VENTANA POINTE...
01 OCTOBER 2020
Commissioner McDaniels once again proves he cares more about helping developers than the residents of District 5 and especially people living in Golden Gate Estates.
Ventana Pointe (PL20180002668) is a development of 75 homes at the intersection of Immokalee Rd and Richards St (PID 0019056007) - just east of Lamorada Subdivision and FOGGS nursery.
At the 14 July 2020 BCC meeting on item 9.A. Ventana Pointe GMP Amendment, Commissioner McDaniel’s made the recommendation that the Developers of Ventana Pointe in the Rural Fringe Mixed Used District (RFMUD) should be allowed to transfer property to the badly managed Conservation Collier program. View the meeting at this link: 50min 30 sec into the meeting. https://collier.granicus.com/player/clip/2868?view_id=4&redirect=true
ISSUE #1. The recommendation by McDaniels will TREMENDOUSLY accelerate the development in the RFMUD areas around Golden Gate Estates, resulting in huge increases in traffic and congestion in the Estates. This increase will be in ADDITION to the RLSA developments that will put in excess of 10,000+ cars on the roads in GG Estates- east of Collier Blvd.
The RFMUD areas along with the RLSA areas are the result of the ill devised TDR program implemented in 2001-2. In this program Developers were to pay for the conservation of Lands in Collier County by buying up TDR’s from lands classified as “Sending” or environmentally sensitive – AT NO COST TO THE COLLIER CO RESIDENT.
Conservation Collier was created by special interest in 2002. It is not a Collier County Government operation. It has no employees. It is not a department in Collier County. It is not an Essential Service necessary for the residents of Collier County provided by Collier County Government. It is not related to the TDR program. Conservation Collier is currently out of money, and has been following a bankruptcy financial policy.
Developers can increase the density of dwellings on a property they are building on by buying TDR’s from “Sending” lands. Developers could get an extra TDR, to build even more dwellings by transferring the “Sending” lands to a State of Florida Agency (SFWMD, Forestry, FWC, Parks, etc.) that would pay for the cost of management in perpetuity. Hence, no cost to the Collier County resident via property taxes.
No State of Florida Agency north of I-75 would accept any properties because it increased their annual operating budgets so much – they could not afford it. Managing lands for preservation is expensive, very expensive - even for a State of Florida Agency.
The one State of Florida Agency that would take the TDR Sending lands in Collier County is the –CSWCD, Collier Soil and Water Conservation district. CWSCD has taken Sendling lands in the past from the RFMUD area, but they were never contacted.
Ventana Pointe Developers could not get any State of Florida Agency to accept their donation of “Sending” lands to build more houses, so Commissioner McDaniels proposed the donation to Conservation Collier.
ISSUE #2. Lands acquired or donated to Conservation Collier are removed from the property tax rolls. The tax burden is then shifted and reallocated to the residents that pay property taxes. Therefore, without the direct approval of residents, Conservation Collier has shifted the monetary cost burden for paying for preserving lands to the Collier County resident. This item has been shielded from the residents.
Commissioner McDaniels should have advertised this to the residents before making the recommendation at the BCC meeting. He should have stopped and said we need to advertise this to the residents before proceeding with any deliberation. He did not.
SO, COMMISSIONER MCDANIELS PRECEDENT SETTING RECOMMENDATION TO ALLOW DEVELOPERS TO DONATE LANDS TO CONSERVATION COLLIER WILL ALLOW:
1.
Developers to increase density of development in the RFMUD areas and cause more traffic loss of quality of life in the GG Estates.
Developers to increase density of development in the RFMUD areas and cause more traffic loss of quality of life in the GG Estates.2.Developers such as Ventana Pointe to put more money in their pockets at the expense of the resident tax payers
Developers such as Ventana Pointe to put more money in their pockets at the expense of the resident tax payers3.The cost burden of conserving lands to be shifted from the developer to the resident. Completely against the concepts of the Collier County Governments currently adopted TDR program.
The cost burden of conserving lands to be shifted from the developer to the resident. Completely against the concepts of the Collier County Governments currently adopted TDR program.4.Justify the existence of the financially ill managed Conservation Collier program created by Special Interest to become a burden forever to the Collier County resident.
