Will Sarasota County's New Administration Center violate the principle of walkability?

To: The Board of Sarasota County Commissioners:

RE: Jan. 18 Agenda Item 37 a, b, c

Commissioners,

Tomorrow, January 18, 2023, you will be asked to approve a change to the interconnectivity element of the Fruitville Initiative Ordinance - an element that until now has remained in force despite other developers within the Initiative having requested to be excused from it. The entire premise of the Initiative, as put forth at charrettes held by Stefanos Polyzoides in 2010, invoked a model of a walkable mixed-use community. The Interconnectivity component was the core enabling element that guaranteed a grid of streets to render walkability possible.

Original Plan for Interconnectivity:

Revised Plan removing interconnectivity from the County Administration site (lower, far-right parcel):

Bottom right parcel without street grid

Having held all the other developers to this component, Sarasota County is now coming before itself - that is, this Board - to ask your permission to not be held to this core standard, with regard to the construction of the new Administration Building on a site known as parcel F7.

In its documentation, the applicant (Sarasota County) presents no site plan or other information explaining why this exemption is necessary. It would seem reasonable to ask the applicant for a detailed rendering of its plan, if such exists, or at the very least, some clear and sufficient explanation of why it is seeking this dispensation that has been denied to all other Initiative stakeholders. 

This seems even more significant when it's understood that this plan to flout the core value of walkability is for the county's Administration Center -- the tax-funded building serving as the County seat. Surely the public deserves a look at what architectural design the county has in mind, and an understanding of why the plan for the new symbol of Sarasota governance has to undermine the organizing principle of its own forward-looking Fruitville Initiative ordinance.

Consider that when this Board was asked to allow a completely incompatible plan presented by Benderson Development in 2015, it unanimously voted to deny that request. The vision of the Initiative was intact then, and deserves not to be ignored in 2023.

Please take this item from the Consent Agenda and request a public hearing that would give you and the public a first look at a project that can and should embody the values and vision of the people of Sarasota.

Respectfully,

Tom Matrullo

Citizens for Sarasota County

The Fruitville Initiative as it was envisioned before Benderson

The Sarasota Planning Commission recommended approval of Benderson Development's wish to change the zoning of the Fruitville Initiative at its August 6, 2021 meeting. 

If approved by the County Commission, both Benderson and other owners of parcels within the Fruitville Initiative will be free to plan for larger, free standing retail spaces. 

As has been noted, the idea of bringing in commercial traffic to a place where people live and work goes against the grain of the original idea for the Initiative - an idea worked out in concert among three parties  -- landowners, residential HOAs, and the County -- in 2010-11.

In the early days of thinking about this project, three different depictions showed what the Initiative could be:

The Duany group of Miami offered this overview (pdf)

The California firm of Moule & Polyzoides looked at a possible interface between the Benderson parcel and the waters at the north end of the Celery Fields:

And the Hoyt architectural firm in Sarasota produced this video: 

Fruitville Commons 

Will any of these possibilities be realized now that Benderson has changed the rules? 

Will this Benderson Initiative destroy the Fruitville Initiative?

To: County Planners and Planning Commissioners

RE: Rezone 21-02; SPA PED Rezone; Comp Plan Amendment 2021-B

To: Steve.Kirk <skirk@scgov.net>, Andrew.Stultz@sarasotaadvisory.net, Colin.Pember@sarasotaadvisory.net, Joseph.Neunder@sarasotaadvisory.net, Kevin.Cooper@sarasotaadvisory.net, Laura.Benson@sarasotaadvisory.net, Teresa.Mast@sarasotaadvisory.net, Neil.Rainford@sarasotaadvisory.net, Drew.Peters@sarasotaadvisory.net, Justin.Taylor@sarasotaadvisory.net, Frank.Strelec@sarasotaadvisory.net, Matt Osterhoudt <mosterho@scgov.net>

Dear Mr. Kirk, Mr. Osterhoudt, and Planning Commissioners:

This concerns the Aug. 5, 2021 hearing regarding the matters listed above.

I've heard from a variety of people who seriously question the changes Benderson Inc. wishes to impose on SPA-3.

Those who were involved in the development of the Ordinance for the Fruitville Initiative recall that its #1 distinctive feature was to disallow self-standing Big Box stores. The entire concept was of a walkable community not infested with giant trucks, a place built on MEC strictures in which workplaces and residences took priority. Retail was supposed to be local, not regional, in order to avoid a large volume of commercial consumer traffic.

