2-09-26 - Presidents 2026 Kick Off Message

Happy 2026! I want to begin by thanking everyone who participated in the surveys we recently distributed. Your feedback is invaluable—we want to understand your concerns so we can effectively share them with the City Council and city staff. We received nearly 300 responses, which is fantastic. I have already met with the mayor to discuss the results and will be sharing them with Council and city staff over the coming weeks.

In 2025, development continued along Pine Island Road, and that momentum will carry into 2026, with several projects in the permitting phase. This year will bring progress on three major developments in Northwest Cape Coral. In January, the Council approved the development agreement with Forest Development, allowing the Gulf Gateway Resort and Marina Village at Seven Islands to move forward. Coral Grove on Pine Island Road is scheduled to begin infrastructure installation in the first half of the year, with vertical construction expected in the second half. The Hudson Creek development is also installing infrastructure and will begin connecting to city utilities. All three projects are mixed-use and will bring much-needed commercial opportunities to the Northwest.

We are finally seeing recommendations and funding from the Lee County Commissioners to improve safety along the 5.7-mile, two-lane stretch of Burnt Store Road, while funding is being secured to expand it to four lanes. We will continue working closely with the Burnt Store Road Corridor Coalition and county commissioners to ensure these recommendations are implemented.

This year, three City Council seats—including District 6—are up for reelection, along with the mayoral seat. There are currently four candidates who have filed for District 6.  As a 501(c)(4) organization, we cannot endorse candidates. However, we will actively engage with candidates to better understand their positions on the major challenges and opportunities facing Cape Coral and the Northwest. We’ve launched a new dedicated political section on NWcape.com, which will be regularly updated to help inform your decisions in the upcoming election.

It’s shaping up to be another busy year in one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Our volunteer committee chairs remain committed to staying on top of these issues and ensuring the interests of our Northwest members are well represented. We’ve updated our website with new content and will continue to keep you informed through our bulletins. Please watch for member meeting announcements in early March, May, September, and for our social event in November.  We are also looking into adding more social events this year.

Last year marked the opening of Crystal Lake, and in the months ahead, we expect the completion of Tropicana Park and Phase 1 of Festival Park. Improvements to Joe Stonis Park and Sirenia Vista Park will also continue. Through the recent survey, the city is seeking additional community recommendations for future park enhancements.

If you haven’t already, take a drive down Embers Parkway. Median beautification is nearly complete, and it looks incredible. This project provides a preview of what Old Burnt Store Road, Tropicana Parkway, Gulfstream Parkway, Yucatan Parkway, and Kismet Parkway will look like following completion of UEP Phase 3. Speaking of UEP3, the project is in its final design stages, with construction potentially beginning in 2027.