Pineland resident appointed to airport committee
In 1991, Noel Andress and his wife, Karen, drove around the state of Florida looking for the best place to live. They decided it was Pine Island.
“It was close to what it was like when I grew up. They had maintained the Florida lifestyle that I knew as a kid,” said Andress, a fifth generation Floridian who was appointed last month to a volunteer position on the Lee County Port Authority Airports Special Management Committee. “I wanted to do everything I could to keep Pine Island this way.”
The five-member committee serves as an advisory board to the Lee County Board of Port Commissioners, doing research, and reviewing policy, administrative and management issues for the Southwest Florida International Airport and Page Field General Aviation Airport.
Andress, 67, is a real estate broker, investor and owner of Sunmark Realty and Pineland Farms. He is a general partner and manager for Apollo Beach Investments and Andress Family Florida. His past experience has led to expertise in urban land development, water management development, vacant and future land planning, and business development and strategy.
A Pineland resident, he grew up in Manatee County, moving later to Colorado. While owner of a lumber company in Gunnison, Colo., he was appointed to a local planning commission. That began his interest in planning and growth management.
That interest has led to stints with various agencies.
Andress is a member and past chairman of the Lee County Planning Agency and Southwest Florida Watershed Council Board. He is a member and past president of the Greater Pine Island Civic Association. He is a member of the Civic Association Land Use Committee and Lee County Affordable Housing Committee, and is current chair of the Board of Directors for the Rotonda Villas and Meadows Homeowners Association and Rotonda Sands Homeowners Association.
The committee includes one person from each of Lee County’s five districts. Andress, who participated in his first committee meeting on Nov. 30, was appointed by Lee County Commissioner John Manning to fill a vacancy for district 1, Manning’s district.
“I’ve known him a real long time,” said Andress, who is starting his 12th year on the Lee County Local Planning Agency
The airport brings in a lot of revenue and jobs to the community, Andress said.
“It’s a big thing,” he said. “When we tore down the old airport terminal, it freed up a lot of additional development property.”
The management committee will look at any activities or development going on at either airport. Andress said his planning and zoning background will serve him well on the committee.
“I’m excited about it. We’ll be looking at and planning for the future growth of the airport and providing input,” he said. “Once we make recommendations, the county commissioners can either take them or not.”