Why is the MSBIA's Florida House proposal even being considered? An email exchange

Florida House, Sarasota

Below is a recent email exchange with Sarasota County administration regarding Commissioner Mike Moran's motion to consider a proposal from Jon Mast, president of the Manatee / Sarasota Building Industry Association (MSBIA), the local Building Industry lobby. Jon Mast and his wife, Teresa Mast, have written to the Board and appeared before them at various points in pursuit of this proposal.

As already reported, the lobby and marketing organization is asking to buy the Florida House and move it to the Southwest Quad parcel. However, this parcel is under a conservation easement granted by the county in 2019 to the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast and to Sarasota Audubon. The Board discussion of the proposal has been reported in the Sarasota News Leader and the Herald Tribune. 

Despite the constraints on the SW Quad parcel, the Board approved Moran's motion, agreeing to consider the Mast proposal, fast-tracking it rather than choosing to examine other options presented by county staff (four options are shown at the end of this post).

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5.4.22

Dear Ms. Casanova,

This is in response to your email to Ms. Lucas, which is quoted here:

Thank you very much for your email. I am not sure where you received information that caused you concern, but the recent information that was provided on Facebook and other locations is not correct.

The county entered into a conservation easement in 2020 on the SW quad that provides for both conservation and for a portion to be used for the County Government needs. The SE and NE quads also have been protected by the same conservation easement. The conservation easement was initiated by county commission, and they approved it in 2020 to protect the buffer with the celery fields.

I am sorry you were misinformed by others, but there is no plan for private sector development on the SW quad or the other two protected quads.

Thank you again for emailing the County.

Kind Regards,

Desiree Casanova

County Administration Office

Today I reviewed the video footage of the brief Board discussion of 4.26.22, instigated by Mr. Moran's wish to make a motion for Staff to begin discussions with the MSBIA, which has, with no discussion with or support from citizens, peppered the Board with messages indicating its desire to take control of the Florida House and relocate it.

Mr. Moran opened the discussion, seeking to direct Staff to open a negotiation with the MSBIA regarding the Florida House. A few moments later, Mr. Ziegler said he's fine with such a motion, but he's heard "rumors" that MSBIA wishes to relocate to "the Celery Fields." He said he did not know if this was the case, but he would not favor a motion that included this element of the MSBIA's desire.

Other Commissioners weighed in, Ms. Detert opposing this motion, then it came back around to Moran, who proceeded to make the motion without honoring Mr. Ziegler's point about foreclosing the option of relocating to the SW Quads Parcel. All except Detert approved the motion.

Two facts: 

    1. Mr. Ziegler misspoke in referring to "rumors." As the news has reported, communications from the MSBIA - basically Mr. and Mrs. Mast - specifically wove into their builder lobby's proposal the intention to relocate to the SW Quad parcel. This was their choice after Mr. Mast had earlier tried to situate the Florida House on the NW parcel, owned by the County. If Mr. Ziegler were more meticulous or attentive, he'd understand that "rumors" was not what the Board is dealing with.

    2. Any commissioner could easily have amended Mr. Moran's motion in line with Mr. Ziegler's point, but did not. In directing Staff to open discussions with the MSBIA, the motion makes no mention of excluding the Quad parcels.

This is not unlike various other board discussions that deal with topics that affect our community. When dealing with a specific plan for a stop sign or a setback, the Board will spend hours on picayune details, but here, when a very sensitive community asset is being singled out by the local area's largest developer lobby as the target location of a property it does not own, nor has ever had any interest in participating in (according to those intimately familiar with the history and work of the Florida House), the Board simply goes "yeah, sure," and moves on. 

I'll leave it to you to decide whether this is slipshod oversight, or the Board's way of protecting the interests of the Masts. 

Either way, the community is now alerted to a present threat to public land under the 12.6.19 easement. You can "say" it's protected, but the fact is, when the Board had a clear chance to qualify its motion to avert this possibility, it chose not to do so.