I'm informed that according to the traffic study, the proposed 179,200 sf increase in stand-alone retail will increase average daily and PM peak trips 3,908 and 466, respectively.

But this is hard to prove - wouldn't the level of traffic depend on the nature of the retail on site? If instead of a nice butcher shop or cafe we suddenly have a Bass Pro, or Target, the traffic could become significantly greater in volume, drawing people from a distance. If this area were designed as a shopping center, that would be welcome. But the whole point of the Initiative was to create something different - local, walkable living/working neighborhoods. And the reason for that was to do something unusual, that set Sarasota apart. Indeed, I recall people in 2011 speaking about how as a "Gateway" area, the Initiative would send the message that Sarasota is not the same as every other place along I-75 - its unique attention to sensible, well-planned growth would be on display.

Basically, if that was the premise of the original form-based code of the Initiative, then allowing large, free-standing retail (requiring truck service areas) would disrupt the street grid and draw extraneous traffic in ways that would make a hash of that original premise. What Benderson is seeking basically undermines what started as a coherent, unified plan for a certain kind of community - sabotaging it, with County permission, into incoherence and conflicting goals.

It seems to me - and others I've spoken with - that what Benderson seeks is not a minor modification, but a transformation of the vision, purpose, and inherent nature of the Initiative. If this is the case, then we are not dealing with an "amendment" - rather this is a radical imposition of a shopping mecca upon what was conceived of as someone's living/working space.

What would it say if instead of creating a showcase for Sarasota's good planning sense, Sarasota County ended up compromising its principles and destroying that very goal?

Thanks for giving this your consideration at your hearing of August 5, 2021.

The Planning Commission hearing will be online here.

Tom Matrullo
Citizens for Sarasota County

Benderson and Kimley-Horn want to revise the Fruitville Initiative

At a public workshop on March 30, 2021, the Kimley-Horn urban planning firm presented a series of proposed changes to the Fruitville Initiative. The key change would open the door to larger retail spaces within the Initiative, an experimental mixed use development at Fruitville Rd. and I-75.

Proposed changes would allow more large
retail on all sectors of the Fruitville Initiative

The changes appear to come from the Benderson Development Inc., which acquired a 40-acre parcel within the Initiative from the County at the bargain price (approx. $3 million) several years ago, then proposed a truck depot. Now Benderson is proposing another idea that would change the constraints that seek a walkable place for people to live, work, and play.

The key documents are below.

Planning documents:

Pre App DRC Comment Fruitville Initiative

Correspondence from Kimley-Horn Planner Philip DeMaria Jr. 

Public Input at the online workshop:

Questions from a private planner regarding the Benderson plan

Recorded comments at the 3.30.21 workshop - partial audiofile

Development activity north of Fruitville Library - Southwood Village

A recent permit application offers a glimpse into what is planned for the Northeast sector of the Fruitville Initiative.

In the image below, this is the highlighted area north of the library and east of I-75. 

Project name: Southwood Village
Project size: 36.67 acres.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWIFTMUD) has received Environmental Resource permit application number 781842 from Taylor Parker, P.E., CPH, Inc. 3277A Fruitville Rd., Suite 2 Sarasota, FL 34237. Application received: March 27, 2019.

Proposed activity: Development of blocks C-1, C-3, and a portion of C-5 of Fruitville Commons to include construction of two multi-residential apartment complexes (358) units and a 5,636 square foot Wawa gas station.

The developer is Orlando developer Charles Whittall, President of Unicorp National Developments Inc. Whittall is profiled here and here.

Sitework questions can go to Beth.Geurink@swfwmd.state.fl.us

An email regarding Critical Area Planning and the Celery Fields

To the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners:

A Critical Area Plan is a technical tool -- an innovation which I understand was first developed by Sarasota County planning years ago. According to one of the planners who implemented CAPs over many years, the purpose of establishing a boundary for a CAP project is to insure that all the important changes a proposed development will bring to a specific area are addressed.

As a tool for gauging compatibility, clearly the CAP boundary is not intended to encompass just the area of the project. That would not make sense.

When the Fruitville Initiative was being designed, the boundaries of the CAP benefited from public input, solicited by the County.

On Sept. 12, 2018, the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners wisely decided that it was time to revisit the Critical Area Plan (CAP) for the Quad parcels near the Celery Fields in light of the current context and realities.

