Commissioners Departed from County Policy to Pass a Controversial Rezone
In approving a parcel-specific rezone for the West Mercato project, the Collier County Commission departed from its own stated and documented policies governing public hearings and agenda placement.
Despite prior public opposition, the rezone was approved without reopening the hearing, without sworn testimony, without a final staff presentation, and without public deliberation. The approval eliminated an existing requirement for affordable middle-income housing for teachers, firefighters, and other local workers, while increasing the developer’s profit margin.
Instead of being placed on the regular agenda, the item was approved on the summary agenda, a process the County Manager has stated is reserved for “routine and administrative” matters with no public interest or controversy. The County's own Land Development Code (10.03.05) is clear: rezones require at least one BCC hearing, not summary. Items on the summary agenda are adopted as a package, often with little or no discussion.
Watch my public comment explaining why this procedural departure matters, and why approvals issued without a lawful public hearing create long-term legal instability and erode public trust:
Is There Corruption Inside the Collier GOP Bureaucracy?
In the 2024 Naples Mayoral race, Collier County Supervisor of Elections Melissa Blazier (REP) publicly stated that a group of Republicans committed "election fraud." According to the Treasurer of the Win America PAC, a wealthy and well-connected political operative in SWFL—Matt Hurley—was alleged to be a major figure of the scheme.
Further, public campaign finance records show that incumbent District 2 Commissioner Chris Hall’s 2022 campaign paid tens of thousands of dollars to Hurley’s consulting and data firms. According to a report by Florida Trident, the Florida Elections Commission later found that Hall’s 2022 campaign violated Florida election law by distributing materials that falsely implied he was the incumbent.
The people of Collier deserve transparency, honesty, and accountability from their political institutions.
Read the report below to learn more:
Are Collier GOP Leaders Engaging in Systemic Violations of Campaign Finance Law?
On October 3rd, 2025, Cody Davis mailed a complaint to the Florida Elections Commission against the Collier County Republican Executive Committee (CCREC) and its Chair and Treasurer, John and Kathi Meo, based on apparent violations of Florida's election law in the CCREC's own financial reports.
Among the litany of concerns are in-kind contributions of things such as a "breast thermography" and "estate planning package", a 500$ contribution from Tip of the Spear Church, and multiple contributions totaling over 1,000$ listed as coming from the Collier County Sheriff's Department.
Cody Davis
Jeffersonian For Collier County Commissioner District 2
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Committee To Elect Cody Davis
Paid by Committee to Elect Cody Davis, Jeffersonian for Collier County Commissioner, District 2