POLL: Naples' Park Shore Drive name to remain, for now

Raymond L. Lutgert

NAPLES — Don’t change your address labels just yet.

A move to change Park Shore Drive to Lutgert Drive is on hold after Naples City Council expressed concerns about the name change.

City Manager Bill Moss said Wednesday afternoon that rather than move forward with the name change process, council will discuss the proposed change — and the process associated with changing a street name — at a workshop later this summer.

That decision comes two days after City Council on Monday authorized city staff to look into changing the name to honor Raymond Lutgert.

Lutgert — who developed the Park Shore community in 1965 — died last month. He was 90.

Council members expressed concern Wednesday that residents wouldn’t have a say in the name change if the city were to move forward as planned.

To change the street name the city would need clearance from several agencies and would need to notify all property owners of its intent to change the name.

City Council can then approve the name change once all of the appropriate agencies clear the request.

Council members, who said they received several e-mails and phone calls on the topic, had received two e-mails to their Naples City Hall e-mail address about the issue as of Wednesday afternoon.

“I am writing to beg you not to change the name of Park Shore Drive,” Naples resident Karen Swift wrote in an e-mail to city officials.

“While I understand the urge to honor Mr. Lutgert, this is not the way to do so. Changing the name of Park Shore Drive to Lutgert Drive will rob the area of its single identifying street name and throw confusion onto every set of directions given.”

Councilman Sam Saad said he spoke to Park Shore Association representatives who said they were considering changing the name of Park Shore beach after Lutgert.

Park Shore beach is only accessible to people who live in the community.

David Feight, the association’s president, said Tuesday his organization was exploring ways to best honor Lutgert.

“As usual, no good deed goes unpunished,” said Councilman John Sorey, who made the initial request. “I think we should go through the process, and council either votes it up or down.”

Moss said the city will wait until after a workshop later this year to begin notifying agencies of the potential name change.

Connect with Naples reporter Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster at www.naplesnews.com/staff/jenna-buzzacco