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Actions Taken at 11-15-05 County Commission Meeting
Nov 15, 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 15, 2005 For the media's benefit, below are significant actions taken at today's Board of County Commissioners meeting: Babcock Ranch - Approved Lee County's contribution of $40 million to the $350-million agreement for the State of Florida to purchase from Kitson & Partners 74,000 acres of Babcock Ranch. The Board also set a Nov. 29 public hearing (10 a.m.) to consider a four-party interlocal planning agreement between Lee and Charlotte counties, Kitson, and the state. The interlocal agreement will set out the terms and conditions for the development approval process of the remaining 18,000 acres of the ranch. County Road 951 - Rejected an offer by Agripartners Limited Partnership to forward only the "Powerline" alignment, or "Alternative No. 2 (Central)" alignment, for the proposed CR 951 Extension to the Federal Highway Administration for evaluation. Agripartners had offered to make up any increased mitigation costs if that alignment was chosen over a more western alignment. However, county staff recommended against accepting the offer because it jeopardized other parts of the more than two year corridor study process. The county still will foward to FHWA the central and western alignments, and a no-build option. Chico's International Headquarters - Approved a development agreement between Lee County and the owners and developers of the Alico Interchange Park DRI that will govern the mitigation of transportation impacts of the DRI. The action paves the way for Chico's to locate its 750,000-square-foot international headquarters to the park, which is located south of Alico Road and west of Three Oaks Parkway. Jail Expansion - Approved a revised estimate of $53,279,000 ($44,900,000 for the Ortiz Jail Expansion and $8,379,000 for the Lee County Sheriff's Evidence Facility) and authorized Administration to proceed with financing the projects by issuing bonds estimated at $49,434,000. The eight-story expansion at the Ortiz Correctional Facility will replaced the existing stockade (which has outlived its useful life) and provide additional beds for jail population growth. |