Collier woman fed up over construction work nextdoor, commission regrets approving permit

A woman who lives next to what she calls “The City Dump,” isn’t actually a dump, but neighbors are tired of seeing piles of concrete, and lots of steel rebar where they say work never ends – despite no new homes under construction.

Cathy Novy, lives in the gated community of Firano at Naples off Davis Boulevard.

Land behind her home, part of another development, is currently under construction. “In essence, this has been going on closer to two years,” she said.

There’s noise, dust, and crushing of rocks and concrete. Why? All to use the busted-up concrete to raise this lot of land where new homes will eventually be built.

“My question is why,” Novy asks. “This was supposed to be over in October 2021, we are now being told that it’s not going to be over until possibly March 2022.”

The developer told WINK News the county gave them the go-ahead on the project.

But Novy’s had enough, especially the dust. “Coming now into the dry season, it’s only going to get worse.”

Novy went to the Collier County Commissioners to demand something be done.

Commissioner Penny Taylor said, “We feel that we have made a mistake. I’m sorry about that.”

“I respect you saying that,” Novy replir, “But let’s correct the mistake.”

However, the best the commissioners could do in the moment – promise not to renew that developer’s permit when it expires in March 2022.

But this doesn’t mean the practice of crushing concrete on a construction site will stop.

The developer said this method is standard practice as a way to save money and happens in other parts of Collier County.