Commissioners approve rezoning for large North Olga clustered residential plan despite heavy public opposition

Lee County commissioners on March 5 approved a request to rezone roughly 788 acres in the North Olga area from agricultural to a residential planned development, a decision the applicant and hearing examiner say will allow roughly 1,099 dwelling units while placing about 483 acres — including roughly 420 acres — under permanent conservation easement.

The rezoning, filed as DCI 22‑67 (Carrie Duke/Covia residential plan development), drew the largest public turnout at the zoning hearing. Dirk Danley, Lee County Community Development, introduced the case and noted the hearing examiner recommended approval with conditions after multiple days of hearings and 36 participants of record.

The applicant's planning team said the design preserves more than 60% of the site as open space and includes extensive buffers. Lehi Crespo of RVI Planning and Landscape Architecture, the applicant’s planner, said the plan relies on an incentive density bonus to create “rare and unique upland habitat” and restore impacted pasture land, and that the…