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...

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 Abrams...