This should provide a long overdue opportunity to envision what is possible at the Celery Fields area, rather than to adapt new elements of the area to outdated planning decisions.

Before starting the CAP process, the BCC will first need to approve the boundaries (i.e. aerial extent) and criteria (plan tasks) at a public hearing.

I can personally attest that when Restaurant Depot’s proposal came before this board two years ago, the critical area plan coincided with the boundaries of its parcel. That is to say: the impacts of the giant warehouse upon the Celery Fields and other surrounding parcels were explicitly ignored by the very planning tool that is supposed to take those impacts into account.

In advance of setting CAP boundaries and criteria for the Celery Fields, it is appropriate for staff to proactively conduct public meeting(s) to solicit public input on the boundaries and criteria, much as was done at this stage of the Fruitville Initiative.

As the CAP is a term of art, for the benefit of clear communication especially when there is large community interest, it would be helpful for the public record for the Board to clearly define what it intends with the use of the term “Critical Area Plan,” to explicitly explain what its boundaries are, how those boundaries have been determined, with what public input, along with the reasons why and the identity of whose decisions these are.

Thank you.

Thomas Matrullo

Big "Diamond" will diverge from small town plan

A Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) plan to create a large Diverging Diamond interchange at Fruitville Road could render impossible a design for an innovative, walkable small town that's been gathering momentum for nearly 10 years.

From WWSB's Taylor Torregano:

More than 10 years ago, [a group of] property owners began working on the development with Sarasota County Commissioners and one common goal. 

"[It was] designed around pedestrians walk-ability, mixed use and dispersing traffic through a whole street grid," said Steve Suau, the engineer working on the Fruitville Initiative. 

The Fruitville Initiative would resemble a new downtown that was all set to break ground by the end of this year. 

That is, until Thursday (6.21.18) when the Florida Department of Transportation unveiled its plan to put a diverging diamond here at a public hearing. 

Comments from community leaders and developers of the Fruitville Initiative:

Channeling more traffic through the proposed Lakewood Ranch / Fruitville Road intersection could "implode" the walkable street grid that is essential to the plan, said Steve Suau, a stormwater expert who was part of the original community effort.  

"That just defeats the whole purpose of dispersing traffic and walkability," he added.  

 "I think it would destroy it entirely," said Keith Gelder, vp of Stock Development, which recently purchased land to develop within the Initiative. He added:

"There was a very significant effort, a planning effort for the Fruitville Initiative, conducted over the last eight or nine years, with a tremendous amount of community input to try to create a nice new urbanism concept of a walkable community. What FDOT is proposing simply destroys that."

A public meeting at Selby Library on Thursday, June 21, apparently didn't answer anyone's questions. FDOT representatives said they were hearing these concerns for the first time, despite a paper trail going back years. It includes a 2014 letter from the former head of FDOT, Billy Hattaway, which states:

Our goal is to design an interchange . . . that is not only safe and operationally efficient but contextual to the planned Fruitville multi-way boulevard and surrounding compact, walkable, mixed-use development. We welcome the opportunity to continue working with the County and stakeholders in achieving that objective. (Italics added)

 FDOT's site on the project can be found here.

FDOT plans Diverging Diamonds at Fruitville, Bee Ridge, and Clark Roads

Right now, the Fruitville Road project is in the design phase. It's not funded for construction but FDOT officials will meet in the summer to discuss development for the year 2024 or sooner if Sarasota County makes the project a priority. Once approved, construction is expected to cost $86,000,000.

WWSB Erika Jackson story

FDOT Diamond could "destroy" Fruitville Initiative

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has released a Notice to the public of a Public Hearing on June 21:

The Florida Department of Transportation District One will hold a public hearing for the l-75 / Fruitville Road Interchange project. The meeting will be held on Thursday, June 21, 2018 at the Selby Public Library located at 1331 1st Street, Sarasota, Florida from 5 p.m. in the Jack J. Geldbardt Auditorium.

FDOT's project calls for a Diverging Diamond at I-75 and Fruitville Road (see detailed excerpt below). 

The plan as currently configured would destroy the basic premise of the Fruitville Initiative, say  those close to that project. The Fruitville Initiative came about in 2010 as an innovative compromise between landowners, the community, and planners. It was adopted by the County in 2014 to create a walkable, mixed-use area on a tradition grid of streets.

