A local developer wants to convert the South Naples Citrus Grove into a golf course.
It’s the same developer who wanted to build 423 homes on the same property but couldn’t muster the support.
In January, county commissioners rejected the conversion to housing.
Commissioners voted 3-2 to postpone a vote — and directed the developer and grove owners to seek less intense alternatives for the roughly 160-acre property, which sits off Sabal Road — about 1.4 miles east of Collier Boulevard.
The split vote came after a more than six-hour hearing, during which dozens of residents and environmental advocates voiced strong opposition to the housing, with concerns about urban creep.
New development proposal includes a golf course and cabins
Now, Jon Rubinton, with SWJR Naples I LLC, seeks a rezoning that would allow him to build a private golf course with recreational accessory uses, and up to 10 cabins for use by members/guests of the associated club.
Reached by phone, Rubinton declined to comment on the new proposal.
The land he wants to develop — at 341 Sabal Palm Road — is zoned agricultural, with a restricted density of one unit per 40 acres, because it sits within the Rural Fringe Mixed-Use District, with a protected status.
The property is in a “sending area” that limits traditional development.
As with the original development proposal, the latest one would require a Growth Management Plan (GMP) amendment, along with a rezoning. To pass, a GMP amendment needs a supermajority vote of approval from four out of five commissioners.
The new request for an amendment would create the Sabal Palm Road Golf Course Subdistrict.
Information meeting planned for new development plans
Nearby residents learned of the new plans with the announcement of a neighborhood information meeting. The purpose of the meeting is not only for the developer to share information, but to answer questions and to get community input.
The public meeting will be held June 25 at 5:30 p.m. in Room 209 at New Hope Ministries, off Davis Boulevard. It’s a county requirement.
Some residents have already openly voiced opposition to the golf course, raising concerns about its potential impacts, especially on the environment and wildlife.
One recent Facebook post that urged residents to fight the project generated more than 650 likes and more than 420 shares. Some commenters on the post questioned whether the county really needed another private golf course, with so many others already built.
One commenter wrote: “We need a moratorium on golf courses in Florida.”
Others replying to the post asked about efforts to preserve the property. There have been talks of the county buying the grove for conservation.
On May 12, Collier commissioners voted 3-2 to allow county staff to move forward with appraisals and negotiations aimed at preserving the property. Those negotiations could lead to a purchase of the property through the taxpayer-funded Conservation Collier program.
Citrus grove is no longer viable
The once thriving citrus grove is struggling to survive.
At one of the public hearings for the conversion to housing, Henry Jacobs, an owner of the South Naples Citrus Grove, told county commissioners that for the better part of a decade, production had been declining dramatically, due to the devastating effects of the tree-killing citrus greening disease, for which there is no cure.
By 2023, he said, the grove’s ownership had found themselves beyond retirement age and searching for options after determining that citrus farming was no longer viable on the land.
The search for options led to Jon Rubinton, who was willing to “pursue, on our behalf, the rezoning process and expense needed for us to move on,” Jacobs told county commissioners.
The family-owned and operated citrus grove has been around since 1979.
Since the grove’s establishment, citrus acreage has dwindled in Collier County, as it has statewide, especially over the last two to three decades. That’s due to citrus greening and other devastating diseases, frequent hurricanes and intense development pressure that has proved lucrative to many growers looking for a way out.
According to its website, the grove is currently closed for summer but plans to reopen in mid-November for the return of citrus season.
In addition to its freshly picked fruit and freshly squeezed juices, the grove is known for its orange-swirled soft-serve ice cream, marmalades, jams and jellies.
In season, its old Florida-style farmstand is stocked with a variety of fruits and vegetables, dips and chips, desserts and more, attracting residents and visitors alike.
Laura Layden is a senior business and government reporter. Reach her by email at laura.layden@naplesnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Developer seeks golf course for East Naples citrus grove
Reporting by Laura Layden, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Laura Layden, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
