The area east of Collier Boulevard (Golden Gate Estates) has become such a hot topic that the area has its own committee, which met for the first time Monday night.  The committee is titled "East of 951 Infrastructure and Services Horizon Study Public Participation Master Plan Committee."

The study will be an 18-month process for the East of County Road 951 (Collier Boulevard) Horizon Study covering the area’s future infrastructure and services needs.

The goal and objectives of the committee are to make recommendations to commissioners about what services are needed east of Collier Boulevard, serve as a technical task force to review development and build-out land scenarios that will affect the area’s future.

One of the topics during the process will include the issue of hooking up homes in Golden Gate Estates to central water and sewer and the relocation of the landfill in east Collier.

An estimate of the future population in the area east of Collier Boulevard is estimated there could be over 688,000, almost a tenfold increase from today’s present population of 71,000.  This would equate to about 65% of Collier County’s population.

A previous study estimates the cost of providing urban services east of Collier Boulevard range from $4 billion to more than $8 billion for roads, water, sewer, drainage, schools, parks, libraries and emergency services.

The next committee meeting is Nov. 20.

Next week starting Monday, October 16 through Monday, October 23 the intersection of Airport Pulling Road and Golden Gate Parkway will be closed to traffic from 7PM to 6AM.  Alternate routes for drivers will be Livingston Road and Goodlette-Frank Road.  The Golden Gate overpass is the first overpass in Collier County.  This may result in some inconviences for motorists for the next, but the anticipation of improved traffic flow going east and west on Golden Gate Parkway will be a welcomed relief when the project is completed.

If you are familiar with the Naples or Collier Country area you may have heard the terms Big Cypress.

Recently, Collier Enterprises announced plans to build a new town in eastern Collier County.  The new town is to be called Big Cypress.  The current plans call for about 25,000 homes. Total acreage will be about 22,000 or 34 square miles.  14,000 acres will be set aside for preserve areas.

Plans call for access to the area via Immokalee Road, Golden Gate Boulevard, Randall Boulevard.  Proposed plans also include an exit from I-75 about two east of the present Everglades Boulevard overpass.

Immokalee and Ave Maria will be its neighboring communities.

If approved, construction is expected to start in 2010 and build-out could take 25 to 30 years.