Bonita Springs updates CIP projects; shopping-center negotiations threaten Old 41 timeline

Bonita Springs city staff on Thursday gave an update on transportation and stormwater capital projects, saying many designs and permits are complete but right-of-way negotiations with a shopping-center owner are slowing progress on the Old 41/Bonita Beach Road corridor.

Matt, the city's lead presenter, said the city has most major permits in hand for the Old 41 project and a draft agreement with the shopping center that would transfer small triangular parcels and access roadway space to the city in exchange for stormwater treatment capacity. "We have an agreement in principle," he said, but negotiations have been protracted because multiple tenants must sign off. He added that if an inked agreement is not reached by Christmas, "we will need to be in front of you with our legal team talking about condemning the property," a move that would add roughly a year to the schedule.

The city already owns the majority of needed right-of-way for the corridor, Matt said, but the parcels the city needs from the shopping center are small and tied to tenant access and turning radii. Councilmember Jim noted the project estimate, after inflation adjustments and design refinement, is about $13 million for the Bonita Beach Road / Old 41 northwest quadrant work.

The update placed several other projects in context. Rosemary Park is fully funded after the city received $1,400,000 from the state legislature, and Rosemary Drive is fully designed (Matt estimated the overall Rosemary Drive project at about $7 million) but cannot begin until the state funding agreement is executed. City staff also described Goodwin Street safety retrofit work that will add sidewalks, curbing, lighting and landscaping but requires additional right-of-way and legal steps.

The council discussed the paperwork and tenant coordination that have slowed the Old 41 transaction. "We've made minor tweaks to the design in good faith and provided it back, and sometimes we have pretty good dialogue, but we're really at a point of finality here," Matt said. Nigel asked how many parcels are involved; Matt answered that three parcels plus one "infinitesimally small" piece are in play.

The presentation included an announcement that FDOT will host a public hearing on Old 41/Bonita Beach Road on Nov. 20 at the Rec Center, 26740 Pine Avenue, 4:30–7 p.m., and that FDOT is separately moving forward with design for a displaced-left solution at the US 41/Bonita Beach Road intersection.

The city framed condemnation as a last resort and said staff are following legal advice to attempt a negotiated settlement first. The next step, Matt said, will be further legal review and, if necessary, a recommendation on offers and condemnation process in winter meetings.