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Advisory board backs top‑five Opportunity Zone ranking for Lee County application
Summary
After a staff briefing on Opportunity Zone 2.0 criteria and local tract scoring, the board voted to support a recommended list of five Fort Myers tracts (led by the tract containing the News‑Press site and City of Palms Park) to send to Lee County for its April 1 application.
Staff presented a ranked recommendation of Fort Myers census tracts for Lee County's Opportunity Zone application, explaining the benefits of the program and local criteria used to score tracts. The top tract on the board’s list includes the News‑Press site and the City of Palms Park — staff said the tract offers the most potential for mixed‑use master planning and available utilities.
After questions about scoring criteria and whether partially located tracts should be pursued, a board member moved to support the top‑five ranking. The motion passed by voice vote; staff said the list will be taken to the county development finance task force on March 10, and the county’s application deadline is April 1. Caitlin Danks explained the tax advantage for long‑term investors: "If an investment is held for 10 plus years, capital gains on the new investment appreciation can be excluded from federal tax," she said, describing the ‘‘patient money’’ rationale for Opportunity Zones.
