Laura Layden | Naples Daily News
Published April 1, 2021
Neapolitans won’t have to look far to find HGTV’s Smart Home for 2021.
That’s because it’s in Naples — or at least close to it.
HGTV officially announced the location of the home to the media Thursday.
The ranch-style home is in a private-cul-de-sac next to the Eagle Lakes Golf Club, which sits out east where U.S. 41 turns into a two-lane road, minutes from Marco Island.
Ahead of the announcement, the home’s interior designer Tiffany Brooks had already revealed the coastal locale as “Naples” on the home improvement channel’s website, stealing some of the thunder.
The fully furnished, technologically advanced home will go to the lucky winner of a sweepstakes that begins April 21 and ends June 11.
Along with the home, the winner will get a new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet and $100,000 from LendingTree, a prize package valued at more than $1.1 million.
Including the latest Smart Home, Brooks has designed six of them for HGTV, which is part of Discovery, Inc.’s family of brands.
The Naples area seemed like a top choice for such a home for several reasons, Brooks said.
“When we saw that Naples was named the #1 Happiest and Healthiest City in the U.S. by Gallup for the fourth straight year, it was an easy decision to call it home to this year’s HGTV Smart Home,” she said via email.
Naples fit with the overarching goal of choosing a place where the winner could “enjoy all aspects of life year-round and truly live well,” she added.
“Naples is known for its stunning natural beauty with one of the largest mangrove forests in the world and world-class beaches. It offers tons of outdoor activities, outstanding golf courses and shopping and dining all right on the coast,” Brooks said.
As for the home’s design, she said it’s meant to “capture the essence of Naples.” She describes it as a “true smart oasis.”
“I really honed in on Naples and its link to wildlife and its casual luxury vibe. I captured all of this primarily through the use of color, pattern and texture,” Brooks said.
The one-story luxury home stretches about 2,600 square feet, with three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a two-car garage.
Here’s a partial description of the home from HGTV: “Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a gorgeous palm tree-lined patio with seating for guests, leading into an entry way that opens into a grand living room with a study to the left. Off of the living room, is a full-service smart kitchen, a breakfast area, as well as a hydroponic garden in the pantry.”
Each bedroom has its own unique design, all with their own attached bathrooms.
A one-hour special on the home will air on HGTV on April 21 at 7 p.m. Or you can catch it a day earlier on the HGTV GO app.
Read the full article on NaplesNews.com.
Patrick Riley | Naples Daily News Oct 9, 2020
For the first time in more than a decade, Collier County voters this November will be asked whether they support bringing back a special tax to help pay for a longstanding land preservation program.
Conservation Collier, the county’s mechanism to buy environmentally sensitive lands, maintain and preserve them, is on the ballot Nov. 3 as a countywide referendum.
To date, the program has acquired and preserved more than 4,300 acres, but Conservation Collier’s initial acquisition phase was closed in 2011 and available funds were put in a maintenance trust fund as the program moved into a preserve management phase.
Conservation Collier was initiated in 2003 after almost 60% of voters backed it during the first referendum in 2002, agreeing to a property tax increase of up to .25 mills for up to 10 years and bonding for up to $75 million.
In 2006, more than 80% of voters favored continuing the program until 2013 when the tax sunsetted.
Now, voters will be able to decide whether they agree with reestablishing the quarter-mill property tax for 10 years to help fund the program.
For homeowners that means they would pay 25 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or $75 a year for a $300,000 home.
Collier officials have estimated that a quarter-mill tax rate would raise between $250 million and $300 million in 10 years. The first year of a reestablished levy is expected to be fiscal 2022, generating tax revenue between $23.9 million and $24.9 million, according to the county.
The original decade-long tax collection cycle generated nearly $152.5 million in revenue for the program. About 20% of the taxes collected were put into a fund to manage existing preserve lands.
If the referendum passes, the county plans to use 65-75% of the money collected to buy new preserve land. Up to 10% would be used to fund public amenities at preserves, which may include boardwalks, parking and interpretive programming. And 25% would be used to manage preserves.
Environmental groups have rallied behind Conservation Collier and said the program’s preserves provide wildlife and water quality benefits, and that residents value them.
Some of the most visited existing preserve land is within the Gordon River Greenway and Freedom Park, according to the county website. At 2,512 acres, Pepper Ranch Preserve in Immokalee is the largest Conservation Collier piece of land.
The referendum is the last question on the ballot.
Barron Collier Companies | Special to Naples Daily News Oct 10, 2020
Announcing 350 new home sales year-to-date, Ave Maria, Florida continues to reach historic levels and shows no signs of cooling off. In comparison to the same time last year, new home sales are up 74%, and this year-over-year increase is the largest since the master-planned community opened in 2007. Demand for new housing remains high for the development with 66 sales for the month of September, up from 60 in August and 52 in July. Home sales were reported from the four residential builders in Ave Maria — CC Homes, Del Webb Naples, Lennar, and Pulte Homes.
“This is the first time Ave Maria has surpassed 350 new home sales in a year since the opening of the development” comments Cee Cee Marinelli, Director of Development for Ave Maria. “It’s thrilling to be part of a record-setting year. With 178 new home sales in the last 3 months, strong demand from prospective buyers is showing no signs of slowing down.”
Home buyers seeking an improved quality of life, exceptional educational options for their children, and vast open space are just a few of the many factors driving new home sales. The market is seeing a significant lifestyle shift and trend of moving from congested cities to find homes with flexible space that is suitable for home offices or gyms. The ample recreational activities and amenities in which to enjoy a place to exercise, escape, and unwind make Ave Maria a desirable destination. The master-planned community was designed for healthy and active lifestyles, and the popularity of the trails, fields, clubs, parks, and golf club continues to soar.
