Community Development Block Grant – Urban Cooperation Agreement FY 2023-25
The meeting started with Council approving this joint resolution with Lee County.
This agreement for HUD funding includes federal entitlement funds for infrastructure, public facilities and improvements, affordable housing, and similar uses. The funds must be used in areas designated as low- and moderate-income areas, delineated by Census Tract. The Census Tract areas in Estero include an area west of US 41 and south of Broadway, and east of US 41 and south of Broadway extending to I-75.
The Village received an allocation of approximately $30,000 under the existing agreement. The amount under the new agreement is not established at this time.
Miscellaneous professional services
The Village uses miscellaneous professional services contracts to obtain services for a variety of projects including engineering, planning, landscape architecture, environmental, architectural design, and other services on a continuing basis, to assist staffing with various projects.
Approval of this item allows the Village to respond quickly when needed. Council approved the recommended pool of vendors and authorized the negotiation of contracts and compensation on an as-needed basis. These new contracts will have a term of three years, with an option to renew the agreement for an additional three years following Council approval at that time.
Ordinance 2022-03 – Second Reading and Public Hearing Reserves Policy
Council passed this ordinance which establishes the amounts the Village will maintain in, or contribute to, its various reserve accounts. This policy establishes the Village will maintain 3 months of budgeted operating expenses in its various reserve accounts, how the reserves will be funded, the conditions under which the reserves may be used and the replenishment requirements. The specifically adopted reserve accounts are as follows:
- Operating Reserve
- Litigation Defense Reserve
- Major Road Maintenance Reserve
Workshops
Redistricting
The Village is required to adjust Council boundaries with information available as a result of the 2020 U.S. Census in order to equalize districts based on population. The Village has selected Kurt Spitzer of KS&A Governmental Consultants to provide technical support to Estero’s redistricting effort. The Village will have several alternatives for Council to consider within a couple of weeks. Additional workshops and public hearings will be required before the final plan is finalized prior to the December 14, 2022 Council election filing deadline.
Corkscrew Grove
Community Development Director Mary Gibbs gave a presentation on Corkscrew Grove, which is 6,676 acres of land located on the north and south side of Corkscrew Road in the eastern part of unincorporated Lee County. Staff recently became aware of a proposed settlement agreement between Lee County and Corkscrew Grove Limited Partnership, owners of the property.
The property will probably be designated as Mixed Used Planned Development zoning allowing for 10,000 residential units of various types, 700,000 square feet of commercial use and 240 hotel units. It is scheduled for public hearings before the Lee County Commission on June 7 and 22, 2022.
Here’s the Lee County Hearing Examiner’s presentation.
Via Coconut Point landscape concept
Via Coconut Point is an approximately 2.75-mile-long 4-lane divided roadway that extends from Corkscrew Road at the north end to Pelican Colony Blvd on the south end and is mostly un-landscaped.
Bruce Howard completed an analysis of the corridor and created a proposed landscape concept. He provided a presentation that summarizes constraints, such as guardrails and existing walls, and opportunities along the roadway, as well the proposed landscape concepts. Plans include meandering sidewalks where possible, a large variety of plant materials and bench seating.
Residents may view the archived meeting by going to the Village website here.
The next Council meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 15, 2022.