Buying acreage that is DEP determined Wetlands? (Tamiami, Golden Gate: house, shop)

[night0wl]

Hi All,

I've had a longstanding ambition to pick up a small acreage lot out in Golden Gate or even out on the Tamiami east corridor for some hobby farming and to house a repair workshop for my "toys" (boats, cars, etc). Eventually, the property would become a homestead where I'd like to put up a house and clear out the existing vegetation. There are parcels of land I see that are clearly determined Wetlands by Collier County. Also, they are completely overgrown at this time.

I'd like to understand from someone that has purchased one of these lots and what it takes to make it useful?

1. Are you allowed to clear these for the purposes of putting in a path/driveway or a pad for a non-permanent workshop structure (steel building)?
2. What restrictions exist? I cannot find anything official, but found this on a realtors site:
   

   Can I clear my lot if I have wetlands onsite?
   
   Collier County cannot issue a clearing permit for mechanical removal of vegetation in wetlands without wetland permits from both the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Army Corps of Engineers. Only after these permits are issued can the County issue a Vegetation Removal Permit.

3. Has anyone pursued an Army Corps of Engineers and Florida DEP permit before? Are these possible to obtain even or are these a way of putting in a procedural block?
4. Without mechanically clearing the lot, can you infill to raise the low spots without running afoul of the "gubment"

Lets get an authoritative dialogue going about these kinds of properties!