A Miami-based developer is seeking Lee County approval for a project that would place 200 residential units, 18,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a public plaza on a 14-acre parcel fronting Lee Boulevard — a stretch that has seen little investment since the 2008 recession left dozens of lots vacant.
Meridian Development Group filed the rezoning application in February. The Lee County Planning Board approved it 4-1 last month, sending it to the full Board of County Commissioners for a final vote expected in early May. If approved, construction could begin as early as next spring.
Supporters, including the Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce, say the project would add sorely needed housing density and retail variety to a community that has long been defined by sprawling single-family lots and strip malls. Critics, however, are raising concerns about traffic impact on already-congested Lee Blvd and whether the market-rate units will be affordable to existing residents.
The project calls for one- and two-bedroom apartments priced at market rate, with no affordable housing set-asides — a sticking point for at least one commissioner who has said she will push for a voluntary contribution to the county’s housing trust fund as a condition of approval.
A public hearing is scheduled for April 22 at the Lee County Administration Building. Residents can submit written comments to the planning department through April 18.
