DRAFT AGENDA ESTERO BAY AGENCY ON BAY MANAGEMENT Monday November 9, 2015 9:30 a.m. SWFRPC 1926 Victoria Avenue Fort Myers, Florida 33901 1) Call to Order 2) Attendance 3) Minutes of the October 26, 2015 meeting 4) Agenda Additions, Deletions or Corrections 5) Corkscrew Crossing Presentation - Team for the Project 6) Old Business - Approval of letters FGCU and Corkscrew Farms 7) Setting Date for Cela Tega 2016. 8) Current EBABM membership. 9) Emerging Issues 10) Announcements 11) Public Comments on Items Not on the Agenda 12) Set Date for Next EBABM : Monday, December 14, 2015 9:30 a. m. 13) Set Date for Next IAS and Principles Subcommittee Meeting: in Monday, November 23, 2015 14) Adjournment
October 30, 2015 Mr. Tom Mayo Director of Facilities Planning, Florida Gulf Coast University 10501 FGCU Blvd. South, Fort Myers, FL 33965 Dear Mr. Mayo, Thank you for your presentations at the Estero Bay Agency on Bay Management (ABM) meetings in May and October of 2015. Your presentation of parts of the proposed 2015-2015 FGCU Master Plan was valuable in informing the membership. We hope it was equally beneficial to you to hear the perspectives and insights from the diverse agency and organization representatives to the ABM regarding how the planning of the FGCU campus affects the entire region. As you know, the ABM was established as part of the settlement agreement for permitting development of Florida Gulf Coast University. The membership of the ABM consists of delegates from many agencies and organizations, including: FGCU, SWFRPC, SFWMD, FDEP, Lee County, local municipalities and Chambers of Commerce, citizens and civic associations, commercial and recreational fishing interests, environmental and conservation organizations, scientists, affected property owners, Economic Development Council, and the land development community. The ABM is a non-regulatory advisory body whose directive is to make recommendations for the management of Estero Bay and its watershed. It is this context that the following comments are made. 1. We understand that access to campus for students and other communities is especially important, and, as we wrote in the June 8, 2015 letter to the FGCU Board of Trustees, we are very supportive of the transportation element components that encourages multimodal transit, and decoupling the parking permit fees from a transportation fee. We are especially pleased with the proposal to coordinate with Lee County Transit with expanded routes (Objective 1103.1). We encourage you to swiftly implement a Universal Pass Program for the University community. These actions will increase the opportunity for a University education for the many students who do not have access to automobiles, especially when coordinated with transit in Collier County, Cape Coral, and Lehigh acres. In addition significant costs-saving will result since fewer parking garages will be needed.
2. As we mentioned in our June 2015 letter to the FGCU Board of Trustees, our concern about the FGCU master plan statement to advance the construction of CR951 is disheartening and troubling, especially in light of the continued urban sprawl that has been exacerbated by the siting of FGCU in the Density Reduction/Groundwater Resource area of Lee County. Regardless of whether CR951 remains on the Long Term MPO planning we believe that the entire region will be better served if FGCU exerts its considerable political power and influence to emphasize and encourage multi-modal transportation, and responsible development rather than expanding even more roads into rural areas. We restate our recommendation to work with the County and developers to assure the planned fourth access point connecting to Alico Road be made permanent rather than to advance the construction of the northern segment of CR951. 3. Especially given the focus and intent of your institution, we encourage you to plan and construct your south entrance road to have as small of an impact on the vestiges of the Western Everglades Ecosystem where FGCU is situated. The FGCU campus is becoming an ever-more important refuge for wildlife in the area as urban sprawl continues. The location, construction manner, and shape of the roadway, including even the type of curbing you use will highly impact the habitat. Rather than your consideration to fence the entire northern edge of the road, please design the road instead to improve and restore flow through the Cypress Slough, and incorporate other strategies to minimize negative impact on ecosystems and rather model ecosystem-friendly road construction. At a minimum, we urge you to exceed any mandated criteria for culvert size to maximize opportunity for wildlife to pass through the area. 4. We encourage FGCU to play a leadership role in coordinating mass transit opportunities in the 5-county service region. We urge you to develop and implement multi-modal transportation and discouraging single-occupancy vehicular traffic in this current Master Plan proposal. We appreciate taking the time to participate in the ABM deliberations, and extend our services, and network of the many organizations and agencies to provide you with strategies to minimize negative human impact in the Estero Bay watershed while still providing safety and access for students and residents. Sincerely, Wayne Daltry, Chairperson Agency for Bay Management
November X, 2015 Honorable Commissioners Lee County Board of Commissioners Reference: Corkscrew Farms Rezoning Request DC12015-00004 Dear Commissioners: We are writing to inform you that the Estero Bay Agency for Bay Management has voted in favor of the Village of Estero s Resolution 2015-33. That resolution opposes further development in the DR/GR along Corkscrew Road where this project is located until the effects of such vastly increased development density on potable water resources, environment, and wildlife in the DR/GR can be studied and better understood. Such studies may reveal the necessity to maintain densities at the currently allowable 1 unit per 10 acre or require the implementation of a fully realized Transfer of Development Rights program within the DR/GR. Our member organizations recognize the positive environmental restoration efforts being proposed by the developer to land that has been vastly changed from its original condition. However, it is recognized that restored sheet flow conditions will be restored only on the site and water flowing off site will be captured by a ditch along Corkscrew Road and conveyed from there as it currently does along the roadway unless sheet flow is also restored to the south. This would not be considered a regional benefit. These improvements to restore sheet flow on the property could also be a benefit to wildlife on that same property. However, we question whether a two mile wide strip of development along Corkscrew Road in the middle of the DR/GR offers any real regional advantage to wildlife. In fact, it could be seen as more of a danger to wildlife, especially mammals, than an enhancement, through the loss of habitat as more development occurs, and the presence of people, homes, vehicles, lights, noise, and pets that will impede the movement of large species. A recent publication by Frakes et al, attached, analyzed the long term database for panther habitat selection and found negative relationships to human population density and roads. Dr. Frakes, commenting on this particular development proposal, noted this project is surrounded by quality habitat and that the development would further constrict panther movement between habitats and increase road kill. In summary, he stated, If we are to have
panthers in South Florida, this is exactly the type of project that, due to its location, needs to be avoided. In our estimation this development will contribute to urban sprawl in an area where high density development has been discouraged for two and a half decades in order to protect these valuable resources. The western-most edge of the development closest to municipal water and sewer services is more than two miles away from those services. Most of the intervening land is either undeveloped or agricultural. Such hop-scotching is considered sprawl. Basic services that residents will want such as grocery stores, restaurants, general shopping, convenience stores with gasoline, and access to Interstate 75, etc. are more than 6 miles away. This will greatly increase vehicular traffic on an already congested road given the 1,325 new residences being proposed on Corkscrew Farms. This development will create serious and long-lasting negative impacts resulting from urban sprawl and development which will clearly outweigh any benefits to the environment and wildlife. Rezoning, if approved, will result in nearly a ten-fold increase in the allowable number of residential units that can be built. In June 2014, Lee County s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) was presented with three land use scenario options for the 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan. The MPO chose to plan future transportation focusing on development along existing urban boundaries in order to discourage sprawl and reduce the length of vehicle travel trips. Approving this rezoning request is totally contrary to MPO s decision. In conclusion we urge you to deny the re-zoning request for Corkscrew Farms which would sit at the eastern most edge of the Environmental Enhancement Overlay until detailed and comprehensive studies regarding wildlife, water and traffic impacts can be conducted. Respectfully, Attachment: Frakes Report