Lee County directs staff to draft county‑initiated plan amendment for Southeast Lee to address multiple private applications

The Lee County Board of County Commissioners on April 21 directed staff to draft a county‑initiated comprehensive plan amendment focused on the Southeast Lee DRGR (Density Reduction Groundwater Resource) area, after staff said multiple privately filed applications threatened to produce inconsistent, piecemeal changes.

"We have several privately initiated amendments in Southeast Lee and staff recommends a holistic approach so we do not deal with potentially up to 11 different amendments piecemeal," planning manager Mark Moore told commissioners, adding that the staff‑led process would aim to preserve groundwater protections and review cumulative impacts.

Commissioners pressed staff on opportunities for public input. Moore said the process would begin with draft proposals and a staff report, followed by at least three formal public hearings: review by the Local Planning Agency (LPA), a transmittal hearing to the board, and a later adoption hearing after state review. "At least three different times of input," he said.

Public commenters expressed strong reservations. Joyce Campana, speaking for a resident affected in Southeast Lee, urged the board to "table this item," saying a premature amendment would undermine protections for the county's primary water source and panther habitat and that the county should incorporate the Lower West Coast Water Supply Plan update due in 2027 before amending the comprehensive plan.

Representatives from conservation groups endorsed the staff approach but pressed for strong environmental standards. "The DRGR is incredibly important to the county — it protects our water resources," said Matt Palace of the Sanibel‑Captiva Conservation Foundation, urging early and meaningful community engagement. Marissa Figureroa, a policy specialist with Audubon Florida, recommended strengthening DRGR protections, ensuring staff capacity to manage a complex process and setting consistent conservation standards.

The motion to direct staff to prepare the county‑initiated amendment carried by voice vote (no objection), with staff and commissioners describing the move as intended to coordinate land‑use decisions, protect recharge areas and avoid inconsistent outcomes from many separate private applications. Staff said draft amendments and backup materials will be published online before the LPA review and that the public will have multiple formal opportunities to comment.

Next steps: staff will prepare draft amendments and a staff report for the LPA; the board will schedule transmittal and adoption hearings after LPA and state review. Commissioners and commenters asked staff to ensure draft language explicitly protects groundwater recharge and threatened‑species habitat and to provide clear, accessible public outreach materials.

This account is based on the board presentation and the public comment period on April 21, 2026.