Lee County residents raise concerns over proposed long-term plan changes

More than 125 residents attended a meeting at the North Fort Myers Community Center Tuesday evening to express concerns about proposed updates to Lee County's long-term growth plan, known as the Lee Plan, which could impact development in their neighborhoods. Lee County is proposing significant changes to the Lee Plan, which serves as the county's blueprint for managing growth. Currently, communities such as Bayshore, Buckingham, Lehigh Acres, and North Fort Myers have their own specific rules under the plan, which residents say help protect their areas from overdevelopment. "We're just tired of the overdevelopment. I mean, it's crazy," said Cheryl Fischer, a Buckingham resident. "I don't want it to affect my way of life. And that's what it's doing." Residents at the meeting sought answers about what changes or removals might be made to the Lee Plan, emphasizing that these decisions could shape their neighborhoods for years to come. For instance, Bayshore's current plan focuses on maintaining a rural character with farms, horses, and fewer homes. Michael Musho, a Bayshore resident, shared his frustrations about the impact of growth on daily life. "We can't make it to kids' ball games. We can't coach a team because we end up having to sit in traffic, burning gas for two, three hours a day. So where's the quality of life with all this growth?" Musho said. According to county staff, the proposed changes aim to simplify and standardize the planning process across the county without increasing the amount of development currently allowed. The updates include removing older rules about where water and sewer lines can go, allowing more types of businesses in designated areas of Lehigh Acres, and planning for mixed-use development in North Fort Myers, where homes, shops, and services could be built closer together. However, some residents feel their voices are being overlooked. "If the public is supposed to have input, why should we think that they can oversee that change and all of their plans so that we have no voice? I mean, it's our county. We have no voice," said Terri Lodge of Buckingham. Becky Swigert, with Lee County Community Development, explained the county's goals for the amendments. "Our goal tonight is to help improve clarity and consistency. The goals of the amendments create predictability for everyone, improve the county's ability to plan for infrastructure and safety needs, and it maintains the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare of the residents. It's important to remember that the Lee Plan is still a broad protection that remains in place," she said. The process for finalizing these changes is ongoing. The local planning agency is scheduled to review the proposal on Aug. 31, after which it will go before county commissioners for a public hearing. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.