Estero Village Council unanimously approved Wednesday the first reading of an ordinance to rezone a 45.6-acre parcel from mixed-use planned development to Estero planned development. If approved, the rezoning will allow for a mixed-use development known as Woodfield Estero on the northwest corner of U.S. 41 and Coconut Road. 

The first reading was an opportunity for Council to make comments prior to the second reading and public hearing scheduled for July 5. The developers were present to take notes and hear concerns in preparation for the next meeting, where questions are expected to be answered in detail. 

Mayor Jon McLain said the Woodfield development would be part of the village center, and therefore it will be a very prominent landmark. “It’s extremely important that we collectively work together and address any issues that impact the quality of life of our citizens,” he said. 

Woodfield Estero is planned for 596 multifamily units, 82,000 square feet of retail and dining, 42,000 square feet of office and a 260-room hotel. There also will be a public park and civic uses.  

Previous owner Lee Health sold the land to South Carolina-based Woodfield Development. Prior to the sale, Lee Health was working with town planning firm Dover, Kohl and Partners on plans for the site. Woodfield will carry on the partnership with modifications to some of the original plans.   

Most of the development’s entertainment and dining options will be on the ground floor of the pedestrian-only restaurant row leading into Woodfield Estero’s central green, the project’s largest public space. The central green will be anchored at the northern edge of the site by a 3,000-square-foot civic building. 

Facing the central green on the western side of the site will be a 260-room hotel. A neighborhood park along the edge of U.S. 41 will face a mixed-use office building, which will have commercial sites on the ground floor and offices above.  

The nearly 600 dwelling units will be a mix of multifamily and townhomes. Street parking will be available on every street except for restaurant row, and all streets will be publicly accessible.   

The item was brought to the planning and zoning board on June 14, where the board spent nearly five hours receiving information from the developers and having discussions.  

Ultimately, the planning board recommended approval with several conditions.  

Community Development Director Mary Gibbs said staff is still working on revising some conditions. “The main issues I think that we’re looking at revising; maybe it’s stormwater conditions or conditional phasing that we’re still trying to fine tune and then the transportation conditions because there was a lot of discussion about traffic issues,” she said. 

Council member Jim Ward raised issues pertaining to traffic, density and impact on infrastructure that he would like the developer to address at the second reading. Council member George Zalucki’s concerns echo ones similar to Ward’s, primarily relating to traffic and safety.  

Despite the concerns raised, Council member Larry Fiesel said he’s comfortable with what the developer has presented so far. 

“The density we’ve addressed, it’s allowable,” he said. “They’re asking for less density than what is allowable. The traffic needs to be finalized in greater detail because we know Coconut [Road] has been an issue in years past. Stormwater management I think was a concern that the folks from both of the adjacent communities addressed. I’m pretty comfortable that South Florida Water Management will have that under control.” 

McLain kept his comments until the end of council discussion, addressing concerns like the reliability of the traffic study based on the year it was completed and how many surrounding developments were factored in, as well as maximizing the capacity and flow on Coconut Road in the proximity of the development and U.S. 41. He also addressed parking capacity, connectivity for the bicycling community and a bigger civic building, suggesting 6,000 square feet more than the 3,000 square feet proposed. 

“Hopefully you bring all the comments that you received here today between now and July 5, and you can address these and be able to respond to each,” McLain said. “We all want to make sure this project is done in a fashion that’s good for everybody, but we want to make sure we get it right, and I think some of these concerns must be addressed.” 

The developers will return on July 5 to address concerns raised by Council, which were also many of the concerns raised by residents.