The robust recreation and amenities program in Ave Maria provides new residents with an instant source of leisure activities and socialization. On-site amenities feature open spaces for its homeowners such as a water park, soccer and baseball fields, fitness center, amphitheater, dog park, trails, bocce and tennis courts, Town Center with Publix Supermarket, commercial center with Mobil gas station, private schools from preschool through university, and free events throughout the year. The Ave Maria Master Association organizes on-going events for residents including virtual trivia, happy hour, fitness classes and club meetings while also providing access to outdoor recreation with proper social distancing guidelines ensuring everyone can enjoy having fun safely.
Ave Maria has been named 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015 Community of the Year, the Top Selling Single-Family Home Community in Southwest Florida, a Top 35 Master Planned Community in the United States and its active adult community, Del Webb Naples, has been named a Top 20 Places to Retire. Located in southwest Florida, minutes from the beaches and cultural attractions of Naples, Ave Maria is a self-sustaining town including shopping and dining, employment opportunities, parks and recreation, and is zoned for all A-rated Collier County public schools. At its build out, the town will include up to 11,000 residences, and 1.7 million square feet of retail, office, and business park uses in its 4,000 acres. Ave Maria is located at the intersection of Oil Well and Camp Keais Roads in Eastern Collier County. The main entrance, on Oil Well just west of Camp Keais, leads to the Town Center. Take I-75, exit 111, follow the signs east to Ave Maria, approximately 25 minutes.
To arrange an in person or virtual tour of homes at Ave Maria, contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
Karl Schneider | Naples Daily News Oct 14 2020
Stone crabbers in Southwest Florida are facing an uncertain season, but meeting it with high hopes and optimism.
The season opens Thursday.
New crabbing regulations from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have cut the season short and raised the size limit of claws. On top of that, the coronavirus pandemic has put the restaurant industry in flux.
“We’re all looking forward to another good season,” said Kelly Kirk, owner of Kirk Fish Company on Marco Island. “This season is a new one for us with COVID and some new regulations, but we’re excited to get back to work. It’s time and we’re ready and fired up for it and hope our customers are, too.”
STATE INCREASES FINES FOR SEWAGE POLLUTION Fines for sewage spills – including from public utility systems – increased 50 – 75%. These new fine rates were part of HB1091 Environmental Accountability, and became effective July 1, 2020. “These new fines really put the burden on city and county agencies to be more proactive in the maintenance of our sewage lines,” said NABOR® President Elect Corey McCloskey. McCloskey is also co-chair of NABOR®’s Water Quality Advisory Task Force and is a member of the board of directors at Calusa WaterKeepers.
“For example, after a recent downpour, there were numerous reports of serious leakage in older neighborhoods in South Naples [East Trail area], including notice of a 2,000 gallon leak of highly treated effluent water,” added McCloskey. “After Tropical Storm Sally, there was a 3,000 gallon leak of raw wastewater near Santa Barbara and Rattle Snake Hammock Roads.”
The new bill increases various statutory penalties for violations of environmental laws. For certain violations, it specifies that each day during the violation occurrence constitutes a separate offense. The bill further specifies that each day the cause is not addressed constitutes a separate offense until the violation is resolved by order or judgment. In certain situations, a violation is punishable by a civil penalty of up to $75,000 per violation per day. …Read the full article and more here: NABOR Water Quality Newsletter October 2020 PDF
Ave Maria, Florida continues to set sales records with its best month ever reporting 60 new home sales in August 2020. Announcing 309 new home sales year-to-date, the master-planned community has already surpassed its total sales for the entirety of 2019. Home sales were reported from the four residential builders in Ave Maria — CC Homes, Del Webb Naples, Lennar, and Pulte Homes.
Since the opening of the master planned community in 2007, Ave Maria continues its strategic approach of using smart growth principles in residential and commercial land development. As the first town developed under the ground-breaking Rural Land Stewardship Area program, Ave Maria is committed to the conservation of the area’s natural resources and wildlife and preservation of 17,000 acres in and around the community. Ave Maria has a walkable town center, parks, recreational spaces, various housing types from condominiums to attached villas to single-family homes, shops, restaurants and more than 100 miles of walking/running trails and sidewalks.
“The sales surge in Ave Maria continues to prove unstoppable with 24 new homes reported in the first week of September. We continue to see an unprecedented demand as interest continues to rise,” comments Cee Cee Marinelli, Director of Development for Ave Maria. “Home sales have more than doubled month over month for August. With more people spending time at home, people are evaluating where and how they live, and Ave Maria is an attractive choice. With an array of floor plans and amenities, home shoppers are flocking in droves to our Southwest Florida development.”
The active lifestyle and robust amenities program in Ave Maria provide new residents with an instant source of socialization and recreation, whether on-site or virtual. On-site amenities feature open spaces for its homeowners such as water park, soccer and baseball fields, fitness center, amphitheater, dog park, trails, bocce and tennis courts, Town Center with Publix Supermarket, commercial center with Mobil gas station, private schools from preschool through university, and on-site free events throughout the year. The Ave Maria Master Association organizes on-going events for residents including virtual trivia, happy hour, fitness classes and club meetings while also providing access to outdoor recreation with proper social distancing guidelines ensuring everyone can enjoy having fun safely.
News release Barron Collier Companies
Photo: Heatherton model, Pulte Homes at Avalon Park, Ave Maria, Florida. avemaria.com
To arrange an in person or virtual tour of Ave Maria, Florida, contact David at David@DavidFlorida.com or 239-285-1086.
