Meeting Minutes for June 16, 2026
Habitat
Community Development District
The regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the Habitat Community Development District was held in the Bella Terra Clubhouse at 20070 Bella Terra Boulevard in Estero, Florida and also via web conference on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 3:30 p.m.
Present and constituting a quorum were:
Larry Roth – Chair
James Meek – Vice Chair
Matthew Elliott – Assistant Secretary
Linda Lea Gibson – Assistant Secretary
Supervisors attending remotely:
Jenny Licht – Assistant Secretary
Also present:
Mandie Rainwater – District Manager, Premier District Management (PDM)
Chris Pepin – Field Manager, Community Field Services
9 residents
Attending remotely:
Megan Wolff – Assistant District Manager, (PDM)
Greg Urbancic – Attorney, Coleman, Yovanovich & Koester, P.A.
Bob Lieberman – Resident
Nathan Dreher – Hoover
Attending later remotely:
John Baker – Engineer, Bowman Engineering
Caller Art
The following is a summary of the actions taken at the Habitat Community Development District Board of Supervisors Meeting.
FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS Call to Order and Roll Call
The meeting was called to order at 3:30 pm by Chair Roth and District Manager Rainwater called the roll. In attendance were Supervisors Roth, Meek, Gibson and Elliott with Supervisor Licht attending remotely. Also in attendance were District Manager Mandie Rainwater, Field Manager Chris Pepin, and 9 residents. Online were Assistant District Manager Megan Wolff, Attorney Greg Urbancic, Bob Lieberman, and Nathan Dreher from Hoover. Joining later online was Engineer John Baker and Caller Art.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Meek, seconded by Supervisor Elliott, with all in favor, the Board approved the remote participation of Supervisor Licht.
SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS Pledge of Allegiance
THIRD ORDER OF BUSINESS Approval of the Agenda
The agenda was presented amended adding Section 5Diii, 6Aiii, and Section 7E.
Engineer John Baker joined the meeting online at 3:35 p.m.
On MOTION by Supervisor Elliott, seconded by Vice Chair Meek, with all in favor, the Board approved the Agenda, as amended.
FOURTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Audience Comments on Agenda Items
Susan Prock expressed concerns regarding pedestrian safety at the crosswalk near the clubhouse. She recommended installing flashing crosswalk lights, beginning with the clubhouse area. She stated that she has witnessed several near misses involving pedestrians and is concerned that someone could eventually be struck by a vehicle.
Sally Bacarella addressed the issue of calcification on the Clock Tower and inquired about responsibility for street sign maintenance within the community. She noted that the street sign for Irsina Drive is chipping and requested this be reviewed.
FIFTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Consent Agenda
A. Items to be Pulled for Discussion
No items were pulled.
Discussion was moved to Section 6Aiii for Board discussion and consideration.
B. Motion to Approve Consent items
All consent items were approved.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Meek, seconded by Supervisor Gibson, with all in favor, the Board approved all consent items.
C. Consideration of Items Pulled for Discussion
D. Consent Items
i. Draft Regular Meeting Minutes for May 19, 2026
ii. Financial Report for April 2026
iii. Project Tracking Logs
iv. Financial Report for May 2026
SIXTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Staff Reports
A. Irrigation Contractor
i. Breakage Discussion – Follow Up
ii. Valves – Update
No Limit located the missing isolation valves and updated the GIS mapping to reflect valve locations and mainline break information. All valves are operational and the irrigation system is functioning as intended.
A caller by the name of Art joined online at 4:51p.m.
iii. Hoover – Pump Station 6 Replacement – Proposal
District Manager Rainwater presented Hoover’s proposal for the replacement of the entrance pump station in the amount of $238,892.10. Nathan Dreher of Hoover reviewed the proposed improvements, explaining that the original station replacement in 2004 did not include discharge filtration. He discussed the proposed design, filtration system, intake configuration, and monitoring capabilities, noting that the layout may be modified as needed to accommodate site conditions while maintaining functionality.
