SCAN as response to "A Decade of Undisciplined Planning"

First published in Critical Times, WSLR / Fogartyville January 2025


Early last year, Sarasota developers achieved new levels of hubris and potentially destructive impacts. Beloved communities under threat included Siesta Key, where Benderson and others wish to build megahotels; Old Miakka, where a rural community faces intense new development from Lakewood Ranch; and a public amenity -- the Celery Fields – where DR Horton seeks to build 170 homes hard by the prime nesting area.The January 1, 2024 edition of Critical Times carried word of these impending impacts to iconic areas. 


These threats sparked a group of advocates to hold public conversations as the Sarasota Citizen Action Network, or SCAN. Lourdes Ramirez says Protect Siesta Key joined SCAN “with the belief that sharing zoning and planning experiences among neighborhood leaders will not only benefit their organization but also help neighborhoods throughout Sarasota County.” 


SCAN held meetings in public spaces around the county. Attendees heard from former Commissioner Jon Thaxton, stormwater engineer Stephen Suau, Sarasota Audubon's Jeanne Dubi, climate scientist Tiffany Troxler and more. North Port conservancy’s Barbara Lockhart, Jan Vertefeuille of Venice Thrives, Ken Baron of North Venice, activist David Ianotti and others brought their creative activism to our monthly meetings.


People concerned about incompatible developments shared their stories and found they were not alone.  A new mantra surfaced: 


Your community’s issue is neither unique nor just: Public planning systemically hijacked by private interests to the near exclusion of public participation impacts us all. 


Public participation has been stifled in various ways:

.

  1. Complex proposals come in the specialized code of “Planner Lingo.” Other places require plain language clearly addressing negative impacts.

  2. In some municipalities (Lexington, KY, Asheville, NC) proposals are published two weeks before hearings. Our citizens are given barely a week to study lengthy plans.

  3. Neighborhood workshops -- which once provided citizens with in-person access to maps, charts, developer reps and county planning staff – are now online, depriving attendees of up-close understanding.

  4. Public hearings are held whenever the Board gets to them. Working people who formerly attended scheduled 5 pm hearings now can’t tell whether an important hearing will begin at 9 am or 3 pm.

  5. Barriers to public information are increasing. County now charges for public records requests – even for simple answers that knowledgeable staff could readily provide.


These barriers worsened while giant developments were coming before a Board influenced by unprecedented developer largesse. Meanwhile, our media dwindled. We were being trained to not pay attention. 


The Board’s promises to protect open spaces have repeatedly been broken. We should know how many new dwelling units have already been approved – why don’t we? After strenuous digging, Thaxton found that the number of approved, yet unbuilt units is adequate to double the county’s current population. Further, the choice to develop or preserve what uncommitted open land remains has dwindled to a mere 10 percent of the county.


Whither SCAN in 2025? Ramirez won a court battle, but another Siesta megahotel has been approved, Lakewood Ranch seeks to add 1,399 dwelling units east into Old Miakka -- Mike Hutchinson (Keep the Country Country) has filed an appeal. At a packed Venice hearing, the Planning Commission recommended denial of Horton at the Celery Fields.The Board will make a final decision. 


In 2025, SCAN will continue to meet with Sarasotans and to fight developer dominance by pressing for more open public participation through balanced, community-based planning. It should prove interesting.


Chart: Note: Commercial sections are not included but most plans have it.



Totals: 59,478 units 34,739 acres 135,722 residents


(Source: Sarasota County Planning for all except North Port Planning for Wellen Park)



Huge disparities between candidates with developer money and those without it in 2024:

Campaign Contributions




Pat Neal's 3H Ranch


Pat Neal's 3 H Ranch is largely in a floodplain

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