Collier Commissioners Greenlight 1,299-Home South Naples Community With Affordable Housing Focus

Collier County commissioners have approved a major new residential development in South Naples that blends market-rate homes, affordable housing, and large-scale land preservation—marking another step in the county’s ongoing effort to balance growth with workforce needs.

The project, known as Greenway Fritchey, was unanimously approved by the Collier County Board of County Commissioners during its December 9 meeting after moving from the consent agenda to full discussion.

Greenway Fritchey will include up to 1,299 total homes on just over 227 acres at the northeast corner of Greenway Road and Fritchey Road in East Naples, near Fiddler's Creek.

The development is a partnership between a local developer and Habitat for Humanity of Collier County, with housing broken down as follows:

The affordable homes will be reserved for households earning no more than 80% of the area median income, a key threshold as Collier County continues to experience rising housing costs and limited workforce inventory.

One of the most notable elements of the project is its land-use balance. While county code would have allowed significantly higher density due to the inclusion of affordable housing, the developers opted to preserve more land instead.

Approximately 60% of the site will remain open space, well above the county’s minimum requirement. Plans include preserves, lakes, and natural buffers designed to manage drainage, mitigate flooding, and maintain environmental continuity in the area.

To move forward, Greenway Fritchey required:

Those growth plan amendments also required review and approval by the Florida Department of Commerce, which cleared the way for the final local vote.

County planning staff and the Planning Commission had both recommended approval prior to the board’s decision.

The project briefly drew attention over a traffic-related concern tied to a signal at the intersection of Sandpiper Drive, U.S. 41 East, and Greenway Road. Representatives connected to nearby infrastructure districts raised questions about whether the new development should contribute to the cost of that signal.

Ultimately, commissioners determined that requiring a contribution would set an unfavorable precedent. They noted that the traffic signal obligation stemmed from long-standing approvals tied to earlier developments and that Greenway Fritchey’s developers had already committed to substantial roadway improvements, including turn-lane extensions and intersection upgrades at Greenway Road, U.S. 41, and Fritchey Road.

The board approved the developer agreement and all related petitions without additional conditions.

Public opposition to the project itself was minimal. One nearby resident raised concerns about drainage and flooding prior to the meeting, but county officials indicated those issues had been addressed through the site’s design, including water management features and preserved land.

No residents spoke in opposition during the public hearing.

Greenway Fritchey represents one of the larger residential approvals in South Naples in recent years—and one of the more notable examples of integrating affordable housing directly into a master-planned community rather than isolating it elsewhere.

As Collier County continues to grow, projects like this signal a shift toward mixed-income developments, environmental preservation, and infrastructure coordination—all while navigating the pressures of population growth and housing affordability.