Friday, April 30, 2021

Planning Commission to consider plans for Quads parcels at Celery Fields

 

The Quads 2021


The Sarasota County Planning Commission is set to consider the county's proposed Critical Area Plan (CAP) for the area that includes the Quad Parcels and Celery Fields on May 6, 2021. 

The plan proposes rezoning the Quads to Government Use (GU) and delineates constraints and recommendations to preserve the aim of encouraging birding habitat and an open gateway on Palmer Avenue to East County.

County Planner Steve Kirk put a lot of thought into this presentation, which seeks to honor the intent behind the county's grant of a permanent easement over three of the four parcels (outlined above) to the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast and to Sarasota Audubon, which has had s strong commitment to the Celery Fields, and which will manage the future redevelopment of these parcels. 

Here's my email to the Planning Commission:

As one of the founding members of the Fresh Start Initiative, a community group that spent 10 months gathering community input and recommendations for the Quads parcels, I invite the Planning Commission to now weigh in on the CAP as it now stands. 

1. The Critical Area Plan seeks to realize the vision of a Gateway to East County, with an open viewshed, new Audubon-guided bird habitat, and stresses compatibility of architectural style, setbacks, building height, and more. However, while these constraints will certainly enhance the three parcels under easement, the Northwest Parcel has 4+ acres of developable land that will simply be labeled GU. This acreage could be developed by the County or sold to a developer, with options for light industry, commercial, or residential uses.

Wide range of options for the NW Parcel

It would make perfect sense for the Planning Commission to strongly recommend that the NW parcel's 4+ developable acres have binding language stating that any proposed use must be found compatible with the larger vision for the Quads and Celery Fields Area.

For example, a four-acre warehouse serviced by giant 18-wheelers on the Northwest parcel would hardly be consistent with the purpose of the perpetual easement, or for that matter with the roads and residential neighborhoods on and near Palmer Blvd.

The Fresh Start group did present a few community suggestions for the Northwest parcel. One that would both be consistent with the easement vision and offer practical help to motorists would be a bus loop enabling schoolchildren to get on and off buses without stopping traffic both ways on Palmer. 

  

The loop could have a pavilion with tables where children could sit out of the rain or strong sun, and perhaps eat a snack. Snacks could be provided by a rotating series of food trucks on an area set aside for this purpose.

Not only would this use be an asset for our children and help the flow of traffic, but it would also fit with the fact that the Northwest parcel, as public land, already holds a brand new fire station in suitable Old Florida style.

2. Another noteworthy element of the permanent easement reserves an option that would allow the County to construct a building on six acres of the Southwest parcel. While the Board has spoken of using the land for a history museum, nothing in the CAP specifies this use. This would seem to leave open the parcel open to some other Government Use. 

GU allows a great many things, including firing ranges, bus terminals and asphalt manufacturing. It would be a valuable enhancement to the Planning Commission review to recommend binding the use of the Southeast parcel to consistency and compatibility with the "Prime Directive" of the permanent easement -- protection of bird habitat in the Celery Fields.

Finally, it would be helpful to remind our community that Sarasota Audubon has taken on the task of shaping the parcels under easement. It will be raising funds for the purpose and we all should be both grateful and mindful that the commitment of Audubon deserves the support of all those who love the Celery Fields.

Very truly yours, 

Tom Matrullo





Wednesday, April 28, 2021

The Plaintiffs are Wilde Cypress Branch, Boggy Branch . . .

Orange County, FL: On Monday, April 26, the first enforcement case in the United States was filed under a “rights of nature” law. 

The Plaintiffs in this case are the waterways that would be affected by the proposed housing development, Wilde Cypress Branch, Boggy Branch, Crosby Island Marsh, Lake Hart, and Lake Mary Jane. 


Boggy Branch


The Orange County law secures the rights of waterways to “exist, flow, be protected against pollution and maintain a healthy ecosystem.” 

It asserts that a proposed 1900-acre housing development will violate the rights of streams, a wetland marsh, and two lakes in Orange County.

[It] . , , further recognizes the authority of citizens to file enforcement actions on behalf of waterways, and directs courts to enjoin projects and activities that violate the rights of waterways.



