Journey of 329 miles: The long road to expanding the Collier Mosquito Control District’s boundaries

Abstract: Journey of 329 miles: The long road to expanding the Collier Mosquito Control District’s boundaries

Jonathon Little¹, Keira J. Lucass¹, Patrick Linn¹,



¹ Collier Mosquito Control District, Naples, FL, USA





Formed in 1950, the Collier Mosquito Control District (CMCD) is an independent special district tasked with protecting public health and comfort. On October 1, 2024, CMCD expanded its district boundaries by 329 square miles, now encompassing 730 square miles in Collier County, Florida. District expansion was a multi-year effort that included approval from District, county and state leaders. The initiative was required to be approved by the state legislature and the governor of Florida. As a special district, CMCD does not serve the entirety of the county, and is legally not able to treat outside of district boundaries. It had been more than 20 years since the last expansion, meaning that thousands of residents living in newly developed areas of the county did not receive mosquito control services. This differs from county-run programs, which serve entire counties as an arm of a county government. Special districts work better in areas that are especially prone to mosquitoes as these programs have larger budgets and specialize in pest management. The expanded boundaries also include areas of the county which have been approved for further development, meaning that when future residents move into these homes, they will be eligible to receive services from day one.