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Greater Pine Island

 

This page provides complete information about a community plan update that was sponsored by the Greater Pine Island Civic Association.

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DETAILED LINKS:

The staff report is very complex, especially for those who haven't followed the minutiae of the Greater Pine Island planning process. Bottom line, the county planning staff has done an excellent job in looking for ways to provide relief to landowners without too heavily compromising the integrity of the planning work that has come before.

At the same time, the report includes some erroneous statements that should not go unchallenged.

  • First, the report cites the Hanson Report as if its conclusions were based on reliable facts. For instance, Hanson's conclusions are based on the careless and unwarranted assumption that restoration of Pine Island farmland to native habitats would cost $20,000 to $40,000 per acre. In fact, restoration would be in the $4,000 per acre range, making restoration an economically feasible alternative to continued farming or to reduced density on "Coastal Rural" land.
  • Second, the report includes a gratuitous statement that new residential development orders will not be limited until traffic levels on Pine Island Road get much higher than they are at present, thus echoing the county attorney's office incorrect interpretation of the 910 Rule in Policy 14.2.2.

    A summary of the changes that are proposed in this report is also available, along with preliminary comments about the substance of each. A majority of these changes are either positive for the planning process or are acceptable alternatives if they are not further weakened during the public hearing process.

    A SECOND PROPOSED AMENDMENT had been numbered CPA-2004-05. This proposal was made by the Pine Island Agriculture & Landowners Association to increase the amount of traffic allowed through Matlacha before the 810/910 rules take effect. The practical impacts of granting this request would be to effectively suspend the current 810/910 development restrictions for perhaps 14 more years (if current traffic trends continue). The planning staff report is available here; a graph showing the practical impacts of this request is available here. Lee County's Local Planning Agency considered this amendment request on March 28; they voted 3-1 to recommend that the county commissioners NOT approve this amendment. The County Commission voted unanimously on June 1 to reject this amendment; it therefore was not be transmitted to the Florida Department of Community Affairs and no further public hearings will be held.

    • Board of County Commissioners' agenda item for November 23, 2004 regarding a staff-initiated reevaluation of the new Coastal Rural category and a proposed special amendment to the Lee Plan. This agenda item was approved as requested by county staff; the result will be a formal review of county-initiated proposals regarding various provisions of the Greater Pine Island Community Plan, resulting in a compromise proposal heard by the County Commission on June 1, 2005 (see full discussion above).
    • Discussion regarding implementation of the "910 rule" in Lee Plan Policy 14.2.2.
    • Pine Island Suit Dropped -- article in Fort Myers News-Press on November 13, 2004. As a result of this action, Administrative Law Judge Ruff has closed this case.
    • Assessment of economic impact, prepared by Hanson Real Estate Advisors:
      • Main report (66 pages)
      • Response from Hanson Real Estate Advisors to questions from county staff, dated September 21, 2004.
      • Addendum A, qualifications of appraisers (2 pages)
      • Addendum B, photographs of active agricultural areas (9 pages)
      • Addendum C, Ordinance 03-03 (Greater Pine Island Community Plan)  (15 pages)
      • Addendum D, Greater Pine Island Community Plan Update (59 pages)
      • Addendum E & F, Implementing Policies 1.4.7 & 14.1.8 (17 pages)
      • Addendum G, H, I, J, K, Implementing Policies 14.1.5, 14.2.2, 14.3.5, 14.3.3, 14.4.4 (40 pages)
      • Addendum L, Engelhardt Hammer & Associates report on traffic methodology and density recapture model (10 pages)
    • Backup material for August 2, 2004, discussion before the Lee County Commission concerning the "910 rule" restricting further residential development orders on Greater Pine Island.
    • The Florida Division of Administrative Hearings received a legal challenge to Ordinance 03-03. The administrative hearing on this challenge that had been scheduled for November 29 through December 3, 2004, has been cancelled; Administrative Law Judge Ruff has formally closed this case.
    • The contract between Lee County and the Greater Pine Island Civic Association to fund the implementation phase was approved on May 27, 2003.

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    HURRICANE CHARLEY: Available here, a map that shows the precise track and wind speeds of Hurricane Charley as it crossed the Florida peninsula on August 13, 2004. This map also shows the approximate extent of tropical storm and hurricane force winds outward from the eye of Hurricane Charley. This map is based on hurricane locational and wind speed data from the National Hurricane Center and was prepared by Amy Hoyt of the Lee County Commission staff.  ALSO: similar maps, with Hurricane Frances added, and with both Frances and Jeanne added.