I hope this helps you and Staff to understand this community's concern.

Respectfully,

Tom Matrullo

Citizens for Sarasota County

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Response received 5.5.22:

Good afternoon Mr. Matrullo

 

Thank you very much for your email.

 

I have provided the link to the board assignment below:

https://www.scgov.net/home/showdocument?id=55559&t=637871927228885579 

 

Thank you for your feedback and effort in making the county better.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Desiree Casanova

County Administration Office

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The link Ms. Casanova shared goes to a full staff report on the Florida House, which includes some options staff thought worth considering: 

                                    Image courtesy of the Sarasota News Leader

Useful Links for Quad Update

Below links go to Background on the SW Quad - the one James Gabbert wanted for his WTF (Waste Transfer Facility). The Board is now promoting a plan to move the Florida House to this Quad Parcel - in violation of the Easement the County granted with unanimous Board Approval in December 2020.

Thanks to Adrien Lucas for the information.

Useful Links, Supporting Material & Some Helluva Good Press from the Past Week!

Conservation concepts roll out for Sarasota County-owned Quads land Observer, Eric Garwood | February 20, 2022 Sarasota County Commissioners decide land near the Celery Fields will be conserved ABC Channel 7 by Rick Adams | November 6, 2019 Celery Fields Protest Video presented to the Sarasota County Commissioners at the November 6 hearing. Filmed by Daniel Perales, produced by Adrien Lucas Sarasota County residents rally for Celery Fields and denounce ‘groundhog politics’ Herald Tribune by Anna Bryson | November 2, 2019 Video Celery Fields Protest Live to VOD recordings of WWSB's newscasts ABC Channel 7 by Taylor Torregano | November 1, 2019 Organizers plan 'Last Stand for Celery Hill' protest Saturday ABC Channel 7 by Taylor Torregano | November 1, 2019 SEIDMAN: Déjà vu all over again at Celery Fields Herald Tribune by Carrie Seidman | Octobert 31, 2019 After the Nov. 2 rally for Celery Fields Citizen's for Sarasota County Blog by Tom Matrullo | November 3, 2019 On Nov. 6, County Commission to discuss draft staff report that includes development options for Quads property next to Celery Fields Sarasota News Leaser by Rachel Brown Hackney |October 24, 2019 Fresh Start for the Celery Fields, a real time blog holding any and all things related to the Celery Fields and Sarasota County government. Great place to learn what we are up against. This is a useful site for appropriate cut and paste sentences for writing why you oppose the sale of the Quads. Comment on Critical Area Plan for the Quad Parcels at the Celery Fields, a breakdown on the proposed county staff Celery Field Quad CAP analysis to Sarasota planner Mr. Kirk. A video of Fresh Start's presentation to the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners on Sept. 12, 2018 that apparently fell on deaf ears. Click here to View. ===== Image from Sarasota News Leader depicting ambitious proposal from the Building Industry Lobby The Manatee Sarasota Building Industry Association - a local developer lobbyist group - proposes for the SW Quad a showcase that would feature the construction industry. Originally proposed for the NW parcel which the county still retains, the group has now switched to the SW parcel.

Planning Commission to consider plans for Quads parcels at Celery Fields

 

The Quads 2021

The Sarasota County Planning Commission is set to consider the county's proposed Critical Area Plan (CAP) for the area that includes the Quad Parcels and Celery Fields on May 6, 2021. 

The plan proposes rezoning the Quads to Government Use (GU) and delineates constraints and recommendations to preserve the aim of encouraging birding habitat and an open gateway on Palmer Avenue to East County.

County Planner Steve Kirk put a lot of thought into this presentation, which seeks to honor the intent behind the county's grant of a permanent easement over three of the four parcels (outlined above) to the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast and to Sarasota Audubon, which has had s strong commitment to the Celery Fields, and which will manage the future redevelopment of these parcels. 

