Mayor Joanne Ribble and Councilmembers presented newly retired Nancy Stroud Esq. with a resolution honoring her nearly 11 years of service as Estero’s first land use attorney.  Starting in 2015, Stroud assisted with over 800 case reviews and resolutions. The resolution read in part: “Stroud’s broad-based experience as a recognized legal expert in land use in the State of Florida, along with her specific experience in design in the City of Boca Raton, benefited the Village immensely.”

Action Items

Land Use Legal Services Agreement

Council approved an agreement between the Village and Trask Daigneault, LLP, in order to provide continuity of land use legal services following the retirement of Nancy Stroud, Esq.   Trask Daigneault currently provides general legal services for the Village. Erica Augello will be assigned to Estero as the primary land use attorney.

The attorney will assist with legal representation at the Planning Zoning and Design Board meetings, and will assist staff with other projects, including updating the Comprehensive Plan, Land Development Code changes, and daily needs relating to planning, zoning, development orders, plats and related activities.

Sherrill Lane and Luettich Lane Right of Way

In order to extend water and sewer to the homes along Sherrill Lane and Luettich Lane,  the Village must obtain ownership of the road rights-of-way or obtain easements. As part of the utility project, a new roadway will be built with roadside swales and pipe.

Council voted to accept ownership of the right-of-way of Sherrill Lane and Luettich Lane in anticipation of the utility extension project.

Resolution 2026-03 – Employee Benefits Cafeteria Plan

The Village Manager and Finance Director have worked with the Village’s benefits provider to develop a tiered option which would allow the creation of a separate employee class covering employees regularly working between 25 and 29 hours to access Village health benefits at their own (but reduced) cost.  There are currently 4 part-time employees working for the Village.

In addition to the need to adopt a new plan document, a review of the Village’s current Personnel Policy tracks the initial plan and provides that only “full time employees” are eligible to access benefits. The Village Attorney has advised that this provision would also need to be revised and so that change is also included in the resolution.

Council voted to adopt this resolution.

Second reading & public hearing

Ordinance 2025-17 – Amending Land Development Code

This ordinance adopts revisions to the Land Development Code regarding landscaping requirements and expiration of development orders.

Council voted to adopt Ordinance No. 2025-17 with revisions per Council direction on January 21, 2026.

Workshops

Village  of Estero water monitoring update

Water quality locations

Public Works Director David Willems presented an update on the results of the water monitoring program.

The Village has been monitoring water quality within the Estero River and Halfway Creek since 2020 and are currently testing the water once a month to determine where the bacteria levels impact the river.

Status report on Chick- fil-A development order

Community Development Director Mary Gibbs updated Council about several items that were unresolved, and how they have been addressed, since the December 9 Planning, Zoning & Design Board meeting.

The landscape and site plans have been revised along with architectural and visualization updates have been incorporated.

Code Compliance mitigation and payment update

Community Development Director Mary Gibbs gave a detailed summary of the status of code enforcement mitigation and collection of fines.

Code enforcement hearings began with the Special Magistrate in August 2016. Since then, 187 cases have been processed for a variety of violations (167 of these had associated fines.) The vast majority of violations are abated prior to any hearing. Fines currently total $5.8 million for the 167 cases. Fifteen cases have fines exceeding $100,000. As of January 27, 2026, the Village has collected $242,372.25.

Residents may view the archived meeting by going to the Village website.

The next Council meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, February 18, 2026.