Southwest Florida loses a guiding light

Our Lee County community was saddened to hear that Don Eslick recently passed away. Don was an extraordinary person and had a profound and meaningful impact on the quality of life in our community.

After retiring to Florida in 1999, Don recognized the importance of community involvement with local government to manage the explosive growth and development in Southwest Florida. To that end, Don was a founding member of the Estero Council of Community Leaders (ECCL) that worked to ensure government accountability in providing a balance between development and protection of our natural resources.

Don was a tireless advocate for the implementation of a comprehensive land use plan that protected residential communities and water resources from intense, incompatible development and damaging mining operations. He strongly supported impact fees to ensure that new development helps fund infrastructure and amenities including roads, schools and parks. Recognizing that precious land and water resources needed protection beyond development regulations, subject to political volatility, Don worked shoulder to shoulder with the community in support and passage of the Conservation 2020 referendum to acquire and protect environmentally sensitive lands.

Don and the ECCL were invaluable advocates for responsible development of the Estero community during the decade leading up to the incorporation of the Villages of Estero. City-hood allowed the Estero City Council to adopt and promote development standards at a higher level than unincorporated Lee County, resulting in zoning compatibility for new land uses, enhanced architectural and design features and community amenities including sidewalks, landscaping and parks.

Don was a guiding light during a time when local government focused on the fundamental needs of our community, including protection of ground and surface waters, enhanced road transportation system, responsible planning of growth and development, promoting economic opportunities by recruiting and retaining businesses and providing community amenities such as libraries and parks.

Don helped to set the foundation for a sustainable, vibrant and resilient community to overcome the challenges of the current political system distracted and hampered by ideological differences and self serving special interests.

Ray Judah is a former Lee County commissioner.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Southwest Florida loses a guiding light