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A developer of large-scale projects has purchased 246 acres of property east of Interstate 75 from Bonita Springs Utilities Inc.
Oakbrook Properties Inc., responsible for Coconut Point mall and The Brooks gated communities, bought land adjacent to the state roadway for $5 million, said John Jenkins, BSU executive director.
The land is near BSU’s East Water Reclamation Facility visible to drivers on I-75. It is accessible from W. Morton Avenue near Citrus Park mobile home retirement community and is just south of the Liberty Youth Ranch.
The swath of land is mostly zoned agriculture and is in the Density Reduction Groundwater Resource area or DRGR.
According to a statement from Oakbrook Properties: “The property fits into the Oakbrook’s long-term strategic vision for responsible development and restoration of the Density Reduction Groundwater Recharge (DRGR) lands within the city boundaries, which can help address priorities for the city and the region, including water quality enhancement and varied residential uses to meet growing demands.
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Usage of agricultural land for development is limited, said Jay Sweet, a planner with Bonita Springs.
“Because of the DRGR overlay, you can only have one house every 10 acres,” he said. “In theory, they can come in with a subdivision of 20 houses, assuming they met all the other criteria with the land development code.”
Those requirements include new roadways, utilities, flood protection and proper drainage.
Oakbrook stated it has larger plans for the BSU land and another one of its managed properties, Bonita Grande Mine, which also is east of I-75, on Bonita Grande Drive.
“Oakbrook has proposed a Water Resource Enhancement Overlay specifically for the DRGR area that would allow sites within the overlay – including this parcel – to create low-impact residential uses while requiring privately funded water enhancement projects,” according to the company's statement.
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Creation of public overlay in partnership with a private development company is rare but not unheard of, said John Dulmer, director of community development. Dulmer said he remembers speaking once, about a year ago, with Oakbrook representatives about creating such a residential overlay but has happened since then.
Changing any overlays or zoning from the agriculture and DRGR label would require modifying the future land use plan and go before the Bonita Springs City Council, Sweet said.
“It’s not something that happens overnight,” he said.
BG Mines Inc. is currently in a lawsuit with Bonita Springs, claiming a previous city council promised to allow development of approximately 2,500 dwelling units in a 2003 annexation agreement.
Oakbrook said its proposed unofficial overlay could include the contested operational mine.
“With our history of over 35 years of responsible development in this area, we are uniquely qualified to finally comprehensively plan, with the city’s help, the DRGR area such that it retains its best characteristics while improving water resources,” said David McArdle, president and CEO of Oakbrook Properties, via a statement.
The land, first purchased by BSU in 1996, was leased for cattle grazing and was on the market for 4 to 5 years before the sale was finalized and approved by the nonprofit utility company’s Board of Directors.
It was determined to be surplus property unneeded for the future of BSU, according to the utilities group.
“The sale of surplus property helps us with our capital investment around here,” Jenkins said. “It has long-term benefits for our members.”
Many Bonita Springs residents have their water and sewer needs filled by BSU, a member-owned not-for-profit cooperative founded in 1971.