Catching Up With the Collier Commissioners
Growth, development, and resiliency are some of the public policy areas addressed by the Collier County commissioners in the first two months of this year.
In this post:
2025 BCC Leadership
At their first meeting of the year, the commissioners unanimously appointed Burt Saunders and Daniel Kowal to serve as chairman and vice-chairman of the Board of County Commissioners for 2025.
Growth and Development
Food Trucks
In February, commissioners unanimously adopted an ordinance amending the County’s Land Development Code to establish provisions allowing permanent food truck parks and “mobile food dispensing vehicles,” including at county parks and in some commercial areas. (2/11/25 Agenda Item 17A Executive Summary; Gulfshore Business)
Unlimited Town Size
In February, commissioners also agreed unanimously to Ave Maria Development, LLLP‘s request to remove the 5,000-acre cap on the size of towns in the County’s Stewardship Receiving Area and to permit the development in them of “employment centers,” including manufacturing, in addition to retail and office developments, which are currently allowed.
This amendment to the county’s growth-management plan, which would expand the size of all towns in Collier, must receive final approval by the Florida Department of Commerce. (2/11/25 Agenda Item 17C Executive Summary; Gulfshore Business)
Other Approvals
Collier County has experienced significant population growth in the past two decades. This growth has been accompanied by increased traffic and pressure on infrastructure. The County’s Growth Management Plan, Land Development Code, and zoning laws can make accommodating that growth more or less difficult.
County staff can approve construction and development projects that comply with existing laws without the commissioners’ approval. However, when a developer or property owner wants to modify the property’s use, density, or intensity in a way not permitted by current law, four of the five commissioners must approve it.
Requests approved at the January and February BCC meetings make possible the construction of the following three projects, all along Tamiami Trail East near Lely Resort (click the link to see the location on a map):
A 200,000-square-foot self-storage facility and limited retail space at Tamiami Trail East and Myrtle Lane, to replace a U-Haul facility with a modernized indoor self-storage building, including a U-Box storage area. (1/14/25 Agenda Item 9C Executive Summary; Naples Daily News)
An 11,000-square-foot commercial district, which may include a 5,000-square-foot car wash, near the intersection of Barefoot Williams Road and Tamiami Trail East. The approval was 4/1; Commissioner Bill McDaniel was opposed. (1/14/25 Agenda Item 9F Executive Summary)
300 multifamily rental units with affordable housing and up to 64,000 square feet of commercial uses, near the intersection of Tamiami Trail East and Greenway Road. The approval was 4/0; Commissioner Saunders was absent. (1/28/25 Agenda Item 7B Executive Summary)
As I described in my post of Dec. 10, commissioners approved 13 specific requests to modify the use of properties in the County last year.
In the Coming Months
In the near future, the BCC will likely consider approval of a developer’s request to build 205 apartments, with 30% reserved for workforce housing, on Immokalee Road. The project, which has the unanimous support of the County’s Planning Board, faces opposition from residents of the neighboring Valencia Trails community, primarily due to traffic concerns. The now-vacant site – at the southwest corner of Immokalee Road and Catawba Street – is currently approved for a mixed-use planned unit development. (Naples Daily News)
Also, in the coming months, commissioners will determine the fate of a proposed second Costco in Collier County. Costco has yet to submit a formal site development plan, which may require zoning variances, but nearby residents have already expressed concerns about traffic, safety, and environmental risks. (Naples Daily News)
Relocating the Naples Airport
The Naples Airport, located on land owned by the City of Naples, is operated by an independent, self-sustaining Airport Authority (NAA) created by the Florida Legislature. Recently, the Naples City Council has been considering moving the airport due to residents’ complaints about the noise.
The first phase of an exploratory study last May identified four possible sites, all in Collier County. (Gulfshore Business)
If a Collier County location is chosen, the Federal Aviation Authority and the BCC would need to approve the move.
In January, commissioners reiterated that they are not interested in discussing or working on an exploratory study about moving the Naples Airport. They were responding to a letter from the NAA asking if the county would work with consultants on a second phase of an exploratory study to delve deeper into four sites identified for a possible move. (Naples Daily News; Gulfshore Business)
Nevertheless, the NAA Board of Commissioners agreed at its Feb. 20 meeting to ask the consultants to begin a narrowed second phase of the study, limited to its financial feasibility. (Naples Daily News)
Coastal Resiliency
Army Corps Pauses Study
The Army Corps of Engineers is pausing its study to find ways to protect Collier County from storm surge and flooding.
This study was the Corps’s second such effort in Collier County. A similar effort launched in 2018 resulted in a tentative plan that included several miles of multiple high coastal barriers. That plan, which was not well-received by the county or the city of Naples, was abandoned.
According to an email from a biologist with the Corps in January, the budgeted funds for the federal agency’s study will likely run out by April or May, and it could take eight to 12 months to secure the additional time and funding needed to complete the work—through the quickest route for reinitiating the study.
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, whose mission is to protect the region’s unique natural environment and quality of life, has closely followed the study. While the study is important, said Carrie Schuman, a climate resilience adviser for the Conservancy, it’s not meant to be the end-all, be-all solution to making Collier County more resilient. (Naples Daily News, Gulf Coast News)
Park Shore Beach Renourishment
A Park Shore Beach Renourishment Project, which started on January 6, is costing more and taking longer than initially planned.