Justify the existence of the financially ill managed Conservation Collier program created by Special Interest to become a burden forever to the Collier County resident.On items 9.A. GMPA for Ventana Point, and Item 9.B. Rezone for Ventana Point, all Commissioners voted unanimously without any thought about the issue of donating land to Conservation Collier and not advertising to the public. How can the Government Authority responsible for issuing permits also make a deal with the developer to donate land for more development - to itself. THIS IS A LEGAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
The next BCC meeting is 13 Oct. The Ventana Pointe GMPA and Rezone PL20180002668 should be recalled and re-reviewed. This is all being done because of the decreased public presence because of the C-19 issue.
Let us know how your opinion, and what should be done?
ULINE.....
14 OCTOBER 2020
GGEACA wants to make sure the residents of the Estates know who is working for them.
At the BCC meeting yesterday 13 October 2020, Agenda Item 11.B. concerning a new Business coming to Collier County, Building a Distribution Facility in District 5.
The name of the business is ULINE. It is one of the top distributors in North America’s for shipping, packaging & industrial supplies. You have probably got a catalog in the mail of their products.
A BIG THANKS goes out to Deputy County Manager Nick Casalanguida & the Delivery Team for bringing this project to Collier County.
Why is the ULINE Development important to the Estates:
•Hires over 200 people yearly/full time
Hires over 200 people yearly/full time •Pays property taxes, pays their way, helps with County costs.
Pays property taxes, pays their way, helps with County costs.•Has nothing to do with local tourism & rural l& development economics. Does not suffer their economic downturns. Uline is a North American continent business.
Has nothing to do with local tourism & rural l& development economics. Does not suffer their economic downturns. Uline is a North American continent business.•Does not increase traffic in the Estates
Does not increase traffic in the Estates•Doesn’t cause 125 ft high, 30 ft wide Transmission Poles to show up in front of your house
Doesn’t cause 125 ft high, 30 ft wide Transmission Poles to show up in front of your house•Did not Utilize Conservation Collier to accelerate development
Did not Utilize Conservation Collier to accelerate development•Provides year round employment for Estates Residents.
Provides year round employment for Estates Residents.Details Below…..View the BCC meeting video by clicking here. The ULINE Agenda Item 11.B. starts 2:15:00 in.
At the 13 October 2020, BCC meetings, Item 11.B. Recommendation to approve a Contribution Agreement (Agreement) with Uline Corporation for the construction of a regional distribution facility adjacent to the County’s Sports & Special Events Complex (Complex) including on-site & off-site improvements.
CONSIDERATIONs: Uline has identified the City Gate PUD as a strategically significant location for a major distribution facility in southwest Florida. Uline, a family-owned business since 1980, is one of North America's leading distributors of shipping, packaging & industrial supplies. Product lines include retail, safety, material h&ling, industrial & packaging materials. The facility in City Gate will approach a million sq ft of warehouse & office space & is expected to have a construction value of approximately $70 million. The facility will employ approximately 190 warehouse & 30 office employees.
The design & construction of the Uline facility requires significant on-site & off-site improvements. Uline is desirous of working with the County to open their facility quickly, make these improvements expeditiously, & to coordinate the project in the interest of Uline & the Complex to create better access, additional parking, a larger lake, & fitness amenities in a campus-like environment.
The County delivery team met with Uline representatives over the last several months in order to develop a plan that expedites the Uline project & compliments the large investment the County has made into the Complex. Uline recognizes that their new facility will impact the recently extended City Gate Boulevard South, the lake, & abut directly to the Complex. With that in mind, Uline has agreed to reasonably generous terms & contributions to the County to enhance the Complex. The agreement generally provides for the following terms:
•Uline will relocate City Gate Boulevard South within their acquired area at no cost to the County & receive no Tax Increment Financing (TIF) credit.
Uline will relocate City Gate Boulevard South within their acquired area at no cost to the County & receive no Tax Increment Financing (TIF) credit.•Uline will dedicate Area A (Lake area ~5.95 Acres), Area K (Grass Parking area ~2.6 Acres), & Areas L & N (Fitness/Obstacle areas ~1.06 Acres) to the County at no cost & receive no TIF credit. The value of this dedication is approximately $4,300,000.
Uline will dedicate Area A (Lake area ~5.95 Acres), Area K (Grass Parking area ~2.6 Acres), & Areas L & N (Fitness/Obstacle areas ~1.06 Acres) to the County at no cost & receive no TIF credit. The value of this dedication is approximately $4,300,000.oNote: The County will transfer the lake area to the City Gate CDD for maintenance & the 11.B Packet Pg. 302 10/13/2020 perpetual use of all properties abutting the lake as a recreation area.
