SCANNING Sarasota PLANNING

When Carlos Moreno first introduced the phrase “15-minute city”  at COP21  in 2015, it would have been hard to imagine that nine years later, he’d find himself vilified and threatened across the world, his concept for sustainable urban planning  attacked  by figures as wide-ranging as  Jordan Peterson  and Rishi Sunak. A "Superblock" in Barcelona The fundamental idea behind Moreno’s blueprint is that residents can reach essential services within 15 minutes by walking, biking or public transit. In the book, Moreno frames his vision as a critique of modernist planning, in which separate zones are designated for sleeping, eating, working and leisure. Moreno cites a lack of long-term political thinking and the existence of important economic actors that resist change as barriers. “It must be admitted that there are limits to how far these ideas can go, and those limits lie in political life on the macro scale,” he says. “Ultimately there’s a roof on what I can do which I can’t go

Sarasota Citizen Action Network, or SCAN, will hold a Zoom meeting with residents of North Port this Saturday, May 25, at 6 pm.  Agenda for North Port SCAN Zoom May 25, 2024 at 6 pm Zoom Meeting Link:   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89798198298   This meeting was scheduled with short notice to take place before May 28, 2024, when the North Port City Commission meets at 6 pm to determine next steps on several sensitive items as noted below. Concerned citizens of North Port want SCAN followers to be aware; online or in-person public comment on any of these items would be welcome: Discussion and possible action on the status of action items relating to Warm Mineral Springs Phase 1 and Phase 2 future development. 1st reading for the Comprehensive Plan amendments for various chapters and the Future Land Use Map (FLUM). The Comp Plan must be amended to correspond with the rewrite the Unified Land Development Code (ULDC). The FLUM is changing considerably. The FLUM illustrates the direction the c

Jimmy Hester, an east Orange County resident who helped lead the resistance to the proposed development, spray paints a victory message Wednesday as his son, Noble, 4, looks on. Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel  Rural residents triumph over mega-development                        Orlando Sentinel 1.25.24         County commission’s 4-3 vote torpedoes the latest plan for Sustanee By Stephen Hudak Orlando Sentinel Residents in rural east Orange County celebrated Wednesday the dramatic early morning defeat of the latest mega-development proposing to build hundreds of homes on a former cattle ranch in the environmentally sensitive Econ River basin. Many, wearing their red “Stop Urban Sprawl” T-shirts from previous fights, endured a marathon Orange County commission meeting Tuesday to cheer the 4-3 vote against requesting a land-use change from state authorities. But some were convinced they haven’t seen the last such proposal for the area. Developers were asking the board for “transmittal” of

Letter to the Editor, Herald Tribune , May 14, 2024: On April 26, the Herald-Tribune told us about the ways area developers cultivate influence with Sarasota County elected officials and staff ( “Documents show close contacts between major developers and Sarasota County officials” ). On the front page May 2, we learned why this matters. Local residents opposed plans to add dozens of “modular” schoolrooms (aka trailers) to a private school campus on Bee Ridge Road. The county’s own zoning administrator and a special magistrate agreed with the neighbors and found that the proposal violated the school developer’s submitted site plans. So having heard clearly from residents and their own staff, what do the Sarasota County commissioners do? Ignore them all and approve the plans on a 4-1 vote ( “Area private school wins debate on growth” ), As they once again reject their own constituents and qualified planning professionals, it’s fair to ask: Whom are they working for?   Ben Abramson, Venic

A second Neighborhood Workshop for the DR Horton proposal to build a new housing project next to the Celery Fields is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14 at 6 pm.   Please REGISTER to attend this online only meeting:        ZOOM LINK to REGISTER for this Workshop        If above link doesn't work, use this link        Background Workshop Document from Kimley Horn This DR Horton proposal to build 170 single family homes on 49 acres immediately east of the Celery Fields nesting area on Raymond Road looks similar to the original plan shared at the first workshop in May 2023. There are a few new or updated documents: DRC Review Subject to Change  Smith RZ Report pdf Smith DRC Update pdf ======= Note the close distance from the proposed homes to the wetlands area to the west (left) across Raymond Road: The 170-home project on Raymond Road - note proximity to wetland nesting area Now that the Horton proposal is going to formal review, here is the DRC packet with comments from 16 departments

Below is the Sarasota County Property Rights Element of its Comp Plan. For comparison, see the Property Rights Element proposed by 1000 Friends of Florida . ======== Sarasota County Property Rights Element Sarasota County places its Property Rights in Chapter 16 of the Comp Plan, pages 593-594 . The information below is directly transcribed from the Chapter: ===== Nothing in this Comprehensive Plan shall be construed or applied to result in a temporary or permanent taking of private property without due process of law. Nothing contained in the Comprehensive Plan shall be construed as affecting validly existing vested rights.  It shall be the duty and responsibility of the person alleging vested rights to demonstrate affirmatively the legal requisites of vested rights.  Rights shall vest based upon a determination by the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners that the property owner alleging vested rights:  1. Has acted in good faith;  2. Upon some act or omission of the government; and