Meeting Minutes for March 17, 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, March 17, 2026 at 3:30 p.m.
Present and constituting a quorum were:
Larry Roth – Chair
James Meek – Vice Chair
Matthew Elliott – Assistant Secretary
Jenny Licht – Assistant Secretary
Linda Lea Gibson – Assistant Secretary
Also present:
Mandie Rainwater – District Manager, Premier District Management (PDM)
John Baker – Engineer, Bowman Engineering
6 Residents
Attending remotely:
Greg Urbancic – Attorney, Coleman, Yovanovich & Koester, P.A.
Melissa Gindling – Assistant District Manager, (PDM)
Attending later:
Felipe Lemus – FL GIS Solutions (FLGIS)
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 Mandie Rainwater called the roll. In attendance were Supervisors Roth, Meek, Licht, Gibson and Elliott. Also in attendance were District Manager Mandie Rainwater, John Baker, Engineer, and 6 residents. Joining later was Felipe Lemus, FL GIS Solutions. Online were Assistant District Manager Melissa Gindling and Attorney Greg Urbancic.
SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS Pledge of Allegiance
THIRD ORDER OF BUSINESS Approval of the Agenda
The agenda was presented amended adding 6Ai, 6Ciia, 6Eia, and 7F.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Meek, seconded by Supervisor Gibson, with all in favor, the Board approved the Agenda, as amended.
FOURTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Audience Comments on Agenda Items
Resident Diane Meek asked about the pipes that are located on the ground near lake 1 and when they may be removed.
FIFTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Consent Agenda
A. Items to be Pulled for Discussion
No items were pulled.
B. Motion to Approve Consent items
All consent items were approved.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Meek, seconded by Supervisor Elliott, 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 February 17, 2026
ii. Project Tracking Logs
iii. Fiscal Year 2025 Audit – Grau & Associates
Hard copies have been provided to each supervisor. The audit results were positive, with no findings reported.
iv. Arbitrage Report and Engagement Letter
District Manager Rainwater reviewed the letter from LLS Tax Solutions Inc., noting that a copy was provided and the report was also included in the Agenda Packet. The arbitrage rebate report for the annual period ended January 27, 2026 indicates that there is no cumulative rebate liability and no rebate is required by the District at this time. The next annual arbitrage rebate calculation date is January 27, 2027. An engagement letter for the upcoming year was also provided in the amount of $500.
On MOTION by Chair Roth, seconded by Supervisor Gibson, with all in favor, the Board approved LLS Tax Solutions’ engagement letter in the amount of $500.rn
SIXTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Staff Reports
A. Irrigation Contractor
i. Breakage Discussion – Kapur Proposal
District Manager Rainwater reported on the proposal from Kapur, which was included in the Additional Materials Agenda Packet, excluding the Bowman add-on for coordination. The proposed cost from Kapur is $51,000. For comparison, the Bowman proposal totaled $49,980, and the proposal from Insight was $30,000, pending confirmation that the quote remains valid.
The Board discussed the various proposals and inquired whether additional costs would be incurred for personnel traveling from out of town. Staff will follow up to obtain this information. The item was tabled pending further details.
B. District Manager
i. Budget FY 2027 Discussion
District Manager Rainwater reviewed the budget schedule for FY2027 and were asked to let Staff know if there were certain areas they would like to see funds go. Possible places to increase the budget such as irrigation pumps, road reserves, lake banks, and clocktower were mentioned. Staff will create projections and then the Board could consider assessment levels.
ii. Resolution 2026-04 – General Election
District Manager Rainwater stated Resolution 2026-04 allows the Lee County Supervisor Of Elections to continue to administer the CDD’s elections and provides the text of the legal notice for publication.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Meek, seconded by Supervisor Gibson, with all in favor, the Board adopted Resolution 2026-04.
C. Field Manager
i. Current Field Report
District Manager Rainwater provided the field report.
