When Lee County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Mike Greenwell was hitting home runs for the Boston Red Sox three decades ago, running for political office was about the last thing on his mind. He still does not consider himself a politician though he takes his politics seriously representing District 5 on the commission.

“I didn’t think I was going to be a politician and I still don’t think I’m a politician,” Greenwell said.

The Alva Republican and former Red Sox All-Star faces a primary challenge from fellow Alva resident and Realtor Amanda Cochran, with the main issue between the two being the level of development in their communities and countywide.

Cochran, who manages and co-owns RE/MAX River & Ranch, believes the commission has been too permissive in allowing zoning changes that go against the county’s comprehensive plan, including a rezoning of Greenwell’s property that led to a lawsuit she has filed against the county.

He has countered that the rezoning was necessary after the state took approximately 17 acres of his property for an expanded highway on State Road 31 that connects to Babcock Ranch.

PHOTO PROVIDED Mike Greenwell

For Greenwell, this political fight is shaping up to be about as tough as any at-bat he faced as a ballplayer. He is seeking a second term in office after being appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022 to fill the seat left vacant by the late Frank Mann. Greenwell went on to win a three-way Republican primary and then a special election.

Cochran, a sixth-generation Lee County resident, said the lawsuit she filed led to a greater awareness of the decisions and actions by the county commissioners in approving developments in the county.

“What led me to my decision to run is seeing there are several communities concerned about overdevelopment in Lee County,” she said.

Cochran is concerned in particular about Greenwell’s North Olga property, which has been approved by the commission for a rezoning to allow for 400,000 square feet of commercial space and 122 multifamily units.

In the lawsuit, she alleges that the project will be the largest commercial development ever requested by anyone on State Road 31. Cochran alleges that the county’s rezoning of the property is spot zoning, allowing commercial development in a rural agricultural area.

PHOTO PROVIDED Amanda Cochran

She said that while she understands Greenwell is losing about 17 acres to the state for the road expansion, the result would be “urban sprawl.” The court case centers around, in part, whether proper notice was given to the public before the 2023 rezoning hearing took place — while Greenwell was on the commission. Another hearing was held in November of 2022, not long after Hurricane Ian.

The main concern regarding the project for Cochran is traffic and safety.

“Traffic is more than an issue. It’s a life safety issue,” she said.

“We are a little bucolic corner,” Cochran said of the Alva and Olga community that includes some of the last large tracts of large and undisturbed rural lands in the county. “People come out there to gain a sense of exhale from the big city.”

For Greenwell, the rural nature of the community has already started to disappear since Babcock Ranch was developed with commercial components both completed and underway.

He said he is losing over 1 million square feet of his property to eminent domain for the road expansion necessitated by the nearby 18,000-acre Babcock Ranch development, which will ultimately consist of 19,500 homes and an estimated 50,000 residents. Commercial development includes a shopping center anchored by a Publix, with an adjacent center under construction.

As a result, Greenwell will be closing his 31 Produce fruit and vegetable market and his family’s Cracker Shack Cafe. They are both still open for now.

He said the rezoning of his property for commercial development is what is best for his family to compensate him for the loss of his property.

“I didn’t seek out the city of Babcock Ranch, coming up to my property,” Greenwell said. “It (stinks). There is nothing I can do about it.”

As a county commissioner, he touts his work to speed up development of a new road connecting State Road 80 with Alico Road, which he says will lessen travel along Interstate 75 from Lehigh Acres.

“We unfortunately don’t have a gate. The people keep on coming,” he said. “We live in paradise.”

Cochran said her concerns about development extend to other projects throughout the county, including the Kingston project — which could bring up to 10,000 new units and has environmental groups alarmed about the impact to the endangered Florida panther.

“We have to be very careful about the developments coming through after a Category 4 hurricane,” she said. “My heart goes out to the people of Fort Myers Beach and what they have been through.”

Greenwell, who was on Fort Myers Beach during Hurricane Debby, saw firsthand the flooding on the roads there and said more work is needed on Estero Boulevard to fix the drainage.

“We need to fix it,” he said.

Greenwell said development cannot be stopped.

“There is no way to stop the development,” he said.

Cochran said her top issues are infrastructure, road safety, environmental conservation and clean water. She is strictly opposed to amendments approved by the commission to approve zoning changes.

“Stop amending the plan to erode the quality of life that people bought into for a lifestyle,” Cochran said. “We wouldn’t be fighting this if they stuck to the plan. Every time they get an opportunity they amend the comp plan.”

While District 5 covers the area of Alva, Lehigh Acres, Buckingham, Olga and unincorporated eastern Fort Myers, all registered Lee County Republicans can vote in the closed primary race.

The winner will face Fort Myers Democrat Kizzie Fowler in November.

– MIKE GREENWELL (incumbent)

Age: 61

Party: Republican

Occupation: Lee County District 5 Commissioner

Education: North Fort Myers High School

Family: Married, two children

Years in district: 33 years

Campaign website: MikeGreenwell.com

– AMANDA COCHRAN

Age: 49

Party: Republican

Occupation: Owner/manager of RE/MAX River & Ranch

Education: Fort Myers High School

Family: Married, two children

Years in district: 28 years

Campaign website: amandascochran.com