Proposed Goodland Boating Park sparks much discussion in community

McGeary, a spry 76, was holding up a sign that said "Park-Yes, Condos-No," when a bus carrying most of the Collier County Commission drove through town Friday.

She was one of about 10 Goodland residents who turned out while the commissioners inspected a vacant lot that soon could become Goodland Boating Park.

"We'd love to have this park when the grandchildren come down," said McGeary, a member of Goodland Preservation Association. "We'd use this park all the time. We enjoy the outdoor life."

Commissioners will be asked to approve a conditional-use permit in March that would allow construction of the park to move forward.

The tentative design for the park calls for 76 boat trailer parking spaces, 10 car parking spaces, 10 wet boat slips on a wharf, a two-lane boat ramp with docks, and 12 boat slips on a finger pier. In addition, there will be a picnic shelter, playground and a fishing area surrounded by a preserved mangrove fringe.

"I'm thinking this is the last chance Collier County people will get to look at the ocean," said Joe Douglas, a Goodland resident for 25 years. "Condos are going up everywhere else."

Goodland residents have opposed construction of high-rise condominiums and lobbied for a zoning overlay in the area prohibiting them. Some residents fear if the park isn't built, a developer will buy the land and figure out a way to construct a condominium complex on the land even though the overlay is in place.

Most of the people who met the commissioners Friday supported the project but expressed some concerns about parking and the traffic the park would bring into the community.

But Goodland also has numerous signs dotting people's yards that register an opposition to the project with most focusing on the boat ramp as a point of concern.

Steve Shimer of the Goodland board of directors said the park was a good idea, but he doesn't like the boat ramp.

"The community voted against the boat ramp," Shimer said. "Traffic is a serious problem here in Goodland and (the boat ramp) will bring more traffic in."

Other residents also said the number of parking spaces should be reduced but disagreed with Shimer's contention the boat ramp wasn't wanted.

Friday's boat trip was part of a workshop meeting that took commissioners to most of the boat access points in Collier County. Commissioners and county staff visited the Cocohatchee River area, Bayview Park, Collier Boulevard boat ramp, Caxambas Pass and Goodland.

"I think we got a good overview of what our shortcomings are," Commissioner Frank Halas said. "We need to do a better job of increasing beach access as the community grows."

The commissioners traveled on the 55-seat bus together. They officially recessed the workshop when they got onto the bus and didn't reconvene the workshop until they returned to the county government complex.

The Sunshine law prohibits public officials who sit on the same board from talking about government business when they aren't in a public meeting.

County Attorney David Weigel said getting on the bus together wasn't a violation of the state's Sunshine laws. But Weigel also made it clear he wasn't particularly thrilled about the situation.

"The County Attorney's Office has not been a fan of putting commissioners on a bus together," Weigel said. "But it can be done."

Before the commissioners got onto the bus, Weigel warned them not to talk to each other about county business until they returned to the government complex and reconvened the workshop. He said commissioners could ask staff members questions while on the bus but could not communicate with each other.

The county attorney also asked everyone traveling on the bus to refrain from engaging in a conversation with two commissioners at the same time. Assistant County Attorney Jeff Klatzkow went on the bus tour to make sure the Sunshine Law was followed.

A court reporter also was on the bus to keep a public record of everything that was said.