FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   

Contact:   Pete Winton, Lee County Administration
                (941) 335-2777 

COMMISSION APPROVES NEW PARK/LIBRARY SITE

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 25, 2002) – The Board of Lee County Commissioners today approved the following items during its regular weekly meeting.  They are: 

New Park – Approved an agreement with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection that paves the way for a new park near Lovers Key.  The Lovers Key Roadside Park will be on 37 acres on the bay side of Lovers Key.  The DEP is contributing $100,000, the Tourist Development Council has committed $305,000 and Lee County ($60,000) and the City of Bonita Springs ($40,000) will split the costs of a turn lane into the facility.  The park will have a playground, shelters and restrooms.  For more information, contact Bob Taylor, 335-2682. 

Corridor Study – Authorized the use of $250,000 for a study of alignment options for a future Sandy Lane Extension in south Lee County.  Sandy Lane currently exists as a two-lane minor collector between Corkscrew Road and Broadway in Estero.  The extension would tie it into Old 41 (Bonita Springs) to the south at Oriole Road (San Carlos Park) to the north.  For more information, contact Scott Gilbertson, 479-8580. 

Road Widening – Approved Cella & Associates to do engineering and administration for the widening of Business 41 in North Fort Myers from two lanes to four lanes (State Road 78 to Littleton Road).  The $6.3 million project is scheduled for construction in spring 2003.  For more information, contact Betsy Rowan, 479-8511. 

Zip Code – Approved a resolution supporting Matlacha’s and Matlacha Isles’ request to the U.S. Postmaster General for a separate zip code from Cape Coral.  The action would reduce lost mail and improve directory assistance (which now doesn’t recognize Matlacha as a separate community). 

Library Site – Directed county staff to continue negotiations for the purchase of a 10-acre site for the proposed Lakes Regional Library.  The site is at the southwest corner of Gladiolus Drive and Bass Road.  The new library will be 40,000 square feet.  For more information, contact Jim Lavender at 479-8301. 

Water Plant – Authorized county staff to pursue the possibility of co-locating a Lee County Water Plant at Florida Power & Light’s generating facility on State Road 80.  A water transmission line is located nearby, power could be used from the generating station, and the water plant could use the water discharge from the station to process potable water.  For more information, contact Rick Diaz at 479-8181.