N. FORT MYERS, Fla. — Homeowners are not ready to give the green light for 400 new mobile homes to be built in their community of Pine Lakes in North Fort Myers.
During Wednesday's meeting, the company Equity Lifestyle Properties (ELS) pitched the idea for approval to the Lee County Hearing Examiner.
Along with the 400 homes that would be built on the northside of the community, there would also be three new roads that would be used as access points.
A big problem for people like Bruce Wrede who is the President of the Pine Lakes Homeowners Association and say the roads would ruin the quiet community.
“In that whole area along circle pine road, we have approximately150 residents who would be impacted by the extra traffic, the noise, the dirt, the dust, along with the other 580 residents who would be impacted by the fact that amenities will be totally overwhelmed," said Wrede.
During the meeting on Wednesday, ELS staff members said many of the roadways that would be affected by the new homes would still operate at an acceptable level.
Staff also addressed the concern of overcrowding, saying that almost 2 acres will be used to develop additional amenities, but were unclear of what those would be.
“And that’s a big thing, they are saying we are going to set aside 1.6 acres for amenities but we don't know what they are or what they are going to look like,” said Wrede.
Other homeowners like Ron Thoreson say it's the vague details that residents want to know more about before a decision is made.
“The presentation from ELS is very vague and very incomplete and it won’t address the issues because they don't want to because those are the ones that really raise the difficult question about their proposal,” said Thoreson.
Plans for a second meeting are set for Thursday, December 2 at 9 AM to finish the public comment at the Old County Courthouse in downtown Fort Myers.
