Everglades City Council can’t stop Collier County from buying 53 acres of prime waterfront property in town and taking it off the tax rolls, but it is trying to have a say in what is built there and wants the county to pay the city.
If the county uses its taxpayer-supported land-buying program, Conservation Collier, it needs Everglades City Council’s permission. With that in mind, the city council voted June 9 to OK the use of funds with several restrictions:
- The county can’t build a boat ramp on the property. It’s not needed and would compete with local boat-ramp owners, the council and several residents said.
- The county needs to reimburse Everglades City 100% of the taxes lost until the property goes back on the taxed list – that’s about $8,000 a year.
- Expand adjacent Everglades Airpark by 10 acres.
“We cannot tell anyone that they can’t buy a piece of property in Everglades City, or tell anyone they can’t sell it to somebody,” Mayor Howie Grimm said during the special city council meeting.
Collier County Commissioner Bill McDaniel, whose District 5 includes Everglades City, attended online. He didn’t make any promises but said he would take the city’s concerns back to the board of commissioners…