FEMA PUBLIC NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRANSPORTABLE TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT GROUP SITE KNOWN AS THE HERITAGE HEIGHTS GROUP HOUSING SITE FORT MYERS, FLORIDA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) herby gives notice to the public of its intent to construct the Heritage Heights Group Housing Site. FEMA has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for a proposed Manufactured Housing Unit (MHU) group site. The site may provide suitable temporary housing opportunities for individuals and families displaced under the major disaster declaration for Hurricane Ian (FEMA-4673-DR-FL) for the incident period beginning September 23, 2022, and ending November 4, 2022, signed by the President on September 29, 2022.
The proposed action includes developing an approximately 9.3-acre site for up to approximately 59 MHUs to be located at 10660 Golden Journey Rd, Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida (GPS Coordinates: 26.510561, -81.927553). Activities may include, where necessary, site clearing, grading, road construction, the placement of utilities (electricity, telephones, water, and sewer), and the transport and installation of manufactured homes to the site. The group site is intended to be operational for up to 18 months.
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations implementing NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 1500–1508), FEMA’s Instruction 108-1-1 for implementing NEPA, the National Historic Preservation Act, Executive Order 11988, Executive Order 11990, and 44 CFR Part 9, FEMA has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment (EA). An alternatives analysis was performed, which included the evaluation of the potential impacts of the proposed action on the human and natural environment, and the no action alternative. The draft EA summarizes the purpose and need, site selection process, affected environment, and potential environmental consequences associated with the proposed action and no action alternatives.
Further detailed descriptions of the alternatives may be reviewed in the draft EA conducted by FEMA and is available for public review at the State of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) website www.floridadisaster.org; the FEMA website Public Notice for Temporary Group Housing, Heritage Heights Group Site, FEMA-DR-4673-FL, March 2023; the county administrative building, 2115 2nd Street, Fort Myers, Florida 33901; the Heights Foundation building, 15570 Hagie Drive, Fort Myers, Florida 33908; the Lakes Regional Library, 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers, Florida 33919; Lee County Public Work building, 1500 Monroe Street, Fort Myers, Florida 33901; and the Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties Administrative Office, 12751 New Brittany Boulevard, Suite 100, Fort Myers, Florida 33907. If no substantive comments are received, the draft EA will become final and no further public noticing will be conducted.
Presidential Executive Orders 11988 and 11990 require all federal actions in or affecting the floodplain or wetlands be reviewed for opportunities to relocate and evaluated for social, economic, historical, environmental, legal, and safety considerations. The proposed group site is located within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), per Lee County Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) #12071C0418G, dated 11/17/2022. Location of this site within the SFHA is required due to limited site viability within proximity to the population of disaster survivors requiring direct housing assistance. Alternative sites, as well as the no action alternative, were analyzed and dismissed due to a variety of factors including property size limitations, access to utilities, and willingness of landowners to sign a lease agreement with FEMA.
Due to the emergency nature of this action, the public comment period will be brief and limited to a seven-day (7-day) comment period which will end on March 23, 2023, at 5 p.m. ET. Written comments on the draft EA can be sent via email to FEMA-DR4673FL-EHP-PublicComments@fema.dhs.gov. When responding by email, please reference the project name, “Temporary Housing Heritage Heights Group Housing Site” in the subject field.
All other questions regarding disaster assistance or the availability of emergency housing should be directed to FEMA’s Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585, or visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
Updated: Friday, March 17, 2023
