Sabal Palm Developer Holds Neighborhood Information Meeting

The development team for a proposed community off Sabal Palm Rd. in East Naples held a neighborhood information meeting on Monday evening. About 60 nearby residents showed up at the South Regional Library on Lely Cultural Parkway to hear from the team and voice their concerns about the project. It’s fair to say that none of the residents seemed to be there to express support for the Sabal Palm development; all those who spoke raised objections or concerns about its impact on the area. 

The mandated meeting was conducted by Wayne Arnold of land planner Q. Grady Minor and Associates, along with their traffic consultant, environmental consultant, and land use attorney. They detailed their plans for dealing with traffic and stormwater caused by the construction. While some residents said they had not received mail notice of the meeting, Arnold said that every household within a mile of the project had been notified.  

The project in question, to be known as Sabal Palm after the road that leads from Collier Blvd. to the development, is slated to put up 423 residences on 169 acres, approximately 1.5 miles from Collier Blvd., on land that currently makes up South Florida Citrus Groves. Owned by the Smits family, it has operated since the 1970s. The Smits are looking to sell their holdings to Pulte Homes, who would develop the residential project. No closing date is set, according to Arnold.  

The property is currently zoned agricultural. As reported in a Coastal Breeze News story by Kelly J. Farrell on July 24, 2025, for the development to continue, a change in the zoning is required for it to be considered a receiving area versus a sending area, which is less environmentally protected under the county’s codes. Density would be increased from one unit per 40 acres on the grove, which currently has one residential home, the grove, a popular farm stand, and farm structures. The density would increase to 2.5 homes per acre.   

The community would have what’s considered affordable housing, with 15 percent of homes to be townhomes available to people earning no more than 120 percent of Collier County area median income, so for people earning no more than about $136,320 annually for a family of four, per the Sabal Palm development website.  

Collier County staff have expressed support for the project, said Arnold. A public hearing before the county’s Planning Commission is set for 9:00 AM on September 18 in the county commission chambers, and the Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to take up the project at 9:00 AM October 28, also in the commission chambers.  

Approximately 60 nearby residents showed up at the library on Monday to hear the developer’s presentation and voice their concerns. These concerns centered on several issues – traffic congestion, environmental issues, and water levels and stormwater flow. One speaker also raised concerns about brushfires. The site is adjacent to the Picayune Strand State Forest, and Susan Scott, who could not attend and whose comments were read aloud by Christine Briggs, expressed concern for endangered Florida panthers that have been monitored along Sabal Palm Rd.  

Briggs, who lives in nearby Verona Walk, is the organizer of a community petition against the proposed development. She took to the microphone to issue a blanket invitation to all present to attend a meeting at Verona Walk on Wednesday, August 20, with County Commissioner Rick LoCastro, in whose district the project would be located. LoCastro has emphasized that the County is not creating this; instead, an owner of the grove wants the opportunity to sell to a developer. Along with the other commissioners, he will vote up or down on the Pulte proposal. 

Arnold touted the benefits to the county, noting the “hometown heroes” – first responders and teachers – who he said would be the likely purchasers of the 63 townhomes set aside as affordable housing, although speakers noted those homes were all concentrated in one section of the property away from the rest.  

“I think it’s going to be an asset to the community,” said Arnold.  

Resident after resident rose to express their differences with that conclusion. They did not give their names before making their comments. 

“I live in Verona Walk. My house is going to flood, and everyone on my street,” said one.  

“Your proposal looks good on paper, but until you build it, you don’t know” what will happen, said another.  

“The high water table in our community is a significant problem,” said a resident of nearby Tamarindo.  

“This project cannot go there,” said another speaker, suggesting the land would be valuable to grow cannabis, or fruits and vegetables. 

“It’s a narrow road, two lanes. All that fill, all that concrete, all that wood is going to have to come down Sabal Palm Rd.,” causing serious traffic congestion, said another. Loud applause greeted what attendees considered to be telling points.  

“How will this benefit residents? Does anybody here want this?” brought a chorus of “No!” from the crowd, who filled virtually every available seat.  

“Verona Walk is generally opposed to this,” said Verona Walk resident Pete Monti, for two reasons. One is the preservation of land for wildlife, such as Florida panthers. The other is water management. “We’re deeply distressed by the idea that we could be subject to flooding” caused by the new construction. “Our experience with Hurricane Irma justifies that concern.” 

Arnold and traffic consultant Norman Trebilcock repeated several times that the developer would pay their proportional share for a traffic light on Collier Blvd., should the county determine one was needed. The team presented detailed plans for stormwater flow. Environmental consultant Tim Hall said he believed the new development would not adversely impact wildlife and pointed out the land is currently a citrus grove, not pristine wilderness. The team’s land use attorney, Rich Yovanovich, was also present. 

One resident tried to ask a question of a county planning staffer who was at the meeting, but Arnold intervened, saying, “This is our meeting.” The county, he said, will weigh in during the September and October sessions.  

Arnold said that, if all goes according to their plans and timetable, the property “could be developed in 2027.” First, they have two more meetings at the County Government Center to get through.