Golden Gate Estates re-zoning meeting canceled over disorderly conduct

Reporter: Lauren Leslie Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:
Golden Gate
Re-zoning meeting for the Golden Gate Estates canceled. (CREDIT: WINK News)

The battle over proposed apartments in Golden Gate Estates is nowhere near over after the group representing the developer walks out over disorderly conduct by local residents.

Peninsula Engineering, the group representing the developers, would not remain for the yelling and screaming. Some residents couldn’t remain calm about their frustration with plans to build 300 apartments in an area zoned for low-density housing.

The meeting was held at Paradise Coast Sports Complex, where even those who were supposed to be standing together, were divided.

Adam Ricciardiello said, “People are understandably upset and passionate about it.”

Round two of the informational meeting was canceled.

Adam Ricciardiello said, “We need to hear this information so we can provide the right feedback and let them know that we absolutely do not want any re-zoning in golden gate estates.”

The issue at hand is re-zoning. The apartments would be built along Seventh Avenue Northwest, an area zoned for one home per 2.2 acres.

That is the area where Corrine Kellybrao just built her brand-new home.

Kellybrao said, “I worked for years researching streets, land, property that I wanted to build my future with, turn it over to my son let my son grow.”

But, neighbors say the only thing growing with this project is the pockets of the developer.

Ricciardiello said, “They are coming in and trying to change the zoning, so they can make money. I’ll tell you something about 13th-floor investments, right on their website they have a case study where they define their strategy as opportunistic. This company is saying they have no principle they have no morals, they are coming to Collier County from Miami to steal our land and make money for themselves.”

It’s hard to say what will happen next when it took nearly a month to have this second meeting. In the meantime, neighbors of Golden Gate Estates said they will be reaching out to county commissioners who ultimately will approve or deny the re-zoning.

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