Estero considers new rules for raised homes
Some homeowners in Estero want to prevent flooding when the next storm roars into Southwest Florida. Others are being forced to build higher due to new codes, and that has the Village of Estero looking at new requirements for homeowners that plan to raise their houses.
Last November, the Village adopted updated floodplain regulations which included new FEMA maps. These maps revised floodplain areas and increased required elevations in certain areas meaning new homes or those rebuilding after having more than 50 percent damaged, must bring in additional fill or raise the homes on stilts to meet the new flood elevation requirements.
On Wednesday, Village Council listened to a proposal to mandate that homes that are raised have walls and doors to cover the pilings. Currently there are no standards in the Land Development Code for single-family homes that may need to be elevated. Single-family homes can also include modular homes that are permitted in single-family neighborhoods.
“We are trying to be proactive because we don’t have regulations,” said Mary Gibbs, Estero’s Community Development Director. “In a lot of places, you can’t put in enough fill, so you need to put in a stilt home. Some of these modular homes look like mobile homes. Without it, it could just look like a mobile home on stilts and we didn’t think that is what the council would like to see. So, we want to include enclosure at least where it is facing the road. We want it to have some architecture so it complies with the neighborhood. We are not dictating any particular style.”
Gibbs said the requirement would be for walls with vents and a door to cover the raised portion.
Council members voiced some concerns.
“If it is solid, it creates a dam and that could cause flooding for your neighbor,” stated mayor Katy Errington.
“What creates more of a problem is when someone puts a lot of fill on the property. That is worse than stilts,” Gibbs rebuked.
Councilman Larry Fiesel said he was concerned with putting more regulations on people that are already burdened with rebuilding after Hurricane Ian. Councilman Jim Boesch asked for some photos of what the walls and doors would look like.
“I think we need to see what you are talking about,” Errington agreed. “It could be very detrimental to some people.”
Estero’s village attorney Robert Eschenfleder, reminded council that the state has rules against local governments requiring specific design elements.
After a lengthy debate council members voted unanimously to pass the first reading and have Gibbs gather more information to present at the second reading scheduled for March 1.
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HOUSE IS HISTORY
Village Council members voted Wednesday to demolish a home built in 1910 that is nestled in the woods off Corkscrew Road. The village owns the house that was part of the 62.5 acres of property along Corkscrew Road and US 41 that it purchased in 2019. Part of the land was an 8.85 acre parcel that was the life estate of Charles Daurey, who oversaw the College of Life Foundation. After Daurey passed away the village received full use of the land.
The residence has been inspected by the Village which declared it structurally unsound. It had additional damage due to Hurricane Ian. Although it was built in 1910, a cultural resource assessment determined that the structure, known as Corkscrew Road/River House, was not considered historically significant.
Steve Sarkozy, city manager, said the cost to restore the badly damaged home is prohibitive. He told council it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. And since the Village has no public use for the structure and is concerned that leaving the structure in place could create liability if someone got injured, he recommends demolition. Sarkozy added that the house is not consistent with the Village’s plans to make the area a preserve for public use. The Estero Historical Society says they understand this decision.
“Although we are saddened, we also understand,” Gail Langner, president of the Estero Historical Society, told council members, Monday “We know that it would take a lot of money to make it have any usability. It makes us sad because obviously our job is to maintain the history of Estero, but we just wanted to say we understand.”
Lee County Property appraiser records show the two-story home has four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms and spans 4,151 square feet. It was sold to the Village of Estero on January 14, 2019, for $24.562 million. It previously sold for $11.4 million in April 2003 and for $1 million in July 1999.
Sarkozy says the estimated cost of demolition is $50,000. The work will be bid and the approval of the final cost will come back for final Village council approval. The two smaller out-buildings, a large two-story garage and a small shed, adjacent to the home will be preserved. Before demolishing the house, anything with historical value or interest such as fixtures, doors, windows and wooden elements would be removed and preserved.
“The house on the property is in disrepair,” Sarkozy told council. “There was a lot of mold and problems with the ceilings and we have no use for the building, so we suggest that we demolish it and try to salvage any of the interesting architectural elements.”
Council members voted for this unanimously.
GETTING PARK READY
The home that is to be demolished is on the property that the Village purchased and plans to turn into a preserve for people to enjoy. But first there is work to be done. Wednesday, Village council members voted unanimously to approve a bid to remove exotic vegetation on that land to a chosen bidder, Milborne, LLC, that will do the job for $82,317.41. They also approved an additional $8,200 in a contingency fund to cover any additional unforeseen circumstances. This project will use a portion of the Estero on the River Improvement Project budget and grant money. Village staff says that the property is in good condition with many native plants, but there are also non-native and nuisance vegetation on the land. The plan is to remove all of these that are within 20 feet of the trail, structures, fences, powerlines and the boundary. David Willems, Public Works Director at Village of Estero, explained that the exotic vegetation has grown so thick that when tree branches fall, they often get caught up above the trail and that could be hazardous to people below. The preserve is currently closed, but council members want it open to the public as soon as possible.
“We have really not done much work in this area to remove the invasive species,” Willems said. “When limbs fall, they get tangled and don’t fall all the way to the ground. This might not have been a problem before, but now that we have a trail going through there, there are liability issues. This would be the first treatment of this area.”
The plan would be to mechanically remove the exotics and then chemically treat them to avoid regrowth. Rules are being set in place not to destroy a Eucalyptus tree that is home to a pair of nesting eagles.
Council members said they want the trail to be safe so they can open it soon. They have a $1.7 million grant for work to enhance and open the preserve, but it must be used by the end of the year.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Estero considers new rules for raised homes
