To the editor:

We are so blessed here in Lee County to have a Board of County Commissioners that has developed such an intimate relationship with the developers. It seems that no matter how many rules, regulations and laws that are broken and sidestepped, the commissioners seem to think they are duty bound to give the keys to the county to these developers.

Most of us paid our way, through impact fees, to become residents of this county. Then our wonderful commissioners reduced the impact fees which allowed us, after paying our own way, the privilege of coughing up MILLIONS of dollars to help those after us. Aren’t we just so lucky?

Add to the mix infrastructure planning. That which leaves all of us in traffic jams, creating unneeded pollution and wasting expensive fuel, for inordinate amounts of time. Yes, we are growing at an exponential rate but common sense would have provided a better solution than our county commissioners have. As stated, they reduced the impact fees and have allowed the developers to build willy-nilly without any consideration as to how this affects us and our environment. Developers are allowed to build these small cities in areas, most environmentally sensitive, without providing the necessary infrastructure. Instead, the plans, in most cases, call for the infrastructure to be put in place 10 — 20 years after it is needed. It’s really quite simple; collect the necessary impact fees and do not allow this construction to take place without the infrastructure being built when or before development starts.

Based on the way my fellow citizens vote, they must admire the well-thought-out common-sense approach to county management used by our commissioners. They must enjoy sitting in motionless traffic. They must enjoy spending MILLIONS of their own dollars to help people move here and create these conditions.

Norman Cannon

Fort Myers