First court case of new Rights of Nature Law




Monday, April 26, 2021

Moran and Maio instigate undoing Sarasota's single member districts

Board of Sarasota County Commissioners


. . . the Sarasota County commissioners this week launched an initiative that could lead to the removal of the Single-Member Districts voting system from the Sarasota County Charter.

On a motion by Commissioner Michael Moran, seconded by Chair Alan Maio, the board members voted unanimously to ask the county’s Charter Review Board “to revisit” the Single-Member Districts Charter amendment that won voter approval on the November 2018 General Election ballot.

The next Charter Review Board meeting has been set for May 19, the county website says. It is to begin at 6 p.m. at the county’s Robert L. Anderson Administration Center, located at 4000 S. Tamiami Trail in Venice.  Sarasota News Leader April 22, 2021.


Reaction:

Editor:

The same overwhelming majority of Sarasota County citizens who voted to institute Single Member Districts will rise up again to defeat any effort to go back to the at-large system.  If Commissioner Moran is determined to spend our taxpayer money in an effort to undo something we taxpayers voted to do, then it must be asked: whom does he represent?  It surely isn’t the majority of voters in Sarasota County!

William C. Zoller
6375 McKown Road
Sarasota, FL 34240

“It sounds kind of insulting to say [county citizens] didn’t know what they were voting for." -- County Commissioner Nancy Detert 


“Single Member Districts for electing Sarasota County Commissioners passed resoundingly by voters of all political parties in a 2018 ballot amendment (59.84% vs. 40.16% NO) to make our County Commissioners more accountable to their constituents." - Kindra Muntz.


History of Single Member Districts in Sarasota County, Florida



“We’re able to work together,” Ziegler said of himself and his colleagues on the board. “I can’t say that’ll be the case years down the road.”  




Question: Do the county commissioners approve every development, no matter how much a proposal is opposed by residents?

A few days ago, as I approached that intersection, traffic was backed up at least a mile in every direction. Once the massive hotel and retail outlets are squeezed into the Siesta Promenade, I would hate to have to evacuate the key in an emergency.

What are the duties of county commissioners anyway, and whom do they serve?  James Medin, LTE from Herald Tribune

 

Monday, April 12, 2021

What are the duties of county commissioners anyway . . .

 From: Herald Tribune, LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, April 10, 2021


Board of Sarasota County Commissioners


Pondering duties, obligations of government

I am fairly new to the area, and very confused about the role of government in Florida.

Here in Sarasota County, commissioners had no problem approving the monstrous mall development at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Stickney Point Road.

Question: Do the county commissioners approve every development, no matter how much a proposal is opposed by residents?

A few days ago, as I approached that intersection, traffic was backed up at least a mile in every direction. Once the massive hotel and retail outlets are squeezed into the Siesta Promenade, I would hate to have to evacuate the key in an emergency.

What are the duties of county commissioners anyway, and whom do they serve?

A Florida Senate committee in January found time to pass a resolution denouncing democratic socialism, although the members failed to define what it is – Social Security, Medicare or something more dangerous?

But over the past decades Florida lawmakers have not found time to prevent the clearly predictable ecological disaster at Piney Point. What is a greater threat – some nonexistent legislation the senators might call socialism, or the millions and millions of gallons of wastewater being dumped into Tampa Bay?

Just curious.

James Medlin, Sarasota


Friday, April 9, 2021

Help keep Cathy and The Detail working for us on WSLR

Cathy Antunes is an advocate of longstanding dedication in Sarasota. She's done incredible research into the money and powerful interests that have been shaping the County.  Cathy is also one of the founders of Citizens for Sarasota County, and a founding administrator of the Facebook page for the group.

This is the first time she has asked our support.



From: Cathy Antunes 
Subject: Please support The Detail - donate to WSLR!!


Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope this email finds you well!  It's been nearly 5 years since I began broadcasting my radio show, The Detail. It's been my mission to highlight the importance of local government on the show.  Instead of just 3 minutes of public input at a commission meeting, I wanted to give public advocates a whole hour to explain an issue to the community.

