NAPLES — For the past two years, Shy Wolf Sanctuary Education and Experience Center has been diligently working through the redevelopment process to finalize the purchase of 17+/- acres of land on the Northside of Golden Gate Boulevard West, between First Street Northwest and Third Street Northwest.

The final acquisition of the property, which will allow Shy Wolf Sanctuary to expand its campus, is tied to the successful approval of the zoning changes proposed in petitions numbered PL20190002353, PL20190002354, and PL20190002356. The petitions are tied together in the zoning application. Two upcoming hearings are scheduled for the zoning changes to be reviewed:

Collier County Planning Commission – October 7, 2021
Agenda available here.

County residents seeking to show support can email Collier County Planning Commissioners and Collier County Board of County Commissioners.

The land is part of a proposal to enhance two commercial zones in Golden Gate Estates, submitted by Crown Management Services and approved by the Collier County Board of County Commissioners on June 25, 2019. In the agreement, Crown Management Services would begin development of the 47-acre Randall Curve property while offering the sanctuary a new place to operate and expand services on what is known as the Estates Shopping Center PUDA - 41-acres on the Northwest corner of Wilson Blvd. and Golden Gate Blvd.

This collaboration addressed several needs within the community while minimizing commercial impact in the residential estates areas surrounding the Estates Shopping Center PUDA. In the agreement, Shy Wolf Sanctuary will finalize the contracted purchase of 17 +/- of the 41 acres which front Golden Gate Boulevard between First Street Northwest and Third Street Northwest. Overall commercial square footage on the full PUD will be reduced from 190,000 to 50,000. And, 10 of the 41 acres will be donated back to Collier County for public use.

“While the property has been working through the rezoning process, Shy Wolf Sanctuary has worked with GradyMinor Architects to refine plans so that our campus complements the existing neighborhood as we rescue and rehabilitate more animals in need. Despite the impacts of the pandemic, we have a strong committee moving forward with this capital project,” said Deanna Deppen, executive director of Shy Wolf Sanctuary.

Shy Wolf Sanctuary’s strategic goals with the campus expansion include:

Education
For more than 20 years, Shy Wolf Sanctuary has provided on-campus and off-campus educational programs about the rescue needs for surrendered and abused, captive-bred exotic and unreleasable wild animals. Resident animals share their stories of hope and recovery while educating the community about their wild counterparts and preserving environments. With the new campus, the organization will broaden our programs to include:
• Hands-on Science-based Field Trips
• Additional off-campus Educational Programs
• Expanded University partnerships and Internship Opportunities

Environmental Sustainability
Shy Wolf Sanctuary provides environmentally sustainable habitats that exceed government safety guidelines for the protection of resident animals, staff, volunteers, and visitors. In addition to incorporating sustainable features such as solar technology, Florida-friendly landscaping, and water features, Shy Wolf Sanctuary seeks to introduce new immersive educational components such as wildlife overpasses into the habitats and visitor experience.

Therapeutic Sanctuary
Through the organization’s Healing Hearts program, Shy Wolf Sanctuary will build on its partnerships with organizations such as Youth Haven, The Shelter for Abused Women and Children, and Southwest Florida Chapter of Home Base (Veterans support services). While creating a safe, welcoming, and enriching environment, Shy Wolf Sanctuary staff will collaborate with partner organizations to support the needs of Southwest Florida residents in Collier, Lee, and Charlotte counties.

For more information about infrastructure and how to get involved, visit: https://bit.ly/SWSFuture

About Shy Wolf Sanctuary
Shy Wolf Sanctuary Education and Experience Center was founded in 1993. In January 2001, it was formalized as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the goal of educating people about captive-bred exotic and unreleasable wild animal rescue. To date, Shy Wolf has rescued over 1,300 animals and provided valuable educational experiences to tens of thousands of human visitors from around the world. The organization is county, state and federally licensed and inspected by Collier County Domestic Animal Services, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the United States Department of Agriculture. For more information, visit www.ShyWolfSanctuary.org.