Public comment on non-agenda items: A resident spoke of concerns regarding the intersection of US 41 and Williams Road adjacent to Walgreens. A resident spoke of Estero’s need for an aquatic center or Olympic-size pool. A resident stated a petition with 600 signatures were expressing the need for a splash pad in Estero SportsPark.
Action Items
Resolution 2025-10 – Proposed millage rate for 2025-2026
The proposed millage rate for fiscal year 2025-2026 is 0.7300 mills ($0.7300 per $1,000 of assessed property value) which is equal to the prior year rate. This is the lowest tax rate in the state of Florida.
Two public hearings will be held at 5:05 p.m., September 10, and 5:05 p.m. September 17.
Council adopted this resolution.
Resolution 2025-11 – Budget amendment
As Florida Statute Chapter 166.241(2) prohibits expenditures that exceed budgeted amounts, the Village allocates the audited carryforward balances to each fund following the completion of the prior year’s financial audit. This approach helps establish a contingency and helps prevent the risk of over-expenditure.
Council adopted this resolution detailing the budget amendments for each fund for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024.
Resolution 2025-12 – Amending defined contribution retirement plan
The Village provides a defined contribution retirement plan where each regular full-time employee is eligible for participation. This amendment to the plan would allow eligible employees to contribute up to 25% of their salary tax-deferred into the 401(a) plan within IRS limits. Additionally, the amendment establishes a 1-year vesting period for new hires regarding the Village’s 401 (a) contribution.
Council adopted this resolution.
Banking Services RFP
The Village last issued a banking services RFP in 2015. The awarded bank has served the Village since. Staff determined it was advantageous to issue another RFP. Included in the request was a revolving line of credit and a loan of $12.745 million for the Three Oaks property purchase completed in January of 2024.
A Request for Proposal was issued on March 27, 2025. The Evaluation Committee met and interviewed four banks and voted to award the Banking Services RFP to Synovous Bank.
Council approved the ranking of the committee and award of a mutually agreeable contract to the top scoring firm, Synovous Bank, to provide banking services. Should negotiations fail with the top scoring firm, Council authorized negotiations to begin with the second scoring firm and award a mutually agreeable contract.
Utility Expansion Program Phase 1 Construction Manager at Risk contract guaranteed maximum price addendum 01 (Cypress Bend)
Cypress Bend RV Resort is located at 20224 Orange Tree Lane.
The Cypess Bend project includes construction of a new sanitary sewer force main out to the existing Lee County Utilities force main on the north side of Estero Parkway, rehabilitation and upgrading the existing sewer pump station, abandonment of the small existing sewer force main under the railroad tracks, removal of the existing waste water treatment plant facility (leaving the maintenance building) and demucking/backfilling the percolation ponds.
Council approved a contract addendum 01 in the amount of $2,120,269 with Wright Construction Group, Inc. for the construction of the Cypress Bend RV Resort project.
Utility Expansion Program Phase 1 Construction Manager at Risk contract guaranteed maximum price addendum 02 (Sunny Grove)
Sunny Grove Park is located on the west side of US 41, just north of the Estero River
The Sunny Grove project includes construction of a new sanitary sewer force main out to a new force main being constructed along the east side of US-41 as part of the Estero River Park project. That new force main will connect to the existing Lee County Utilities force main on the north side of Corkscrew Road.
The Sunny Grove Park project includes construction of a new pump station facility with onsite emergency generator adjacent to the existing Sunny Grove waste water treatment plant (WWTP), removal of the existing WWTP facility, leaving the maintenance building, and demucking/backfilling the percolation ponds.
Council approved a contract addendum 02 in the amount of $2,540,946 with Wright Construction, Inc. for the Sunny Grove Park project.
Hurricane Ian Hazard Mitigation Grant Program grant management support
Grant management is time-consuming and cannot be completed by the existing Village staff in a timely manner. Hagerty Consulting, Inc. anticipates four employees billing a total of 15 hours/week each on average for these services.
Hagerty Consulting, Inc. is one of two firms awarded RFP 2023-31 Disaster Management Services. Hazard Mitigation Grant Program grants are federally awarded disaster relief funds administered though the Florida Division of Emergency Management. This consulting service is essential in administering the $6,550,838 in grant award for the Estero River Regional Stormwater project and $20,254,479 in grant award for the River Watershed Utility project.
Council approved a supplemental Task Order with Hagerty Consulting, Inc. to provide the Village with grant management support at a cost of not-to-exceed $204,080, which is reimbursable from the grant funding.
Chris-Tel Contract Amendment — Maintenance Building
The SportsPark maintenance building is currently located at the planned main entry of the SportsPark and also overlaps High 5’s proposed northern parking lot. Village staff recommended Chris-Tel Construction‘s contract be amended in order to construct a new maintenance building and demolish the old facility. The demolition of the maintenance building is a critical path item that risks delaying the greater SportsPark schedule if not completed expeditiously.
Council approved this contract amendment with Chris-Tel Construction, in addition to a 5% owner’s contingency, for the amount of $2,224,726.
First Readings
Ordinance 2025-07 – Pelican Sound zoning amendment
The applicant is requesting an amendment to allow for the permanent (overnight) mooring of two pontoon boats. The zoning resolution approved by Lee County allowed “temporary” mooring.
Council passed the first reading of this ordinance and set second reading and public hearing for September 17, 2025.
Ordinance 2025-09 – Authority to approve plats
A plat is a detailed survey of a parcel of land showing the boundaries, dimensions, and other features of the land, and including individual lots, streets, and easements granted to government entities.
New statutory language necessitates revisions to several provisions in the Village’s Land Development Code to designate the Community Development Director as the “administrative authority” to approve plats since Council is no longer permitted to be involved in that process.
Council passed the first reading of this ordinance and set a public hearing and second reading for September 10, 2025.
Second readings & public hearings
Ordinance 2025-04 – Land Development Code flood amendments
As part of the Village’s October 28, 2024 Corrective Action Plan required by FEMA, the Village agreed to review its Land Development Code floodplain regulations to make changes where appropriate. The Village’s floodplain regulations have not been updated since November 16, 2022. Due to the recent hurricanes, it became evident that some revisions were needed.
Staff has prepared changes in the ordinance, including the following:
- Variance Process – clarify process due to inconsistent language in the Code
- Non-conversion agreement for elevated homes
- Clarify specific use of FEMA Elevation Certificates for all flood hazard areas
- Clarify specific use of FEMA Dry Floodproofing Certification form
- Limit of partitioning of enclosed areas below flood
Council approved this ordinance.
Continuation of second reading of Zoning Ordinance 2025-02 Home2 Suites at Coconut Point.
The applicant is proposing to develop a 111-room, 4-story hotel, north of the Residences and south of the movie theater. The approved zoning allows the hotel use, but the maximum number of hotel units in the approved zoning and Development of Regional Impact will be exceeded, necessitating amendments to both the zoning and Development of Regional Impact.
Council held the second reading and public hearing for this case on June 4. After hearing testimony from staff, the applicant and public input, Council continued the public hearing to July 2 for consideration of Condition 10 only.
Condition 10 – Construction of the exterior walls of the hotel will be concrete masonry (concrete block), and all load-bearing elements will be of concrete with reinforcing steel as required by relevant codes and engineering standards.
The applicant’s development counsel notified the Village that they agree with the condition.
Council approved this ordinance.
Residents may view the archived meeting by going to the Village website.
The next Council meeting will be held at 5:05 p.m., Wednesday, September 10, 2025.