Residents living south of Island Walk are hoping for Collier County to take action as an abandoned home on Cherry Wood Drive continues to fall into disrepair, turning into what they describe as an illegal dumping ground. The home has been vacant for some time, according to neighbors in Golden Gate Estates.
“The house was for sale for probably close to a year ... And from that time on, it (the lawn) never got cut. It never got trimmed. It just went downhill, downhill, downhill. Then I noticed a bunch of stuff was out here for the trash ... and then the sign eventually disappeared. And just yesterday, all these rocks appeared," said Jeff Bronsdon, a neighbor.
The home has five outstanding code violations for maintenance and illegal dumping, according to Collier County Code Enforcement. Neighbors tell Gulf Coast News the property is now littered with construction materials, boulders, and dirt, with dump trucks frequently seen dropping off more debris.
“This isn't even a construction site. This is a dump. It's ridiculous ... It’s horrible. I mean, you drive by it, and I feel bad for the people that have to. These people wake up every morning, and that’s what they see," said Bronsdon.
Collier County Code Enforcement has visited the property in the last month and claims the home is in violation of local land development codes. It is unclear at this point if fines have been issued.