BCC Minutes 10/18/2005 W (CRA)
October 18, 2005
COLLIER COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS/COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY WORKSHOP
Naples, Florida October 18,2005
LET IT BE REMEMBERED, that the Collier County Board of County
Commissioners/Community Redevelopment Agency, in and for Collier
County, having conducted business herein, met on this date at 2:00 p.m. in a
Workshop in Board Meeting Room E, Third Floor, Administration Building,
of the Government Complex, 3301 East Tamiami Trail, Naples, Florida,
with the following members present:
Chairman: Fred Coyle
Jim Coletta
Frank Halas
Donna Fiala
Tom Henning
ALSO PRESENT:
Nicole Fernandez, Senior Planner, CDES,
Kurt Easton, Principal, The RMPK Group
Bob Frank
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October 18, 2005
2:00 - 2:15 Nicole Fernandez, Senior Planner, CDES, Comprehensive Planning
Department, introduced Kurt Easton, Principal, The RMPK Group and Bob Frank, and
provided general background.
2: 15-2:45 Kurt Easton, Principal, The RMPK Group, made a Power Point
presentation, Update of the Community Master Plan For: Immokalee, Florida,
Demographic Profile, attached.
2:45-3: 15 Kurt Easton moderated a session of Focus Group Questions addressing the
following issues.
· Identification of Immokalee's assets
o Multi-cultural Community, little infrastructure, leaving it open for
future redevelopment.
o Community is very environmentally aware. Airport is huge asset
o Diversity of community
oVery active, committed and aware governing body
o Lake Trafford
o Land is available for commercial, industrial and retail development
o CRA is asset
o Immokalee has true sense of place and diversity of people
o 80% ofland is preserved
o
· Identification of Immokalee's weaknesses
o Airport is problem as it encroaches on panther habitat.
o Better jobs are necessary
o Better education will follow better jobs
o Affordable housing is needed
o Airport needs good transportation with interstate access
o Transportation network needs to be strengthened
o Large migrant population needs more sense of community
o Slumlord properties need to be addressed
o
· Issues facing existing industries in Immokalee
o Large industrial park desireable
o Better jobs needed, people must be able to work with hands
o Better educated workforce
o Affordable housing cannot be one time affair, need tract of land
owned by public with control of prices, possibly community land
development trust
o Residential areas should be located far from airport so as not to
hinder future growth
o Language barriers
o How Immokalee will interface with and benefit by other
developing communities nearby
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October 18, 2005
. Vision for future of Immokalee
o More affordable housing
o More restaurants, entertainment and activities
o Eco-tourism can be developed
3:15-3:30 Questions and General Discussion included the following comments from the
public sector
. Ann Goodnight, Chair, Civic Association commented that meetings
should be held at night in order to allow entire community to be involved.
. Fred Thomas spoke regarding strengths of Immokalee, has central
location, is two and-a-halfhour drive to four major airports, has a diverse
entry-level workforce. Cannot compete economically with Collier County
economic standards.
*****
There being no further business for the good of the County of Collier, the meeting
was adjourned by the order of the Chair at 3:30 p.m.
COLLIER COUNTY BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
'~.J.. w. ~
Fred Coyle, Chairman
ATTEST:
DWIGHT, E. BROCK, CLERK
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These Minutes App~ved by the Board on
as presented ~ or as corrected
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