County Commission approves Goodland boat park

There will be a boat park in Goodland.

The Collier County Commission voted 5-0 on March 23 to approve a conditional-use permit for a public boat-launch park at Palm Point on Goodland's southernmost tip.

"It's been eight years," said Connie Fullmer, president of the Goodland Preservation Coalition, a community group dedicated to preserving the traditions and ambiance of the historic fishing village.

"It's wonderful that the commissioners have approved the boat park. Now I'm looking forward to working with (public services administrator) Marla Ramsey at some community meetings she has promised to hold for input from us on architectural designs. I feel confident she is going to work with us as a community."

The final motion called for 75 parking spaces for boat trailers and 21 spaces for non-boat-hauling cars and vehicles. It eliminated stipulations for deed restrictions and crushed-shell drive surfaces, and modified a stipulation that will allow locals to hold community events on three occasions per year: Christmas, Easter and Goodland's anniversary.

Collier County zoning manager Ray Bellows said the vote opened the door to a series of processes that must take place before construction of the boat park can begin.

"Now comes the hard part," he said. "There will be federal and state permits and an environmental impact statement to be done, then staff will work out the details and fine points."

The commission meeting at times became frustrating for Debbie Klosik, president of the Goodland Civic Association, and other Goodlanders in the audience.

As commissioners discussed the proposed park and the recommendations made by Bellows and his staff, they made close to a dozen motions before the final one passed unanimously — five minutes after everyone returned from a one-hour lunch break.

"It was disappointing," Klosik said of the commissioners' behavior. "They just kept saying the same thing over and over. They're actually agreeing with each other but don't know it."

Commissioner Jim Coletta said the terminology was frustrating. He wanted to have all 75 parking spaces ready from the first day the park opens, but Commissioner Donna Fiala wanted to follow county staff's recommendation to build 50 spaces and phase in more later as needed.

Fiala and Chairman Fred Coyle — who was the only commissioner who wanted to sell the property and use the money to buy a larger site elsewhere with room for even more boat-trailer parking — finally changed their minds and voted with Coletta, Frank Halas and Tom Henning.

About 30 Goodlanders spilled into the hallway outside commission chambers after the final vote to congratulate each other, shaking hands, hugging and patting each other on the back.

The commissioners voted after hearing testimony from 22 people, most of whom approved the proposed park.

Klosik said she's glad the waiting is over.

"I'm hoping that now (the county Parks and Recreation Department) will come back with a good recommendation to phase in a boat park that will serve the public and the community," she said.

All five commissioners said they wanted the boat park to strike a balance between public access to the water and considerations of the Goodland community.

The county bought the Palm Point property for more than $4.5 million in 2002. County officials wanted to add more water-access boat launches for some time, but the possibility of a public park in Goodland split residents.

"I hope this (vote) will bring some healing," Klosik said.

"We've been divided on this long enough. It's time to bring some unity back to the community."

Speakers varied from longtime Goodlanders to Naples marina owners speaking on behalf of the county's 22,000 boaters.

"You need to consider the quality of life of Goodland in your decision," said Mike Barbush, who lives one block from the proposed park site. "Now that the county is a landowner, please be a good neighbor."

Some saw the park as a countywide issue for all boaters.

"We have the Gulf. We need to make it available to boaters," said Randy Ward, representing the Marine Industry Association of Collier County. "For the association and from a personal standpoint, we need to maximize this investment."

A few speakers opposed the park and hoped the land would be sold or used for condominiums or other development.

"I oppose it because a public boat park would only be one more commercial venture in Goodland," said Joe Ludwig, a longtime resident. "If you build the park, you'll have to widen (State Road) 92, and you'll have to cut into the mangroves. ... I know the county paid through the nose for that property. You could sell it and put the money to good use."

James Graham, who supported the conditional-use permit, saw the park property as a financial asset for the future.

"Its bonding value is going to go up, up, up," he said. "It will be a tremendous asset for all of us."