Video: Fruitville Commons

One planner/engineer familiar with the Fruitville Initiative sees major negative impact from the FDOT proposal:

this is probably the one single action that will can destroy the Fruitville Initiative in that it undermines the Interconnectivity Plan intent to disperse traffic and promote walkability.  It will force/funnel almost all traffic onto Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and through its single mega signalized intersection at Fruitville Road. 

FDOT image of scope of Diverging Diamond at Fruitville Rd and I-75

Excerpt from FDOT Notice:

. . . this project will now propose to reconstruct the existing interchange with a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI). This project proposes to widen about 2 miles of I-75, from Palmer Boulevard to north of Fruitville Road, to an eight-lane highway with four through lanes per direction and proposes to replace the existing bridges over Fruitville Road and proposes to widen 1.6 miles of Fruitville Road from Honore Avenue to east of Coburn Road to provide for a six-lane to eight-lane highway with three to four through lanes per direction as well as bike lanes. Minor right-of-way acquisition is required at the southwest corner of Fruitville Road at Cattlemen Road. The existing median opening at the eastern entrance to the Southgate Shopping Plaza proposes to be closed, as well as the existing median opening at Old Coburn Road.

Along with the Notice, FDOT released a tentative project schedule that calls for planning and acquisition in 2019-2020. Construction is as of yet unfunded and not scheduled.

The June 21 hearing at Selby Library will feature a presentation followed by public comments, which can be spoken or submitted in writing:

The hearing begins with an open house at 5 pm and follows with a formal presentation and public comment period at 6 pm. People attending the hearing can review project displays and speak one-on-one with project team members. Written statements or exhibits submitted at the hearing, emailed, or mailed and postmarked by Tuesday, July 3, 2018, will become part of the official hearing transcript. 

Additional information may be obtained by contacting the FDOT Project Manager, Ryan Weeks at 863-519-2837, by e-mail to ryan.weeks@dot.state.fl.us.

Naples-based Stock Development, which recently purchased a tract of the Fruitville Initiative, is said to be opposed to the FDOT plan.

Rendering of one segment of the Fruitville Initiative
 showing mixed uses on a walkable street grid

A 2014 letter from the district secretary of FDOT explicitly states that the Dept. of Transportation is committed to working with the Fruitville Initiative's plan:

FDOT, in partnership with FHWA, is currently developing design plans for the ultimate l-75 interchange configuration at Fruitville Road. Our goal is to design an interchange within the existing LA line that is not only safe and operationally efficient but contextual to the planned Fruitville multi-way boulevard and surrounding compact, walkable, mixed-use development. We welcome the opportunity to continue working with the County and stakeholders in achieving that objective.

Visioning: A walk through the Fruitville Initiative

Here's an image of the NW sector of the Fruitville Initiative seen at night -- I-75 is visible upper left:

The buildings and streets aren't yet actually there - they exist as a detailed plan and vision experienced thanks to a remarkable planning tool developed by Sarasota-based Hoyt Architects.

In the video clips below, Gary Hoyt offers a tour this portion of the coming Fruitville Initiative - through his firm's proprietary software.

A walk in the Fruitville Initiative

Fruitville Initiative NW

This segment of the special planning area at the Fruitville Interchange (I-75 exit 209) contains approximately 40 acres bounded by the Interstate on the West, Fruitville Rd. on the south, Coburn Rd. to the east, and Richardson Road to the north.

The plan illustrated in the video exhibits a mixed-use area free of big box stores and the usual highway franchise restaurants. The master plan brings local employers, residences, a market area featuring a variety of local food vendors, open areas for parks and recreation, all situated within in a grid of streets promoting small town walkability and ease of access.

Hoyt's software is built on a gaming platform that enables users to navigate an area that is digitally constructed according to actual land configurations and architectural designs. One can vary the light, weather, traffic, density of foot traffic, type of vehicles, building structures and much more at the touch of a button, exploring like a drone, or even entering buildings and taking an elevator to a particular floor.

This powerful tool will eventually enable communities to explore various scenarios for public lands, parks and conservation areas, and to experience various contingencies of traffic, lighting, and weather.

Hoyt made the presentation to members of the executive council of Fresh Start, a citizens' effort to develop a community-based plan for public lands near the Celery Fields, a priceless natural birding and recreation area in Sarasota County.

