You may recall that Estero was planning a project that would help with storm water coming under I75. It currently enters the Estero River North of our property. The original plan was to reroute excess storm water along our Northern and Western borders.
Estero is now actively planning a regional stormwater detention facility on Village-owned land east of Three Oaks Parkway, behind the Estero Post Office and extending toward I-75. This plan would route the storm water along Three Oaks and then down Corkscrew entering the river past Country Creek. This will reduce storm water pressure on the river as it flows through Country Creek.
As of September 14, 2026, the project’s status is:
- The Village acquired approximately 69–72 acres from the Lee County School District for about $15 million. The property had previously been considered for a school.
- Current plans call for one or possibly two large detention/retention ponds, together with park or open-space improvements.
- The facility is intended to temporarily store stormwater and reduce flooding along the North Branch of the Estero River.
- Communities expected to benefit include Villages at Country Creek, Copper Oaks, Rookery Pointe and other properties near Three Oaks Parkway.
- Drainage improvements will extend into the Three Oaks Parkway right-of-way, requiring coordination with Lee County DOT and modification of the South Florida Water Management District environmental-resource permit.
- The Village’s engineer is JR Evans Engineering.
Funding and schedule:
- In June 2026, the Village accepted a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant for Phase 1—design and permitting. That phase totals $320,250: approximately $240,188 federal and $80,063 local.
- Design and permitting reportedly must be completed by March 31, 2027.
- Construction is currently anticipated during 2027–2028, but it remains dependent on permits and approval of Phase 2 construction funding.
- Published estimates indicate an overall project cost of approximately $6.5 million, expected to combine about $4.9 million in FEMA funding with roughly $1.6 million in disaster-recovery funding. Until Phase 2 is formally awarded, that construction funding should be regarded as anticipated rather than guaranteed.
The important qualification is that this is now a funded design-and-permitting project—not yet an approved construction contract. Final pond dimensions, storage capacity, configuration and park features may change as engineering and permitting proceed.
Sources: Village Council March 2026 agenda report, Village’s January 2024 project announcement, June 2026 Council action, and Capital Improvement Plan summary.
