Fort Myers City Council approved permission to advertise for a public hearing Jan. 3 to consider a rezoning request of 42.5 acres at 3851 and 3821 Colonial Blvd. and 3850 Winkler Ave.
The request from commercial general zoning designation to commercial intensive would allow the applicant and property owner, Hope 97 LLC, to develop an HCA Healthcare hospital on the site.
A total of 126 public notice letters were sent to property owners within 300 feet of the parcel, considering the site has the Lindsford and Castalina communities to the east and west of the property.
The city’s planning board recommended approval in a 9-1 vote last month. The nay voter wanted to address the need for a traffic light at Alderman’s Walk Boulevard and Winkler Avenue. A traffic light at that intersection was a separate item for consideration brought forth by council member Fred Burson on Monday.
Traffic was the primary concern for neighboring residents, as Lindsford resident Marci Strang spoke on behalf of more than a dozen community members in favor of installing a traffic light. The community has one entrance and exit for its 953 residents.
During public comment, Strang referenced a 2019 traffic study at Alderman and Winkler, which determined a need for a traffic light.
“Now we’re facing more traffic with the erection of Lee Health and HCA hospitals,” Strang said. “It’s very hard right now to get out of the neighborhood. I can just imagine all the construction, the loaders, the dump trucks and everything that is going to be coming in between all these areas, in addition to all that residential traffic.”
She added the intersection also has a Lee County school bus stop, making a traffic signal even more critical for public safety. Despite the need for a traffic signal at the intersection, Ted Treesh, president of TR Transportation Consultants, said the rezoning would not increase expected traffic in the area.
“A hospital in terms of a trip generation is a fairly low peak hour and daily trips generator compared to the other uses that are in the commercial general and commercial intensive list of uses,” Treesh said during a presentation to the planning board. “Switching the zoning doesn’t have a substantial impact on the traffic.”
The city already has a traffic signal project in the area and intends to complete the project in phases, having the Winkler intersection done first to address residents’ concerns.
City Manager Marty Lawing said staff is ready to start on the request for qualifications on the project, expecting to release it at the end of the month or early January, with no estimated completion date.
“We will certainly do our best to keep the residents informed with how this progresses,” Mayor Kevin Anderson said. “But I think as you can see tonight, you got the ball rolling.”
While the intended use is a hospital, there is no site plan for specific uses, as it is not guaranteed. The proposed hospital is expected to be a general hospital with maternity and emergency room services.
