Estero Housing Rezoning OK'd

Clears Way for Two Large Developments

By Denise L. Scott
Ft. Myers News-Press
June 5, 2007

Two large Estero developments got rezoning approval from Lee County commissioners on Monday, paving the way for Estero on the River and Midtowne Estero West.

Estero on the River was approved for a maximum of 530 residential units and 300,000 square feet of commercial space on 85 acres at the northeast corner of U.S. 41 and Corkscrew Road.

The development will mix residential above retail and office space and include the Gulfshore Playhouse professional theater.

Of 530 residences, 181 are additional units that developer J.E.D. of Southwest Florida Inc. will pay more than $2 million into Lee County's Housing Bonus Density Program to receive.

That program helps to provide affordable housing elsewhere in the county. However, J.E.D. also plans to offer 10 percent of the total approved residential units on site to qualified moderate-income eligible families for initial sales.

Estero Community Planning Panel members Neal Noethlich and Don Eslick both spoke in favor of the project, but commissioners were most impressed by Estero resident Ellen Peterson's support.

Peterson, whose property will be nearly surrounded by the project, is an environmental advocate who typically speaks in opposition to development.

Commissioner Ray Judah, who pushed for preserving the land through the county's Conservation 20/20 program, said the sensitivity with which J.E.D. approached the project and worked with the community changed his mind.

“It's certainly a significant moment for Ellen Peterson to be here speaking on behalf of the developer,” he said. “They have risen to the level of addressing the public interest.”

The board voted 4-0 in favor of the project. Commission Chairman Bob Janes left the meeting prior to the vote.

Peterson said J.E.D. is going to keep the land surrounding her five acres as green space.

“It's going to be beautiful,” she said. “What easy people to work with ... They're community oriented. They're going to be family friendly.”

Peterson said J.E.D. has offered to move the old College of Life building, which houses Koreshan Unity archives, onto her property as a site for small community meetings. College of Life will build a new building elsewhere in the project.

“We're going to share an entrance,” she said. “I control the cut-through. They need it for a safe entrance into the project.”

Estero on the River is still in the early design stages. The project cannot be built until the last four-lane stretch of U.S. 41 from Estero to San Carlos Park is widened.

J.E.D. parent company The D'Jamoos Group is working to create a public-private partnership to speed up the road's widening. As of now, the state doesn't plan to widen the road until 2011.

“We're very proud of our team and our vision,” said Betsy D'Jamoos, chief operating officer for The D'Jamoos Group.

She said approval of Estero on the River is significant because it is an example of a true mix of residential above retail and office, creating an environment where residents can walk to shopping, dining and entertainment.

“Smart growth is where all our communities have to go,” D'Jamoos said. “We knew it was going to be extremely challenging because the county wasn't ready for it ... Developers are going to survive by responding to what the community needs.”

The other Estero project, Midtowne Estero West, was approved for a maximum 234 multifamily dwelling units and 90,000 square feet of commercial space on 48 acres at the southwest corner of Corkscrew Road and Three Oaks Parkway.

Commissioners expanded the waterway easement to protect the Estero River from a minimum setback of 25 feet to 50 feet.

The developer opted to drop its request for an additional 62 residences when Judah pushed for six of those units to be made available for workforce housing within the project.

The developer instead had planned to pay into the bonus density program to offset the additional units in another location.

Commissioner Brian Bigelow was the lone dissenter in a 4-1 vote. He wanted the developer to provide more on-site moderate-income housing.

In other business, commissioners:
Agreed with a request by the developer of Alico Lakes Village in San Carlos Park to send the project back to the hearing examiner to address major plan changes before returning for final approval.

The project, on 59 acres at the southeast corner of U.S. 41 and Alico Road, was planned for as many as 200 residential units.

Approved rezoning 22 acres for a maximum 60 multifamily units, a recreational facility and three boat slips for Caloosahatchee Preserve off State Road 31 about half a mile north of Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers Shores.