ANDREA GALABINSKI Planning Panel president John Gardner talks about an upcoming informational meeting.

The next meeting of the North Fort Myers Community Planning Panel is scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, at 6 p.m., at the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce located at the Shell Factory, 2787 N. Tamiami Trail.

“Basically the meeting is to introduce the consultant hired by Lee County, which is Johnson Engineering, and they’ll give an overview if what they are looking to accomplish,” said Planning Panel President John Gardner.

Jim Mudd, principal planner, Division of Planning for the Lee County Department of Community Development, and other county staffers are expected to attend.

This is the next step in future development of the North Fort Myers area, said Gardner. Input from many meetings and ideas from members of the panel and the community were incorporated into the Lee County Plan. “Johnson Engineering was brought aboard to work with the Planning Panel on land development code changes regarding our two centers and corridors,” Gardner said. “They’ll be working with us on things like that, taking input from business owners and stakeholders.”

The public is invited to this informational meeting, and then a series of public meetings are planned.

“The Hancock Bridge Parkway extension will certainly be a topic in the future and the county is moving forward with it’s feasibility study,” he said.

Concerning inclusion of future growth concepts in the Lee Plan, Gardner said parts are accepted and some are still in discussion in Tallahassee.

“The state had questions on a few things, we are still in a process,” he said.

Gardner is also the president of the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce.

For information on the meeting, contact Gardner through the chamber offices at 997-9111.