Collier County commissioners approved a plan to rezone land on County Barn Road in East Naples to expand the county’s Fleet Operations site, where vehicles and equipment are stored, fueled and repaired.
The Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 13 unanimously approved a petition to rezone a 5.18-acre parcel on the east side of County Barn Road, just east of the Islamic Center of Naples. The vote changed the zoning from Estates to Public Zoning District, allowing a conditional use for the fleet facility at 2885-2901 County Barn Road.
The fleet facility has operated for decades on roughly 10 acres south of the parcel. The county purchased the additional land in 2023 for $600,000 to expand operations, including maintenance of passenger and emergency vehicles and lawn equipment, along with a larger fuel kiosk, storage areas and charging stations.
“The key features would be adding a potential access point back to County Barn Road on the north side within an existing easement,” said Wayne Arnold, an engineer with Q. Grady Minor & Associates. He said plans also include a parking lot, a possible rooftop deck, an additional maintenance building, fuel facilities and parking areas.
An aerial view shows the location of Collier County’s Fleet Operations facility on County Barn Road in East Naples, with the newly rezoned 5.18-acre parcel outlined in red. The county plans to expand the site to support additional vehicle maintenance, fueling and storage needs.
Rezoning the parcel will provide more space for vehicle repair and storage and allow similar facilities operated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Medical Services to relocate to the site, according to the petition. Plans include the required minimum of 30% open space and nearly 1 acre of native vegetation preserved along the eastern and northern property lines.
“There’s a plan to have a complete wall around the four sides of the property and it will be gated,” Arnold said, adding the project will be compatible with the surrounding area.
The proposal was supported by county staff and was unanimously recommended by the Planning Commission in November.
Planning commissioners raised concerns about lighting, asking that it not be used when unnecessary. County Facilities Director Brian DeLony said lighting is needed for security reasons and can be dimmed after hours. The facility generally operates from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.