Bonita Springs council approves Burnwood Drive landscaping in 4–3 vote

The Bonita Springs City Council voted 4–3 to approve a budget amendment to add landscaping on Burnwood Drive after hearing mixed public comment and council questions about ongoing maintenance and visibility.

City Manager (name not provided) introduced the item saying, “We are presenting an opportunity to amend the budget to include landscaping on Burnwood Drive,” and told the council the work would entail an initial installation cost and then ongoing annual maintenance. When asked about long-term costs a staff member replied that upkeep would be “$12,000 annually.” The city attorney noted the expense was not in the current budget and “it would require a budget amendment.”

Several speakers during public comment expressed different priorities. “I love that y’all want to do some landscaping, but Burnwood Drive looks beautiful,” said the commenter who identified themself as Mr. Green Thumb, suggesting funds could be used elsewhere such as Bonita Beach Road. Other commenters — Mr. Rosemer, Mr. White and Mr. Fernandez — said Burnwood Drive should remain as it is: “Burnwood Drive is fine the way it is,” one speaker said.

Council members pressed staff on specifics including whether tall bushes or low flowering plants would be used and whether vegetation could block drivers’ or pedestrians’ sight lines. Staff advised the council they would “have to work with the approved contractor” and recommended deferring to the city’s land development code to preserve traffic sight lines.

A motion to approve the budget amendment was made and seconded; the transcript does not record the mover or seconder by name. The council conducted a roll-call vote and the motion passed 4–3. The transcript records Mayor Mike Gibson voting nay; district-level votes were recorded by seat designation in the roll call rather than by name in the transcript.

Following the vote, council direction emphasized that staff should coordinate with the approved contractor and ensure plantings comply with the land development code and sight-line requirements. Because the proposed landscaping requires a budget amendment, staff must incorporate the amendment into the city’s budget before work proceeds.

The council did not specify a contractor in the meeting, and staff did not provide a detailed planting plan during the discussion. Additional details about the installation cost, the source of funding and a contractor timeline were not specified in the transcript.