Wal-Mart close to finalizing permits
One of the largest retail stores in the world is inching closer to moving into the abandoned Summerlin Square property off of San Carlos Blvd.
Wal-Mart, a noted American retail corporation, has received zoning approval and needs only a development order approval through the Lee County Commercial Development Office prior to officials filing for demolition and rebuild permits. A development order application at that site was reviewed by the county department staff on July 23, but was found to need state approval before the process continues.
“The most recent re-submittal is pretty much ready to be issued,” said Lee County Senior Engineer Rob Price. “The only outstanding item is they need to get a notice of intent from the Florida Department of Transportation to issue a permit.”
The step is a formality within commercial planned developments.
“It is my understanding that we are within days of them receiving the NOI,” said Price. “Once we receive that notice of intent, we are going to issue the development order. All of the items of clarification have been addressed.”
On Nov. 18, 2013, Lee County Board of County Commissioners granted zoning approval at Summerlin Square for the discount department store.
Once the developmental order is approved, Wal-Mart officials will apply for a demolition order to raze the current structure that formally housed the Winn-Dixie and other strip mall businesses and a building permit to erect the department store.
Back in May 2013, Lee County Zoning Division Principal Planner Chip Block stated the time range for a planned development project of this size was estimated to involve six to 12 months or longer for the zoning process and concurrent applications for site development activity under a local development order and building permits before the existing buildings on the intended four parcels would be razed and a new building and center built.
Prior to zoning approval, it was said developers intended to rezone 21.85 acres to commercial planned development to allow a standard shopping center with an intensity of up to 154,749 square feet of floor area and 3,086 square feet of additional outdoor garden center. The proposed maximum building height was reported to be 45 feet at the 11331 Summerlin Square Dr. location.
Since then, administrative action within the zoning process was made to change the square footage to match what was to be on the development order plan. However, Price said the intensity will still be under 160,000 square feet.
The re-development site still has intentions to use the old golf driving range behind the current building for the total area of the property. The schedule of uses besides the standard shopping center and garden center originally had intentions of involving a convenience store with gas pumps and a drive-thru pharmacy. That separate store and drive-up pharmacy are not part of the current application, says Price.
“What they’ve asked for does not include a gas station and a convenience market,” he said.
No clear timeline has been offered beyond the development order. It is still unsure how long it will take to have a new Wal-Mart up and running at the proposed site.
Last August, Town officials expressed concern about an expected increase in traffic that may affect already congested driving lanes to Fort Myers Beach once the business is operational.
Wal-mart officials had offered a traffic analysis from December 2011 and 2012 that focused on the Town’s permanent population (6,262) instead of the number of people who are part-time residents or daily visitors to the Beach at the height of tourism season (up to 60,000). They did add an increased 25 percent adjustment factor to the concurrency report based on the traffic model.
The LeeTran transfer station within the parking lot at Summerlin Square will also be affected. It is not accommodated within the proposed development lot, will no longer be viable on the subject site and will have to be relocated, according to County records. LeeTran is not licensed to use that property.
LeeTran currently has a contract for purchase and sale for land for a new Beach Park & Ride location. The closing on that property is pending re-zoning of the land since it is currently zoned for a hotel.