Lee County hearing on rezoning at 712 Adams Ave. draws neighbor concerns over buffers and storage

Summary

At a Feb. 19 quasi-judicial hearing, an applicant sought to rezone 0.53 acres at 712 Adams Ave., Lehigh Acres, from RS-1 to Commercial Planned Development to formalize an owner-operated pest-control office with limited indoor storage. Staff recommended approval with one condition; the record was left open for a revised master concept plan.

A Lee County hearing examiner on Feb. 19 heard a request to rezone a 0.53-acre parcel at 712 Adams Ave. in Lehigh Acres from Residential Single-Family (RS-1) to Commercial Planned Development (CPD) so the owners can formalize an existing, owner-operated pest-control business and limited indoor storage.

The applicant, represented by engineer Amjad Siti of Siti Engineering, told the hearing that the property—owned by Walter Crystal—has operated as a business from the structure and the rezoning would "legitimize" that use. Siti said the owners seek to limit allowable activities to lower-impact categories and "pull out all the heavy uses" from the schedule of permitted uses so that activities such as fumigation, agricultural operations and outdoor storage are not permitted.

Staff supported approval with a condition. "Staff does recommend approval of the applicant's request with the 1 condition," said senior planner Mary Sue Groff, who presented Lee County's analysis finding the site consistent with the county's Lehigh Acres community plan and central urban future land-use designation. Staff recommended adding a condition that the master concept plan (MCP) continue to depict 30% open space (about 0.3 acres) before a local development order is issued.

Why it matters: The parcel sits at…

Lee County hearing on rezoning at 712 Adams Ave. draws neighbor concerns over buffers and storage

Summary

Subscribe to keep reading