Controversial south Lee County housing development moves forward

ESTERO, Fla.- A controversial housing development which would have about 1,300 homes in south Lee County moved forward despite a big push back from neighbors. The proposed community known as Corkscrew Farms would be on more than 1,300 acres of land on Corkscrew Road, east of Alico Road. With many proposed projects on Corkscrew Road, neighbors and Estero village leaders are saying the growth needs to slow down.

“My number one concern as a representative of this corridor is that traffic is going to be horrendous,” said Estero village council member Jim Wilson.

Wilson represents district seven which covers almost all of the communities near Corkscrew Road, like Bella Terra and Wildcat Run.

“The numbers that we’re looking at for the four projects that are either planned or approved in the Corkscrew corridor will generate a total when fully built up of 25,000 daily trips on to a two lane road most of them coming in toward I-75,” said Wilson.

The land is also a part of a designated area used to recharge aquifers. In fact, it’s where a lot of the area’s drinking water comes from.

Corkscrew Farms is part of unincorporated Lee County, so the future of the development was up to county commissioners today. After hearing from both angry neighbors and the developer, the board unanimously approved the plan amendment.

“It’s been scrutinized heavily, very heavily by the county and all the environmental agencies and they’ll all given us the stamp of approval,” said developer Joe Cameratta.

Cameratta says he plans to conserve more than 700 acres of the land. The project now goes on to a rezoning request on September 2nd.