Ready to sell, get out of extension's way

Linda Craft moved to Collier County when she was 4 and graduated from Naples High School in 1966. Now she's ready to leave town.

She's fed up. The proposed extension of Vanderbilt Beach Road is slated to swallow up a portion of her Golden Gate Estates backyard.

"I'm used to it being nice and quiet. I don't want a six-lane highway in my backyard," she explained.

Craft is on the growing list of willing sellers who have contacted the county about buying them out. Already, there are more than 20. In Craft's case, she's asking the county to buy her out completely, but the county only needs a portion of her land. Craft said her life is in limbo.

"I don't like it at all, whatsoever," she said.

Making matters worse for her is that the Collier County Commission earlier this month authorized county staff to go out and negotiate to buy property out to Wilson Boulevard.

Her property is just east of that.

Others are in similar situations to Craft's, but each willing seller has a unique story.

Photo by DAVID AHNTHOLZ, Daily News

Sara Timmons, who lives on 12th Avenue Northwest, says she will lose about 100 feet of her backyard to the Vanderbilt Beach Road extension into Golden Gate Estates. She wants to sell her house but has had difficulty finding interested buyers because of the proposed road extension.

Not everyone is unhappy.

The willing sellers list includes investors who want to cash out for profit.

Some sellers are urging the county to buy portions of their property so they have the money to build homes on their lots.

Some people who aren't even in the path of the road, but are close, also are trying to convince county officials to shell out money for their land.

"Some are saying, 'Hey, I don't have a problem with it, I'll sell you a back portion (of my lot),'" said Don Scott, who heads up the county's transportation planning division. "It is all different combinations. Obviously, some are saying 'no' (to selling) at this point."

As the list of willing sellers grows, so does a debate about how well the county will compensate landowners.

The county estimates it will have to buy out 19 homes.

And 400 properties stretching along a 10-mile path from Collier to DeSoto Boulevards will be affected.

The Collier County Commission on June 6 authorized county staff to spend up to $37.8 million to buy up right of way for the road project out to Wilson Boulevard. Staff anticipates this phase will go to construction in 2010, as three schools are planned in the area.

Kevin Hendricks, right of way acquisition manager for Collier County government, said the county hasn't even begun to design the road yet, meaning it's unclear exactly what property will be needed, particularly for the partial takes.

The county is planning first to contact the owners of properties they are sure will be a full take.

Hendricks said he's heard from seven or eight owners of property east of Wilson Boulevard who are interested in selling. He said it's too early for that.

"I don't think we're going to proceed with acquisition beyond Wilson at this time," he said.

Even homeowners who live in the path the county authorized to buy out to Wilson Boulevard say they feel like they are in limbo.

Sara Timmons lives on 12th Avenue Northwest in this segment. Her home isn't scheduled to be taken, but part of her 5 acres is. She said county officials informed her they aren't going to buy her property until road design work is done, which could take six months. She's been trying to sell and move to South Carolina, but the road project has made that difficult.

Timmons said she had a contract to buy a home in South Carolina, and a buyer here who was seeking financing to buy the property she had listed at $999,000. Once she informed the buyer of the road extension, he backed out. And, she said, other potential buyers aren't interested either. Timmons said she now wants the county to buy all of her property.

"I'm getting out of here as soon as I can," said Timmons, who has lived in the home for 15 years. "I do love it. It is a beautiful place. But a highway in the backyard is not going to make this beautiful anymore."

Hendricks has told county leaders that staff typically does not go out and try to buy land until a project is in the 60 percent design phase, a far cry from where this is.

"We don't even have the design contract now (for the extension)," he said.

But Hendricks said he is aware that commissioners want to move quickly in buying up land so residents can move on with their lives.

"The residents are calling daily. I speak at least once a day to them," he said.

Hendricks told commissioners that the county plans to compensate people well, and has no intention to offer low-ball figures that could end up in a costly legal battle. He said the county usually hires appraisers who are on an approved list. But for this project, the county simply may allow property owners to choose a list of appraisers who handle normal real estate transactions with no affiliation to Collier County.

In a letter from a previous county planner to a homeowner, former county transportation planner Joe Quinty writes: "Everyone will be offered figures above fair market value, and included in the settlement will be funds to compensate for relocation and also possibly to offset the increase in taxes on a new property."

He added that another idea being considered was for the county to purchase homes early, and then lease them back at a nominal fee until construction begins.

County Commissioner Fred Coyle has said he is concerned that such messages were being conveyed to homeowners.

"These are policy issues, and communications such as this, in my opinion, should only be made to he public once the board (commission) has approved the policy," he said.

He said homeowners could get false expectations.

Coyle said that Florida law is very protective to property owners, assuring they get fair market value along with damages associated with a taking.

"But I'm very concerned that we are talking about offering figures above fair market value and compensating for relocation, property taxes on new property. It is very, very complex," he said.

Peter Gaddy, a homeowner who himself is set to lose part of his backyard for the extension, has encouraged commissioners to set up a standard policy of compensation that is generous.

He said the county should, for starters, pay 25 to 50 percent more than the appraised value.

"Many of your takings are going to be partial takings," Gaddy said. "As a consequence, homes are going to be rendered worthless, and I think you should compensate."