A Conversation About Growth, Infrastructure, Conservation and Accountability
By Amanda Cochran | Candidate for Lee County Commission, District 5
Lee County is experiencing tremendous growth, and with that growth come important decisions about our future. The choices we make today will determine the quality of life for generations to come.
Growth Must Be Planned Responsibly
I strongly believe that growth should pay for growth.
Existing taxpayers should not be left responsible for the roads, intersections, utilities, parks, schools, and public safety infrastructure needed to support new development.
Lee County’s growth has brought many opportunities, but we must acknowledge that development has often moved faster than the infrastructure needed to support it. Many residents experience the consequences every day through traffic congestion, crowded roads and increased pressure on public services.
Moving forward, I believe new development should contribute its fair share through impact fees, proportionate-share agreements and other lawful developer contributions. Florida law requires impact fees to be proportional and reasonably connected to the additional infrastructure needs created by new construction. Before approving major developments, we must ask: Who is paying for the infrastructure? When will it be built? Will existing taxpayers be asked to subsidize it?1
Growth itself is not the problem. Poorly planned growth is. Responsible growth means ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with development.
Protecting Taxpayers and Prioritizing Infrastructure
When considering additional revenue sources, including proposals for an infrastructure sales tax, I believe government must first demonstrate that existing taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely.
Lee County’s budget has grown substantially over time. As revenues increase, we must continue evaluating how resources are prioritized and whether spending aligns with the community’s most important needs. Lee County publishes its annual operating and capital budget books for public review.2
Instead of asking families to pay more, I believe we need a transparent, long-term infrastructure plan that identifies priorities, funding sources, timelines, and accountability measures.
Taxpayers deserve confidence that every dollar is being used effectively.
Let the Voters Decide on Single-Member Districts
The issue of single-member districts is important, and I believe Lee County voters should ultimately decide how their commissioners are elected. A referendum on the question is scheduled for the November 3, 2026, general election.3
There are valid arguments on both sides. Some believe single-member districts strengthen representation by ensuring commissioners are directly accountable to residents of their own district. Others believe the current at-large system encourages commissioners to consider the needs of the entire county.
My own experience has given me a unique perspective. In the 2024 District 5 Republican primary, I received approximately 65% of the votes cast within District 5, according to a campaign precinct analysis, but the office was decided by countywide voting. The official countywide result was 44.67% for my campaign and 55.33% for my opponent. Lee County’s charter currently requires commissioners to reside in a district but be elected countywide.4
However, this issue is much bigger than any one candidate or any one election.
My position is simple: The people should decide. If voters choose single-member districts, I will respect that decision. If they choose to maintain the current system, I will respect that as well.
Supporting Smarter Growth
Growth is inevitable. The question is whether we manage it responsibly.
If smart growth means approving development faster than we build roads, drainage systems, utilities, and public safety infrastructure, then I do not believe we have consistently achieved smart growth.
Smarter growth begins with respecting the Comprehensive Plan and ensuring development decisions reflect the long-term interests of the community.
When repeated amendments and rezonings allow development patterns that exceed what infrastructure can support, the result is predictable: more traffic, greater strain on public services, and impacts to neighborhood character.
I support responsible development, but it must be supported by adequate infrastructure. I also believe we must support local builders, tradespeople and small businesses that invest in our community and take pride in their work.
Growth should create opportunities for local businesses and not simply reward a model focused only on increasing unit counts.
Protecting Conservation and Water Quality
I strongly support restoring funding to Conservation 20/20 because protecting our natural resources is essential to Lee County’s future.
In 2016, 84% of Lee County voters supported continuing the Conservation 20/20 program. They sent a clear message that preserving environmentally sensitive lands, protecting water quality, and maintaining our quality of life matter.5
As Lee County continues to grow, conservation becomes even more important.
Water quality is also a critical concern. Basin Management Action Plans, or BMAPs, are state-developed, site-specific strategies intended to reduce pollutant loads and restore impaired waterbodies. We must continue investing in stormwater improvements, wastewater infrastructure, septic-system solutions and natural lands that help protect our waterways.6
Clean water is not only an environmental issue. It is an economic issue that affects tourism, fishing, agriculture, property values and our overall quality of life.
Government Must Be Transparent and Accountable
I believe government works best when it operates openly and transparently.
The public deserves access to accurate information and meaningful opportunities to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
While the County’s Public Information Office serves an important purpose, transparency requires more than prepared statements. Residents and journalists should have reasonable access to the experts who understand the issues being discussed.
Transparency also means making records accessible, explaining decisions clearly and ensuring residents have a voice before major decisions are finalized.
Government does not exist to manage public perception. It exists to serve the public.
Moving Lee County Forward
The decisions we make today will define the Lee County our children and grandchildren inherit tomorrow.
Our community is growing, and that growth brings tremendous opportunity. It also requires thoughtful leadership, responsible planning and a commitment to doing things the right way. We must ensure infrastructure keeps pace with development, taxpayers are treated as partners and not merely a source of revenue, natural resources are protected, and government remains accountable to the people it serves.
The future of Lee County should not be shaped by short-term decisions or the interests of a select few. It should be guided by what is best for the families, businesses and communities that call Lee County home.
My commitment is simple: listen to residents, ask the tough questions, protect taxpayers, support responsible growth and make decisions based on what will strengthen Lee County for generations to come.
Leadership is not only about managing today’s challenges. It is about having the courage and vision to protect the future we are building together.
Sources and Notes
1. Florida Statutes §163.31801, Florida Impact Fee Act.
2. Lee County Budget Services, Annual Operating and Capital Budget Books, including FY 2025-26.
3. Lee County single-member-district referendum information; the vote is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
4. Lee County Charter, Article II; Lee County Supervisor of Elections, official Aug. 20, 2024 primary results. The approximately 65% within-district figure is identified as a campaign precinct analysis, not a separately published official district-only result.
5. Lee County Conservation 20/20 land-management records state that the 2016 continuation referendum passed with an 84% majority.
6. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Basin Management Action Plans.
| EDITOR’S NOTE: This is candidate commentary submitted by Amanda Cochran. The views expressed are the author’s. East Lee County News added source citations for factual context and verification. |
