It’s hard to believe that I last wrote about the Collier County Commissioners nearly a year ago.
After that post, I wrote or updated a series of primers explaining the basics of our state and local governments and the responsibilities of the offices we would elect people to in 2024.
Then, with a few exceptions, I wrote about the three elections coming up in 2024 to help people get ready to vote. I did deep dives into the candidates, amendments, and referenda that would be on the ballot. In March, August, and November, after each election, I wrote about the results and what they might mean for us in the future.
Now, it’s time to get back to monitoring our elected officials. Knowing what our representatives are doing between elections and how they are voting is what truly makes us informed voters.
But how to catch up on twelve months’ worth of work?
I began by reviewing the 2024 BCC Vote Count Reports on the Collier Clerk’s website. These reports provide the agenda item number, a summary of the motion voted on, how each commissioner voted, and more for every vote taken in the county commission meetings.
I grouped the votes by category: zoning ordinances, other ordinances, spending approved and contracts awarded, votes related to the Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Program, Resolutions of the Board, and all others. Of the thousands of votes recorded, I wanted to know more about 69 of them.
Below are what I consider to be the most significant votes our commissioners took over the last twelve months.
Zoning Decisions
Collier County has experienced significant population growth in the past two decades. This growth has been accompanied by increased traffic and pressure on our infrastructure. Our zoning laws can make accommodating that growth more or less difficult.
Most construction and development projects in the county are approved by county staff without requiring commissioner approval because they comply with existing laws.
But when a property owner wants to modify the property’s use, density, or intensity in a way not permitted by current zoning, the Collier County Land Development Code requires approval by four of the five commissioners.
In the past twelve months, commissioners approved 13 specific requests to rezone properties. Six of the approvals enable the construction of residential units where they wouldn’t otherwise have been allowed. The others allow for the construction of commercial facilities.
For example, rezoning applications approved this year make possible the construction of the following:
- 309 horizontal multifamily dwelling units, including 31 that will be affordable under the county’s Affordable Housing Density Bonus Program, in a residential planned unit development to be known as Elanto Naples. The nearly 52-acre property on the north side of Tamiami Trail East near the intersection of Greenway Road was previously zoned Rural Agricultural. (Executive Summary; not yet codified)
- 305 multifamily dwelling units with 92 units of affordable housing to be known as JLM Living East. The property, on the south side of Immokalee Road, east of Woodcrest Drive, was previously zoned Rural Agricultural. (Executive Summary; not yet codified)
- 150 multifamily dwelling units with affordable housing to be known as Mattson at Vanderbilt. The property, near the intersection of Vanderbilt Beach Road and Livingston Road, was previously zoned Rural Agricultural. (Executive Summary; not yet codified)
- 109 single-family and attached two-family dwelling units, along with clubhouses, recreational facilities, and community administrative facilities in a planned unit development (PUD) in Port of the Islands. The majority of the nearly 52-acre property was previously zoned Residential Tourist; the rest was zoned Conservation. (Executive Summary; not yet codified)
The votes to approve eleven of the rezoning applications were unanimous. But Commissioner Burt Saunders voted against the JLM Living East and Mattson applications due to concern about the increased traffic both developments would bring to already congested major east-west roads. He was previously unsuccessful in convincing his fellow commissioners to consider a moratorium on zoning changes along those two roads. (Naples Daily News)
Other New Ordinances
In addition to passing or amending zoning ordinances, Commissioners unanimously passed a number of non-zoning-related laws. For example:
- They amended the county’s land development code to promote a stronger wireless communication network throughout the County. (Executive Summary; Ordinance 2024-05)
- They established new uniform standards for certification of ambulance or advanced life support services. The standards provide for collaboration among Collier County EMS and the counties’ fire agencies to ensure that patients can be transported promptly, regardless of fluctuations in demand. (Executive Summary; Ordinance 2024-25)
- They established the Collier County Animal Abuser Registry to prevent individuals with a history of animal abuse from adopting pets. (The Naples Press; Ordinance 2024-24)
- They amended the water and wastewater system impact fee rate schedule and implemented a three-year phased rate increase. (Naples Daily News; Ordinance 2024-30)
- They adopted new regulations of conduct on Collier County waterways and beaches that comply with state law to allow the installation of new channel and regulatory markers, many of which were destroyed or damaged during recent hurricanes. (Executive Summary; Ordinance 2024-32)
- They amended a 2022 ordinance that established a mandatory inspection of aging condominiums and cooperative buildings to reflect changes in state law that added exemptions from “milestone inspections” for three-story, four-dwelling buildings. (Executive Summary; not yet codified)
Conservation Collier
Changes to the Program
In their final budget hearing in September 2023, commissioners used unspent money in the county’s Conservation Collier Land Acquisition Trust Fund to pass a balanced budget without raising taxes. The move was strongly opposed by Commissioner Saunders, who spoke of possible unintended consequences. Read more in my post, Conservation Collier and the County Budget: The Decision.
