Staff backs rezoning of North Fort Myers site for mixed-use development amid school-capacity questions
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Summary
Lee County staff recommended rezoning about 134 acres in North Fort Myers to a Commercial Plan Development and a Residential Plan Development that would allow up to 250,000 sq ft of light industrial (or an alternate mix), 20,900 sq ft of retail, 360 assisted-living beds and 600 residential units; the Lee County School District told staff the plan would strain middle-school capacity and mitigation will be considered at development-order stage.
Hearing Examiner Donna Marie Collins presided over a Lee County zoning hearing where Safe and Site Planning, on behalf of property owner Uniland Company, sought to rezone about 134 acres in North Fort Myers to a Commercial Plan Development (CPD) and a Residential Plan Development (RPD).
Applicant land planner Jennifer Sabin described the project as an infill site between Old 41 and New 41, south of Littleton Road, proposing 25 acres of CPD and approximately 109 acres of RPD. Sabin said the CPD could include up to 250,000 square feet of light-industrial uses (or alternatively 150,000 square feet of light industrial plus 20,900 square feet of retail) and that the RPD would allow up to 600 dwelling units with a maximum of 400 single-family detached units; an assisted-living layout was shown that would accommodate 360 beds (equivalent to 60 density units).
“Two copies of the PowerPoint presentation” and supporting exhibits were entered into the record, Sabin told the examiner, and she argued the plan includes buffer areas and a seven-acre green belt to separate commercial and residential uses. Sabin said the design anticipates five vehicular access points and multiple pedestrian connections to existing sidewalks.
Staff planner Brianna Schrader told the hearing that staff recommends approval of the rezoning and the requested deviations with conditions. “Staff recommends approval of the request and deviations with conditions,” Schrader said, and summarized the project’s consistency with Lee County comprehensive-plan policies and the land development code, subject to the conditions and required refinements in the submitted 48‑hour letter.
Schrader also put on the record a letter from the Lee County School District, saying the district determined the proposed residential buildout would “negatively impact school concurrency, specifically at the middle school level” and could not provide a statement of availability. Staff noted that mitigation options exist and would be evaluated at the development-order stage per the county code. Applicant representatives disputed the school district’s boundary methodology and told the examiner that concurrency would be handled in accordance with the comprehensive plan and interlocal agreement when the development order is processed.
Traffic and utilities were addressed by the applicant’s consultants. Reid Fellows of TR Transportation Consultants summarized a traffic-impact study prepared under county guidelines and said projected operations for the adjacent roadways and project entrances meet Lee County level-of-service standards in the build-out year (2030); staff indicated it concurred with the conclusion. Engineer Drew Fitzgerald said potable water availability from Lee County Utilities and sanitary service via the Florida Governmental Utility Authority (FGUA), including a reuse line on Littleton Road, are available; he also said the project’s existing environmental resources permit (ERP) was modified in 2025 and final approval was expected.
Several members of the public spoke. Pastor Thomas Morgato, who said he represents a nearby church and serves as a Park & Rec advisor, voiced support for replacing an often-vacant site but raised safety and access concerns, noting motorists may have to make U-turns to reach proposed entrances and urging left-turn or deceleration lanes: “2030 sounds like too far away. Let’s go,” Morgato said in support of redevelopment but urged additional traffic accommodations. Environmental testimony noted no protected species were found in the current development footprint in updated surveys, although staff noted the site falls within the 660-foot radius of a previously active bald eagle nest and that an approved eagle management plan will apply.
No formal vote was taken at the hearing. Hearing Examiner Collins closed the record and said she will issue a written recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners in about two to three weeks, after which a final hearing before the board will be scheduled.
What’s next: The examiner’s written recommendation will be published to the record and the rezoning will return to the Board of County Commissioners for a final decision; school concurrency mitigation and final access approvals (including any required FDOT permits) will be addressed during the development-order review.