Here's my email to the Planning Commission:

As one of the founding members of the Fresh Start Initiative, a community group that spent 10 months gathering community input and recommendations for the Quads parcels, I invite the Planning Commission to now weigh in on the CAP as it now stands. 

1. The Critical Area Plan seeks to realize the vision of a Gateway to East County, with an open viewshed, new Audubon-guided bird habitat, and stresses compatibility of architectural style, setbacks, building height, and more. However, while these constraints will certainly enhance the three parcels under easement, the Northwest Parcel has 4+ acres of developable land that will simply be labeled GU. This acreage could be developed by the County or sold to a developer, with options for light industry, commercial, or residential uses.

Wide range of options for the NW Parcel

It would make perfect sense for the Planning Commission to strongly recommend that the NW parcel's 4+ developable acres have binding language stating that any proposed use must be found compatible with the larger vision for the Quads and Celery Fields Area.

For example, a four-acre warehouse serviced by giant 18-wheelers on the Northwest parcel would hardly be consistent with the purpose of the perpetual easement, or for that matter with the roads and residential neighborhoods on and near Palmer Blvd.

The Fresh Start group did present a few community suggestions for the Northwest parcel. One that would both be consistent with the easement vision and offer practical help to motorists would be a bus loop enabling schoolchildren to get on and off buses without stopping traffic both ways on Palmer. 

  

The loop could have a pavilion with tables where children could sit out of the rain or strong sun, and perhaps eat a snack. Snacks could be provided by a rotating series of food trucks on an area set aside for this purpose.

Not only would this use be an asset for our children and help the flow of traffic, but it would also fit with the fact that the Northwest parcel, as public land, already holds a brand new fire station in suitable Old Florida style.

2. Another noteworthy element of the permanent easement reserves an option that would allow the County to construct a building on six acres of the Southwest parcel. While the Board has spoken of using the land for a history museum, nothing in the CAP specifies this use. This would seem to leave open the parcel open to some other Government Use. 

GU allows a great many things, including firing ranges, bus terminals and asphalt manufacturing. It would be a valuable enhancement to the Planning Commission review to recommend binding the use of the Southeast parcel to consistency and compatibility with the "Prime Directive" of the permanent easement -- protection of bird habitat in the Celery Fields.

Finally, it would be helpful to remind our community that Sarasota Audubon has taken on the task of shaping the parcels under easement. It will be raising funds for the purpose and we all should be both grateful and mindful that the commitment of Audubon deserves the support of all those who love the Celery Fields.

Very truly yours, 

Tom Matrullo

Audubon's Dubi: Quad Parcels are Public Lands Forever

A letter from Jeanne Dubi of Sarasota Audubon -

Audubon has set up a special account for the restoration of the Quad Parcels. 

Donate to the SAS Quad Fund here

Two Quads Agreements set for County Approval October 6

 

This Tuesday, Oct. 6, a plan for the Quads parcels at the Celery Fields comes before the Board for approval. It's a plan that contains two Agreements: one places perpetual easements on three of the four parcels; the second provides for the design of what the three parcels will becomes, with Audubon agreeing to play a major role.

In a nutshell, the County grants a perpetual easement for three of the four parcels:

The two agreements -- worked out in private with the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast and Sarasota Audubon -- set a future course for these parcels, marked as #1 (SE), #2 (SW) and the NW parcel with retention pond. Parcel #3 (NW) has a new fire station and about 6 acres reserved by the County for future development (at Commissioner Maio's recommendation).

Below are links to the Memorandum and two Agreements which the Board is set to vote on:

         1. County Memo explaining the background and purpose of the agreements.

         2. Conservation Easement Agreement with Conservation Foundation

         3. Management Agreement with Sarasota Audubon

Comment: The Conservation Agreement includes two "development envelopes": one allows for the construction of a building of up to 40,000 s.f. on the western six acres of the SW parcel #2. Uses for the facility are limited to government, civic, recreational, education and conservation. Earlier discussions with the community included possibilities such as a history museum, visitor and nature center, or cafe.

