed Hilton Garden Inn hotel on a 2.16-acre parcel at 8009 Sweetwater Ranch Blvd.
The applicant was proposing a 70,800 square foot, 5 story tall building with 115 guest rooms. The proposed architecture blends with the existing architecture in the development, including roof type and color, and building colors, which are 3 shades of yellow. There will be 117 on-site parking spaces, with 15 off-site parking space.
The amenities will include a fitness center, meeting rooms, pool with patio, casual dining, bar with outdoor lounge, port cochere and public bike racks.
The location is a vacant parcel at the southwest corner of Via Villagio and Sweetwater Ranch Blvd., adjacent to the Estero Fire Station.
Public Comment: 2 residents from Rapallo expressed concerns regarding the height of the building, adding a landscape berm and using pavers vs pavement.
The Board approved this application with staff’s recommended stipulations, adding a precautionary crossing sign for offsite parking and delaying approval of the monument sign.
Public Information Meetings
Coastal Palms Academy
Coastal Palms Academy
Coastal Palms Academy is proposing a 1500 square foot daycare/pre-school for children from infant to pre-school age on a 3.5-acre site at 9600 Corkscrew Road. They plan to offer services to 260 children with a staff of 24. They expect parents to drop off the children between 7 – 8:45 a.m. and pick them back up between 3:30 – 5: 30 p.m.
This academy will be at the corner of Corkscrew Road and River Ranch Road. Plans call the building to be painted in shades of grey and green, with a galvanized steel roof, and outdoor playground/learning area. There will be a perimeter fence around the playground at the rear of the building.
Public comment: 5 eComment cards were placed into the record.
No voting occurs during public information meetings.
Estero Entertainment District
9000 Williams Road
Michael Comparato and Chris Wright gave an update on the 19 acres of Village owned property located north Williams Road and east of Via Coconut Point, known as the Estero Entertainment District. This is where the Village is planning a recreational and sports entertainment facility for a public private partnership with Chicken N Pickle and High 5.
Chicken N Pickle will provide both indoor and outdoor entertainment spaces along with a fast casual restaurant. The project will include 12-17 outdoor and 6 indoor pickleball courts, 3 indoor private event spaces and a game yard with lawn games, firepits and bier gardens.
The High 5 Entertainment Center is proposed to consist of two floors of indoor/outdoor entertainment space including 16 full-size USBC bowling lanes, 8 lanes of duckpin bowling, bocce, 18-holes of outdoor miniaturized golf, axe throwing, immersive laser tag, arcade and virtual reality and escape rooms. There also will be space for events and celebrations.
There is a 2-acre space available for a third partnership agreement on the property.
Phase 1 calls for clearing the property, excavating the pond, filling the entire site and building perimeter berms. Phase 2 site construction will consist of parking, roadways, sidewalks, utilities, storm drains, landscaping and lighting. This work is anticipated to start in January 2024. Targeted opening date is December 2024.
Public Hearings
Ordinance 2023-03 – amending the Land Development Code to revise standards for detached residential garages
The Board conducted a review of this ordinance. The Village of Estero Land Development Code was adopted in January, 2021. The Code contains a provision pertaining to the size of residential accessory garages. Upon further review, staff is suggesting additional changes relating to a maximum height for garages in certain residential zoning district.
The Board voted to recommend Council approve this ordinance by striking two doors and two bays, and changing that the building cannot exceed 500 square feet to 580 square feet.
Ordinance 2023-08 – amending the Land Development Code for hotel parking
The Board conducted a review of this ordinance. The Village of Estero Land Development Code was adopted in January, 2021. The Code contains provisions in Chapter 5 relating to parking requirements. Upon further review, staff discovered that the parking calculation for hotel/motel was transposed in the Code. The correct number is 1.2 spaces per hotel room.
The Board voted to recommend Council approve this ordinance.
Ordinance 2023-09 – amending the Land Development Code for daycare playground standards
The Board conducted a review of this ordinance. The Village of Estero Land Development Code was adopted in January, 2021. The Code contains provisions in Chapter 4 relating to child day care centers. Upon further review, staff discovered that the calculation for outdoor play area was substantially more restrictive than the State requirements. As such, staff recommends the 75-square-foot requirement per child be removed from the Code, with a reference to the State requirements at 45-square feet instead.
Public comment: 1 eComment card was placed into the record and 1 resident spoke in favor of this change.
The Board voted to recommend Council approve this ordinance.
Residents may view the archived meeting by going to the Village website https://estero-fl.gov/agendas/
The next Planning Zoning & Design Board meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m., December 12, 2023.