FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   

Contact:           Rick Joyce, Lee County Community Development Department
(941) 479-8182 

COUNTY ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR “AWARD OF EXCELLENCE” 

FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 2, 2002) – The Board of Lee County Commissioners is seeking nominations for its annual “Award of Excellence,” which recognizes private-sector projects that go above and beyond minimum code requirements in ensuring development maintains and improves our quality of life. 

The Board created the award last year as a way to showcase a select group of projects each year and recognize local businesses and groups that make an extra effort to keep Lee County beautiful, livable and environmentally sustainable. 

The inaugural recipients of the “Award of Excellence” for Outstanding Achievement in Project Design, Environmental Quality and Innovative Technology were: Town Center at The Brooks (The Bonita Bay Group, developer), Page Field Commons (Starwood Wasserman, LLC, developer, and Burner & Company, landscape architects), and Island Woods (duPont Builders, developer). 

Anyone can nominate a project and it only takes a minute.  Just request or pick up a nomination form from Lee County’s Community Development Department (479-8585), 1500 Monroe Street in downtown Fort Myers.  The form asks for only five quick items of information.  Once the county receives a nomination, it will send an application to the nominated business or group. 

Nominations and applications are being accepted through May 15, 2002.  Projects eligible for the award must have been completed between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2001.  Judging is by a five-member selection committee of three private sector and two public sector representatives.   

Winners will be publicized through the local media and receive individual plaques with a combined plaque displayed prominently in a designated county building. 

The nominated projects should include excellence in at least one or more of the following general list of environmental and design criteria: 

Architectural Design, Connection to Community, Energy Efficient Design, Historic Preservation, Landscape Design, Native Plants, Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities, Recycling, Technology Advancement, Restoration of Plant Communities, Roadway Design, Water Conservation and Design, Water Quality Improvements, or Wildlife Habitat Value.