Members of the Lehigh Acres Community Planning Corp. urged vice chairman Edd Weiner to proceed with draft plans for a section of Leonard Blvd. in Lehigh where he has designed three round-abouts, to improve the traffic flow in the area.

Weiner, with a background in planning, drew up a “site plan” showing the round-abouts that are evenly spaced in the area where motorists will not have to make left turns in heavy traffic. Parks are planned in Weiner’s plan with one with a fountain. The round-abouts are set for areas near the Westminster golf club community.

Weiner told the group that the project may be eligible for a DOT grant for the 2014-2014 budget year.

Linda Carter, a fellow member of the LACPC, had suggested at an earlier meeting that Weiner add cross walks at the three site for pedestrians to cross over without having to dodge traffic. They were included in Weiner’s latest drawing, which was exhibit on the wall behind the group.

The idea was so much liked that one of the members even suggested something like that on Beth Stacy Blvd.

“I commend you for what your work,” said Bo Turbeville, chairman of the LACPC.

If a grant can’t be secured to pay for the round-abouts. Another way to pay for the round-aboauts is the forming of a tax district known as a MSBU, but the group said it was not interested in forming such a tax district to fund the project.

Turbeville said he also like the project because of the sidewalks. “They intrigue me,” he said. Willard Baker, a strong supporter of sidewalks was not at the meeting.

Damon Shelor, another member of the planning group, said he also liked the concept and suggested that other areas in Lehigh be considered. He mentioned an area at 12th St. W. and Sunshine Blvd. as an example.

Richard Georgian, another member, said the plans by Weiner looked good. “I like the concept. It’s really exciting. It new and creative for Lehigh Acres.”

Georgian also raised the question about the future of the LACPC now that its mission of getting a community plan written and accepted by the county. He asked if the board would or may become an architectural board.

Others said they believe the LACPC would remain as an advisory board, similar to one in Bonita Springs. Weiner said he believed an architectural board could be a spin-off of the ECWCD, which is a private corporation and not part of Lee County government.

However, the Lee County Commission has asked developers and others with plans for Lehigh to come before the LACPC for input and Commissioner Frank Mann has said in the past that the Commission is interested in how the advisory board feels about any and all projects planned for Lehigh.

Shelor said he saw an important future for the LACPC.

“Our job is not finished. I would like to see people come out of other organizations and be a part of it. We have a lot of work to do in Lehigh, roads, round-abouts, the Homestead Corridor project and the Luckett Rd. Extension,” Shelor said.

The group rehashed plans for Flint’s Pavilion which developers would like to build on land north of the old Admiral Lehigh Resort and the old Auditorium. Nobody was present from the developers, but they appeared at the meeting last month with a site plan. The group told them they would like to see a restaurant on a lake in the rear of the property and to see parking behind a planned building rather than in front. It was even suggested that the engineers go back to the developers and suggest the building be used as a multi-movie complex.

The group noted last week that it also gave a strong message that it expected the old oak trees, some of the few left in Lehigh, not be removed. The engineer at the meeting said those suggestions would be considered and most likely the trees would remain.

Shelor, who have lived here for several years, said the old oaks were among the last remains of such type trees in Lehigh.

Gregorian said he would like to see the complex become a performance arts center with the movie theater and a nice restaurant overlooking the lake.

The next meeting is the second Wednesday night of June 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Park Community Center.

Few people attend these meetings, but the County Commission says the group is an important one.

Turbeville and others encouraged people of Lehigh to attend to voice their opinions as the Lehigh Master Plan begins to take effect.