SCANNING Sarasota PLANNING

Jono and Julie Miller have long been among Sarasota's leading environmental advocates. For years, Jono taught environmental studies at New College, and recently authored The Palmetto Book: Histories and Mysteries of the Cabbage Palm .  Julie also taught at New College, and has served as a commissioner and chair of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), among many other positions .  Both Julie and Jono are constructive observers of what is happening to our ecosystem on the Gulf Coast. Together they host Our Changing Environment  at 9 am every other Tuesday on WSLR . Julie and Jono both have attended SCAN meetings and invited a member of SCAN to chat about what we have found in meetings around the county. They asked Tom Matrullo some very good questions about the objectives of SCAN, the changes in planning methodology that we've seen over time, and the potentially deleterious impacts of recent developer initiatives upon iconic places like Siesta Key ...

Old Miakka residents are concerned about a brand new proposed development of 504 acres. This evening, April 29, 6 pm:  -  a Zoom workshop is scheduled, register at this link. The workshop is online only, and is open to anyone. Front Page Herald Tribune : Pat Neal's 3H Ranch , a plan for Clark Road east of I-75 to build  more than 6,500 homes, 250,000 square feet of commercial space, 120,000 square feet of office space and more than 400 acres of green space across 14 interconnected neighborhoods Many will recognize all the signs of a Wealth Machine in this story from Derek Gilliam:  Documents show close contacts between major developers and Sarasota County officials  (If link fails,  text is here ). This coming Wednesday May 1,  1000 Friends has a free May Day Webinar   - a lot of very experienced wildlife advocates will be on hand. If you are unable to attend the live event, you can register and they will send you a link to view it afterwards. ...

 This is the last in the 1000 Friends four-part series on wildlife corridors: REGISTER NOW! Dear Thomas, For decades, Florida has led the nation in land conservation initiatives. This includes science-based regional landscape conservation including wildlife corridors, comprehensive GIS conservation priority analyses and databases, and significant state funding to protect conservation and agricultural land. But there is always room for more in the “tent” of conservation and need for additional tools and strategies to achieve conservation goals while fostering sustainable communities. Register now  for next week's webinar, being held at noon, Eastern, next Wednesday, May 1.  Planning to Protect the Florida Wildlife Corridor: Building a Big Tent   will focus on reaching out to new constituents for conservation.  Urban3 Founder and Geoaccounting innovator Joe Minicozzi will address how land use choices have significant impacts on the bottom line for local ...

Shared via the Siesta Key Condominium Council Inc. Having trouble viewing email? Click here to  View as Webpage Mega Hotel Myths and Bridgegate Siesta Key Condominium Council (SKCC) Mission Statement:  To provide member Condominium Associations, their owners, residents and renters current information applicable to Condominium living in the legislative, legal and insurance arenas, through a series of meetings/speakers and to support efforts that promote:  safety ,  economic stability ,  environmentalism , and the  beautification  of Siesta Key. Mega Hotel Myth:  Does Siesta Key need mega hotels? Research indicates no accommodation shortage.  According to the Sarasota Hospitality Market Report, “Over the last year, Sarasota’s average monthly occupancy rate has been 68.9%, which is notably higher than the national average of 63.0% for the same period. The RevPAR in the Sarasota hotel market experienced a 6.1% decrease over the past 12 months as ...

     Sarasota Audubon Society       Protect Siesta Key Keep the Country Country "In the run up to an election where the results could produce radically different scenarios for our area’s future, grassroots groups have been popping up to play whack-a-mole with every emerging threat. But this year, there’s a new phenomenon: These groups aren’t just multiplying, they’re uniting."  Forget clever slogans and bright T-shirts: We need teamwork to create a better Sarasota - Carrie Seidman The urgency of the issues facing Sarasota County requires organizations to think outside of their usual comfort zones - they need to CONNECT Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast 1000 Friends of Florida Control Growth Now Suncoast Waterkeeper Right to Clean Water Sarasota Bay Estuary Program ECOSWF Healthy Gulf Manasota 88 Sierra Club Manatee-Sarasota Group Venice Audubon Florida Birding and Nature Festival Friends of the Pelicans North Venice Neighborhood Alliance Inc ....

Letter sent 4.15.24 to Sarasota County planners examining the DR Horton proposal to build 170 single family homes adjacent to the nesting area of the Celery Fields: Celery Fields, Quads to the west, Horton proposed site marked by yellow RE: 23‐136008 PA Planners, I know you're all busy people - real quick:  The Formal Review of the DR Horton project on Raymond Road faces one overriding issue: Will the still young, successful Celery Fields Trifecta - storm water management, bird sanctuary, and human/tourist recreational area - be compromised in any way by the intense construction of 170 single family homes on an adjacent former farm?  The amenity that already exists is a magnet for residents and visitors, a gift loved by all. The Celery Fields has also become a magnet for development along Axis Road, Palmer Boulevard and Fruitville Road. Had an open-air "recycling" facility been allowed on the southwest Quad, the real estate market could very well have lost its appetite fo...

Here's the latest update from Protect Siesta Key , the new group led by Lourdes Ramirez and Rob Sax opposing the developer-led interest  in super sizing hotels on Siesta Key:     Monthly News & Updates   April 2024   Benderson Mega-hotel proposal Changing the Comprehensive Plan is a process. Benderson Development has submitted the 'final' application for their mega-hotel on Siesta Key to County Staff. After staff reviews the application, they will write a report and schedule a hearing before the Planning Commission (Advisory Board). Dates for public hearings have not been scheduled yet. Use the following link for a list of Comprehensive Plan process steps. List of Comp Plan Process steps     County Commission denies hotel proposal in Venice area We were surprised that the Sarasota County Commission at their April 9th public hearing denied a developer's proposal to build two hotels off Laurel Road in Venice ( Item #31 on the agenda ). The BCC vote to deny the applica...