The move was controversial. Some said it violated the intent of the Conservation Collier program as stated in Ordinance 2002-63 and as amended subsequently that the Fund was established “for use in acquiring environmentally sensitive lands in Collier County.”
Shortly after that meeting, on October 10, the Board amended the ordinance to allow for the use of the Funds “for any county purpose deemed to be in the best interest of the public.”
This year, on March 26, the Board approved another amendment to the Ordinance. This one deleted the provision added by the October amendment and added language allowing for the withdrawal of funds from the Trust Funds in the event of an emergency as determined by the Board. The ordinance was also revised to state that “the Board will set the millage rate for the Conservation Collier Program, which may not exceed .25 mills, and set the percentage of revenues each Fund will receive for that fiscal year.” (Ordinance No. 2024-17)
Read more at Naples Daily News and Coastal Breeze News.
This year’s land purchases
This year, the Board approved several acquisitions of land under the Program for a total cost of $5.4 million. (2024 Vote Count Reports)
With this year’s approvals, as of December 6, 23 properties totaling 2,336.37 acres had been approved and were pending acquisition for a combined purchase price of $26.2 million. Another eight properties totaling 1,465.9 acres with an estimated value totaling $17.3 million remain on the “active acquisition” list. (Collier County Acquisition News)
Learn more about the Conservation Collier Program on its webpage, view a map showing the locations of the 22 Conservation Collier Preserves, and read the Program’s2023 Annual Report.
Spending
In addition to passing ordinances, commissioners unanimously approved a number of multi-million dollar projects.
In January, they awarded a contract for $9.5 million to Rycon Construction, Inc., to build a new Fire and EMS station to be located on the corner of Golden Gate Boulevard East and Desoto Boulevard South in Golden Gate Estates. The station is expected to improve response times in the rural area of the eastern Estates, cutting response times to emergencies from 20 minutes to 10 minutes. Read more at Gulfshore Business.
In March, they awarded a contract for $2.7 million to Kelly Brothers, Inc., to address the aging infrastructure and the devastating effects of Hurricane Ian on Caxambas Park on Marco Island. Specifically, the Park’s seawall, floating and fixed docks, boat ramp, and more will be replaced. Funds for the project are available from the county’s Disaster Fund; FEMA reimbursement is anticipated less any insurance proceeds. Read more in the Executive Summary.
In May, commissioners approved a “huge land buy” of 2,250 acres near Lake Trafford in Immokalee for $20.77 million. While the uses are still to be determined, the land could be used to provide everything from new workforce housing and parks to improved stormwater management and fire operations. Parts of the land could also be set aside for conservation, protecting it from development forever. Read more at Naples Daily News.
In September, they agreed to spend multi-millions of dollars for sponsorship by Collier County and Spirit Promotions for the 2026-2032 US Open Pickleball Championships. The joint promotions began for the 2019-2021 U.S. Open Pickleball Championships and have been continued ever since. To date, the county has funded over $3 million for pickleball facilities. Read more in the Collier Clerk’s newsletter.
In September, commissioners also awarded a contract for $5.4 million to AtkinRealis USA Inc. for design services for four bridges within the Golden Gate Estates. Estimated construction, engineering, and inspection costs for the bridges total $63 million, not including the cost of right-of-way acquisition. Read more in the Collier Clerk’s newsletter.
In November, they awarded a $51.9 million contract to Rycon Construction for a state-of-the-art forensics-evidence and Criminal Investigations Division building for the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. The building will be located off City Gate Drive, just north of the Paradise Coast Sports Complex and Great Wolf Lodge, east of Collier Boulevard and north of Interstate 75. Read more at Gulfshore Business.
In November, commissioners also voted to spend up to an additional $5.5 million over the next year on tourism marketing and advertising, nearly double this year’s spending. The extra dollars will, in part, fund an emergency campaign to emphasize the county is ready and eager for tourists to return despite back-to-back hurricanes. The money will come from the county’s 5% tourist tax, charged on overnight stays at hotels and other vacation rentals. Read more at Naples Daily News.
Resolutions
Resolutions are statements that express the board’s position on a particular issue but are not legally binding.