The second envelope allows for the construction of "limited public amenities" -- restrooms, a pavilion, parking -- on a quarter acre of the eastern portion of the same parcel #2.  

         

The Agreements are listed as Item 18 on the Board's Consent Agenda for Tuesday, Oct. 6

Giving Challenge Short List

Giving Challenge 2020 offers a 24-hour opportunity for us to recognize 700 amazing nonprofit organizations in our area. Just a few:

Audubon: protecting and preserving our public lands at the Celery Fields.

Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast: preserving priceless lands and waters in perpetuity.

The Multicultural Health Institute: protecting and preserving equal healthcare in Sarasota's underserved communities.

Peace Education and Action Center: educational and resources hub for small local coalitions.

Suncoast Waterkeeper: took on Sarasota's failing wastewater system, sued and won. Our water will be cleaner thanks to this group.

WSLR + Fogartyville: protecting and preserving progressive thinking, great music and community vision.

Giving Challenge 2020 Home Page

March update on Conservation efforts for the Quads parcels

News from the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast: 

Via a conference call on Thursday, Christine Johnson updated progress on the Quad parcels and other projects.

Quads: The CF has met three times with County staff and there is confidence they will have permanent easements in place by the beginning of summer on the three parcels (1,2,4) which the County has agreed to give in perpetuity.

• Parcels 1 and 4 - the Eastern quad parcels - are to be left natural for the most part. Johnson did say there could be some work to bring the canal that runs between the SE parcel and the Celery Fields to a better level of development. I.e., it has paths where people walk, run, bicycle - these might be improved.

• Parcel 2 (SW) could have some development component that would allow for parking. One of the major issues with the entire area is how little parking and other welcoming facilities are there for visitors.

Once these easements are in place, the property will be left to the CF and Audubon to develop and maintain. It is anticipated there will be no county funding. Here's where the community is likely to be invited to step up and help out.

The Foundation is also working toward solutions for other properties, including the giant Orange Hammock near North Port. The latest on this 5,500-acre site is that the CF has until June 1 to come up with $1.5 million for it. Johnson said this is a key project in that it not only means fewer homes, but also protects drinking water, serves as animal habitat, protects against floods, and still offers recreative and eco-tourism uses. Amazingly, Johnson says the CF is already 41% on its way to the $1.5 million needed. More here.

Updates on other projects, including Bobby Jones, the Felts preserve, and more - can be found via links here.

Celery Fields looking West

Magic and Mystery, Fishy Farms and thinking about the Quads

Magic, Mystery, Vitality, Complexity . . . These adjectives describe the idiosyncratic heritage of Sarasota, where wealth, intellect, and love of the arts and science went hand in hand with circus flair and echoes of the Italian Riviera, and they're found in the Jan. 2, 2020 New York Times story about the brand new Sarasota Art Museum. Michael Adno reminds us that there's more to Sarasota's storied past than just gated communities, golf, and beer on the beach. We also have seen a stark absence of long range vision from our current Board. How will the massive developments shaping our future alter the lively creative traditions of our past? 

Friday Jan. 10th at CONA: We'll hear updates about the controversial Fish Farming operation seeking a permit off of Sarasota, and on the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast's ideas for the Quad parcels - public lands adjacent to the Celery Fields. Sean Sellers of the Suncoast Climate Justice Coalition will also talk about Ready for 100% - the Sierra Club's move to catalyze our transition to renewable energy. Doors open at Waldemere at 6:30 pm.

Sarasota Audubon is in season high gear and their newsletter is rich with info and activities. As they are working on the Quad parcels with the Conservation Foundation, they offer their own update here.

Sarasota Audubon joins Conservation Foundation to save Rural Heritage at Celery Fields

An update to this post is here.

