COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — On Monday, there was a public meeting to talk about a new apartment complex in Collier County.
The plan calls for 331 new units for multi-family buildings at a corner of Vanderbilt Beach Road and Collier Boulevard, in Urban Estates.
As the meeting was about to start, passionate and angry residents kept it from happening, chanting things like, "No rezoning," the area that they're talking about is part of the Golden Gate Area Master Plan,
Adam Ricciardielo who organized the rescheduled meeting says that's the reason he moved out to the area, "We’re part of the Golden Gate Area Master Plan, which was set forth to say we were going to have low-density housing in Collier County."
Ricciardielo and other residents in Golden Gate Estates are trying to stop that from happening, which is why they decided to hold the public hearing, "So we can provide the right feedback so we can absolutely let them know we do not want any rezoning in Golden Gate Estates."
But what was supposed to be a hearing of what a proposed rezoning would look like, to allow more than 300 apartment-style units, led to plenty of words and chants to shut down the meeting before it could even start.
"I don’t think this helps us, I think it would be better for us to listen to the information and have a united front as to why we don’t want to rezone," While Ricciardielo wasn't thrilled with how some residents got so passionate, "I understand why and what they're saying about the rezoning, I absolutely agree, we don't want it."
That rezoning could lead to the new units at the southwest corner of Vanderbilt Beach Road and Collier Boulevard, in a part of Collier County with a lack of affordable housing right now.
However, this complex would also go near homes with sizable lots, residents who move to this area say it’s desirable because of the 2.2 acres that each home gets, but what they’re worried about is developers coming in and building on the extra land that may not be possible anymore.
"They're trying to profit on our neighborhood, this is where we live this is our residence, I looked up this developer and they're only in it for the profit, they don't care about us."
Monday night’s gathering broke up with no meeting, no formal debate, and no resolution, now the next step is to see if collier county can set a new date and try again.
No county commissioners were at the meeting and we’ve tried to contact 3rd district commission Burt Saunders but have yet to hear back.