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    ARCHIVE OF PAST ARTICLES AND EVENTS:

    Read recent articles from the Fort Myers News-Press:

    Download a previous agenda summary for Lee County Commission to consider whether to rescind the Greater Pine Island Community Plan Update. This item had been scheduled for their December 9, 2003, meeting but the commissioners decided on December 2 to delay it to a date to be announced.

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    PAST MEETINGS:

    The Greater Pine Island Land Use Plan Implementation Committee met on March 4, 2004. The main topic for this meeting was a final review of proposed implementing language for three of the seven policies in the Greater Pine Island Community Plan Update. (Final language for the remaining four policies was tentatively approved at the January 14 meeting.) The complete background material for this meeting is available here; copies were also be available at the meeting and at the Chamber of Commerce and Pine Island Library. Draft minutes of the meeting are available here. At that meeting, the final three sets of proposed regulations were tentatively approved by committee members (see above).

    The previous meeting of the Greater Pine Island Land Use Plan Implementation Committee was held on January 14, 2004. The topics of discussion were further details of proposed regulations for implementing the 2003 land use plan update. The complete background material for that meeting is available here. The minutes of that meeting, as corrected at the March 2004 meeting, are available here. At that meeting, the first four sets of proposed regulations were tentatively approved by committee members (see above).

    The previous meeting of the Greater Pine Island Land Use Plan Implementation Committee was held on December 10, 2003. The topics of discussion were an open forum on planning for Greater Pine Island, plus further details of proposed regulations for implementing the 2003 land use plan update. The complete background material for that meeting is available here. The minutes of that meeting, as corrected at the January 2004 meeting, are available here.

    The previous meeting of the Greater Pine Island Land Use Plan Implementation Committee was held on November 12, 2003. The complete background material for that meeting can be downloaded here. The minutes are available here.

    If you prefer, you can download the cover memo plus certain attachments separately:

    • The cover memo plus a list of major changes in the implementing language, an agenda, the draft minutes from October 8, and a letter clarifying statements made on October 8, is available here separately.
    • Implementing Policy 14.2.2 (3 pages), dated November 4, 2003
    • Implementing Policies 1.4.7 & 14.1.8 (13 pages), dated November 4, 2003
    • "Mesic Pine Flatwoods" (from chapter 3 of the Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida, published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

    The previous meeting of the Greater Pine Island Land Use Plan Implementation Committee was held on October 8, 2003. The complete background material for this meeting can be downloaded here. A follow-up letter that describes various benefits that this plan provides to landowners is available here. A copy of the minutes is available here.

    If you prefer, you can download the cover memo plus any of the attachments separately:

    The previous meeting of the Greater Pine Island Land Use Plan Implementation Committee was held on August 13, 2003. The complete background material for that meeting can be downloaded here. An approved copy of the minutes is available here.

    If you prefer, you can download the cover memo plus any of the attachments separately:

    The previous meeting of the Greater Pine Island Land Use Plan Implementation Committee was held on Wednesday, June 11, 2003. The complete background material for that meeting can be downloaded here. An approved copy of the minutes is available here, and here for the organizational meeting on April 9.

    If you prefer, you can download the cover memo separately plus any of the four attachments:

    The cover memo (only) is available here.

    The first attachment is a copy of Lee County Ordinance 03-03 that adopted the Greater Pine Island Community Plan Update. This adopted language contains some changes from the language originally proposed in the plan document, so please refer to this ordinance for the exact language that is now in the Lee County Comprehensive Plan. Download this attachment here.

    The second attachment is the draft contract between Lee County and the Greater Pine Island Civic Association that will provide funds to support this project. This contract was approved by the Board of County Commissioners on May 27 and is now being signed by both parties. The only change to this draft is that the completion date of July 2003 is being changed to July 2004 (see page 6 of 7). Download this attachment here.

    As indicated in this contract, there are seven sets of amendments to Lee County's Land Development Code that are required to implement the community plan update. On June 11 we will go over an early draft of two sets of those amendments, which would implement Policies 14.3.3 and 14.3.5. Download 14.3.3 here, and download 14.3.5 here.