L25 is expected to improve during the rainy season following spike rush treatment. At L15, staff will ask Premier Lakes to reduce littorals in a small area. Algae and weed levels remain minimal, and rainfall should further improve conditions.
A small aeration leak was identified at L17. Exposed electrical wires at L12 remain unaddressed by Premier Lakes. Grasses at L7 will be installed closer to the rainy season. Aquatic Weed completed its semi-annual preserve maintenance, and SFWMD is expected to reinspect and confirm Habitat Community compliance.
A fallen branch behind 21101 Palese Drive will be removed. Oak leaf debris was noted, but streets appeared wind-blown at the time of the meeting, and the Board decided to wait to see if leaves re-accumulate. Field Service Manager repaired a trip hazard at Irsina and Bella Terra Blvd, and another contractor is being consulted on road sign repairs.
The ER gate malfunction was repaired by a vendor. The solar light at Bella Terra Blvd and Cleto is out again and has been reported. At the flagpole, a broken light and missing electrical covers were reported for repair. Three additional sidewalk sections were identified for repair, and a proposal will be obtained.
The last visual inspection occurred in January 2025, with cleaning of areas over 40% completed in March 2025. An open manhole cover at L27 was secured by Field Manager Pepin. The PS4 leak has been repaired; PS-6 will be discussed later. Both wells are operating approximately six hours daily until the rainy season. Field Manager Pepin has identified 26 isolation valves to date.
The hose bib at the clock tower is complete. Supervisor Elliott reinforced it during a site visit, while Vice Chair Meek expressed concern the hose may be taken. A lockable hose box or vendor-supplied hoses were discussed, and staff will request Field Manager Pepin provide a quote for a lockable box. Pipes on Lake 1, removed during pump inspection, are now recommended for replacement and will be removed once the project is complete.
ii. Project Updates
a. Update Pump Station 6 on Lake 1
District Manager Rainwater reported that as of this morning, no proposal has been received. The Board inquired about the status of the pump station, noting that community water pressure is low and irrigation may not be functioning optimally. District Manager Rainwater will provide an update once the Field Manager Pepin returns from vacation.
D. Attorney
Mr. Urbancic reported to the Board that the legislative session ended last week. He also provided an update on proposed legislation establishing a formal process to recall CDD supervisors. The bill introduces a petition process for registered voters, followed by a special election conducted by the Supervisor of Elections if petition requirements are met. The bill seems to be advancing but, has not been signed yet.
E. Engineer
i. Lake Bank Restoration Planning
a. Civil Plan
Mr. Baker provided the civil plans, which will be submitted to the Village of Estero as part of the Limited Development Order (LDO) modification for the lake banks. Errors were identified in the draft plans held by the Board and will be corrected prior to submission. He also reported that Charlie Kribbs is seeking clarification on whether the entire bank must be repaired or only the sections in need. Further guidance will be provided before the next meeting.
ii. Emergency Exit/Turf Block Update
Mr. Baker informed the Board that the turf block has been fully restored and the matter is resolved. Mr. Pepin reported that the gate previously stuck open when exercised, prompting a vendor visit. The vendor discovered rats in the control panel, which caused wiring damage. The Board requested that Field Manager Pepin engage an exterminator to address the rodent issue.
SEVENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Discussion/Action Items
A. Tabled Proposal – Multi-Year ROV Stormwater System Inspection
Felipe Lumus arrived at 4:30 p.m.
Mr. Lumus attended the meeting and was available to answer Board questions. He had previously provided a link for distribution containing work product examples and videos for review. The Board noted that this type of inspection provides a good baseline for future events and is not required annually; it could be scheduled on a rotational basis after the initial inspection. Chair Roth inquired about the availability of a permanent camera system, which is not available technology.
On MOTION by Supervisor Elliott, seconded by Chair Roth, with all in favor, the Board approved the proposal, authorizing use of general funds if necessary for Phase 1 and establishing a budget line for the remaining four phases ROV plan with FLGIS .
