FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Denise Sabatini, Lee County MSTBU
(239)335-2186
BEN HILL GRIFFIN PKWY. MEDIAN LANDSCAPING PROJECT COMPLETE
FORT MYERS, Fla. (September 12, 2003) - Lee County and the University Overlay Municipal Services Taxing/Benefit Unit will dedicate its major median landscaping project Wednesday (Sep. 17) - a project that shows how taxing units can benefit citizens.
The ribbon cutting will be at 11 a.m. along Ben Hill Griffin Parkway between Alico Road and Corkscrew Road (see below for parking instructions). Commissioner John Albion will serve as master of ceremonies.
The Ben Hill Griffin Parkway property owners and county government pooled their resources and worked cooperatively and the result is a beautifully landscaped median strip for all property owners and travelers on this four-lane road. The $2.5 million, four-mile project runs along Ben Hill Griffin Parkway from Alico Road to Corkscrew Road and then continues west on Corkscrew to Interstate 75.
One of the driving forces throughout the project was environmental sensitivity. The protection of the environment was a top priority. As an example, more than 21,660 environmentally friendly pieces of landscaping were planted, including Crepe Myrtles, Live Oaks & Royal Palms. Additionally, a water-efficient xeriscape system and maleluca mulch was used. Knowing how important it is to conserve our supply of water, contractors worked diligently and continuously with government agencies to reduce the impact of the 13 irrigation wells that were constructed. And to further preserve the precious water supplies it was decided to irrigate only the trees and plants but not the grass or turf.
A taxing or benefit unit is basically a partnership between property owners and the county. Residents want an improvement to their neighborhood, so they band together to tax or assess themselves for the construction and maintenance of the project. The county's role is to complete the project and obtain the financing. A taxing unit (MSTU) is funded with an additional property tax - so the amount of the tax depends on the value of the home. Taxing units typically pay for ongoing services. A benefit unit (MSBU) pays for a project with an assessment based on some other factor, such as property size or road frontage. Benefit units usually are set up to pay for capital projects. The University Overlay is both, the capital for the project and a taxing unit for ongoing maintenance.
Services most often funded with MSTUs include streetlights, added security services, landscape maintenance, park maintenance at some level above what the county provides, and canal maintenance. Typical capital projects funded by MSBUs include road paving and drainage, canal excavation, beach renourishment, sidewalks, bike paths and sewer and potable water.
A five member University Overlay Advisory Committee worked continuously with the Board of Lee County Commissioners from the design conception through final construction and implementation. The project was funded 100 percent by the property owners. The Lee County Municipal Services Taxing & Benefit Unit staff supplied the project's administration and management.
PARKING DIRECTIONS