Bernie Montás
•8/31/2026
Lee County residents and organizations are raising concerns after the Local Planning Agency voted Monday to forward the proposed amendments to the county's long-term growth plan, known as the Lee Plan, to the Board of County Commissioners. Nadine Slimak, representing the Lee Communities Coalition, criticized the county's approach to existing, community-specific development plans. "They treat them like a bug instead of a feature," Slimak said. She described the proposal as a significant shift in the county's development philosophy. "It's a change in philosophy. It's a change in direction, and it represents Lee County turning its back on more than 30 years of development rules and regulations," Slimak said. The county says some objectives tied to development plans specific to certain communities often duplicate policies already in place across Lee County. However, some residents feel they have not been given enough time to fully understand the implications of the proposed changes. "We have to know what the timeline is going to be, and we have not had the opportunity to do that with the plan because it's too big, too complex to figure out over a weekend," said William Deile, vice president of the Greater Pine Island Water Association. County leaders have stated that the goal of the changes is to simplify the Lee Plan and make it easier to understand, while also avoiding legal questions about future land use. They emphasized that the changes would not increase the amount of development allowed. Slimak, however, remains skeptical. "I think we're all equally upset by it, and we're all equally confused as to where the mandate came from and why it exists in the first place. We like our neighborhoods. We want them to stay the same," she said. County staff say the proposed amendments would eliminate required countywide public information meetings. The proposed amendments to the Lee Plan will be reviewed by the Executive Regulatory Oversight Committee on Sept. 9, with the possibility of four additional meetings to follow. 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.
