Work at East Naples development project dubbed ‘the city dump’ halted over permit issues

Reporter: Michelle Alvarez Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:
(Credit: WINK News)

An eyesore that is so frustrating its neighbors call it “the city dump” is having work halted. The project is for new homes on the corner of Davis and Santa Barbara Boulevard in Collier County.

That project is at a standstill, leaving neighbors to look at all of the stuff that has been left behind.

The sound of crushing concrete and dust once filled the air near Davis and Santa Barbara Boulevard in East Naples, but not anymore.

“We’ve had peace and quiet for two weeks. We don’t have dust in or lanai’s, dust on our cars and nobody’s coughing and hacking here because that fiasco has stopped short term,” said Cathy Novy of East Naples.

Short term because the South Florida Water Management District pulled the developer’s permit.

The permits were pulled because of unauthorized placement of fill, dredging of wetlands and excessive amounts of native vegetation.

Novy has led the fight to stop the constant pounding. “What’s in our best interest right now, is for him to take his concrete, crush it elsewhere and bring it back. Not poisoning all of the people that live and I have to breathe in that concrete dust.”

The developer got permission years ago to crush concrete on-site and use it as a fill for a neighboring lot that was planned to eventually build.

Cathy Novy said, “We’re not against property development, that’s not our issue. It’s to be done correctly and responsibly and eco-friendly. Which he hasn’t done for over two years.”

The eyesore will remain until the developer decides whether to appeal. He has 18 days.

“If he can no longer continue the project and he has the availability to clear everything out and just leave it as an empty lot, we’d be perfectly fine with that,” said Novy.

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