Council approves Old Naples Hotel valet license; intersection fixes approved after reconsideration

Naples City Council approved a valet licensing agreement and related right‑of‑way permit for the Old Naples Hotel on Oct. 1, 2025, but only after separate debate and a subsequent vote to reconsider a companion intersection permit that had initially failed.

The valet agreement passed 4–3. The council later reconsidered a failed vote on intersection improvements and unanimously approved a revised intersection improvement agreement that requires the developer to pay initial construction costs and allows the city to commission a follow‑up engineering study paid for by the developer.

The decisions follow months of engineering and staff review and a June 4 council discussion that set broad expectations for changes at the Broad Avenue South and Gordon Drive intersection. Developer Old Naples Development LLC and its project team presented engineering plans that show a new northbound right turn lane on Gordon Drive, a westbound left turn lane on Broad Avenue South, gore striping to separate the ramp that serves the hotel garage, and relocation of a nearby crosswalk to improve sight lines.

Developer representatives said the valet drop‑off will use a horseshoe driveway on Broad Avenue South and that cars will be parked in an on‑site garage. Clay Brooker, attorney for the developer’s team, told the council “Everything you see here and hear today is consistent with these approvals from back in 02/2018,” referring to the site‑plan, conditional‑use and valet approvals the council granted in February 2018. Patrick Walsh, one of the developers, told the council the project is a hometown investment: “This is one of my favorites,” he said, adding the team intends to operate the hotel and its valet in‑house but may retain a third‑party operator.

Nut graf: Why this matters — The hotel’s valet operation will use public right‑of‑way for part of its pick‑up/drop‑off circulation and will change traffic patterns on Broad Avenue South and Gordon Drive. Council approval establishes operational conditions and a legal license for valet activity in the right‑of‑way; the intersection improvements are intended to reduce delay and safety risks associated with projected traffic and service vehicles serving the hotel.

What council approved

Valet license and right‑of‑way permit (Agenda item 13A). The council voted 4–3 to approve a valet licensing agreement between the City of Naples and Old Naples Hotel Management LLC and a public right‑of‑way permit that authorizes a valet pickup/drop‑off area on Broad Avenue South and operational conditions for valet in the right‑of‑way. Conditions adopted in the agreement and permit include: valet limited to hotel guests and patrons of the hotel’s cafe, sundry shop, spa and retail spaces; valet service limited to attendants and employees (no public access to the garage); 24/7 valet hours allowed; signage and a hinged gate arm to prevent public ingress; insurance naming the city as additional insured; indemnification provisions; an annual administrative review by the city manager and a council review/renewal every three years.

Motion and vote (valet): Motion to approve the valet licensing agreement and exhibits (motion text: approve the resolution approving a valet licensing agreement between the City of Naples and Old Naples Hotel Management LLC and accompanying exhibits). Mover: Council Member Ray Christman. Second: Council Member Bill Kramer. Vote: Yes — Ray Christman, Burn Barton, Bill Kramer, Linda Penman; No — Beth Petronoff, Vice Mayor Terry Hutchison, Mayor Teresa Heitman. Outcome: approved, 4–3. (Transcript evidence: council roll call after the motion.)

Intersection improvements (Agenda item 13B). The intersection item was more contentious. On June 4 council had reached consensus for interim intersection improvements — new turn lanes while keeping the existing 4‑way stop — and the developer offered to pay 100% of the initial design and construction cost, with credit toward a later, larger project (for example, traffic signalization). The council initially failed to approve the…