WildBlue

The 2,960-acre residential community currently under development is the result of the second overlay established within the DR/GR area of Southeast Lee County to allow residential development on property previously mined for limerock. The existing development approvals for the property focused on a residential estate community with private golf course, which utilized well and septic and fragmented the development to increase the environmental impact to wetlands and flowways.

The planning team at Morris-Depew proposed a Comprehensive Plan Amendment that promoted a performance-based overlay to establish and cluster the residential density to promote the preservation and/or restoration of flowways, native habitat and natural resource protection.

Morris-Depew Associates worked with Lee County staff and conservation organizations to refine the language of the Overlay and further implement the County’s policies related to conservation in Southeast Lee County. A concurrent Mixed Use Planned Development was requested to establish 30,000 square feet of community supporting commercial and 1,000 residential dwelling units and amenities clustered around the existing mining lakes.

Ultimately, the approvals also included restoring and preserving 1,329 acres of indigenous habitat to promote flowways and wildlife habitat interconnections through the development and begin the development of regional natural systems in that area.