– Mark Twain
Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.
Yesterday, Collier Board of County Commissioners meeting was held under threat of an impending hurricane while families were boarding up protecting their properties and livelihoods and today the community takes its beating from Ian. This storm provides the ironic backdrop of our future if we don’t address the issue at hand. Our county political machine is actively trying to grind us one commission meeting at a time into the pavement having little regard for its peon’s except for the annual penance we provide to feed the machine, while underhandedly re-engineering the landscape one HOA or high density apartment complex at time. Where does it end?
The developers act like high pressure used car salesmen threatening that if the growth management plan amendment was not approved immediately, Immokalee Road Rural Village, the proposed 4,000 home densely populated HOA community, the needed wildlife corridor, and the 400 units of ‘affordable’ housing would not be built. This is nothing short of blackmail by the developer to get this development approved, while in the same breath the admitting the project may not be economically feasible.
Overshadowing this vote was possible conflict of interest issues, as reported by Gulf Shore Business and our local WINK News, by the current chairman of the board of County Commissioner’s foreclosed parcels in the project, he cast his vote in the affirmative.
Affordable housing is a developer’s “carrot’ that’s used to change the Growth Management Plan claiming it is the only option, the Golden Gate Estates residents are being sold out to greedy developers by commissioners that have little regard for our community.
The solution through this madness is Incorporation, please take a moment participate in our survey. and review the proposed Town Charter, the team has made effort to spell out the long term desires of the community and address the potential conflict of interest. Note that these rules can only be changed by a referendum vote to prevent changes without the express support from the community.
Excerpts from the Charter:
1.(b) It is intended that this Charter and the incorporation of the Golden Gate Estates area will serve to preserve, enhance, and protect the rural residential character, natural resources, and quality of life of the community.
6.(b) No variances, re-zonings, or land use modifications may come before the Council which would inure to a Council member or mayor’s special private gain or loss; which he or she knows would inure to the special private gain or loss of any principal by whom he or she is retained or to the parent organization or subsidiary of a corporate principal by which he or she is retained; or which he or she knows would inure to the special private gain or loss of a relative or business associate of the public officer, until that Council member or mayor is no longer serving on the Council.