PLEASE HELP SAVE THE  CELERY FIELDS CONSERVATION AREA The  Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast  has launched a campaign to help save and maintain rural/farm-type lands east of the Celery Fields. They are negotiating with Big Cat Habitat to put that land under conservation easement (in other words, never to go for development). They have also committed to buying the land east of East Road and north of Palmer which is currently a stables and a big pond--opposite the entrance to a housing development. This piece of land, known as Graceland, is up for sale for $2.55 million. (All of the above does not address the Quad, although the CFGC is firmly behind the idea of no development. That is another fight that SAS is engaged in). The Conservation Foundation must raise $650,000 in community donations by June 30, and another $650,000 by September 30 in order to meet their contract deposits, demonstrate community support, and keep this one-time opportunity alive.  MATCHING DONATIONS Sarasota Audubon has pledged a 5% match for very dollar donated by its members to saving Graceland (topping out at $5,000 in matching funds) There are several ways to donate: Sarasota Audubon or  Conservation Foundation or you can mail a check made out to SAS to 999 Center Rd, Sarasota, FL 34240. We will pass all donations on to the Conservation Foundation. We deeply appreciate your generosity.  Your children and grandchildren will thank you.   Yours in conservation, Jeanne Dubi, Acting President, and the SAS Board of Directors Christine P. Johnson, President CFGC

Vision of a Rural Heritage Conservation links Quads and Celery Fields and lands to the East

Courtesy of the Sarasota News Leader

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Community residents working with Conservation Foundation of Gulf Coast to purchase and preserve 23-acre parcel near Celery Fields

June 13, 2019 by Rachel Brown Hackney, Editor & Publisher

Nonprofit needs $650,000 by June 30

An aerial map shows the location of Graceland Ranch, outlined in red, just west of Tatum Ridge Elementary School. Image from the Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s Office

As debate continues at the Sarasota County Commission dais about the future of county property adjacent to the Celery Fields, the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is at work on an initiative to create a Rural Heritage Conservation Area in the same vicinity.

A big key to the nonprofit’s plan is the proposed acquisition of a 23.4-acre parcel located off Palmer Boulevard, east of the Celery Fields.

In a June 12 telephone interview with The Sarasota News Leader, Christine Johnson, president of the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, explained that it had only been a week since the nonprofit had launched its campaign to raise a total of $2,550,000 to buy the privately owned property known as Graceland Ranch.

Residents of the community approached the Foundation, she said, asking, “‘Is there anything you can do?’” They had learned that developers were interested in the Graceland site, Johnson continued, and they wanted to see it remain in a natural state, in keeping with the Celery Fields.

“Graceland is the linchpin to establish a 140-acre wildlife conservation park within a 1,300 acre rural heritage area,” the Foundation says on its website. The property “already is contributing to our community’s quality of life. Graceland provides habitat for wildlife in forested wetlands as well asrecreational opportunities like therapeutic horseback riding and outdoor activities for our youth. This rural heritage area serves as an attractor for visitors and as an amenity for those who live, work and play in Sarasota and Manatee Counties.”

This graphic shows the Rural Heritage Conservation Area the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast envisions with the Graceland Ranch property, Big Cat Habitat, the Celery Fields and the county’s ‘Quads’. Image courtesy Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast

The Facebook page for Graceland Ranch notes that the property is located at 7360 Rim Road in Sarasota, just west of Tatum Ridge Elementary School.

Johnson told the News Leader that the Foundation began negotiating with the owner of Graceland Ranch about two months ago. Information the Foundation had received, she said, indicated that two different developers were interested in the land, “nibbling around the edges.” One of those, she continued, seemed pretty serious about constructing approximately 40 homes on the site, even though the land is not zoned for such development.

(The Sarasota County Property Appraiser’s Office says the land is zoned Open Use Rural (OUR). The county’s zoning regulations explain, “The OUR District is intended to retain the open character of the land. This district is further intended for agricultural purposes and uses, and to preserve lands with agricultural development potential. Agriculturally-oriented residential development is encouraged, and all commercial and industrial development is prohibited. … Permitted uses are limited to conservation, agriculture, very low density residential development, recreation, and with certain limitations, other uses that are not contrary to the open character of the district.”)

