Friday, June 18, 2021

Becky Ayech: Write to the Board Now

The formal application for the Hi Hat Ranch change said that the modification will provide “flexibility to respond to market demands and the needs of tenants, and residents" Sarasota News Leader

This commission has put community preservation behind short-term profits.  David Guest, Letter to the Editor, Herald Tribune.

What Sarasota County officials did the other day with the Hi Hat Ranch was "devastating," says Becky Ayech. The Commission threw out the planning principles designed to bring order and common sense to developers' supersized plans. 

The Board's action will affect us all, says Ayech. She's asking us to tell the Board that it's unacceptable.

Three quick steps (more background below):

======================================================

1. Copy the Commissoners' addresses into your email:
amaio@scgov.net
mmoran@scgov.net
ncdetert@scgov.net
rcutsinger@scgov.net
cziegler@scgov.net
commissioners@scgov.net

2. Tell the Board that abandoning rational plans for the sake of market trends is an abdication of their responsibility. Use her words or your own:

Commissioners: 
As a resident and taxpayer of Sarasota County, I ask that you use Facts and Supporting Data to determine a Comprehensive Plan Amendment -- NOT MARKET TRENDS. 
DENY CPA-2019-D

or,

Commissioners, 
None of the “Directions for the Future” contained in the principles to guide Sarasota County's long range planning and sustainability initiatives include “flexibility to respond to market demands."  
DENY CPA-2019-D

or,

        Commissioners, 

        In sound planning practice, 

Either: Facts and supporting data matter and market trends do not, 

Or: Market trends dictate planning and FACTS DON'T MATTER. 

DENY CPA-2019-D

 
3. Share a copy of your email with Becky at miakka1945@gmail.com


========================================================

Thank you for helping. 

Clearly, a plan to put 13,000 homes on 10,000-acre Hi Hat Ranch will irrevocably alter the character of rural Northeast Sarasota County. But what Ayech is concerned matters to all, countywide: What the Board is doing to the practice of planning itself could be even more devastating. 

Here's how she put it the other day:

HI HAT RANCH. The BOCC voted to transmit to the State the comp plan amendment that changed the 1,200 acre Hi Hat Hamlet, with a limit of 1 unit per acre to Village with a limit of 5-6 units per acre. Again, thanks to those who sent emails and spoke.

The MOST EGREGIOUS act was allowing our Comp Plan (our Vision for the Future) to be dictated by market demands instead of facts and supporting data. Translated, that means whatever density will make the most money is the density the County will give to the developer. FORGET PLANNING PRINCIPLES. IN FACT, JUST FORGET ANY PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE. This not only affects us, but everyone throughout the County. So, before, there was some comfort provided by the Comprehensive Plan, now THERE IS NONE.

So, where do we go from here? There is more to be written.
The Comp Plan Amendment goes to the State for review. Our attorney is determining if the public can ask to have different agencies review the Amendment. Currently, they must be asked to do a review. 
The Comp Plan will come back to the BOCC for a final vote. The June 9 meeting was for transmitting the Amendment to the State. This will be for adoption of the Amendment. 
We need to be a political force. We will need broad base support throughout the County like we had before. You need to reach out to all those folks you did in the past and ask them to help. Again, this decision affects EVERYONE. When this comes back to the Commission, we need to pack the room. We need to overwhelm the Commissioners with emails.

Email the Commissioners and ask that Facts and Supporting Data be used to determine a Comprehensive Plan Amendment, NOT MARKET TRENDS. DENY CPA-2019-D