B. Follow Up – Dry Retention Basin Clean Up
District Manager Rainwater reported on a follow-up from Field Manager Pepin and indicated that all work is anticipated to be completed by the end of the month. The contractor is using Cosenza Court as a staging area and will have the rip rap dumped on the grass to avoid creating a mess on the roadway.
C. Ratification – Repair 3 Phase Electrical
After a meeting with the contractor, Supervisor Elliott confirmed that the method being used was appropriate, and the proposal was signed by the Chair. Supervisor Elliott inquired if the work had been completed. District Manager Rainwater reported there is no update yet. Supervisor Elliott clarified that he was checking on billing and District Manager Rainwater confirmed no billing has occurred to date and will follow up with Field Manager Pepin upon return.
On MOTION by Chair Roth, seconded by Supervisor Elliott, with all in favor, the Board ratified the proposal from West Coast Electrical for the three phase repair.
D. Tabled Discussion – Resident Request for Action – Aerator Cover
Regarding noise reduction, a proposal for a three-sided noise reduction structure was received from Fountain King. One resident is waiting to see if the aerator noise can be controlled, while another resident has not yet responded to Field Manager Pepin. District Manager Rainwater reported that an aerator cover was sent to the requesting resident, but Field Manager Pepin has not received a reply. The other noisy aerator has been addressed by Premier Lakes, and resident Mr. Vaa would like to see if the cover is successful in other locations. This item has been tabled.
E. Report – Cul De Sac Ride Around
Supervisor Licht reported that the community medians are in poor condition due to lack of water. During a cul-de-sac ride-around, she noted minimal maintenance by Estate and plans to address this with them. She also requested the removal of animal waste signs in the cul-de-sacs. Supervisor Licht raised concerns regarding the high number of deer in the community and potential control measures. While the CDD owns the medians, responsibility for their care lies with the Master HOA. HOA President Robert Lieberman stated that the HOA is preparing a 2027 budget to address median maintenance.
F. Proposal – Kelleher Clock Tower
Field Manager Pepin had Kelleher Renovations review the clock tower issues mentioned at the last meeting and provided estimates for each task. District Manager Rainwater presented Kelleher’s proposal for repairs inside the clock tower, which Field Manager Pepin had previously informed the Board about in February.
On MOTION by Vice Chair Meek, seconded by Supervisor Gibson, with all in favor, the Board approved the proposal from Kelleher to complete three tasks for the clock tower.
EIGHTH ORDER OF BUSINESS H.O.A. Report
HOA President Robert Lieberman provided an update, reporting that the cell tower installation is delayed while a larger machine is being sourced. He requested the Board consider moving the speed humps from the back to the front of the community. District Manager Rainwater noted that removal may damage the humps. The Board discussed permitting requirements, and Mr. Baker indicated that permits would likely be required, with FDOT consultation necessary. Requirements could include a traffic study or an outright denial.
The HOA is also redesigning the parking lot to one-way traffic with golf cart parking. District Manager Rainwater noted that more individuals and businesses are being turned away at the gate, and it was suggested to post a reminder for gate attendants about the public nature of the streets.
Supervisor Licht raised concerns about parking violations during open houses. Mr. Lieberman clarified that open house attendees are not held accountable since they are not residents. Vice Chair Meek also mentioned realtor signs being placed on CDD property.
NINTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Supervisors Request
Supervisor Licht raised concerns regarding rats at the emergency gate and requested that Field Manager Pepin explore engaging an exterminator. Staff will relay this request.
TENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Audience Comments
Resident Bob Vaa inquired about the age of the system pumps, but that information was not available at the time of the meeting. He also informed the Board that the Hoover company, which installed the original pumps for the community, is still in operation in Sarasota. Staff will follow up.
Another resident asked which direction vehicles would turn when exiting the emergency gate and was advised that the exit would require a right turn.