Commissioners passed 225 resolutions this year. Three resolutions, which passed unanimously, stated the Board’s position on proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution:
- In June, at the request of Commissioner Chris Hall, the board expressed its strong opposition to Amendment 4 — An Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion (Resolution No. 2024-116)
- In September, at the request of Commissioner Daniel Kowal, the board expressed its strong opposition to Amendment 3 — Adult Personal Use of Marijuana (Resolution 2024-169) and
- In October, at the request of Commissioner William McDaniel, the Board expressed its support for Amendment 2 — Right to Fish and Hunt (Resolution 2024-209).
In April, the Board discussed and then declined to pass a resolution introduced by Commissioner Hall calling for a legally valid 2024 general election. Read more in my post, A Proposed Resolution.
Other of Interest
Safe Haven Baby Box
In October, by a vote of 5/0, the Board authorized staff to install a Safe Haven Baby Box at a county-owned and operated emergency medical services station. The decision to install a climate-controlled box at the EMS station at Logan Boulevard and Vanderbilt Beach Road at a cost of roughly $20,000 was initiated by Commissioner Hall.
Hall said the baby boxes are cutting edge, and the infants surrendered will be placed for closed adoption. Read more at the Naples Daily News.
Lease with Warrior Home of Collier
In November, by a 5/0 vote, commissioners agreed to lease two East Naples homes to Warrior Homes of Collier, a non-profit veterans housing organization, allowing it to house six more veterans. The property had been temporarily used to house employees, but commissioners found it was not needed for county purposes.
Warrior Homes will pay $1,000 monthly for each home under the lease, which is below the estimated fair market rental value between $1,800 and $2,000 monthly. The lease has annual options to renew. Read more at Gulfshore Business; Executive Summary.
Handsfree Driving
Also in November, commissioners unanimously approved a resolution proposed by Commissioner Hall to have the county’s lobbyist advocate for legislation mandating the use of hands-free devices while driving to enhance road safety and protect lives. Read more at The Naples Press.
Development in the Rural Lands
In November, commissioners unanimously agreed to amend the County’s Growth Management Plan to allow larger towns and targeted industries in a rural, environmentally sensitive area in eastern Collier County. Ave Maria Development, LLP, a Barron Collier company, proposed the amendment.
One part of the amendment eliminates the cap on the size of a Town that can be developed in the Rural Lands Stewardship Area (RLSA). Previously, the maximum size was 5,000 acres; the Towns of Ave Maria (4,930 net acres) and Big Cypress (1,544 acres) are currently the only Towns within the RLSA.
In 2002, the County designated close to 200,000 acres surrounding unincorporated Immokalee, characterized by tomato farms, cattle ranches, citrus groves, and natural flow ways, most of which are on privately held land, as a Rural Lands Stewardship Area (RLSA). The RLSA establishes an overlay in the county’s future land use map to cluster development in more appropriate locations to protect the region’s natural and agricultural lands and waters. Learn more at the Collier County RLSA webpage and 1000 Friends of Florida’s Collier County 2070.
The other part of the amendment “clarifies” that “goods and services” required within Town and Village Stewardship Receiving Areas (SRAs) “may” include employment centers, such as manufacturing and Florida Qualified Target Industries.
Florida Qualified Target Industries encourage the creation and retention of high-wage, quality jobs in sought-after, high-value-added industries. They include aviation and aerospace, global logistics and trade, information sciences, clean technology, defense and homeland security, and life sciences.
Read the background materials, including the Collier County Planning Commission’s Staff Report on the amendment, here.
Review all 225 resolutions passed by the Board through November 2024 here.
And More
Remove Fluoride from County Water
In February, commissioners unanimously approved a motion by Commissioner Kowal to remove fluoride from the county’s water and direct staff to work with local dental and health providers for a proposed forum for the community for educational purposes. Read more at ADA News, FOX4Now, Gulfshore Business, Naples Daily News, and WINK News.
This week, the City of Naples decided in a 4/3 vote to stop the practice of adding fluoride to the city’s drinking water. (Naples Daily News)
Blue Lights
In September, the Board unanimously approved moving forward on the County’s Transportation Management Services Department’s recommendation of blue lights at various intersections to assist in reducing red light running. In November, they unanimously voted to pay Southern Signal & Lighting Inc. $160,000 for the installation. The county is taking steps to lengthen the timing of lights and educate the public about red-light running following a Sept. 4 crash that killed a 47-year-old Naples woman and injured two children. (Naples Daily News)
That’s it for the latest. More soon!