The proponents of Fresh Start learned much from the efforts of all involved in the Fruitville Initiative, and will make their presentation to the County Commission for a public vision of uses near the Celery Fields on Wednesday April 25 at 9 a.m.

Looking west from the Celery Fields mound

Trees on the mound were planted with funds raised
by Sarasota Audubon

The Fruitville Initiative was developed in 2010-2011 through a collaborative process that brought together residents of the Fruitville area, County staff from planning and other departments, and owners of undeveloped property at the northeast and southeast quadrants of Fruitville Rd. at the Interstate.

A special area plan (SPA3) came out of the Fruitville Initiative process, and was formalized by County Ordinance 2014-057 in 2014.

While some landowners within the Initiative area are moving ahead, other portions have lagged behind. The county sold 42 acres of land east and south of the Fruitville Library to Benderson Development in 2015. Benderson has yet to break ground, and recently obtained an extension that apparently released it from a contractual obligation to aim for a high end (class A) level of tenants.

Street with fountain and landscaping from the Future Fruitville Initiative

Sarasota News Leader: Benderson breaks contract (again) Also: Englewood real estate fiasco

Two remarkable stories from the April 20 Sarasota News Leader (SNL):

Benderson Development, which acquired 42 acres in 2015 at the Fruitville / I-75 exchange at a paltry price, has just received not only another year's extension on a contract going back to 2015 (it now needs do nothing until 2019), but it also seems to have gotten a FREE PASS to degrade the market it was supposed to attract. According to the SNL:

The latest amendment also deletes language in the original contract that said, “Benderson shall use its best commercially reasonable efforts to market and lease the Property to Class A Building tenants.” 

The original commitment, renewed with both previous extensions, was described in 2015 by the Observer:

The prolific developer aims to build a multibuilding light industrial Class A campus totaling between 400,000 and 500,000 square feet of industrial, manufacturing and office space.

Now apparently that's no longer part of the plan.

Is Benderson going to come back after three contractual delays to disclose what it has planned for the Fruitville Initiative is warehouses and a truck depot?

Benderson Development affiliate granted another delay

Benderson Frutiville initiative

According to the Building Owners and Managers Association International, Class A space refers to the “[m]ost prestigious buildings competing for premier office space users with rents above average for the area. Buildings have high quality standard finishes, state of the art systems, exceptional accessibility and a definite market presence.”

Class B structures: “Buildings competing for a wide range of users with rents in the average range for the area. … Building finishes are fair to good for the area and systems are adequate, but the building does not compete with Class A at the same price.”

Class C buildings: Compete for tenants that require “functional space at rents below the average for the area.”

Englewood property purchased for a park sold at $1.5 million loss

A second SNL story finds that the County purchased land in Englewood, and is now selling it for $1.5 million less than it paid in 2007:

“When it comes to the management of our county properties … the way it’s been done in the past is at least not acceptable to this commissioner."

Add caption

Three options for new FPL Power Line Routes East of I-75

FPL will build a new power line onto its grid by 2020 in East Sarasota. From 28 possible routes it began looking at, it's down to three. One goes right through the Quad parcels at Apex and Palmer Roads.

Information about the proposed 138kV lines was on display Tuesday evening at the Conference Center behind the Girl Scouts building on Catttlemen Rd. near Proctor Rd., Attendance was very low during the hour or more that I was there. It seems FPL contacted folks within 500' of the three proposed routes.

Each of the three possible routes connects the Howard substation at Proctor by I-75 with the Bobwhite station on East Fruitville Rd.

The reason for the new line is to bolster the East Sarasota County grid -- with developers from "the three ranches" -- Lakewood Ranch, Hi Hat Ranch and LT Ranch on East Clark Rd. -- planning tens of thousands more homes, FPL sees good reason to get ready for it now, its representatives noted.

All three routes

The three routes basically run along one of the three major West-East routes east of I-75:

Blue route

• 
  
• One marked in blue runs along Clark, then up through an existing easement through the Hi-Hat Ranch property, then west along Fruitville to Bobwhite:

Green route

• A second in green runs up next to I-75 from Howard, then along Bee Ridge to the Bee Ridge Extension, jogs south and skirts residential communities before connecting to the north-south Hi Hat easement.

• The third option, in yellow, shows the line going north alongside 75, then running along Palmer Blvd. East to Apex - splitting the Quad parcels - then north on Apex to Coburn to Fruitville where it turns east to Bobwhite.

Close up of line running along Palmer and up Apex Rd.

