People, especially those living along East Corkscrew Road, are unsure whether they live within the incorporated Village of Estero, the incorporated City of Bonita Springs, or in an unincorporated area.
The table below summarizes which communities along East Corkscrew Road are incorporated, which are unincorporated, and which power company supplies your electricity.
Consultant to Engage Estero
|
Incorporated In The Village of Estero (Power supplied by FP&L) |
Unincorporated Communities and are Under Lee County Control (Unless otherwise stated, Power is by FP&L) |
| Bella Terra | Corkscrew Estates |
| Grandezza | Corkscrew Shores |
| Preserve at Corkscrew | FFD Farms |
| River Creek |
Kingston This community will have Power by Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) |
| Stoneybrook | The Place |
| Wildcat Run | Wild Blue |
|
Verdana (In this community, the power supplier is made by the following companies, so you must check which company supplies your power- Lee County Electric Cooperative. (LCEC) or Florida Power & Light (FP&L) |
There are several reasons why it is essential to know in which area you reside. For this article, incorporated means municipality (e.g., Village of Estero, City of Bonita Springs, Fort Myers Beach), and unincorporated means Lee County, where no city/municipality exists.
Florida legislation incorporated the municipality of the Village of Estero in 2014, following the boundaries that Lee County granted to the local planning and zoning authority.
Since Estero was incorporated (2014) long after SW Florida zip codes were established, the incorporated Village of Estero encompasses parts of five zip codes. Those communities that are part of incorporated Estero are appended.
Your property tax bill or Voter ID card are two ways to answer that question.
Residents of a municipality will have an additional line on their tax bill (e.g., this tax bill identifies the Village of Estero) in addition to the Lee County general revenue line.
Property tax rates differ in unincorporated Lee County, the Village of Estero, and Bonita Springs.
Your voter registration card will identify a city (e.g., municipality) where you vote for your village or city council member (e.g., this voter registration card identifies the Village of Estero). The “City” block will be blank if you reside in unincorporated Lee County.
Each home also has an assigned Fire District within Lee County.
It will determine who your elected officials are and who you need to contact if you have an issue that affects you.
Elected officials include –
US Senators and House Representatives
State Senators and House Representatives
Lee County Commissioners https://www.leegov.com/bocc
While Lee County Commissioners are responsible for all of Lee County, your municipal elected officials are responsible for within the Village/City limits. You must know whom to contact to address your local concern if you have an issue, complaint, or question. For example:
Lee County road issues: https://www.leegov.com/dot/requestforaction
Village of Estero issues: https://estero-fl.gov/request-for-action/
Post Office—If you have a package held at your post office, you need to know which facility to go to: Bonita Springs (old US 41), Estero (Three Oaks Pkwy), or Fort Myers (2655 N Airport Rd).
Fire Rescue District – While your tax bill and voter registration card identify your Fire District, the three Fire Rescue Districts (Bonita Springs, Estero, and San Carlos Park) have reciprocal agreements for “closest unit response.” These agreements mean a San Carlos Park fire rescue team may respond to an event within the Village of Estero. A portion of your homeowner’s insurance bill is allocated to your assigned Fire Control District.
Building permits – Where you submit your building permit is determined by your incorporated municipality, or if unincorporated, Lee County.
Code enforcement—Each municipality and Lee County have different statutes. For example, Estero has strict signs, banners, lights, and display requirements.
Impact Fees – Differ among municipalities and Lee County:
Fire/EMS is the same (100%) throughout the county.
Parks & Recreation
Lee County is set at 52.5%
The Village of Estero and Bonita Springs is 100%
Roads
Lee County is set at 52.5%
The Village of Estero and Bonita Springs is 100%
Schools are the same (52.5%) throughout the county.
Will this information change over time? Possibly! It is feasible for unincorporated communities to become incorporated if:
The communities currently part of the Incorporated Village of Estero.
This map is from the Village website as of October 2024. See https://estero-fl.gov/council/ for updates.
