Lee County hearing examiner to recommend approval of Caloosahatchee Ridge rezoning with conditions

Donna Marie Collins, the Lee County hearing examiner, closed a zoning hearing after hearing presentations from the applicant, county staff and neighbors on a rezoning request for a 102.15-acre property known as Caloosahatchee Ridge. The applicant asked to rezone the property from agricultural (AG-2) to a residential planned development and requested approval for 520 dwelling units and a deviation to permit multifamily buildings up to 75 feet along the river.

Wayne Arnold, a certified planner with Pick Dawson & Associates, described the project and master concept plan, saying, “We—re requesting 520 total dwelling units.” He and project consultants said the site would be divided into two development tracks (R1 near the river, R2 adjacent to SR 31), with a proposed mix of single-family, duplex, townhouse and multifamily units, significant open space, and a preserved wetland area. Arnold acknowledged a 50-foot Florida Power & Light easement bisects the site and noted applicants reduced their unit request from earlier submittals to reflect updated acreage calculations.

Marco Espinar, the project—s environmental consultant, told the examiner the shoreline wetlands are largely composed of dredge spoil and are low-quality and heavily infested with nonnative plants. He said the project has an Environmental Resource Permit from the South Florida Water Management District and that the ERP calls for removing exotic vegetation and monitoring the site for 24 months to determine whether native freshwater or brackish species re-establish. As Espinar said, the area is "about almost 80 to 90%" exotic species now.

Engineer Mike Dellet described stormwater design and coordination with FDOT, saying the proposal routes treated runoff into detention basins and then into the preserved wetland area and an outfall to the Caloosahatchee River. Dellet said the project—s modeling was reviewed by the water management district as part of the ERP. Traffic engineer Jim Banks said his study (based on the 520-unit request) estimates about 262 two-way PM peak-hour trips and noted planned FDOT improvements on State Road 31, including widening to six lanes and a bridge replacement; Banks said PD&E documents show a projected $299,744,000 construction listing for the corridor with a potential 55-foot fixed-span bridge but that the timing and final intersection configuration remain uncertain.

Beth Workman, a principal planner in Lee County—s zoning section, summarized staff—analysis and recommended approval with conditions. She said staff—used the ERP and a map boundary determination signed the morning of the hearing to calculate wetlands and allowable density: the ERP shows 59.95 acres of total state wetlands, 12.74 acres of impacts and 47.21 acres preserved, which yields a LEAP plan suburban density calculation that supports the applicant—s request. Workman noted the applicant is providing roughly 48% open space, exceeding the 40% minimum, and said staff would require a restoration management plan at development order and a conservation easement for preserved areas.

One nearby property owner, Herbert Nowak, spoke during the public comment period and opposed the rezoning in principle, arguing for stronger protections of agricultural land and more robust notice to neighbors. Nowak also urged caution about clearing wetlands with heavy machinery and questioned market demand for the units.

During deliberations on staff conditions, county staff and the examiner discussed proposed wording for a stormwater condition meant to ensure development-order submittals include the models and calculations necessary to demonstrate that off-site flow conveyance capacity will be maintained during and after construction. Staff agreed to streamline the language to avoid redundancy with required state permits while preserving the local submittal requirement.

Collins closed the hearing and said she would prepare a written recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners; she estimated delivering that recommendation in about 2.5 weeks with a board hearing expected in early March. The hearing record will be the basis for the hearing examiner—s recommendation; no final county decision was made at the hearing.