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    SUMMARY OF PLAN UPDATE:

    At the final public hearing on January 9, 2003, the Lee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance incorporating the complete community plan update for Greater Pine Island. Full information on the exact final wording is available from Lee County's comprehensive plan amendment site, including the staff report and a full agenda. The ordinance specifically adopts the following changes:

    • The establishment of a new "Coastal Rural" future land use category, as described in new Policy 1.4.7.
    • Amend the Future Land Use Map series to reclassify 157 acres of agricultural land between Bokeelia and September Estates from "Outlying Suburban" to "Coastal Rural."
    • Reclassify all land on Pine Island now designated as "Rural" to "Coastal Rural."
    • Replace the existing vision statement for Pine Island in Chapter I of the Lee Plan with the new vision statement.
    • Modify Policies 14.1.5, 14.1.7, 14.2.2, 14.2.3, and 14.3.3.
    • Add new Policies 14.1.8, 14.2.4,14.3.5, 14.4.3, 14.4.4, 14.4.5, and 14.5.4.

    On March 11, 2003, the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) issued its notice of intent to find the Greater Pine Island Community Plan Update "in compliance" with state law. On March 31, a petition was filed with DCA challenging this finding and requesting an administrative hearing. This petition was filed by Russell M. Setti and Eagles Landing at Pine Island, Inc.

    In October 2002, this plan received a certificate of merit in the competition for the "outstanding private report" award from the Florida Planning and Zoning Association. The full plan document can be dowloaded below.

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    HISTORY OF PLANNING EFFORT:

    The history of this planning effort is described below.

    At their September 5, 2002, public hearing, the Lee County board of county commissioners voted to transmit this entire community plan update for formal review by state and regional agencies (see newspaper article on this hearing). A public notice for that hearing and the meeting agenda are both available here. The revised staff report is available directly from Lee County. You may download a copy of a letter to each county commissioners dated September 3, 2002, that explains the final issues that were expected to arise on September 5.

    The first public hearing on the Greater Pine Island community plan update was held before Lee County's local planning agency on March 25, 2002; the agency heard a presentation about the plan and accepted extensive public testimony. A newspaper account is available here. The second public hearing was held on April 22, at which time the plan update was unanimously recommended for adoption by local planning agency members.

    Click here for a full copy of the final community plan update for Greater Pine Island, which is dated September 30, 2001. Note that this file is large, about 4.7 MB, and you must be patient during the download period. A smaller version of this file, about 1.3 MB, is also available; this version is suitable for viewing on screen but has lower-quality graphics; click here for this smaller version. Color copies of the future land use map, as adopted now and with the proposed changes, are available from Lee County's web site; a map of existing land uses is also available.

    The steering committee for this plan update met on September 25, 2001, to consider public input that was received on September 19. Click here to review a synopsis of public input from the public presentation on September 19 and the committee's response to each item.

    In preparation for public hearings, various county staff agencies have reviewed the plan update and submitted written comments. Those comments and responses to each can be downloaded by clicking here.

    Full copies of individual chapters of the plan update can also be downloaded here:

    • POPULATION AND LAND USE  (1,154 KB)
      Town and Country on Pine Island
      Population Summary
      Greater Pine Island's Boundary
    • COMMUNITY CHARACTER  (3,174 KB)
      Design of Commercial Buildings
      Bike Paths
      Fences and Walls
      Historic Buildings
      Cap on Building Heights
      Business Signs
      County-initiated Rezonings
      Pine Island – a Vision for 2020
      Municipal Incorporation
    • THE ENVIRONMENT  (183 KB)
      Protecting the Aquatic Preserves from Runoff
      Septic Tanks Along Canals
      Jet-skis and Air Boats
    • APPENDIX A: TRANSPORTATION DATA AND ANALYSIS   (280 KB)

    Click here for a printable copy of just the table of contents.

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    COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATE ARCHIVES:

    For those interested in background or earlier documents about this planning process, click on any item below:

    • The final public presentation on this plan update was held on September 19, 2001. Click here to review a synopsis of public input during this presentation and the steering committee's response to each item.
    • A smaller file of the September 1 draft of this plan can be downloaded by clicking here. This file that contains the entire text of the report, but with the photographs compressed to quicken the download period. This file is about 1.9 MB.
    • To download the background material for the steering committee meeting held on August 14, click here.
    • To download the background material for the steering committee meeting on July 10, click here.
    • A second public presentation on this plan update was held on April 24, 2001. An on-line newspaper report is available from the Pine Island News.
    • A full draft of the April 12, 2001, draft if this plan update is available by clicking here.
    • The first public presentation was held on February 6, 2001. An on-line newspaper report is available from the Pine Island News.
    • An earlier draft of the plan update, dated January 10, 2001, is also available.