Vendor makes plans to clean up Southwest Florida waterways

25Jul

By: Samantha Sosa, Fox4, Scripps Media, Inc.

Lee County officials are in talks with a vendor to provide cleanup services for red algae in our waterways. The state will reimburse Lee County for the cost of the cleanup up to a certain amount, that comes from a 3 million dollar grant as part of Governor Rick Scott’s State of Emergency.

Commissioner Pendergrass stated that the canal areas with little to no tidal flow will be attacked first and he will continue to pressure state and federal officials to complete projects that will help with long term solutions pertaining to Lake Okeechobee releases and algae.

https://www.fox4now.com/video/news/vendor-makes-plans-to-cleanup-southwest-florida-waterways

Lee County negotiating contract with vendor to clean up algae

24Jul

By: Meghan Bragg, NBC 2 News

Lee County Commission Chairman Cecil Pendergrass calls for an emergency session to place Lee County under a state of emergency for algae clean up to begin immediately.

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/38721381/lee-county-negotiating-contract-with-vendor-to-clean-up-algae

County commissioners ask congress to fund water clean-up efforts

25Jun

By: Britni McDonald and Erica Brown, WINK News

Lee County Board of County Commissioners signed a resolution urging the United States Congress to create a dedicated funding source for the Central Everglades Planning Project and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan; urging the United States Army Corps of Engineers to expedite completion of Herbert Hoover Dike reconstruction and to update the Lake Okeechobee regulation schedule; urging the president of the United States to direct the United States Army Corps of Engineers to exercise maximum flexibility within current regulations to direct Lake Okeechobee water discharges away from the Caloosahatchee River Estuary.

http://www.winknews.com/2018/06/25/county-commissioners-ask-congress-to-fund-water-clean-up-efforts/

Lee County officials taking steps to better water conditions

08Jun

By Jaclyn Bevis, WBBH/WZVN (Waterman Broadcasting)

Lee County Commissioner Cecil Pendergrass heads to Washington, DC to attend a congressional briefing on Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and Lake Okeechobee discharges, and their impact to our communities and tourism industry.

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/38384121/lee-county-officials-taking-steps-to-better-water-conditions

Lee County hosts Catamaran World Championship

17May

By Brenna Weick, WBBH/WZVN (Waterman Broadcasting)

Lee County Commissioners have agreed to host the 2019 Hobie 16 Catamaran World Championship. The competition will bring in an estimated $4 million to Lee County businesses while the sponsorship fee will be paid strictly by tourists.

http://www.nbc-2.com/story/38217951/lee-county-agrees-to-pay-250k-to-host-catamaran-world-championship#vuukle-emote

Water quality, roads, transportation my priorities

30Mar

By Cecil Pendergrass, News-Press Editorial

It is an honor to serve you this year as the chairman of the Lee Board of County Commission. I truly believe our county is the best county in Florida because of you.

It still seems surreal that just six months ago, we were faced with Irma’s devastation. The country witnessed the strength and fellowship from individuals, community organizations and government agencies during and after the storm.

As we continue to recover, we must also continue to educate and focus our efforts on improvement for the betterment of our quality of life. A harsh reality that we faced was flooding throughout the whole county. Heavy rainfalls in late August and during the hurricane in early September exceeded the capacity for our storm water system already in place.

As a result, Lee County government is working with other agencies and municipalities to address and resolve any future flooding issues for a long-term fix. We immediately cleaned up debris from our waterways that contributed to the flooding and are now in the process of identifying causes and lifelong solutions. Local engineers and county staff are out in the field collecting data and information from all major watersheds throughout the county. In doing this, we can provide immediate and longstanding repairs to the stormwater system, ultimately reducing future flooding. For more information on this initiative, please visit www.leegov.com/irma.

I continue to maintain focus on my goals for Lee County in 2018: transportation and safety, water quality and conservation lands, job creation and reduction of regulation costs.

We need and will build roads. The county commission has made transportation a major priority, which comes with a price tag of $245 million. Over the next five years, we are fast tracking the tier 1, or high priority, transportation projects that are needed countywide.