Note: The County will transfer the lake area to the City Gate CDD for maintenance & the 11.B Packet Pg. 302 10/13/2020 perpetual use of all properties abutting the lake as a recreation area.•Uline will construct approximately 234 grass parking spaces in Area K for a value of approximately $560,000. The actual cost will be reimbursable to Uline through a TIF repayment agreement after the project is complete.
Uline will construct approximately 234 grass parking spaces in Area K for a value of approximately $560,000. The actual cost will be reimbursable to Uline through a TIF repayment agreement after the project is complete. •Uline will reconstruct the southwest corner of the existing complex access point, relocate the existing yard area, & add approximately 250 paved parking spaces in the Complex. The value of this is estimated at approximately $1,500,000. The actual costs will be reimbursable to Uline through a TIF repayment agreement after the project is complete minus approximately $620,000 of existing improvements, leaving a TIF repayment value of approximately $880,000.
Uline will reconstruct the southwest corner of the existing complex access point, relocate the existing yard area, & add approximately 250 paved parking spaces in the Complex. The value of this is estimated at approximately $1,500,000. The actual costs will be reimbursable to Uline through a TIF repayment agreement after the project is complete minus approximately $620,000 of existing improvements, leaving a TIF repayment value of approximately $880,000.•Uline will also construct approximately $300,000 worth of fitness & obstacle improvements
Uline will also construct approximately $300,000 worth of fitness & obstacle improvementswithin areas L & N at no cost to the County & no TIF credit.
•The County agrees to “Fast Track” the project & conduct reviews on a ten (10) business day review cycle.
The County agrees to “Fast Track” the project & conduct reviews on a ten (10) business day review cycle.•The County agrees to support the renaming of Brennan Drive to Uline Drive.
The County agrees to support the renaming of Brennan Drive to Uline Drive. •The County will participate in permit applications & provide construction easements to Uline.
The County will participate in permit applications & provide construction easements to Uline.•The County agrees that should it have access to discounted fill, the County will allow Uline to share in that fill. Uline will provide the County a credit for the delta in the value of fill received below $16 per cubic yard against any future TIF repayment credit.
The County agrees that should it have access to discounted fill, the County will allow Uline to share in that fill. Uline will provide the County a credit for the delta in the value of fill received below $16 per cubic yard against any future TIF repayment credit.Uline will maintain access to the complex throughout the construction period & will design their project to be part of the campus-like vision. Uline will have access to the lake & public areas of the Complex. The contemplated design as shown on exhibit A is consistent with the vision of the lake area being a central common recreation open space area of the Complex & the campus. The agreement is subject to Uline closing on the property, & the Board approving the plat that relocates City Gate Boulevard South.
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TRANSMISSION LINE POLES......
13 OCTOBER 2020
HOW DID THOSE 125 FOOT TALL, 30 FOOT WIDE TRANSMISSION POWER POLES GET IN FRONT OF MY ESTATES HOME? JUST SHOCKING!
Golden Gate Estates Residents on 47th Ave NE a few months back woke up to find 30 foot wide diameter, 125 foot tall concrete transmission power line poles in front of their houses. They originate from the new LCEC Bobcat Transmission Station being constructed at the west side of Immokalee Rd at 47th Ave NE run due east through the Estates.
The construction plans indicate that the installation of the 125 foot transmission poles will go east on 47th Ave NE to Everglades Blvd. Here pole installation will go north and south of the intersection at Everglades Blvd. The poles going south will connect to the transmission lines on Oil Well Rd.
The poles going north up Everglades to 4880 Everglades Blvd (pid 38670720106, 2.58 ac) and the 2.58 acre parcel just south of it (pid 38670720009). These 2 parcels on the west side of Everglades Blvd and are owned by Lee Co Electric Coop. LCEC plans to build another Transmission Station here similar to the concrete fort w/ moat at Immokalee Rd at 47th Ave NE.
The Residents wonder how did this happen? The answer to that is simple. These are the electrical transmission lines needed for the new developments in the RLSA: Sky Sail/Hyde Park, Rivergrass, Bellmar, Longwater.
This is just one of the many changes Estates Residents will have to endure because Commissioner McDaniel is proud to represent the developers of the RLSA and RFMUD. See NDN article
Combined with Commissioner McDaniel’s request to use Conservation Collier to accelerate development in the RFMUD - Estates Residents will have to give up more and more of their quality of life to make the developers happy.
Click here to see the LCEC installation Plans in the Estates.
Document with hyperlinks attached.
