MEMORANDUM

TO: Town Council and Local Planning Agency

FROM: Bill Spikowski and Carol Cunningham

DATE: January 19, 1998

SUBJECT: Joint Workshop on January 27, 1998

Attached for your review are the four elements we will be discussing at your joint workshop on January 27 at 6:30 P.M (the Historic Preservation, Housing, Capital Improvements, and Intergovernmental Coordination Elements). A table of contents for each is also attached.

All four elements have previously been revised by the Local Planning Agency. For the convenience of LPA members, I am attaching a summary of changes made to each document since their prior review of each.

The purpose of this meeting is for the Town Council to discuss their reactions to these elements with the LPA, and for the LPA to comment on the revisions made to these elements since their previous meetings.

Synopsis of changes to comprehensive plan elements after previous LPA meetings:

Historic Preservation Element

• Substantial revisions throughout, especially regarding the following topics:

  Pre-history and history of Estero Island (to reflect critical comments of reviewers of the initial draft, and to add many pertinent references)

  Fort Myers Beach Elementary School and its pending nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

  "Cover nominations" prepared for Lee County (to aid future nominations to the National Register of Historic Places)

  LPA suggestions on pursuing local designation of historic districts

  LPA suggestions on contracting with Lee County for staff support but handling historic designations themselves

  LPA suggestions on cooperation with the Estero Island Historic Society

• Revised the Goal to add the words "appreciating, protecting, and promoting"
• Revised Policy 1-B to determine the exact locations of all sites on the Florida Master Site File; to note demolitions since the surveys; and to notify property owners of their listing.
• Reworded Policy 1-C for clarity.
• Revised Policy 1-E to designate the LPA as an historic preservation board and to contract with Lee County for staff support
• Revised Policy 1-F to begin the process of designating historic districts
• Deleted previous Policy 1-I regarding Lee County's parcel information system [upon recommendation by Lee County]; corresponding changes were also made to the text
• Revised Objective 2 to move the deadline from 1999 to 1998
• Revised Policy 2-A to address only the certified local government program
• Added Policy 2-F to add the Standard Existing Buildings Code into the town's land development code
• Revised Objective 3 to add the words "and improve opportunities for appropriate public access to publicy supported resources."
• Revised Policy 3-B to include the Fort Myers Beach Elementary School
• Broadened Policy 3-C regarding Mound Key
• Broadened Policy 3-D to include Estero Bay
• Revised Policy 3-E to reflect adoption of the task force recommendations
• Added Policy 3-G on public access to historic resources

Housing Element

• Provided a correct figure (8%) for the amount of developable land remaining at Fort Myers Beach
• Replaced Figure 4 with a newer map from the Historic Preservation Element
• Deleted several references to a specific "housing needs analysis" for Fort Myers Beach, which has not yet been prepared
• Revised Policy 1-C(i) to reflect LPA suggestion on insisting that Lee County guarantee some federal funds to aid town residents in meeting housing needs (the text on page 13 was revised accordingly)
• Revised Policy 2-A to reflect uncertainty over the creation of a Downtown Redevelopment Agency
• Deleted previous Policy 3-B on incentive-driven regulatory system and previous Policy 3-D on "mega-houses" (being addressed in other elements)
• Revised previous Policy 3-E on the "existing buildings" code to refer to Historic Preservation Policy 2-F

Capital Improvements Element

• Modified discussion on page 2 of contracting with Lee County for zoning and development review
• Added Table 1 on page 3 to show total impact fee collections since incorporation; revised discussion on future uses of impact fees
• Modified CRA text on page 5 about attempts to recover funds remaining in Estero Island CRA accounts, difficulties with establishing a DRA, and use of taxing and benefit districts to move forward on further Times Square improvements
• Added a new section on page 6 discussing resort taxes
• Relocated previous Table 2 to page 7
• Added a breakdown on page 8 of revenues for occupational licenses and permits
• Renumbered previous Table 1 as Table 3 and modified it to retain the beachfront boardwalk and the tennis club (but only if undertaken as a private-sector effort), and modified numerous potential funding sources
• Renumbered previous Tables 3 through 5 as Tables 4 through 6, and deleted previous Table 6
• Modified Table 6 to show expenditures increasing at 2% annually, and to show decreased LPA budget in future years after completion of comprehensive plan and new land development code
• Modified Table 7 to show impact fee revenues and some potential additional capital improvements
• Revised Policy 3-C on participation in Lee County's impact fee program

Intergovernmental Coordination Element

• Modified text on pages 2 and 3 regarding joint responsibility with Lee County for recreational facilities and impact fees
• Added paragraph on page 3 on potential annexations into the town
• Modified page 5 to reflect that fire district millages beyond 3.0 would require a referendum
• Updated page 5 regarding current millage of the library district
• Strengthened language on page 6 regarding standards for pesticide applications by the mosquito control district
• Added a new paragraph on page 6 regarding a town-appointed committee to consider closer cooperation or consolidation with independent special districts
• Updated the reference on page 7 regarding another water interconnect across Big Carlos Pass
• Updated various sections regarding the failed referendum of November 1997 and the town's recent seat on the SWFRPC
• Added text on page 12 regarding the state's division of historical resources and department of transportation
• Updated Table 1 to reflect the town council's position on Australian pines at Bowditch Point (Policy 2-A) and to add policies from the Historic Preservation Element
• Added a new Policy 2-D regarding the town-appointed committee on closer cooperation or consolidation with the independent special districts
• Added the target date of 1998 in Policy 3-A to resolve impact fee issues