SCANNING Sarasota PLANNING

A lawsuit appealing a Sarasota Comp Plan amendment will be heard Jan. 21 in Tampa at 9:30 am.  The suit was  brought by Old Miakka residents Mike Hutchinson and Eileen Fitzgerald. The issue is an expansion of Lakewood Ranch into the rural area of Northeast Sarasota known as Old Miakka that's been a rural area with horse farms, cattle, and dark skies since before Sarasota became a county. Mike and Eileen's email to supporters: O ur appeal of Sarasota County approving a Comprehensive Plan Amendment allowing LWRSE to expand from University to Fruitville Rd. is set for oral arguments at the Second District Court of Appeal in Tampa on January 21, 2025 at 09:30 AM. It looks like our case is third in line. See attached pdf file for more details. Our case number is  2D2024-0783. The orals will be remote via video. To view the orals click on the following link after 9:20 AM on Jan. 21. You should find a big red button marked "Live Broadcast". Click on it. https://2dca.flcourts...

Northeast Sarasota County Mike Hutchinson and Eileen Fitzgerald - residents of Old Miakka --  challenged the Board of County Commission's approval of a comprehensive plan amendment that would allow Lakewood Ranch (LWR) to extend to the East to build 5,000 additional homes on 4,100 acres.  An Administrative Law Judge ruled in favor of LWR, but that ruling has been appealed to Circuit Court. The 4100 acres include the only hamlet that has been approved in the County. Previously it was 400 homes on 1000 acres -- obviously this increases its density. Old Miakka goes from Lorraine Road on the west to the County line in the east. It goes from the north County line to south of Fruitville, roughly halfway to Clark Road. This expansion of LWR runs in an arc from the end of University east and south to Fruitville Road. It borders Bern Creek to the north and east. It leapfrogs all the 5 and 10-acre parcels that run from Lorraine to Bern Creek. The map above shows the general area. Bern C...

From Old Miakka residents Mike Hutchinson and Eileen Fitzgerald: An update on the efforts of Old Miakka residents to resist a 5,000-home expansion of Lakewood Ranch - redoubling the size of Waterside - to reach nearly to the County's eastern border: The Dept. of Commerce agreed with the administrative judge and ruled against us. We will be appealing. In the meantime, the developer can go ahead at their own risk. If we win at the next level, they may be required to undo all the damage that was done to the property by their construction. Our attorney has asked for a stay to prevent them from doing irreparable harm to the land while we appeal. Thanks! Mike and Eileen Click to Donate to Keep The Country, Inc Donations to Keep the Country, Inc. are not tax deductible. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDAT...