Diabetes and Neuropathy Treatment in Gulf Gate Estates, FL

The future of 49 acres in a Sarasota County neighborhood could be up for discussion.

The land used to be a golf course in Gulf Gate Estates.

Neighbors in the area are pushing for the county to buy the land and use it for stormwater mitigation and water quality improvement. They also want to see it preserved as greenspace after a lot of development in the area.

At Tuesday’s county commission meeting, Commissioner Joe Neunder said he plans to discuss potential options with other commissioners.

"It’s a catch up game," Cass Smith, a neighbor said. "The developments have been incremental, but now we’ve reached a perfect storm."

Smith says they’ve experienced ongoing issues with flooding, water quality issues exacerbating red tide, and greenspace being developed.

Neunder says this land could be key to helping solve these several growing issues.

"You’re not going to really find 49 acres of very pristine property, in my opinion, very close to the intercoastal that has the ability to service a larger part of the community, including our barrier islands," Neunder said.

After Hurricane Ian, Neunder says the federal government awarded the county millions of dollars in funding under the Resilient RSQ.

He says the proposed ideas for this land could be a good candidate for some of that funding.

"I think this is one of those rare opportunities where we have the option or, perhaps the ability, to go ahead and increase some of our open greenspace here in Sarasota County," Neunder said.

Neighbors say this land could be key in protecting the future of Gulf Gate Estates and other neighborhoods in Sarasota County in more ways than one.

"Allows that greenspace to be perpetual for generations," Kathy Goff, a neighbor said. "It’s not just the current, but it’s future generations to prevent flooding."

Neighbors say failing to address these problems could pose even bigger issues down the road.

"Property damage is a catastrophe, but the quality of life and the trauma it brings is really overwhelming, and people hardly get over that quickly," Smith said. "We don’t want that to happen to any of our citizens."

Neunder says they’ll discuss these ideas and the possibility of trying to buy this land on Tuesday.

No formal plans have been made yet.

Developers had planned for 106 single-family homes on the golf course after it was rezoned in 2016 but residents want county leaders to purchase it.

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SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla — Sarasota County commissioners will discuss the future fate of the Gulf Gate Golf Course and the funding options for the county to buy the property.

The idea is supported by residents of nearby Gulf Gate Estates who have circulated petitions to support the plan. They want the 49-acre golf course in the hands of the Sarasota County Government.

The neighbors hope that the property will be turned into a Nature Park to preserve wetlands and wildlife and mitigate flooding and water quality issues in the area.

"It's like everybody else, we're seeing climate change and these heavy downpours and hurricanes," said Cass Smith of the Gulf Gate Gulf Course Committee.

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Developers had planned for 106 single-family homes on the golf course after it was rezoned in 2016. The property sits within Matheny Creek and Elligraw Bayou Drainage Basins. After seeing the storm surge from hurricanes Ian and Idalia, some neighbors are concerned.

"What I don't want to see is flooding and I don't want my neighbors to flood such as that the 52,000 homes that flooded in Englewood and Venice in Fort Myers," Smith said.

Many of the neighbors are against any dense development and want county leaders to use Stormwater Environmental Utility money to purchase the land from developers. The current appraisal is estimated at $4.5 million.

"Any sort of intense development will definitely change the feel of the neighborhood and the environment. There's lots of wildlife here and the county needs some open space as well," said Sheryl Gofman, a Gulf Gate Estates neighbor.

Residents said such green space is necessary to help protect the environment, enhance the quality of life for county residents and limit the frequency of red tide blooms.

"Right now, all of our conveyances for all these areas have no filtration process at all so everything that goes into the stormwater drains goes directly into little Sarasota Bay," Smith said.

County staff said that currently there is no funding in the five-year capital improvement program for such property acquisition.

The board, however, does have the power to create a public improvement district to fund projects to benefit specific geographic areas if it chooses that funding route.

The commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12.

Planned luxury apartment complex Ascend Naples was approved Tuesday by a supermajority vote from the Collier County Board of Commissioners after almost 7 hours of discussion.

The project, a half mile east of Logan Boulevard along Vanderbilt Beach Road, will consist of 208 units across 17.5 acres. Requiring an amendment to the county’s growth management plan, the land is now zoned to be the Ascend Naples Residential Planned Unit Development from the previously zoned Estates.

Out of all the units, which are deemed luxury, 34% will be income restricted. With the average median income, or AMI, of almost $100,000 for a family of four in Collier County, 31 units will be restricted to 80% AMI, 31 restricted to 100% and 9 units restricted to 120%. The complex will have an amenity center with a clubhouse of a maximum 12,000 square feet along with 2.35 acres of preserve.

Estimated to comprise between 14 and 16 buildings, the project will be adjacent to Cherry Wood Drive to the south and directly across Vanderbilt Beach Road from the Island Walk community. Patrick Vanasse with planning and design service The Neighborhood Co. said that more intense uses are typically placed directly off major roadways, making the location an appropriate spot for Ascend Naples.

“We’re not suggesting that we put this project within a residential neighborhood. It is on the periphery, it will be buffered, and we will ensure compatibility,” Vanasse said.

The project will have a more than 100-foot setback from the nearest house on the south side of the property and an 80-foot setback from the nearest home on the western side that is 135 feet away. During the meeting, nearby residents spent more than three hours voicing both concern and support for the development.

Cherry Wood Drive resident Amy Kurtz said the project will create too much traffic and bring too many people to her street.

“The kids will be on our street, they’re not going to be on Vanderbilt Beach Road. [People are] not going to be walking their dogs on Vanderbilt Beach Road, they’re going to be walking on Cherry Wood Drive, where there’s woods and quiet and safety,” Kurtz said.

Island Walk resident Diane Oczkwoski also cited traffic concerns.

“The goal of proper zoning is to protect public health, safety and general welfare. This rezoning of Ascend abandons these protections for the public, with the potential for increased vehicle accidents with the added traffic from [the development],” Oczkwoski said.

Lifelong Naples resident W.T. Pearson supported the project, suggesting the increase in the supply of units could lead to rent decreases elsewhere.

“Without a new supply of lower priced housing options, including studio units, this process will ultimately force out our middle and working class, which includes individuals and not just families,” Pearson said. “We have to intervene if we want to preserve the integrity and balance of our community, and that intervention looks like amending our growth management plan when it proves to be obsolete.”

Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce government relations director Donna Jannine spoke in support of the project on behalf of the organization.

“CIG Communities’ current proposal not only represents one of the many innovative solutions to benefit Collier County’s workforce housing concerns, but it will also boost the local economy, while supporting the long-term housing needs of a vital workforce for years to come,” Jannine said.

After the public comment ended, land-use attorney Rich Yovanovich said the developer would entertain offers from charter schools if the project wasn’t approved. The Estates Zoning District allows essential services, such as public schools, and Commissioner William McDaniel said he would rather approve this project to avoid something else being built without the need for a vote.

“I’m having trouble saying no, because of the known that we get with this development request.” McDaniel said.

Commissioner Rick LoCastro agreed. “I’m not sitting here saying I love this project, but boy, I love it more than 10 other things that I think could go there, and that’s what I’m sort of struggling with,” LoCastro said.

Holding the lone dissenting vote on the project, Commissioner Burt Saunders said this isn’t the proper place for a project of this size.

“I think for me this sends a message that the Estates zoning is something that I don’t want to alter unless the circumstances are really perfect for it. And I don’t think the these are, so I’m not going to support the project,” Saunders said.

A timeline for the next stage of design wasn’t announced.

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Q: Have you heard anything about when construction of the 16th Street NE bridge will begin? — Gary Sefcik, Golden Gate Estates

A: Still working its way through Collier County government’s design and permitting process, the 16th Street NE bridge project in Golden Gate Estates is targeted to begin construction in about a year and a half.

“Basically, we’re in design right now. We’re at 60%. We will be finished with design and out of permitting by about a year from now. We’ll probably be under construction by December 2024,” said Dennis McCoy, senior project manager with Collier County Growth Management Department’s Transportation Engineering Division. “We plan like a year and a half of construction. So, we likely will be in construction all of ‘25 and part of ‘26. This ties in with the Vanderbilt Beach Road extension that comes right through the project.”

In addition to building a two-lane bridge to span the Golden Gate Main Canal that bisects 16th Street NE, the more than $22 million project will widen each of the two travel lanes on 16th Street to 11 feet with the addition of 6-foot shoulders and a 6-foot sidewalk along its entire length from Golden Gate Boulevard to Randall Boulevard, where a traffic light will be installed at the intersection of Randall, 16th Street and Approach Boulevard, the entrance into Valencia Golf & Country Club.

The project is being partially funded by a grant of $4.7 million, and the county’s Infrastructure Surtax Citizens Oversight Committee approved the project for receiving county surtax funds of $4.1 million. The remaining funding needed is anticipated to be allocated from gas tax revenue.

The project proposes to help improve safety, as well as emergency response times within the Estates. “The big thing here is the bridge provides emergency access,” McCoy said. “It’s a safety issue and it’s connectivity. So, it’s operational and safety.”

The county’s connectivity plan includes the first phase of the Vanderbilt Beach Road extension from Collier Boulevard to 16th Street, which began construction last fall.

Estates connectivity

In addition to projects on 16th Street and Vanderbilt Beach Road, road widening projects are planned on Randall and Wilson boulevards. Randall will be widened from two to four lanes on a new six-lane footprint from Immokalee Road to Eighth Street about the same time as the 16th Street construction, McCoy said, noting that eventually Randall will be widened to Everglades Boulevard.

The Wilson Boulevard widening project south of Immokalee Road includes the construction of a bridge that will span the canal more than a mile south of Golden Gate Boulevard. “It goes over the canal and right now we’re looking at connecting to Tobias (Street),” said Lorraine Lantz, transportation planning manager for Collier County.

