Collier County commissioners decided not to host a joint workshop with the Naples Airport Authority to discuss a possible relocation to a location within the county.
The County Commission Board of Directors made this informal decision at its Aug. 27 meeting after seeking input from Commissioner Dan Kowal, whose district includes Naples Airport.
“It is a disproportionate amount of work for us to review a report that was prepared without any communication,” said Commissioner Bill McDaniel Jr., suggesting that no workshop be held or even held in November.
“(The sites) are in District 5, and they haven’t even called me, so I have no interest in moving forward with the relocation of that airport,” he added. “… They have the right to do what they want, when they want, and if at some point they need our permission to do it, we can give permission to do it.”
They agreed that the process should be halted now because a workshop would be premature. Commissioner Burt Saunders said it would be more appropriate to hold the discussion until a site needs to be selected and rezoned.
The NAA commissioned California-based Environmental Science Associates to conduct an exploratory study after residents complained about noise for years and the Naples City Council asked it to explore a possible relocation. The ESA suggested four possible sites in eastern Collier County, but construction would not begin for eight to 12 years and would not be completed until around 2040. Costs would range from $790 million to $1.6 billion — estimates show that costs are likely to rise by 2024.
The proposed locations are:
- Site A, east of the county landfill, approximately 9 miles from the current airport.
- Site B, the Lipman Family Farms area on US 41, approximately 11 miles away.
- Site C, Sunrise Land, south of Oil Well Road, approximately 23 miles away.
- Location D, Immokalee Regional Airport, approximately 30 miles away.
The ESA also considered closing the airport or limiting it to its current tenants: helicopter operations, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, county emergency management services, and mosquito control. Airport tenants and many local residents oppose this move.
Naples Airport, which opened as a military airport in 1943, covers about 1 square mile west of Airport-Pulling Road. It is self-supporting, uses no tax money, and leases most of its 733 acres from the city for $1 a year, generating $781 million annually for the region.
The agency has spent millions to reduce noise, including through voluntary curfews and working with residents in flight paths. The “Fly Safe, Fly Quiet” program rewards operators who comply with the 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew, arrival altitude and noise levels.
The NAA would have to prove to the Federal Aviation Administration which location is best, whether a move is necessary and how the location would impact Immokalee Regional Airport, Marco Island Executive Airport and Southwest Florida International Airport. Public hearings before county commissioners are also required.
Kowal suggested the county and city managers should talk about it. “They’re using a lot of their tax dollars on these studies,” he said of the NAA funds, noting that it will be 20 years before the study can open. “I don’t want to see any more tax dollars wasted if this really isn’t moving forward.”
