Bonita Springs and Sagamore Management Co. have reached a compromise on the proposed condo development at the northeast corner of Matheson Avenue and Dean Street. The agreement, achieved through mediation, was unanimously approved by the City Council on Sept. 17, with a final public hearing scheduled for Oct. 15.
As part of the agreement, Sagamore has agreed to reduce the project’s density from 48 units to 42 and widen driveways to 24 feet for each building. The updated plan also includes designated space for both vehicles and garbage/recycling bins in each garage. Units along Dean Street will feature front-facing facades, and a southern sidewalk connection to Matheson Avenue will be added.
The amenity area will exclude racket sports, and landscaping buffers of 7 feet, 5 inches will be placed along the north and east property lines. Additionally, the possibility of relocating the Matheson Avenue access during the development order process remains open.
This compromise follows a 4-3 City Council vote against the original proposal in April, which aimed to build 24 duplexes on 4.6 acres. Concerns about density played a key role in the earlier opposition, despite the proposal meeting the city’s maximum density limit.
Richard Forman, president of Sagamore Management Co., has previously argued that the city needs more workforce housing and that the higher number of units was necessary for the project to be financially viable. However, most neighbors who spoke at previous meetings were opposed to the higher unit count.
