Once again, the Richard M. Schulz Foundation with support from the Collier Community Foundation has enabled the community’s voice to be heard. Through a comprehensive survey of over 6,000 participants and numerous sector specific focus groups, the survey paints an accurate picture of where our community concerns rank the highest.
To no surprise, the issue of affordable housing remains as the highest ranked issue in our county at 65%. However, more surprising perhaps, is that the concern of managing growth and development ranked as the second top concern at 63%, followed by preservation of the environment including resiliency planning at 41%. In other words, issues relating to growth, development and our environment ranked as two of the top three issues for our community.
When asked about major environmental challenges facing their communities, participants cited the following concerns: managing growth and development, water quality, the challenge of Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB), the increased duration and frequency of red tide and its impacts on human health and the economy, availability of quality freshwater supplies and erosion.
The recent decision by the Board of County Commissioners to use Conservation Collier management funds to plug holes in the county’s budget, against the clear will of the electorate, is an example of the disconnect between our community’s concerns and the actions of elected officials. Natural lands provide a myriad of benefits to our community, from improving quality of our neighborhoods, to flood water retention and treatment, and providing habitat for so many of our beautiful and diverse native wildlife.
As this survey confirmed, the community is seeking a balance between development and preservation. We should be seeking to put in place smart growth solutions that enhance sustainability, as opposed to more sprawling mega-communities targeted for the eastern lands of our county, which forms the edge of the Western Everglades.
On the positive side, the mobilization of hundreds of residents in the spring guided by the Conservancy and other concerned stakeholders helped to change the course of the proposed Collier County Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study. The community’s voice was heard and the study will now focus to a greater extent on natural solutions instead of walls and gates alone to address the risks of storm surge. It will be imperative for the public to remain engaged in this study and its proposed solutions to protect our coast in a manner that respects the community character and natural amenities that form the backbone of our economy and our quality of life.
I was proud to be invited back, in my capacity as the CEO of the Conservancy, to serve on the advisory committee to represent the environmental community for this important community assessment. I commend the Richard M. Schulz Foundation and the Collier Community Foundation for investing in efforts to guide our community towards greater sustainability. We have learned after two major hurricanes, and one near miss (Idalia), that the matter of designing and planning a more resilient future is essential to the well-being of our community.
Residents expect public officials to work collaboratively with community and non-governmental actors to achieve a higher degree of confidence in planning a more sustainable future. Promoting smart growth, preserving lands now for the future, restoring mangroves and dunes, and protecting wetlands while addressing sources of pollution into our waterways and demanding action, are all essential steps to addressing the concerns of our community. The Conservancy applauds our community partners for conducting the Collier County Community Assessment and looks forward to supporting efforts to solve these pressing environmental issues.
Rob Moher is CEO and president of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.