RENEWED LEGISLATIVE INTEREST IN ANTIQUATED/OBSOLETE SUBDIVISIONS: Now available, two recent studies from state officials:

• "Antiquated Subdivisions" -- Florida Senate Interim Project Report 2005-130, November 2004
• "Platted Lands" -- Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations, February 2003

POPULATION FORECASTS FOR LEHIGH ACRES: "Population Model to Forecast Population Growth of Lehigh Acres Over Time To Buildout," has been prepared for the Lee County Smart Growth Program by Van Buskirk, Ryffel and Associates. This report predicts that, barring unusual dislocations of finance markets, Lehigh Acres is entering a period of rapid population growth akin to the growth Lee County as a whole has had over the last 30 years. This in turn will create huge demands for social and physical infrastructure that the current plat system will make extraordinarily difficult to provide. Visit the Lee County's Smart Growth page for Lehigh Acres, or download the entire report: Population Model to Forecast Population Growth of Lehigh Acres Over Time To Buildout.

THE BIG PICTURE: There is renewed interest at other levels in resolving some of the fundamental land planning problems in Lehigh Acres, as a result of an August 2003 forum, "Awakening the Sleeping Giants -- Transforming Platted Lands to Improve their Livability."  This forum was sponsored by the Urban Land Institute's Southwest Florida District Council and by the Promised Lands Section of the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Read recent newspaper and magazine articles here:

Community Redevelopment Agency

Several planning studies concerning Lehigh Acres have been prepared for the Lee County Community Redevelopment Agency by Spikowski Planning Associates.

The first is the Lehigh Acres Commercial Land Use Study (completed in May of 1996). View just the Table of Contents or the Executive Summary by clicking those links. On May 27, 1998, the Lee County Board of Commissioners gave final approval to comprehensive plan amendments to implement the Lehigh Acres Commercial Land Use Study. A few changes were made during the approval process; details may be obtained from the Lee County Division of Planning, P.O. Box 398, Fort Myers, Florida 33902-0398, telephone (239) 479-8585. The final revised copy of the future land use map showing all changes from the Lehigh Acres Commercial Land Use Study can be downloaded here; a full-size final revised copy can also be purchased for $15.00 from this web site or the Map Sales Room, Lee County Property Appraiser, 2480 Thompson Street, P.O. Box 1546, Fort Myers, Florida 33901, telephone (239) 339-6159. Printed copies of the original study including a small map are available from Spikowski Planning Associates for $22.00 (plus $3.00 if they need to be mailed out).

Or find out about a companion report entitled Veterans Park Expansion and Other Recreational Needs in Lehigh Acres (completed in March of 1996). View the Table of Contents or the Executive Summary.

Printed copies are available of a third report on Storefront Beautification. This illustrated report shows how several typical commercial buildings in Lehigh Acres could be renovated to beautify the community and bring positive attention to the businesses within. Printed full-color copies are available from Spikowski Planning Associates for $15.00 (plus $3.00 if they need to be mailed out).

Or download a copy of the Implementation Report for the Lehigh Acres Commercial Land Use Study, released in April 2000. This report documents the on-going implementation of the Lehigh Acres Commercial Land Use Study, and includes proposed access management plans for Gunnery Road (south of Lee Boulevard) and for State Road 82 from Lee to Gunnery. This report also includes a proposed new commercial zoning district for Lehigh Acres and identifies future planning initiatives. This download is in Adobe Acrobat format; you may need to install the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available by clicking on the yellow "GET ACROBAT READER" button below and downloading the free software directly from Adobe.