Losing small Town Charm in News (Fort Myers, Naples: 2015, how much, house)

[bobbyanylitics]

Watching local news today and a story on Naples losing it's charm confused me. It was implied that by preventing homeowners from buying land next door to them for privacy or to build a larger home will somehow destroy the small town charm.


Maybe they read or I understood the report backwards, but I would think that the more homes built in Naples the worse the charm would get. For years now we have been avoiding activities in down town Naples simply because of the hassle of congestion. And we regret missing out on all the town has to offer.



Some of the communities have such small lots that a two car garage means one car behind another! Who is responsible for allowing this, what I consider, charm destroying, Disney type housing developments?


Even in the Rural Estates, most lots are now only 75' wide where a very small home only leaves 8' or so on each side.
Am I completely wrong in thinking this way?


In my opinion, zoning bylaws should be changed to reduce growth to ensure small town charm , not encourage it.

[hardluk1]

Well we moved away 25 years ago and the small time charm was running real thin at that time for us . I miss the days when I could pull up some oysters below low tide and eat them for lunch or catching snook that were clean looking not and safe to eat in the port royal . You did not have to hunt for a place to launch your boat .

I miss the days when we could walk in a back or side door to a couple of dinners around town at 5am . Sit down have a coffee , read the news paper some what in low light and talk with some men that helped greatly with naples development and area growth years before . Somewhere in the mid 90's were done . Property prices were climbeing so we started get ready to sell out and move from out 5 acers in GGE 1 mile east of the golf course in GGcity . Last time down to help a friend move out was an eye opener . No reason to ever visit again and most old timers that stay are gone the other moved long ago too .

I know folks will find my outlook on naples and collier county as all wrong but they did not grow up there ether and know how cool naples was to go to school , grow up , get married and enjoy what naples and collier county was in the 60's thru the 80's . A sportsman paradise .

bobbyanylitics In your opinion, zoning bylaws should be changed to reduce growth to ensure small town charm , not encourage it. To late by to many years . Its out of the bag and running wild .

[bobbyanylitics]

Originally Posted by hardluk1

Well we moved away 25 years ago and the small time charm was running real thin at that time for us . I miss the days when I could pull up some oysters below low tide and eat them for lunch or catching snook that were clean looking not and safe to eat in the port royal . You did not have to hunt for a place to launch your boat .

I miss the days when we could walk in a back or side door to a couple of dinners around town at 5am . Sit down have a coffee , read the news paper some what in low light and talk with some men that helped greatly with naples development and area growth years before . Somewhere in the mid 90's were done . Property prices were climbeing so we started get ready to sell out and move from out 5 acers in GGE 1 mile east of the golf course in GGcity . Last time down to help a friend move out was an eye opener . No reason to ever visit again and most old timers that stay are gone the other moved long ago too .

I know folks will find my outlook on naples and collier county as all wrong but they did not grow up there ether and know how cool naples was to go to school , grow up , get married and enjoy what naples and collier county was in the 60's thru the 80's . A sportsman paradise .

bobbyanylitics In your opinion, zoning bylaws should be changed to reduce growth to ensure small town charm , not encourage it. To late by to many years . Its out of the bag and running wild .

Yes Hardluk but where else in the States can you find sub-tropical climates. Today I was up on 29 and oilwell and even there is rapid development. Why grow tomatoes when you can sell to developers? It reminds me of LA 50 years ago.
Maybe the US needs to annex Mexico like Russia did to Crimea!!

[beach43ofus]

Developers own local politicians, & developers want max density, & they win almost every time. Money talks.

I wish it weren't so, but it is.

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

Developers own local politicians, & developers want max density, & they win almost every time. Money talks.

I wish it weren't so, but it is.

Sadly, this is 100% true. They're destroying what's left of FL, 1000 homes at a time.

[bobbyanylitics]

Like I said we have to annex Mexico!!!! And take care of all the cartels at the same time.

[movin1]

My family started taking me and my sister to Fort Myers Beach in 1958 for two week winter vacations when we were very young. Some years we rented a house in Naples, I loved it there. In 2015, I moved to Naples and lived there for 5 years before I decided I didn't like the weather except for a few months of the year (not summer, lol). I liked what Naples was like while I lived there, but wonder how much more growth it can handle. I'm not sure when the charm of what the area was like from 1958 - 1971 (the last time I vacationed there as a teenager) ended, but I'm glad I got to experience it.

[hardluk1]

Originally Posted by bobbyanylitics

Yes Hardluk but where else in the States can you find sub-tropical climates. Today I was up on 29 and oilwell and even there is rapid development. Why grow tomatoes when you can sell to developers? It reminds me of LA 50 years ago.
Maybe the US needs to annex Mexico like Russia did to Crimea!!

Too bad development is so uncontrolled down there but thats life in SW FL .

[Tripower455]

Originally Posted by hardluk1

Too bad development is so uncontrolled down there but thats life in SW FL .

Sadly, it's not just SWFL. All of FL is being destroyed by irresponsible overdevelopment.

My PTSD kicked in yesterday when it took over an hour to get to place 10 minutes away. There were some simultaneous events going on in the area, but damn if I didn't get flashbacks of the last few years I lived in Naples.

The building up here is getting out of control too. At this rate, I figure we're about 4-5 years from critical mass. Uggggh.

[hardluk1]

I understand as I have no interest in coming back to florida even for a vacation again after the last trip down to move my wifes older sister out maybe 4 years ago . It is aid how quickly development takes over down there . Must make your drive to MCO hard to deal with today .