Welcome to the village

The Gulf Coast's newest town is about to be born, and it's in one of the hottest development areas of the Gulf Coast.

The residents of the unincorporated area of Estero in South Lee County voted in the last election to form a municipality, which is now being called the Village of Estero. On March 3, voters there will elect their first village council.

The area is a prime target for developers because of its strategic position halfway between Fort Myers and Naples. Hertz is building an $85 million global corporate headquarters and Lee Memorial Health System plans to build a $140 million health campus in the area.

Still, it's not clear who will win election to the village council and whether any of them will be friendly to entrepreneurs, business owners and developers. Already, there are concerns that Estero may try to control future development on remaining vacant commercial parcels.

In nearby Bonita Springs, for example, city officials imposed a moratorium on new development on large parcels of land east of Interstate 75, tarnishing their business-friendly reputation. The moratorium is scheduled to expire this month, but the debate about growth there will likely continue.