SCANNING Sarasota PLANNING

The County Commission allowed everyone who wished to speak at Open to the Public today - the public input lasted about 90 minutes, with not a soul speaking in favor of DR Horton building at the Celery Fields. Some of the input offered by residents was extraordinary. Charlie Bailey Around 3:30 pm, the Horton agenda item came up - and was quickly denied, 5-0, with virtually no discussion. The mediated proposal is dead, but outside the Admin building Horton's attorney, Charlie Bailey, said -- in response to a question from SCAN -- that he would advise his client to sue the County. SCAN will hold its next meeting next Tuesday, Oct. 28. Come hear from three neighborhood groups - the problem each faced, how they mobilized, and what happened as a result. We will meet in Fellowship Hall at  Unity of Sarasota , 3023 Proctor Road. The hall open at 5 pm, with the meeting beginning at 5:30. You'll hear from folks who did some very fine work. More to come.

    CONA Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations October 2025 Community Newsletter CONA Relaunches with New Leadership and Renewed Commitment to Civic Engagement The Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) is proud to announce a new chapter in our long history of neighborhood advocacy and civic involvement. Since 1961, CONA has served as a unifying voice for homeowner, condominium, and civic associations across Sarasota County. Today, we’re renewing that legacy with new leadership and a fresh focus on empowering residents to engage constructively in local government. New Leadership Following the retirement of longtime president Kafi Benz, we have a new Board of Directors representing neighborhoods throughout Sarasota County: President: Lourdes Ramirez , affiliated with Protect Siesta Key Vice President: Melanie Goddard,  affiliated with Marquee en Ville Condominium Association Treasurer: Ron Kashden , affiliated with Laurel Park Neighborhood As...

Information on Smith Farms Hearing Smith Farms Hearing on Oct. 21 at 9 a.m. Sarasota County Commission Chambers  1660 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota On Tuesday, Oct. 21, the Sarasota County Commission will be asked to consider a new proposal from developer D.R. Horton for a residential community on the Smith Farms property on Raymond Road. The company revised its plans and is now asking for an  85-unit subdivision, after an initial request for 170 units. Additionally, the design reduces the number of entrances from two along Raymond Road to a single subdivision entrance in the southwest corner of the property. T his new proposal resulted from a state-authorized arbitration process that the company pursued  after the County Commission voted unanimously on Feb. 12 to deny a rezoning petition that D.R. Horton had submitted to county staff .  The discussion is No. 36 on the board’s Oct. 21 agenda. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in the Commission Chambers of the County Administration...

Event Details Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2025 Time: 6:00 PM Location: Selby Public Library – Conference Room (Downstairs, Southeast Corner) 1331 First St, Sarasota, FL 34236 Admission: Free and open to the public Topics:  Contacting Legislators; Greenbelts: Sarasota Manatee Wildlife Corridors and our archaeology in Manatee and Sarasota  Guest Speaker: JAVIER ESTEVEZ  - Sierra Club Florida Political and Legislative Director.    Javier has been with Sierra Club Florida since 2022, previously serving as the Operations & Legislative Coordinator, where he played a pivotal role in advancing environmental advocacy efforts across the state. Born and raised in Miami-Dade County, his extensive experience in campaign and policy work includes running for Florida House District 105 in 2018 and 2020, demonstrating his commitment to leadership and environmental policy. As Political and Legislative Director, Javier aims to build a dynamic and inclusive political program tha...

  Dear Thomas, Yesterday, 1000 Friends of Florida filed a  lawsuit against the Florida Department of Commerce  challenging  Senate Bill 180  — the sweeping state law passed during the 2025 Florida Legislative Session that freezes local comprehensive planning and strips communities of their authority to guide growth responsibly. More than just hurricane recovery, SB 180 silences local voices and blocks stronger planning measures for water, infrastructure, and environmental protection. Our lawsuit argues that it  violates the Florida Constitution  by overstepping legislative limits, undermining due process, and restricting local efforts to conserve natural resources. As 1000 Friends president  Paul Owens  said in today’s announcement: “SB 180 goes far beyond disaster recovery. It undermines communities of the basic ability to plan responsibly for growth, infrastructure, and the environment. Voters and local officials across the state are being ...

  1. Sarasota Wastewater Wake-Up Call During the severe 2018-2019 red tide bloom that plagued Southwest Florida, it was revealed that Sarasota County Utilities periodically had been  releasing millions of gallons of reclaimed wastewater daily for several weeks and months  at a time from their Bee Ridge Wastewater Reclamation Facility to Phillippi Creek. This neglect had gone on for years. While the wastewater was treated to remove pathogens, break down organic matter, and reduce nutrients, the concentration of nitrogen that  helps  fuel red tide was elevated well above that for direct discharge to surface waters such as Phillippi Creek  and the bay . As residents and businesses suffered from the severe and prolong ed red tide bloom, this revelation made Sarasota County Government see m tone deaf to the public it served. And stunningly, the County Commission at the time were surprised to learn that these reclaimed wastewater discharges had been occurrin...