Chair Roth inquired about the proposed station layout and how it compared to examples shown in project photographs. Mr. Dreher explained that the footprint may vary due to space constraints and electrical requirements but would function in the same manner. He also noted that the design includes an additional pad and several options for accommodating existing fencing and utilities.
The Board also discussed long-term irrigation infrastructure needs and the potential replacement of the remaining pump stations. District Manager Rainwater advised that preliminary cost estimates for additional replacement work could exceed $1 million and may warrant consideration of future financing options, including a bond issue. Board members discussed the advantages and disadvantages of replacing pump stations in phases versus completing multiple projects at one time. The Board expressed interest in gathering additional financial information and obtaining community input before pursuing any large-scale financing plan.
Mr. Dreher advised that installation of Pump Station 6 would generally require a lead time of approximately six to ten weeks and confirmed that the proposed Flowguard monitoring system would allow for remote monitoring and operational support. Annual maintenance costs for the monitoring service were also reviewed.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Meek, seconded by Supervisor Elliott, with all in favor, the Board approved the Hoover Proposal for Pump Station 6 replacement in the amount of $238,892.10.
The Board subsequently discussed the previously approved contract with Kapur Landscaping for system evaluation services and determined those services were no longer necessary.
On Motion of Supervisor Gibson, seconded by Supervisor Elliott, with all in favor, the Board approved the cancellation of Kapur Landscaping’s contract.
The Board authorized District Manager Rainwater to further investigate financing options, including potential bond financing for future irrigation and infrastructure improvements, and directed staff to schedule a future workshop to discuss options and obtain community feedback.
Nathan Dreher left the meeting at 4:28 p.m.
The Board then returned to Item 6Ai, Breakage Discussion – Follow Up.
B. District Manager
i. FY2027 Budget Discussion
District Manager Rainwater advised that the public hearing has been scheduled and will be advertised accordingly.
District Manager Rainwater also reported on June 13, 2026 a minor believed to be a resident in the community, damaged a sign while driving a stolen vehicle. An estimate from Estate in the amount of $1,927.71 was received for landscape replacement. The Board requested that the replacement landscaping be consistent in size with the material that was damaged.
On MOTION by Supervisor Gibson, seconded by Supervisor Licht, with all in favor, the Board approves for Chair Roth to sign an updated Estate estimate when received.
The Board directed Field Manager Pepin to coordinate with Lykins to obtain a proposal for replacement of the damaged street sign.
District Manager Rainwater to coordinate with the District’s insurance carrier to resolve all of the issues.
C. Field Manager
i. Current Field Report
Field Manager Pepin reported that the aeration system serving Lake 3 East is not functioning properly. He also advised that exposed electrical lines at Lake 9 had been repaired
Mr. Pepin provided an update on preserve areas, noting that a homeowner continues to dispose of vegetation debris within the preserve. A notice was sent advising the resident that vegetation debris may be placed curbside for collection.
Mr. Pepin reported that the County repaired a pothole within the community. He also noted that street sign cleaning would begin that week and that pressure washing is scheduled for October.
ii. Project Updates
a. Road Pavement Markers – Update
Field Manager Pepin reported that installation of the road pavement markers is scheduled to begin later in the week and is expected to be completed by the end of the month. He noted that he received white markers instead of the required white and red markers for the roundabouts, which may delay work in those areas until the correct materials are received. Installation of the remaining markers is expected to begin as scheduled. Staff will send an e-blast to residents regarding anticipated road closures.
b. Estate – Sod Replacement – Update
The sod replacement project is anticipated to be completed by the end of the month; however, completion may be delayed if rainfall remains below normal levels.
c. Kelleher – Clock Tower Basin Leak Repair – Ratification
Repairs to the Clock Tower basin were completed on June 12, 2026. Field Manger Pepin noted that a follow-up inspection confirmed there were no leaks and the Clock Tower entrance remained dry.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Meek, seconded by Supervisor Gibson, with all in favor, the Board ratified the proposal from Kelleher Renovations for the repair of the clock tower basin leak in the amount of $3,217.50.
d. Estate – Clock Tower Drain Cleaning – Ratification
The project is anticipated to be completed by the end of the month.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Meek, seconded by Supervisor Gibson, with all in favor, the Board ratified the proposal from Estate for the clock tower drain cleaning in the amount of $210.03.
e. FLGIS – ROV Inspection Report
Per an email update from Felipe Lemus, FLGIS, suspended storm drain inspections due to low water levels in many of the lines and expects to resume inspections in early July. The inspection report is anticipated to be available for review at the August meeting. The PS4 replacement is also expected to be completed this month.
