Naples City Council making plan to preserve the city’s charm

Naples City Council is concerned the city’s losing its charm, and they’re working on a plan to make sure that charm never leaves.

The city council is expected to finalize rules to restrict people from buying up multiple single-family home lots to build just one home. Will that help to preserve the charm the city of Naples offers? The people who live and work there hope so.

On Wednesday, Naples City Council is expected to vote on an ordinance that aims to preserve the city’s small-town charm.

Council already gave preliminary approval to the plan, which would create new rules for the combination of single-family adjacent lots. However, council members worry about the spread of big homes.

“It’s a love-hate thing. I’ve been I was born and raised here. So, seeing all the historical stuff going away. That’s heartbreaking. But I do know that change is good. Sometimes it brings more people in,” said Valerie Smith, owner of The Rusty Spur Decor & More.

Smith said the only constant in life is change, so we’re better off embracing it.

“Do I think it’s good? In some ways. Yes, it’s gonna bring revenue to the places that need it. However, it takes away from that little Naples charm, you know, people like Naples because we are a small city, really. And we have that little bit of, like, hometown, you know, kindness, and that’s we’re losing that you have so many people coming in,” Smith said.

Her customer Scott Matty agrees, especially for how fast the area is growing. “I think it’s losing its charm because things are happening in Naples.”

Matty said he lives here year-round and loves the beauty Naples has to offer. “I hope it doesn’t go away because, like I said, everyone’s friendly. Everyone’s smiles. Everyone talks.”

“As long as we stay, you know, we keep the small-town charm and not lose everything about Naples. I think it’s, it’s a win-win, as long as we can do that,” said Smith.

At Wednesday’s meeting, a group called the Naples Residents Rights Federation plans to bring forward a pledge asking the council to preserve the city’s small-town charm.