Bonita intervenes in developer, country club dispute

There's still no white flag between developer Ronto Group and Worthington Country Club residents, despite an intervention by the Bonita Springs City Council on May 22.

In the May meeting the council directed Ronto to pay $875,000 to Worthington Master Association and allot a five-foot strip of easement to the development. Matt Uhle, the lawyer representing Worthington, argued that the transcript from May 22 wasn't clear on how much land was to be allotted to Worthington and said no agreement can be made until the council makes another ruling.

The confusion stemmed from the order of motions made by the council. The first motion, made by Mayor Jay Arend, suggested Ronto pay Worthington $800,000 and allot the residents a five-foot easement. The motion failed.

Immediately following, Councilman Pat McCourt motioned to increase the payment to Worthington to $875,000. That motion passed.

Uhle argued that that the second motion didn't include the five-foot specification. Charles Basinait, Ronto's lawyer, said the five-foot easement was intended to carry over to McCourt's motion.

"We didn't necessarily agree with that maintenance area, but I said five feet specifically," Basinait argued in today's council meeting. "That was a very intentional statement on my part."

City Attorney Audrey Vance carefully implied she agreed with Basinait's assessment, but gave the issue to council.

Council members seemed slightly annoyed to be hearing from the two parties again, who spent most of the May 22 meeting bickering about details. City Manager Gary Price said after the decision that the best compromise doesn't allow\ either party to go home completely satisfied. He said he considered the deal fair for both parties.

The Council agreed today that the motion intended the five-foot easement to be allotted with the $875,000. Worthington will receive the money and land within 30 days after Ronto receives permits to widen Bonita Beach Road to four lanes east of Interstate 75, a project that coincides with its 1,601 condo development plan.