Commissioners:
I write to request that you adopt proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment 2019-C. This unique amendment arose from concerns by a community of citizens of the Old Miakka area about the Hamlet designation of properties whose development could have a major detrimental impact on the Old Miakka Community.
The “unique” aspect of this proposed amendment is that it came from the unity in the community about protecting the special rural quality of the area. This is the quality that drew these long-time residents to Old Miakka, and as we all know, the eastward march of development is a threat to not only the Old Miakka Community, but to the agriculture, wildlife, and environmental resources of this area.
It is important to understand as well that the Old Miakka Community is descended from the pioneers who settled Sarasota back in the 1800’s, and thus is an important link to the cultural and historical development of Sarasota.
While we may not be too numerous, there are those of us here who are descendants of those pioneers, and we care deeply about maintaining the rural quality of East County. My great-grandfather, Garrett Murphy, an early cattleman settler, sold a part of his ranch to Mrs. Palmer, which became her Sweet Meadows Ranch. His ranch, along with Mrs. Palmer’s ranch, is now the heart of Myakka River State Park.
At the moment, Sarasota is fortunate to have this “living history” available to everyone in the County. The important word here, is, “living”. Old Miakka is a thriving, stable community, and it is to the benefit of all of our citizens to offer maximum protection to keep and to preserve it far into the future.
Today, I can visit the little church in the heart of Old Miakka, and there I can see the Murphy Window, given by my ancestors long ago, as well as the Rawls window on the other side of the altar, knowing that I and descendants of the Rawls family are still here, and, in fact, live a few doors down from each other on McKown Road.
The Old Miakka Community based this proposal on the Community Plan that was developed with and by the County a few years ago, and that is, in itself, an inspirational story that can encourage other areas of the community to revisit the community plans that were developed for them (Bee Ridge Community Plan, etc.).
It is time to give meaning to those efforts of developing the community plans, by showing how they can be implemented, instead of just existing on a dusty shelf, never to be seen again. This amendment deserves and needs to be adopted.
William C. Zoller
6375 McKown RoadSarasota
Well said! We need to use our power as voters to vote out those decision makers that are controlled by the deep pockets of the developers. Sarasota is looking more and more like the sprawl of Tampa and will soon lose its appeal.
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