Community Development District (CDD)

Colonial Country Club CDD is a local special purpose government entity authorized by Chapter 190 of the Florida State Statutes and established by the City of Fort Myers on December 2, 2002. Its purpose was to plan, construct, operate, and maintain our community-wide infrastructure. Our developer, Pulte Home Corporation, took out a 30-year bond in 2003 to cover the costs.  It was re-financed in 2013 to take advantage of a lower interest rate, and your CDD annual assessment on your property tax bill was reduced.  The bond will be paid off in 2033 leaving an Operations and Maintenance fee, currently at $269.27.

• The Colonial Country Club community covers 1699 homes.
• The Whispering Palms community covers 80 homes.
• Total 1779 units.

CDD maintains public infrastructure such as the storm management system which includes:

• 37 lakes, 160 acres of Preserve with a total of 750 acres
• Lakes and Preserves

They are meant to be a storage/retention area for rainwater and storm drain overflow. All water from our storm drains ends up in our lakes. The accumulation of rainwater is funneled to 3 exit points.

• Two exit points into our preserves.
• The third exits into the Gateway Canal that separates us from Treeline Elementary School. Then it flows under I-75 and into the Six Mile Slough.

The lake system is also designed to improve stormwater quality, as impurities are allowed to settle out, be absorbed by aquatic plants, or broken down by natural bacteria.

What are those weeds in the lakes?

They are called littoral shelf plants, or just “littorals,” and they surround our lakes. They are planted five feet below the normal level on a specially designed shelf.  This is a standard procedure in the State of Florida. The variety that was planted by our developer (Pulte) is called Spike Rush. Its primary purpose is to prevent lake bank erosion, both from the wave action of the water and the rainwater flowing from our homes. Erosion to our lake banks can cause serious problems around the slab of the building facing the lake.

Over the years, your CDD Board has also used a geo-tube method of erosion control to prevent bank erosion. You may have seen workers placing base tubes filled with sand from the lakes, along with another fill tube that serves as a basis to lay sod along the shoreline. This is an ongoing effort to protect our shoreline where homes exist.

Your CDD Board also plants other types of littorals such as Pickerelweed, Golden Cana, and Blue Flag Iris. The littoral zone also provides food and habitat for aquatic animals and birds.

Why do we have algae?

Plants have a natural living and dying cycle.  When plants die, they create ideal conditions for algae, though the algae in our stormwater ponds is NOT Bluegreen Algae or Red Tide. Spike Rush is a perennial which grows and dies a number of times throughout the year. In the summer, lake temperatures can reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and this accelerates the dying off.  Fertilizers used on the lawns wash into the lakes and break down the plant life.  Also, something that someone pours down the storm drains, soap, paint, other chemicals etc., can add to the problem.

The savior to seeing less algae is rainfall and cooler lake temperatures.  Summer rains cool the lakes and force the dead plant-life to the bottom of the lake.  Your CDD Board will also consult their lake management contractor to take additional action if the algae growth becomes out of hand.

What else does your CDD maintain?

• Lake Inspections: the contractors may treat exotic plant life such as Torpedo Grass, Cattails, Alligator Weed, Dog Fennel, Climbing Hemp Weed, Spatterdock and Lily Pads.
• Lake Aerators: add oxygen to the water and create churn that helps decrease algae growth.
• Fountains: to beautify the community.
• Fish: a variety are periodically added to the lakes to help control pests by eating larvae.
• Two Butterfly Gardens: a bench, specific butterfly attracting plantings, butterfly signs, wildflowers.
• Boardwalk in the Preserve: two 16-foot square observation areas with a total of 2.89 miles of mixed trails.
• Preserve Maintenance: treatments quarterly and semi-annually to remove exotic and invasive species as required by the environmental resources permit.
• Perimeter Fencing: for community security.
• Stormwater Drains: periodic inspection and cleaning of catch basins, outfall structures, and interconnect pipes (last cleaned in September 2023). 

Questions or concerns for your CDD Board Supervisors may be directed to:

Calvin Teague, Premier District Manager, cteague@cddmanagement.com (239)-690-7100 ext. 101

For more information go to the Colonial Country Club Website and click on Club and Community Services, then Community Development District or go to colonialcdd.com.      (10/2023)