LEE COUNTY, Fla. — East Lee County is about to get a lot of new residents. On Wednesday, Lee County Commissioners voted to approve a development that would bring 10,000 new homes, and much more to an environmentally sensitive area known as the DRGR.
The community is being constructed by Cameratta Companies, the same company that built The Place on Corkscrew and Verdana Village. The new community, once finished, will be called “Kingston”, and will be built between State Road 82 and Corkscrew, but many are concerned how this unprecedented growth will affect Lee County.
On Friday, District 3 Commissioner Ray Sandelli explained the reason why he and other commissioners voted to approve the 6,676 acre development, which will also include a hotel and 700,000 square feet of commercial space.
“It is certainly a remedy, and whats the alternative? I think there was no question that there was a group of citizens concerned about another mine being put in there,” Sandelli said. “50 percent of that land goes into conservation in perpetuity by the developer.”
Experts say the decision comes as a response to the skyrocketing demand for housing in Lee County, with few places left to build. The project will also include a new connecting road between Corkscrew and State Road 82.
However, many who live West of I-75, like in Estero are concerned about the impact this new development will bring to the county, like the impact to traffic on Corkscrew Road, utilities, and access for first responders.
“It’d just be nice to know what are their plans to accommodate this kind of growth, for the residents who are living here currently.” said Mark Covas, a resident of Estero.
“Kingston” is expected to break ground in the DRGR by next spring, with the full project to take several years.