Giving voice to citizens has highlighted important issues!  The Celery Fields.  Lido Pavilion. Single Member Districts. The Detail provides a platform that gives candidates an opportunity to share their ideas in complete sentences, not soundbytes. Exposing dark money in local elections has been a focus of mine, and The Detail provides a means to communicate how special interest money is at work through PACs on City and County races.  We're seeing more candidates who are not backed by dark money running for office.

We need your help to continue. 

Please donate what you can to support the show, and please share this message with others.  You can click this link right now and make a one-time donation, or become a member by donating monthly:  https://wslr.org/membership/

Your donations make a difference!  They keep the lights on at a radio station which serves Sarasota and Bradenton every day.  Your generous donation matters. 

Thank you!

Cathy Antunes
Host, The Detail

 

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Board to Citizens: You Don't Matter (Update)

The County Commission sits in session on April 6. County Administrator Jonathan Lewis (foreground, left) and County Attorney Rick Elbrecht face the board members. News Leader image.

UPDATE: On Wednesday, April 7, the County Commission took less than 3 minutes to unanimously delete the citizens' right to initiate Comp Plan amendments. It did this in a "public hearing" that neither laid out the purpose of expunging citizen input, nor any reason for it. 
There was no discussion other than to render the suppression retroactive to Jan. 1, 2021, at the suggestion of Commissioner Moran, which effectively eliminated citizen Comp Plan Amendments in the past as well as any that might have come in the future. Partial video below: 

See also this story from the 4.6.21 Herald Tribune

Sarasota County Commission agrees to do away with citizen-initiated land use reviews. 


=======

On Tuesday, April 6, 2021, the Board of County Commissioners will pretend to deliberate on an ordinance that will, if approved, exclude citizens from initiating Comprehensive Plan Amendments (CPAs).

Here's the language of the Ordinance, and the proposed deletion of our citizens' right to influence thinking about future land use:

Deletion of citizen right to initiate a Comp Plan Amendment

The Board asked Michele Norton of Planning and Development why the provision was ever added to Sarasota's Code. She said she didn't know. And with that, the discussion concluded. The County Administrator has done his homework and finds that the deletion of citizens' rights will have no impact no one. At least, no one who matters.




According to this County paperwork, removing  the citizens' right 
to address future land use makes no difference

Much of the discussion to date has revolved around one perspective: The idea that a person who does not own land can propose consideration of how certain land can be used. *

Developers and their minions do this all the time. Bo Medred got a text amendment passed that changed the law on lands he certainly didn't own. He got the Board to approve a change in how distant from a home a dump can be. Not just James Gabbert's dump, but any dump lying within certain areas of Sarasota County can now be much closer to a home, thanks to the Medred-Gabbert amendment. 

Mr. Medred had no interest in any areas other than where Mr. Gabbert desired to build a demolition plant - right next to the Celery Fields. But he framed it so as to seem as if it were a disinterested modification of the county's land use law. And it passed both the Planning Commission and the Board, paving the way for cosier dumps.

Yet when Ms. Ayech, to protect a way of life of her Miakka Community that is far older than the County itself, sought to propose a change via a Comp Plan Amendment, here's the result -- taking away our right, and pretending it makes no difference.

After Tuesday, there will be even less public input, less public power to influence or speak to future land development in Sarasota County, than there has been heretofore.

In short, there is no public conversation about the future of Sarasota County. It's decided by a private chat among a few developers and the people sitting in the seats that Pat Neal, Gary Kompthecras, Randy Benderson, Rex Jensen, Carlos Beruff and a bunch of dark money bought for them. 

According to the County Administrator's memo, banishing citizens from land use amendments will move us toward the goal of making this "a great place to live."


Campaign Contributions 2020


*There are certainly many other perspectives that an open and public-minded Board might consider. A citizen might propose a CPA in order to correct certain errors in county methods or procedures. See, for example,

Residents throughout Sarasota petition to update flawed planning maps.


See the Sarasota News Leader story of April 8, 2021 about the Board action, with more background on citizen Comp Plan Amendments - a state mandated guarantee to residents of Florida instituted in 1977.

Citizen comments on this issue here and here

Monday, April 5, 2021

Email regarding a proposed Ordinance to end Citizen Comp Plan Amendments

Email to the Board regarding the County's proposed Ordinance to eliminate citizen-initiated Comp Plan Amendments (CPAs). The author formerly served as a county attorney in Sarasota. For more on this topic, see here and here.