The exciting aspect of it we will not be raising your taxes, bonding or borrowing to pay for the projects. We are using a funding mechanism called Growth Increment Funding (GIF), which is taking a portion of funds from property taxes that is generated from the sale of a commercial and residential property to fund the projects. The GIF mechanism is a fair and balanced approach, with growth truly paying for growth.

As a result, we are able to expedite much needed road improvements. In Lehigh Acres, we are funding road resurfacing at a cost of $5 million a year for the next 5 years. We are also on schedule for the widening of Homestead Road to a four-lane road with a six-foot sidewalk and the widening of State Road 82 to six lanes from Ortiz Avenue to Lee and Colonial Boulevard. For a list of all county road projects, please visit www.leegov.com/dot/roadwatchupdate.

All road projects are designed with the Complete Streets model in mind, which requires $4.5 million over the next 5 years with a total of $10.6 million for safe access for all pedestrians and bicyclists. I will continue my efforts this year for major roadway improvements and push for Corkscrew Road to be included in our Capital Improvement Project (CIP) list along with the extension of Alico Road to SR 82.

As a lifelong resident of Lee County, I understand the importance of water quality for our future and will continue to work with our state and federal elected officials and agencies to garner support and funding for our local and regional water quality projects. The C-43 reservoir and GS-10 project are crucial for storing and cleaning water that comes from the Caloosahatchee before it reaches our irreplaceable estuaries and beaches.

Locally, we will continue to reduce nitrogen at 54,395 pounds per year and invest $15 million in local projects over the next five years. I will continue to be a voice for our area and support reducing fresh water flow from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River.

It is vital that we preserve our green space for our quality of life here in Lee County. In the last 4 years, this Commission has purchased over 5,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land for our Conservation 20/20 Program. The County most recently acquired Edison Farms, a 4,000-acre parcel in South Lee County, which will serve as a jewel for the 20/20 program and a great destination for public access.

It is an honor to continue to serve you and Lee County, the greatest place to call home.

Cecil Pendergrass is chair of the Lee County Commissioners.

Lee Board of County Commissioners closes on Edison Farms purchase

10Jan

by VOEadmin
Lee Board of County Commissioners has completed the purchase of about 4,000 acres in southern Lee County – commonly known as Edison Farms – as a Conservation 20/20 preservation site.

The $42.4 million purchase ranks as the second-largest single parcel purchased by the Board since the Bob Janes Preserve, which is 5,620 acres.

County commissioners have made preserving Edison Farms a top legislative priority for the past two years and voted unanimously for the purchase on Sept. 19.

It is an example of the type of environmentally critical land that the Conservation 20/20 program was created to protect and that voters overwhelmingly endorsed with an 84 percent majority late last year.

Edison Farms is adjacent to Hidden Cypress Preserve, a Conservation 20/20 preserve, and lands maintained by the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed. The land includes habitat for listed species such as the Florida panther and the woodstork.

The acquisition of the Edison Farms parcel will:

Protect a significant, diverse population of wildlife and plant communities.
Assist with the distribution of freshwater flows in a natural wetland slough system and adjacent uplands that are part of the headwaters to Estero Bay, the state’s first aquatic preserve.
Help sustain the region’s groundwater levels, a vital component to the area’s drinking water supply.
Facilitate the restoration of historic flow-ways in the region, providing flood relief to those impacted from the existing altered system.
Provide opportunities for nature-based recreation in the southern part of Lee County.
Next steps include an inventory and assessment of the land for restoration options and public access options. The Conservation Land Acquisition and Stewardship Advisory Committee (CLASAC), which was a valuable partner in the acquisition process, will continue to provide input on management of the site.

VOEadmin | December 5, 2017 at 11:26 am | URL: https://wp.me/p6kK12-1UR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lee Board of County Commissioners closes on landmark preserve purchase

07Dec

Media contact: Betsy Clayton, APR/CPRC
Communications Director
Lee County Government
239-826-4606
bclayton@leegov.com

Lee Board of County Commissioners closes on landmark preserve purchase

Fort Myers, FL, Dec. 5, 2017 – Lee Board of County Commissioners has completed the purchase of about 4,000 acres in southern Lee County – commonly known as Edison Farms – as a Conservation 20/20 preservation site.

