By Hank Rossi, Vice President for the PBPOA (July PB Post Article)
On May 19th, the PBPOA published the E-blast article outlining the history of Pelican Bay and our long-standing relationship with Collier Country in the development of our community. That shared interest for the preservation and conservation of our natural resources is what made Pelican Bay the premier beachfront community it is today.
However, despite the vision and long-term environmental planning of yesterday, today Pelican Bay finds itself faced with some ‘real’ challenges in trying to maintain that delicate balance between preservation and conservation and the reality of economics and development.
Pelican Bay, along with the other neighboring coastal communities west of US41, are built out and facing challenges with limited green space available to improve local roadways. In addition to that limitation, we have aging infrastructures, higher demands for use of roadways and the need to expand local community services and increase parking. These challenges are real and can no longer be ignored. And, to further complicate matters, we have development knocking at our door on all sides.
Pelican Bay has been experiencing an alarming increase in traffic on our local roadways. This traffic influx is quickly becoming a real safety issue and of great concern to our residents.
In the last few years, we have witnessed Collier County entertain several development projects to which PB has raised concerns about traffic safety. The expressed concern remains that these projects compromise the preservation and conservation of Naples beautiful coastal areas and the safety of its local environments.
- Vanderbilt Beach Parking Garage – Built, despite local opposition. This parking garage creates traffic pile ups during peak usage hours and is a clear and present danger to pedestrians and bikers, alike.
- The PBSD’s Request for a Traffic Light on US41 at Gulf Park Drive – This request denied by the County due to their need to maintain traffic flow on US41, despite a series of accidents and two fatalities. The PBSD had to make its own provision for safety by changing the road to a, ‘Right Turn Only’.
- Crayton Pathway Connect – Local community resistance resulted in this proposed project to create a bike lane from Crayton Rd. onto Seagate Drive (so bikers could ride from Naples to Ft Myers through local community roadways), to be put ‘on hold’ by the County, however, it was not rejected.
- Clam Pass Garage – Substantial opposition to build a multi-story parking garage at Clam Pass caused the County to place this proposed project ‘on hold’ for the time being (meaning it can be revisited at any time). PB and the neighboring communities worked collectively to oppose this project based on the traffic and safety risks it presented on the short collector roadway (Seagate Dr).
- Stock Development’s One Naples Project – This proposed project is to be built along Vanderbilt Beach Road and Gulf Shore Drive.
Currently under review by the Collier County Planning Commission for a rezone and growth plan amendment. Stock advertises, “Presenting a vison that doesn’t reinvent a neighborhoodbut compliments its legacy.” Simply stated, this project, as proposed, actually exasperates the current gridlock.
It makes one wonder why Collier County continues to allow development to expand in the eastern corridor of the county at its current rate without apparent regard to the impact it is having on the western corridor. As the County continues to expand its east/west arterial roadways (Immokalee, Vanderbilt Beach and Pine Ridge Roads) further east, it is creating havoc on its feeder and collector roadways to the west. These local roads were never designed to handle this increased traffic volume. We have traffic pile ups and gridlock during peak drive times, creating unsafe conditions for cars, pedestrians, and bikers. Agitated drivers are using alternative routes, cutting through our local residential neighborhoods at unsafe speeds and creating safety risks.
To further complicate these conditions, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) have approved (yet) another new development project in Eastern Collier County, River Grass Village. And, to worsen that ‘new’ blow, they approved the project against the recommendation of the Collier County Planning Commission. The CCPC recommended a denial (vote 4-1) to the BCC!
Why is it that the County has a planning commission whose sole purpose is to assist in the formulation and review of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, Land Development Code, and amendments to both, and then make their recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners?
To help drive that point home, here are a few excerpts fr MG’s article
review all the preliminary diligence work presented by the petitioners and staff to insure that it is compliant with the Growth on a potential to determine if it is in keeping with our land development vision,and takes intoconsideration the projects long-term impact on our County and natural resources.g to amend Collier County’s Comprehensive Plan , when
, and the worst part about it, is that they approved it against the Collier County Planning Commission
Has Collier County turned ‘a blind eye’ to its original commitment to preserve and conserve it is natural resources, to maintain land and water management conservation?
As it stands, there is very limited land available for expansion west of US41. Increased demand for beach access, an inadequate infrastructure to handle that increased traffic and parking creates a great concern for the safety and welfare of the local residents and emergency services.
For the County Commissioners to entertain any proposed new development in these areas without an extensive re-evaluation of the county’s Concurrency Management System only creates additional problems, and without offering concurrent solutions, is totally irresponsible.
We need our County Commissioners to be part of the solution, not the problem. More long-term environmental planning is needed to redefine and create that delicate balance between preservation and conservation and economics and development.
It is time for Collier County and its Commissioners to decide ‘how much is too much’ when it comes to development!
The PBPOA remains committed to protecting your property values and interests and needs your membership support to continue to do so. If you are not already a member, please consider joining us. Membership dues are only $50 yr. and can be securely paid by clicking here.