To Board of County Commissioners:

I am saddened by the proposed elimination of a very simple process that allows resident registered voters to join together and propose a comprehensive plan amendment on issues of concern to the public. The existing process in the UDC provides for staff analysis of the proposal so that the issues are reviewed and evaluated to allow for appropriate evaluation by the BCC. It provides a formal way for citizens to approach the BCC with significant public issues and concerns within the Comprehensive Plan. I am surprised that I did not hear any discussion of options to maintain this entry point for the public (for example by requiring a deposit and additional signatures - 100, 200, etc.) instead of eliminating it entirely. This provision was added by a previous BCC because they believed that the public has the right to suggest changes to the Comp Plan that the BCC then determines if they are in the public interest. This seems appropriate since the foundation of all planning is to further the pubic health, safety and welfare and to reflect the community vision desired by residents. The citizen initiated amendment process does not "rezone" someone else's property or trample on anyone's real property rights (instead of imagined ones). Yes, the process does contemplate Comp Plan changes that would affect lands not necessarily owned by the citizens submitting the proposal. That is why the proposal would have to become a publicly initiated proposal of the BCC before approval or adoption. In fact, there have been some "privately" initiated Comp Plan amendments in the past that were not limited to lands owned by the applicant(s). Those are the amendments that I would expect to cause outrage and concern. Not a group of concerned citizens who are motivated by concern for the broader community and maintaining quality of life. I hope that you will consider increasing the requirements for a citizen initiated Comp Plan amendment rather than deleting the option entirely. Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, Susan Schoettle -- Susan Schoettle-Gumm PLLC Sarasota, FL 34240

Land is not a commodity: it is the basis of a commonwealth

Email sent 4.5.21 regarding an April 6, 2021 Board agenda item (#26) that would delete citizens' right to participate in land use planning processes.

Planner <planner@scgov.net>
cc:Alan Maio <amaio@scgov.net>,
Michael Moran <mmoran@scgov.net>,
"Nancy C. Detert" <ncdetert@scgov.net>,
christian ziegler <cziegler@scgov.net>,
commissioners@scgov.net,
Andrew.Stultz@sarasotaadvisory.net,
Colin.Pember@sarasotaadvisory.net,
Joseph.Neunder@sarasotaadvisory.net,
Kevin.Cooper@sarasotaadvisory.net,
Laura.Benson@sarasotaadvisory.net,
Teresa.Mast@sarasotaadvisory.net,
Neil.Rainford@sarasotaadvisory.net,
Drew.Peters@sarasotaadvisory.net,
Justin.Taylor@sarasotaadvisory.net,
Frank.Strelec@sarasotaadvisory.net,
rcutsinger@scgov.net,
Jonathan Lewis <countyadministrator@scgov.net>
bcc:

To the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners and members of the Planning Commission:

The County's discussions of the 94-85(a) provision that allows citizens to procedurally address future land use conversations have, both at the Planning Commission and in the Board's earlier conversations, exhibited the full range of a nanometer. 

So captured by the business and development community's thinking are you, our elected officials, that you have failed to frame the subject so that it could honestly and openly be debated in depth in an open forum -- prior to simply deleting citizens from the Code with a stroke of your pen.

Please consider: We live here. We pay taxes. We care about what becomes of Sarasota County. The shaping of this land and its uses affects us all, despite the talk of "private property" that in truth is not relevant to the discussion.

Think how many times you have approved text amendments that affect lands never owned by those who proposed them. Perhaps you recall Mr. Bo Medred's text amendment that allowed demolition facilities to be more cosily located near private homes. You had no problem with the fact that Mr. Medred did not own any of the lands whose rules he asked you to alter. Mr. Medred later admitted in open session before the Planning Commission that his sole purpose was to "legalize" Quad Parcel #2, which Mr. Gabbert sought to use for a 16-acre open air debris demolition plant. Those of you who were present in 2016 found no fault with Ord. 2016-082 - it unanimously passed both your boards.

Kindly don't think this elision of our rights will slip by a dormant, covid-obsessed public. The deletion of citizens' powers by their own elected officials is usually not a crowd-pleaser.

