Decision on Collier County property ownership pushed back to mid June

On Tuesday, Collier County commissioners were scheduled to decide who will own a sought after piece of property that is in the middle of a somewhat David and Goliath battle.

That decision has been pushed back to June 14.

The issue was taken to the County Commissioners when a small local non-profit and a big developer both wanted the county owned property along Immokalee Road.

County staff is recommending commissioners take a $3.5-million exchange from developers, which will build anything from shopping centers to office space on the location.

But a local non-profit says they are the ones who desperately need the land.

“We need to get that land so we can be open to the public right now we cannot be open to the public,” said Deanna Deppen, who is the Executive Director of Shy Wolf Sanctuary.

Deppen says they want to expand into at least half of the 47-acre county owned property. The animals are in close quarters and could use more room.

The sanctuary came up with a little more than a million dollars for the land, but that is less than a third of what “Metro Commercial” developers are offering.

Collier County Commissioner, Penny Taylor tells us the board sees what this organization means to the Golden Gate Community but they still have to decide what is best for taxpayers dollar.

“This whole process shows that we are still not too big to listen to our constituents and our voters and our taxpayers,” said Penny Taylor.

This dispute will go before commissioners at 10 am on Tuesday. Trust WINK News to have the latest when we get the next update on what the county will do.