Upcoming developer proposals, candidate forums and flooding findings

 A number of developer proposals are coming - here's what we know so far:

Tues. Oct. 22 - Lakewood Ranch will try for the third time to get approval for 1,399 more homes in NE Sarasota - this is part of what Rex Jensen wishes to build, and what Old Miakka wishes to quash. See the attachment from Stantec. Mike Huchinson's notes are here.

Thurs. Oct. 24 - Sarasota Water Engineer Steve Suau will offer findings on the unprecedented flooding of inland communities after Debby. Dozens of homes in communities such as Laurel Meadows flooded, and the Board at its first meeting after the storm had no answers - nor much in the way of questions. The live and in-person presentation is at Selby Library. SCAN hopes to also record. Details here.

On the corruption of flood zone planning, see this editorial from the Washington Post.

Thurs. Nov. 7 - DR Horton will present its astonishing idea of building 170 single family homes in a floodplain immediately next to the bird nesting area of the Celery Fields. This will take place at the Planning Commission, inconveniently in Venice, beginning at 5 pm. More here.

Sarasota League of Women Voters will hold two candidate forums, Monday and Tuesday, both at 5:30 pm - the first is the County Commission race, the second is the Charter Review. You can attend in person, or via YouTube - these are the only forums we know of prior to Election Day. Links are below:
 

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IS A NONPARTISAN, GRASSROOTS NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING EVERYONE TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN OUR DEMOCRACY.

The two General Election Candidate Forums that were postponed as a result of Hurricane Milton have now been rescheduled.  All candidates for these races have been invited. All candidates are asked the same questions and asked to speak for themselves with no rebuttal.



Both forums will be live-streamed on the League’s YouTube Channel and will be available for later viewing. To submit questions for the candidates and get more information go to lwvsrq.org.


In addition to candidate forums the League of Women Voters of Sarasota County provides multiple educational tools to empower Sarasota County’s voters: 


  • vote411.org - The US League’s comprehensive online voter guide which includes all local races as well.
  • A LWVSRQ comprehensive, downloadable General Election Voter Guide geared to all Sarasota County voters (also accessible from our homepage).
  • Printed Voter Guides which are available at all the Sarasota County Public Libraries.
  • Brochures on how to evaluate candidates running for the  Sarasota Memorial Hospital Board (Spanish Version) and the pros and cons of Amendment 1.
  • A website FAQs page focusing on voter registration, renewing vote by mail ballots and checking voter status in Sarasota County.
  • Speaker’s Bureau presentations on the six amendments that appear on the November ballot., voting rights, mis and dis information and changes to Florida’s voting laws. Book a speaker!


Citizens for Sarasota County (CSC) is a coalition founded in 2014 to promote ethical, responsive government that preserves and enhances Sarasota's unique natural environment and cultural heritage while building a sound local economy based on effective stewardship and innovation. 

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