83,000 acres supply 80 percent of water
 
Lee County commissioners will vote today on a plan to protect 83,000 acres in southeast Lee County.

The commission was set to make a decision Wednesday, but after 21Ú2 hours of comments from the public, Chairman Ray Judah announced the commission would recess until today.

If commissioners approve the plan today, it will be sent to Tallahassee for review before adoption in Lee County.

The 83,000 acres supplies 80 percent of the county's potable water, as well as lime rock critical to construction in Lee and six other counties. The land is in the southeast corner of Lee, east of Interstate 75 and southeast of Southwest Florida International Airport.

The $1.4 million plan developed by consulting firm Dover, Kohl & Partners would largely restrict rock mining in areas around Alico Road, which are already being mined. The rock found there is essential to road and building construction.

Half a dozen mining companies are opposed to this facet of the plan, saying they are legally entitled to the land and are fearful their businesses will be negatively impacted.

"Our employees will lose their jobs and other businesses will lose a competitor," said Tracy Bryant, a spokeswoman for Cemex, which owns a limestone quarry off Alico Road.

But some residents say those restrictions are necessary to protect habitats for the endangered Florida panther and other wildlife, as well as drinking water.

Nick Batos, who lives in Estero's The Brooks community, said if the commission decides to approve the plan it could be comparable to the work of John Muir or President Teddy Roosevelt to the national parks, ensuring acres of land would be conserved.

"We do not need to provide them with more roads or unnecessary roads for further development," Batos said.

The plan's success depends on landowner support, said Donald Schrotenboer, president of Alico Land Development.

Schrotenboer said he hopes commissioners realize land owners are not bad people. They are just concerned their rights as property owners are being tread upon, he said.
"You have to work with the land owners and incentivize them to give up their land," Schrotenboer said. "It can work."