The project to replenish the beach’s sand was initially scheduled to last about six weeks, but more sand will be needed than previously anticipated because the beach experienced multiple storms, including Debby, Helene, and Milton, this past hurricane season.
The $3.2 million initial cost, which is funded by the county’s Tourist Development Tax, increased by $2.7 million. Completion is now anticipated in early April. (2/25/25 Agenda Item 16.B.9 Executive Summary; News Release)
Public Safety
Emergency Medical Services
According to former Collier County Commissioner Penny Taylor and the Naples Daily News, there has been speculation that Collier County may privatize the County’s emergency medical services (EMS) through which paramedics respond and treat patients in the field and take them by ambulance to hospitals. Collier County Manager Amy Patterson outright dismissed the talk and said privatizing EMS is not being considered. Still, according to the Naples Daily News, there are headwinds of change impacting EMS, and “more could be on the way”. (Naples Daily News; Penny Taylor)
For background, see my primer, Fire and Emergency Medical Services in Collier County.
Mental Health Treatment Services
In January, commissioners narrowly approved a contract amendment to allow DeAngelis Diamond to begin construction on a new mental health center at a cost of nearly $50 million. Had they not done so, the cost would have risen by millions. (1/14/25 Agenda Item 10.B)
The board originally planned to make the decision at its Jan. 28 meeting. Commissioner Burt Saunders asked for the decision to be moved up by two weeks because he could not attend that meeting. The project has been in the works for years, and the public has been well-informed throughout, he said.
Commissioners Bill McDaniel and Chris Hall voted against the amendment because they wanted more time to discuss it. They expressed concerns about the nonprofit David Lawrence Centers‘ ability to run the center after hearing that it is still working on obtaining grants and gifts to fund its operations.
There is a lot of history to this project, for which ground has yet to be broken.
Collier commissioners narrowly approve building $50 million mental health center, Naples Daily News, 1/15/25.
2 Collier leaders question $50M health project, one month before construction contract vote, Naples Daily News, 12/12/24.
Collier devoting $50 million to address mental health crisis, Guest Commentary by Burt Saunders, Florida Weekly, 8/1/24.
Price tag for new mental health center in Collier now at $50M; a year ago, it was $44M, Naples Daily News, 3/13/24.
Addiction Recovery Services
In February, the Collier County Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the BCC approve an amendment to the Growth Management Plan allowing a group home in Golden Gate for 20 men in addiction recovery despite neighbors’ objections. (2/6/25 Neighborhood Information Meeting Summary and PowerPoint Presentation; Naples Daily News)
The David Lawrence Mental Health Centers plan to build the project on property south and east of the intersection of 62nd Street Southwest and Golden Gate Parkway. A first group home for six men in recovery is already on the site.
The request will be considered by the BCC at a later date.
Burn Ban in Effect
At their Feb. 11 meeting, the BCC authorized a burn ban in Collier County, which will remain in effect until further notice. (Collier County News Release)
The decision was made after consultation between the Collier County Emergency Management Department, Florida Forest Service, Collier County Fire Chiefs’ Association, and Collier County Sheriff’s Office. The group jointly identified the need for a burning ban that would become effective immediately after certain environmental conditions, including dry conditions, were met.
The ban includes all unincorporated Collier County but exempts all commercial agricultural burning, lawful controlled industrial or commercial environments that are part of the manufacturing or some type of assembly process, and burning activities regulated by the Florida Forest Service.
Parks & Recreation
BERT land purchase gets commitment from Collier County Commissioners, Naples Daily News, 1/16/25
Caxambas Park Boat Ramp to Reopen on February 15, 2025, Collier County News Release, 2/5/25
City of Naples to use county park for pier demo haul, Gulfshore Business, 2/26/25
After millions in repairs, Sun-N-Fun Lagoon in North Naples will open for spring break, Naples Daily News, 3/1/25
Conservation Land Acquisitions
The Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Program was created to purchase qualifying undeveloped land in Collier County to establish community nature preserves.
In January, the BCC voted unanimously to buy a 10-acre parcel consisting of cypress and mixed wetland hardwoods for a total cost up to $653,570. The property is on the north side of 40th Ave SE, west of Desoto Blvd S. (1/14/25 Agenda Item 16.A.15 Executive Summary)
In February, commissioners approved, by a vote of 4/1 (Hall opposed), the acquisition of two parcels totaling 2.28 acres within the Dr. Robert H. Gore III Preserve and Panther Walk Preserve areas at a cost not to exceed $64,640. (2/11/25 Agenda Item 16.A.7 Executive Summary)
During the February discussion, Commissioner McDaniel suggested the county may be paying too much for land in targeted multi-parcel projects such as these. At his suggestion, commissioners unanimously agreed to pause the purchase of conservation land in four large areas until they can adopt new rules. Staff was instructed to bring proposed changes back for a Board vote in March. (Naples Daily News)
Other News of Note
Opponents hope to overturn Collier commission’s favorable vote on controversial apartments in Fiddler’s Creek, Naples Daily News, 1/3/25
Collier County expands ownership, historical designation of Rosemary Cemetery, Naples Daily News, 1/30/25
Annual point-in-time homeless count conducted in Naples, Collier County, Naples Daily News, 1/31/25
Are there really fewer homeless people in SWFL? Homeless hiding in Collier, Lee counties, Naples Daily News, 2/6/25
Kratom: Not quite a Shirley Temple, Opinion: Collier County Judge Janeice Martin, 2/16/25
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