Collier County commissioners voted 4-1 to continue negotiating a 439-acre land swap with Barron Collier Cos., which faces having the county fair, swamp buggies and other loud events next to its planned wilderness retreat.
The Board of County Commissioners, with Chairman Chris Hall voting against, asked staff on Aug. 27 to work with the developer on more details of a deal involving county-owned Camp Keais and Barron Collier’s Silver Strand Grove III and return to the board.
Staff recommended two independent appraisals on both properties, a possible cash transaction, and that Barron Collier reimburse the county for all costs of the appraisals and deal.
“Bring us something that makes the most sense for the county and the taxpayer,” Commissioner Rick LoCastro told Deputy County Manager Ed Finn and Nick Casalanguida, Barron Collier’s senior vice president of development, adding he sees benefits for both sides. “Come back with a lot more detail and I would hope that detail would be so overwhelming in a positive way for both sides, but certainly for us, for the taxpayers.”
Barron Collier, owner of Silver Strand Sod Farm near Ave Maria, met with county officials May 21 to discuss concerns in eastern Collier. In a June 5 letter, it proposed swapping 439 acres of its property for 439 acres of Camp Keais, finding parcels of equal value, conducting two independent appraisals and splitting costs.
The developer is moving forward with Collier Rod and Gun Club at the Preserve, a seasonal wilderness retreat featuring up to 225 single-family cabins and trails on 260 acres. The site is 5 miles east of Ave Maria, southwest of Oil Well Road and State Road 29, where it will have a main entrance. Also planned are an 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, rental cottages, shooting clays, archery and fishing on an adjacent 911-acre parcel. Rifles will be prohibited, and golfing, shooting and archery will be allowed from dusk to dawn.
The county purchased the 1,046.19-acre Camp Keais for $13.6 million in March 2021, using a taxable note and still owes $9.6 million, but estimates the land value at $16 million now. Its intent was to relocate the fairgrounds and build a swamp buggy or racing facility as far south and east as possible from the Oil Well Road and Camp Keais Road intersection.
Finn said the county Fair Board and Swamp Buggy Inc. submitted letters of intent to purchase 100 acres each, and the rest is being considered for parks, a sheriff’s training center, hurricane-debris management, horticultural processing, an animal shelter, commercial or industrial uses and workforce housing.
Commissioner Bill McDaniel Jr. noted the sheriff already was considering relocating its public gun range located at 4441 70th Ave. NE and building an indoor range.
“When [Barron Collier] realized that there was about to be a carnival next door to their fancy Rod and Gun Club, they didn’t think that was such a great idea, so they came up with this compromise, which I have to say out loud: I love the compromise,” said McDaniel, whose district covers the properties.
But Hall branded the swap more beneficial to Barron Collier and opposed appraisals, saying Camp Keais land could be worth more to Barron Collier than its appraised value.
“I see this as a great benefit to the Collier family for wanting to get the fairgrounds and the swamp buggies away from the Rod and Gun Club,” Hall said, adding that Barron Collier could sell land to the Fair Board and Swamp Buggy. “If they want the property, they can simply make an offer, and we could accept or reject.”