More photos here.

Asked why of 28 possible routes these were the three t"finalists," FPL reps spoke of costs, feasibility, easements etc.

The few who attended the event were invited to fill out small polling cards prioritizing what was most important to them. It would seem possible for FPL, an electric company, to poll and inform more widely and efficiently through electronic means.

Rae Dowling, area manager for FPL, said she'll be happy to field questions and hear from residents. Her email is Rae.Dowling@FPL.com, and office phone: 941 316-6266.

Fresh Start: A Community Initiative for our Celery Fields

This letter signed by neighborhoods near the Celery Fields went to the Sarasota County Commission on Oct. 12, 2017.

To the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners

RE: Celery Fields District

Dear Commissioners:

On August 23, 2017, you listened to hundreds of residents and visitors who deeply care about the Celery Fields. Some call this area the Siesta Beach of East Sarasota County. Viewed in its larger context, the Celery Fields offers the prospect of becoming a unique gateway to Sarasota. Thanks to the Commission for protecting this potential --  we now want to work with you to actualize it.

Fresh Start is a group of  HOAs, businesses, and citizens who believe a shared approach can create an original opportunity for Sarasota County.

The quad parcels are situated at a key intersection that connects five distinct but related communities:

• The Palmer Blvd. neighborhoods and schools
• The Industrial Parks
• The Packinghouse District
• The Celery Fields Preserve and Sarasota Audubon
• The Fruitville Initiative

Our residents deserve a voice in shaping the future of these public lands. To that end, we invite the County to develop with us a community-based consensus for the district. We propose an open workshop that would allow ideas and goals to be shared, analyzed, and refined. Together, we can:

• Enhance the great ecological and recreational value already latent in this area.
• Serve the needs of residents, schoolchildren, local businesses.
• Allow to evolve a useful, attractive, intelligent, multi-faceted hub.

Working in concert, we can make something good here. To begin, we ask that the County:

1. Remove the Quad Parcels from the Surplus Lands list for the present;
2. Hold a community-based workshop to develop a consensus vision plan.

We’ll soon be scheduling meetings with each of you to discuss this initiative.

Respectfully,

Fresh Start

(Signers listed below)

The East Sarasota Celery Fields Area

=====

Signatories for Fresh Start

Palmer East Group

Enclaves, Carlos Correa, President

Laurel Oak, Charles Young

Meadow Walk, Gary Walsh, President, David G. Johnson

Eagle Trace

Palmer Lake

Regent Lake

Palmer Glen

Palmer Reserve

Sarasota Golf Club Colony

Palmer East Working Group: Glenna Blomquist, Paula Berkowitz, Carlos Correa, Peter Gemma, Jonny Howell, David G. Johnson, Wendy Loomis, Matt Moffitt, Robert Rovnak, Gary Walsh, Charles Young.

Fruitville 210 - Gary Heffner, Chairman

Cedar Hammock    

Cedar Hollow    

Chatwick Court

Coffman Manor   

Deer Hollow

East Richardson  

Eastpointe    

Forest Creek

Fox Creek

Fox Creek Acres 2

Georgetowne

Goodwill    

Greystone

The Groves  

The Meadows

Newburn Village

Palm Oaks

Peaceful Vista Homes

Pine Valley Ranches

Pleasant Acres

Racimo Ranches

San Palermo

Southpointe Meadows

Swartz Subdivision

Vereda Verde

The Woods

Wyndham

Save Richardson Road East (Sarren)

Scott Featherman, MD
Joey Anderson (also on the Board of Fruitville 210)
Jane Archer
Margaret Lewis
Judith K. Earl

Aberdeen Pines, Mary and Lee Hasselbring

Bent Tree, Bob Zack

Gator Creek, Bob O’Neil, Treasurer

Lake Sarasota Community Group

Keith Russo, Chairman

Ellie Himes, Treasurer

Joy M. Mayer, Secretary

Joanna Kilmer

Jami Caseber

The Hammocks, Julie Williams, President; Marguerite Malone.

​Sarasota Audubon, Rob Wright, Conservation Chair

NCCA, Steve Baran, President, 640 Apex Rd.

CeleryFields.org, David G. Johnson

​Citizens for Sarasota County, Adrien Lucas, Cathy Antunes, Tom Matrullo

LINK: Add your name to the Fresh Start Petition

. . . for the future of the Celery Fields

More Photos