D. Attorney
i. Annual Form 1 Reminder
District Attorney Urbancic provided an election update, noting that two candidates qualified and were elected unopposed, while one seat will be contested in the upcoming election.
E. Engineer
i. Lake Bank Restoration Permitting – Update
Engineer Baker advised that he has requested the resubmittal fee from PDM for the latest permit submission. He noted that he hopes this will be the final round of comments before the LDO permit is issued. Staff will notify him once the payment is ready.
SEVENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Discussion/Action Items
A. Hurricane Pre-Authorization Forms
District Manager Rainwater discussed the approaching hurricane season and advised that Community Field Services, along with Pristine Lakes and Wetlands and Estate, offer pre-authorization agreements for post-storm cleanup services should the District elect to utilize them.
On MOTION by Supervisor Elliott, seconded by Supervisor Licht, with all in favor, the Board approved the signing of all three Hurricane Pre-Authorization Forms.
B. Cul De Sac Ride Around Report
Supervisor Licht reported that the cul-de-sacs meet District standards. She noted that Estate is receptive to feedback but expressed concern regarding follow-through on maintenance items, including the ixoras surrounding CDD signs, which require additional attention.
District Manager Rainwater reported that five palms have been identified with Ganoderma. Staff will notify the affected associations and coordinate with Estate regarding tree removal and ongoing remediation efforts.
C. Broken Yield Sign – Follow Up
Field Manager Pepin reported that the damaged sign will be replaced, as the post could not be repaired. The Board directed staff to seek replacement quotes for future damaged signs rather than repair quotes. A temporary sign has been installed, and no further action will be taken against the resident.
D. Flashing Solar Crosswalk Signs – Discussion & Proposal
District Manager Rainwater presented a proposal from Lykins for solar flashing crosswalk signs at a cost of $14,550 per crosswalk. The Board discussed alternatives and noted that a Limited Development Order would be required. After discussion, the item was tabled and removed from the agenda.
E. SEMCO X-Bond Micro Cement Data for Clock Tower Resurfacing
The Board discussed potential resurfacing options for the clock tower and reviewed areas that may require treatment. Staff will obtain a video and use existing measurements to determine the scope of work and request proposals. The project will not move forward until after the rainy season.
EIGHTH ORDER OF BUSINESS H.O.A. Report
HOA President Lieberman reported that the gatehouse and palm damage should be covered under the insurance claim and noted that a revised landscape proposal is being prepared.
He provided an update on the cell tower project, stating that Verizon has begun work, T-Mobile is awaiting scheduling, and contract negotiations with AT&T are ongoing. Irrigation and landscaping associated with the project are expected to be completed the following week.
He also reported that the Master HOA has executed its hurricane pre-authorization forms and is nearing approval of a fence extension along Corkscrew Road.
The HOA requested that the CDD consider installing an additional stop sign near the guardhouse to help slow traffic and will provide a photo and location for Board review.
NINTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Supervisors Request
Chairman Roth asked whether the clock tower fountain operating hours could be reduced from 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. to conserve costs. The Board briefly discussed the current operating schedule, including morning start times and the potential savings from reducing hours. Following discussion, the Board reached consensus to leave the fountain operating schedule unchanged.
TENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Audience Comments
Resident Sally Bacarella expressed concerns regarding proposed clock tower resurfacing options and encouraged the Board to consider alternative materials and design approaches before proceeding
A Resident emphasized the importance of communication between the CDD, HOA, and residents and requested that meeting agendas be distributed to the community. Staff advised that agendas are posted on the District website in advance of meetings and explained that using HOA email distribution lists for CDD communications could create public records concerns. The Board acknowledged the comments and discussed opportunities to increase resident awareness of upcoming meetings.