City Council gave its final approval Monday to allow multifamily housing on 83 acres of one of Cape Coral's largest plots of vacant land.
With District 2 council member John Carioscia absent, council unanimously approved the change for the property, which sits to the north of Embers Parkway near Nelson Road. The area is forested with several bodies of water and walking trails.
Wyatt Daltry, a coordinator with the city's planning division, said the property owner went through the city's development approval process to request a multifamily project 10 years ago. The land was accidentally zoned as single-family residential due to an oversight in the planning division, Daltry said.
The city's Planning and Zoning Commission approved the change earlier this year, in what Daltry called a "housekeeping measure" to reflect the previously-approved multifamily project. The redesignation allows up to 1,323 housing units on the 83 acres.
Several residents spoke in favor of keeping the land as it is, saying it's valuable to the community because it's one of the few large green spaces in the Cape. District 4 council member Jennifer Nelson addressed the residents, saying the project was too far down the road to change now.
"We are trying to fix a mistake," Nelson said. "I am deeply, deeply sorry that we screwed up."
The land was purchased by Pennsylvania-based Forge Development Group, who offered minimal details on plans for the property. Phil Fischler, principal of Fischler Property Co., which represented the site's previous owner in the sale, said in a statement that the property could become the next landmark residential community in the Cape.
“This site offers a unique combination of exceptional waterfront amenities, solid entitlements and a convenient location surrounded by established schools, a public library and highly desirable commercial centers anchored by national retailers and restaurants," Fischler said. "At build-out, this property will offer first-class residential options to Cape Coral’s growing residential community.”
Andy Baldo, co-founder of Forge, said earlier this year that the company is excited about its investment.
"We look forward to working with the City and local regulatory agencies as we fine-tune our plans for the property," Baldo said via email. "We have engaged with (a) local civil engineering firm to assist us in further defining the project."
A representative from that firm, Avalon Engineering, said the company would be happy to meet with residents to discuss the development.
Jim Wieter, a nearby resident who spoke against the proposal, said the fight to preserve the land is not over.
He said he and other residents involved with the informal group Nelson Preserve Association will try to get the developers to move out of the area through a letter-writing campaign in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where Forge is based.
He wants to discuss mitigating the size of the project with developers, including: limiting the number of housing units and the height of buildings, leaving trees on the property, and allowing distance between the development and nearby properties. He said he and other residents will also be at city council meetings when the developers present their plans.
"We want to try to do the best we can for the residents around there," Wieter said. "We want to make (the development) more reasonable."
In other action
City Council voted to continue discussing a proposal that would decrease protections for bald eagles while they await more information from city staff on legal and technical questions brought up Monday. The proposal would reduce the protected area of active nests from a 1,100-foot radius to 600 feet. Council will take up the issue again at the June 4 meeting.
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