The $42.4 million purchase ranks as the second-largest single parcel purchased by the Board since the Bob Janes Preserve, which is 5,620 acres.

County commissioners have made preserving Edison Farms a top legislative priority for the past two years and voted unanimously for the purchase on Sept. 19.

The acquisition of the Edison Farms parcel will:

Protect a significant, diverse population of wildlife and plant communities.
Assist with the distribution of freshwater flows in a natural wetland slough system and adjacent uplands that are part of the headwaters to Estero Bay, the state’s first aquatic preserve.
Help sustain the region’s groundwater levels, a vital component to the area’s drinking water supply.
Facilitate the restoration of historic flow-ways in the region, providing flood relief to those impacted from the existing altered system.
Provide opportunities for nature-based recreation in the southern part of Lee County.

Next steps include an inventory and assessment of the land for restoration options and public access options. The Conservation Land Acquisition and Stewardship Advisory Committee (CLASAC), which was a valuable partner in the acquisition process, will continue to provide input on management of the site.

Here is what Lee County Commissioners said about the Edison Farms purchase:

District 1 John Manning:

“This purchase, many years on the horizon, is as monumental for the environment of Lee County as there has ever been by a local government in Florida. I have been blessed to have helped start Conservation 20/20 and now this acquisition is the pinnacle of the accomplishments of this program.”

District 2 / Chairman Cecil Pendergrass:

“It’s an exciting time for Lee County and the Conservation 20/20 program. For years, the county was unsuccessful in acquiring Edison Farms and I am proud to be a part of the current Board of County Commissioners that was successful in achieving this property for conservation. Edison Farms, roughly 4,000 acres, will serve as the second-largest public asset in Lee County and will ultimately deter urban sprawl.”

District 3 / Vice Chairman Larry Kiker:

“Lee county citizens have been very consistent with their direction to Lee County: Purchase properties for preservation and conservation. As a result of this strategic purchase, future generations will enjoy and benefit from this historic accomplishment, a legacy for Lee County to be proud of.”

District 4 Commissioner Brian Hamman:

“From the moment I joined the board, my colleagues and I have been working to make this purchase happen in a way that makes sense to the taxpayers of Lee County. With this purchase, the current commissioners have preserved our most sensitive environmental lands in the DRGR, essentially going from zero to now having 80 percent in conservation. Opportunities like the purchase of Edison Farms are exactly what voters were thinking of when they approved, by an overwhelming majority, continuing our 20/20 program.”

District 5 Frank Mann:

“In the many years I have been allowed to serve the citizens of Lee, preservation of environmentally sensitive lands has remained for me a personal priority. In all of the thousands of acres we have successfully saved for future generations, few would equal the size and quality of the Edison Farms purchase. This is a fantastic day for Lee County and its yet-to-arrive citizens of tomorrow.”

-30-

Note to media: Commissioners will be celebrating the closing at their regularly scheduled 9:30 a.m. meeting today. Or if you are unable to make it by 9:30, commissioners typically are available immediately following the BoCC meeting for interviews and comments.

New taxi regulations to begin for county

20Oct

July 31, 2015

By TIFFANY REPECKI (trepecki@breezenewspapers.com) , Cape Coral Daily Breeze

Taxi cabs and vehicles for hire will be required to comply with new regulations starting Saturday in order to operate and offer their services within Lee County.

County Ordinance 15-05, or the “Lee County Taxicab and Vehicle for Hire Ordinance,” includes criteria that is aimed at promoting safety on the roadways and ensuring protection for residents and visitors. The Lee County Tax Collector will manage all of the related applications and permitting.

(more…)

Lehigh Town Hall raises questions on crime and development

20Oct

Deborah Souverain, Fox4

A Town Hall meeting in Lehigh Acres tackled issues from sidewalks to crime, as state and local officials readied themselves for a new year.

The event was hosted by the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District (LA-MSID) which serves as the community’s water management authority.

(more…)