County to close on Beach land today
Lee County is expected to close on the Seafarer’s Mall and Gulf front properties at 1080 and 1130 Estero Blvd. today (Wednesday, Sept. 8), according to the Fort Myers Beach Town Council. The council discussed the upcoming closing and drafted a document for county officials as part of its scheduled work session at Town Hall Tuesday.
The document, which FMB Mayor Larry Kiker began on an airplane ride, focused on the overall scope of the project after the closing and centered on the proposed park at the Gulf front properties, the building at Seafarer’s Mall and possible solutions to the traffic problem on Estero Boulevard.
The council members recognized that the purchased property may be separated into three different projects within three county departments: parks and recreation, department of transportation and land development, since county officials would like to knock down Seafarer’s Mall and put up a ground-level parking lot in its place.
Regarding the former, Kiker would like see county officials secure funding and commit to that funding right away. The county is proposing to spend only $100,000 on the Gulf front park.
“They were going to bring in a bunch of sand, pile it up and thrown some weeds around it until I said, ‘No you don’t,'” he told his council in reference to a conversation at a recent town/county meeting. “We’re looking for a park where kids can put their feet down without getting (sand spurs), and families can hang out. We don’t want to get short-sheeted on this project.”
Councilman Tom Babcock believes sending a stronger message may do the trick.
“You’ll get a heck of a lot more for $100,000 from this park than you get out of $7 million buying a ball field,” he said in reference to the planned Red Sox facility.
“Maybe you might think about giving more than $100,000 to do this right.”
All council members agreed the official purchase of the properties should somehow aid in the traffic problem on the island’s main road. A review of transportation problems with Estero Boulevard and the results of a ROW (right-of-way) study adjacent to the properties reveal many different alternatives in redeveloping the area, realigning the roadway and redirecting of traffic.
“”The overlapping projects can be billed as three individual ones,” said Babcock. “What really drives the whole thing in my mind is traffic. Traffic impacts the others.”
Although the closing signals a county purchase and public use, town officials would like more say about where their Beach taxes are going (since the purchases came from Tourist Development Council money). Town Manager Terry Stewart said parking at the Seafarer’s property is allowable according to the town’s comprehensive plan but an amendment is required to the CPD.
The realization that town officials are trying to provide input and persuade officials at three different county departments struck a chord.
“We want to identify a plan,” said Kiker. “We need to start lining up meetings with each of the commissioners and not just Judah. We want to make sure everyone is on the same page.”