The majority of Riviera Golf Estates residents vehemently oppose a proposal to convert the East Naples community’s 18-hole golf course into residential housing and lakes.
Hundreds of Riviera Golf Estates residents chanted “We say no” and cheered Monday night when told that the stakeholder outreach meeting regarding the intent to convert would be rescheduled for a larger venue.
When attendees at Monday’s meeting at New Hope Ministries in East Naples were told that too many people were in the room for the venue’s capacity of 350, the standing-room-only crowd cheered and applauded. When people did not volunteer to leave the meeting or agree to two separate back-to-back presentations on Monday night, it was decided that the meeting would be rescheduled but a new date and venue have not been set.
The meeting will be hosted by Hole Montes engineering and planning firm, representing La Minnesota Riviera LLC, the owner of the 94-acre golf course property off Rattlesnake Hammock Road. The rezoning proposal seeks the development of 384 single-family attached dwelling units, Collier County records show.
“The Riviera Golf Course is financially infeasible and has been operating at a loss for the past 10 years. The applicant’s goal is to rezone the golf course to permit the highest and best, financially solvent use of the property,” according to the developer’s statement filed with the county.
Riviera Golf Estates was developed by Winfield Companies between 1967 and 2003. The 55-plus community consists of nearly 700 single-family homes and condominiums.
Carolyn Shontz, who has lived in Riviera Golf Estates for nearly 20 years, said the golf course conversion would destroy her backyard view. “The original deed said that it will always be a golf course and it was switched on us. It was switched on all of the people who live here. We really feel like it’s unfair,” Shontz told WINK News.
Another resident, Dwight Delahunt, started a petition drive on change.org in opposition to the conversion plan. So far, 1,176 people have signed the petition entitled Stop Development of Riviera Golf Course.
“The Riviera Golf course is one of the few public courses left in Collier County and is located in East Naples. In our view, its planned rezoning to residential would increase flooding, traffic congestion, and would not be compatible with the current 55+ community that surrounds and backs onto the golf course. We hereby request that the Commissioners reject any application for rezoning or change other than to remain a golf course or be maintained as green space,” the petition reads in part.