After a public meeting last summer presented three options for the Wilson extension to align with City Gate Boulevard, a subsequent meeting refined the proposal to the central option to extend the road into southern Golden Gate Estates and eventually connect it with City Gate Boulevard North near the Paradise Coast Sports Complex.

“We’re looking to have a third public meeting to refine even further. Probably in the late summer/September time frame. We haven’t determined the dates for that meeting yet,” Lantz said.

The 16th Street bridge project follows the county’s 2019 completion of the bridge on Eighth Street Northeast with funding from the Florida Department of Transportation. Both projects were part of the 2008 East of 951 Horizon Study, which included several bridges to improve traffic mobility in the entire Golden Gate Estates area. The 16th Street bridge also was on the Collier County commissioners’ list of projects for funding from the one-cent sales tax referendum, Lantz said.

“And then we did a reevaluation study to look at those bridges again, just to make sure that they were needs for the county, for the network and the importance of them. And what the study found out was 16th, 47th, 10th, 13th and Wilson South were still needed, still very important for emergency management services, the fire stations, all the emergency services, in general, as well as important for the network for traveling to prevent congestion and to allow for a better network. And so, this is one of the first ones to move forward,” said Lantz, noting that the next projects probably will be bridges on Wilson Boulevard South and 13th Street NW.

Q: Can you tell me what the meeting was on June 1 about the medians on Immokalee? — Frank Bevacqua, Naples A: Because of traffic safety concerns, Collier County plans to modify some of the open median cuts for a half-dozen connector streets on the south side of Immokalee Road east of Collier Boulevard.

Planned changes to the median where Immokalee Road intersects with Richards Street, Rivers Road, Moulder Drive, Catawba Street, Rock Road and Wildwood Boulevard and Krape Road will force motorists exiting these side streets to turn east and do a U-turn at the next possible opportunity if they intend to travel west on Immokalee Road.

“The county has identified some safety concerns from people coming from the side streets and trying to make a left turn toward Naples,” said project manager Mario Puente, who notes that landscaping company trailers that frequently turn out of those side streets sometimes dangerously block up to three lanes of traffic on Immokalee Road while they wait to turn west at the medians. “So, these are minor modifications to the existing median that will force these guys to make a right turn only and to make a U-turn down the road.”

The project, which is in its initial 60% design stage, proposes to construct directional traffic features at these open medians with changes to pavement, curbs, gutters and signage. The construction project is expected to start this fall with an estimated completion date next summer.

The “Tim Aten Knows” weekly column answers local questions from readers. Email Tim at [email protected].

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6566 Gateway Ave., Sarasota, (941) 201-3992, screaming-goat.com

Creativity is key at Screaming Goat (pictured at top). We recommend selecting several tacos from its collection of inventive and delicious offerings. You can keep it traditional with cochinita pibil or barbacoa, but be sure to try one (or three) of the vegetarian/vegan tacos as well. We love the "Latin falafel," topped with bright cilantro chimichurri and pico de gallo. Yum.

6690 Superior Ave., Sarasota, (941) 927-3388, monkssteamerbar.com

It’s a dive and it has oysters, two things that typically wouldn’t go together. But at Monk’s, the ambiance—or lack thereof—is all part of the charm. Pull up a seat at the bar so you can talk to your shucker while he works over a squeaky-clean icy oyster chamber. The drinks are far from fussy; we recommend a cold beer to accompany your plump Gulf oysters. Not a fan of raw oysters? Try the oysters “Monkafellers,” broiled with Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs, for a simple treat that will somehow blow your mind.

6644 Gateway Ave., (941) 925-2313, opus-srq.com

Floor-to-ceiling windows set the mood at this upscale establishment, and fresh Mediterranean flavors abound on the simple and well-executed menu. The Kataifi shrimp are cradled in thinly shredded filo and accompanied by a cherry chili sauce that nicely rounds out the generous za’atar seasoning. Smoky eggplant, zucchini and red peppers shine in the caponata, our new favorite way to get our daily serving of vegetables.

6518 Gateway Ave., Sarasota (941) 923-2202, piccolomarket.com

Unassuming is the name of the game in Gulf Gate, and Piccolo Italian Market fits right in. This quiet Italian market has tons of specialty treats to select from, but we come specifically for the sandwiches. They menu is extensive (more than 30 to choose from!), and they are huge and, most importantly, delicious.

6670 Superior Ave., Sarasota, (941) 237-8742, romansq.com

When we say this pizza is so good, we mean it: think thick, Roman-style slices made from pillowy-soft focaccia that can stand up to a generous assortment of traditional toppings. We love the potato and sausage for carbs on carbs on carbs, but try it with fresh mozzarella and prosciutto to feel like you’ve been transported to Roma.

6569 Superior Ave., Sarasota, (941) 922-7979, tonyschicagobeef.com

Step one foot inside Tony’s and you’ll be instantly transported to Chicago—by smell, of course. One of the few places you can get a true Chicago dog, this spot is an instant hit. Whet your appetite with a namesake Italian beef dipped in plenty of gravy, or take it one step further with a “combo"—beef and Italian sausage in perfect harmony. No matter what you choose, you’ll never leave hungry.