Protecting Your Voice
Engage Estero serves as to inform, educate, and act on issues threatening the quality of life in the greater Estero area.
“The future of Estero depends upon its residents being aware of planned changes, making their voice heard, and ensuring the Village continues in the direction desired.”
Engage Estero spent years supporting and assisting the opening of a 24/7 emergency department in Estero, which debuted in December 2018. We continue to support the establishment of a hospital within the Village, and mobilized over 400 letters of support to that end in 2018.
The availability of quality healthcare, particularly emergency care, has been a core value of the Estero Council of Community Leaders for the last decades. Engage Estero proactively lent support at the right moments; foresaw and addressed potential hurdles; and continues to work closely with others with the same goal.
Engage Estero mobilized around 300 residents to attend a County Commission hearing regarding limerock mining approvals in 2019. We helped pass “Yes on 20/20” with an 84% approval rate, and encouraged and publicly supported the purchase of Estero on the River by the Village.
Water quality, wildlife habitat, and the preservation of open space in Estero has been top priority since the early days of Engage Estero. We monitor and alert residents of proposed new mines, developments in the DR/GR, and public space planning, so residents’ input can be heard before a decision is made.
Engage Estero recruited more than 150 volunteer Education Ambassadors who team-taught 2,662 students at four Estero-area schools in during 2 years before impact of COVID pandemic in the Spring of 2020.
Engage Estero works with local schools to develop and retain economically literate students.
Because Engage Estero volunteers monitor development requests at the earliest stages, we were able to mobilize over 400 objections to a proposed bright yellow Hertz Arena, with the result that a much milder paint scheme was implemented. The design standards established by Engage Estero (then the ECCL) before Coconut Point Mall was built set the stage for a cohesive and beautiful community.
Engage Estero’s established contact list of thousands of residents can quickly mobilize the public when time is of the essence. Our publications, including the Estero Development Report and regular growth statistics provide residents with high quality research on the direction of growth in Estero.
Engage Estero was directly responsible for the development and institution of the Estero Village government. The Boards run by the ECCL (now Engage Estero) prior to Village formation led to a smooth transition to municipal government, and Engage Estero provided initial services to the Village while it concluded formation.
Proactively preventing the City of Bonita Springs from annexing crucial Estero property provided for a cohesive community and kept tax dollars in our own community.
Transportation planning involvement resulting in more than doubling north-south arterial lanes in Estero. Support for enhanced bicycle and pedestrian access resulted in the Village Bike-Ped Plan.
Engage Estero’s Transportation Committee participates in and monitors the planning that often takes place a decade ahead of time to ensure funding is provided when infrastructure improvements are needed. We notify the public of important input opportunities, and represent our communities at important planning events.
Engage Estero supported the expansion of Koreshan State Historic Park, the purchase of the Estero River property, and the establishment of the Estero Community Park.
Engage Estero informs residents of opportunities and threats to public spaces in the Village and mobilizes residents when important decisions are made.
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Engage Estero provides action alerts, community news, and regular reports on issues affecting the quality of life in the greater Estero area. Sign up to be on the list.