The owners of Graceland Ranch chose to accept the Conservation Foundation’s offer of an option to purchase the site, Johnson said. Still, she stressed, “It’s really going to be a matter of whether the community wants to save this piece of property.”

The Foundation website makes it clear that the nonprofit needs $650,000 in donations by June 30, with another $650,000 due by Sept. 30 “in order to meet our contract deposits, demonstrate community support, and keep this opportunity, this one-time chance, alive.”

Any person interested in helping with the acquisition can click on a button on the Conservation Foundation website and go directly to a webpage offering a series of steps for making a contribution.

This is part of the webpage that allows an person to make a contribution to the Graceland Ranch acquisition fund. mage courtesy Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast

Gifts are tax-deductible, the webpage points out.

‘We save the land’ 

During the June 10 meeting of the Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA), Debi Osborne, director of land protection for the Conservation Foundation, sought support for the Graceland initiative.

“We save land,” she told the audience members. “We save it forever.”

In the case of Graceland Ranch, she continued, Foundation staff members are working “with willing sellers who are interested in conserving their land …”

If the Foundation is successful in acquiring the property, Osborne continued, “That would then hold the line for the type of more high-density development that’s south of Palmer [Boulevard].”

“We see this as a community effort,” she added.

Sarasota Audubon leaders also are encouraging the public to help save Graceland Ranch from development.

Christine Johnson. mage courtesy Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast

An email blast they sent out on June 7 said, “To all Audubon members and those who cherish retaining as much of our environmental lands as we can, the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast is taking the lead in protecting the lands east of the Celery Fields. This foresighted move is in addition to the conservation efforts by Sarasota Audubon, Fresh Start and all residents around the Celery Fields with regard to the [Quads] … If successful, imagine the scope of the protected lands around the Celery Fields! This would ensure a safe environment for the 246 species of birds, as well as all other forms of wildlife in the area. It’s a must for us all to help right now.”

The email encouraged people to donate to the Foundation.

The Fresh Start group mentioned in the Sarasota Audubon email is the same organization that worked with county staff last year — with the support of the County Commission — to propose potential passive uses of the county’s four Quads parcels next to the Celery Fields. Comprising representatives of 50 homeowner associations in the area around the Celery Fields, the Fresh Start Initiative sought to convince the commissioners to focus on long-range planning for the Quads that would be compatible with the Celery Fields, which has become an internationally known bird-watching destination.

Early this year, the County Commission authorized staff to conduct community outreach for a potential amendment to the Critical Area Plan approved years ago for the eastern part of the county that encompasses the Fruitville Initiative. The board members agreed that the Quads could be considered for inclusion in that CAP, for more comprehensive planning purposes.

Nonetheless, on June 4, commission Chair Charles Hines brought up the prospect of the board’s selling the Southwest Quad to any developer who would be willing to create an affordable housing project on the site.

A Fresh Start blog this week noted both the Conservation Foundation efforts and the County Commission discussion last week. The Foundation’s plans, the blog pointed out, would ensure that Graceland Ranch “would receive a conservation easement barring development in perpetuity. The land could be dedicated to equestrian uses benefiting the public: riding, hippotherapy, school visits, education, and more, says [Foundation President] Johnson, who noted that several schools are nearby,” including not only Tatum Ridge, but also Fruitville Elementary, McIntosh Middle and the Farm School.

The blog added, “The Foundation is advocating uses in keeping with the trends and surrounding human communities, integrating a long-range vision of a lasting rural heritage and wildlife conservation for future generations.”

This is a portion of Graceland Ranch. Image from Google Maps

Conversely, the blog says, “[W]hile affordable housing is indeed a goal … Mr. Hines is promoting a quick fix to motivate the private construction of less costly housing, apparently without regard to how such an initiative would impact a host of significant social, environmental, economic and infrastructural concerns in a complex, radically changing area.”

Fresh Start also is encouraging people to contribute to the acquisition of Graceland Ranch.

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