Land use, planning and development evoke many rich perspectives that you have not brought to the table, so it seems "democratic" to allow others to do that. In the past, you have at times shown you are able to listen to good sense. Now would be a time to do so once again.

Do not delete this right of our citizens. If you wish to discuss it, hold a public forum and invite the folks who for so long have helped make Sarasota something very special. Take your time. Our community's future is worth that, don't you think?

Cordially,

Tom Matrullo

Sarasota 34241

===

For more on this topic, see here and here.

Saturday, April 3, 2021

A citizen asks about site selection for the new county administration center

1301 Cattlemen Road, the red dot, is one site now being considered
for the new County Administration Center

1301 Cattlemen Road seems to be the frontrunning site for a new County Administration center. The Board of Sarasota County Commissioners had a lengthy discussion last week about this location, introduced by Commissioner Mike Moran.

A resident of the area is conducting some early inquiries and raising questions about traffic based on her years of experience of the area's roads. Cattlemen Rd. at Bee Ridge is a notoriously poorly designed intersection, and 1301 Cattlemen is north of that, and just south of Bahia Vista and Cattlemen.

The emails below need to be read from the bottom up.

------ Forwarded Message --------

From: Glenna Blomquist <glennablom@hotmail.com>

Date: 4/2/2021 1:45:38 PM

Subject: RE: New Administration Center consideration

To: bgaubatz@scgov.net ]

Dear Mr. Gaubatz,

I understand you have been assigned to work on the new administration center.

My concern is that the board is jumping on the 1301 Cattlemen location because the county owns the property.  This location is a poor choice because of transportation limitations.  Arteries of travel, both roads and transit, are insufficient for the numbers of employees and visitors that would attend this center.

Before any planning moves forward, consideration of road use needs to be brought into the picture.  Surely, it is obvious that this location is a bad choice.

I live in this neighborhood and I'm attuned with existing traffic problems, recent traffic studies, and also the limits of augmentation of travel avenues. 

Please let me know if you have been brought in the site selection conversation with our commissioners, particularly Commissioner Mike Moran for District 1.

Sincerely,

Glenna Blomquist

=======

From: Glenna Blomquist <glennablom@hotmail.com>

Sent: Friday, March 26, 2021 1:16 PM

To: Paula Wiggins <pwiggins@scgov.net>; Kwamena Sankah <Ksankah@scgov.net>

Cc: Jane Grogg <jgrogg@scgov.net>; Michele Norton <mnorton@scgov.net>; Michael Moran <mmoran@scgov.net>

Subject: New Administration Center considerationCaution: This email originated from an external source. Be Suspicious of Attachments, Links and Requests for Login Information

Dear Paula and Kwamena,

As I read today in the Englewood Sun Newspaper, one site under consideration for the new Administration Center is 1301 Cattlemen Road. Did the consultant(s) do a traffic study for Fruitville Road and Palmer Boulevard relative to the discussion of possible Administrative Center sites, including 1301 Cattlemen Road proposed site? Are there impact studies for the area?  Have you been asked for input? Will traffic studies be required?  If traffic studies have been done, would you please forward them to me?

Assuming that many employees, and visitors, will arrive to this destination daily, how are they going to travel from the east?  What impacts will this have on Fruitville Road, Lorraine (formerly Iona) Road, Packinghouse Road, Porter Road, Cattlemen Road, Palmer Boulevard, Debrecen Road, East Road, and Apex/Coburn Road, and Bee Ridge Road?  

Please note that although there is a SCAT transit station at 5951 Porter Way, bus routes are not established for east county, and any bus traffic would also add to the burden on local roads.  Certainly, an administration center should be readily accessible by public transit.

As I listen to the budget meeting discussion, what occurs to me is that land planning might be important prior to and outside of a budget meeting.  Perhaps this would start with long range planning staff creating relevant requirements within the consultant's request for professional services, considering all necessary components.  Budget costs are paramount, however transportation impacts are equally important and should not be late in the review.

Thank you,

Glenna Blomquist

========

Considerations of the ways and means of siting and building and paying for a new Adminstration Center are still in the formative stage. A discussion of some length about all this was held at the Board's latest budget meeting on March 24, 2021 accessible at this link. Begin around 1 hr and 42 minutes.