Benderson Trucking Scheme told to take a hike

The County Commission denied Benderson Development Co's petition seeking to build a trucking distribution center adjacent to the Celery Fields, a bird sanctuary and outdoor park with a growing reputation nationally and internationally. The vote was 5-0.

The hearing on the Petition can be viewed online at this link:

http://sarasotacounty.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=40&clip_id=3164

Background on the Petition here.

• The Petition presentation begins at 4 hrs, 49 minutes.

• Public Input begins at 5 hrs. 46 minutes. John Krotec spoke first. Some of the input was highly informative. At least one speaker was a land use specialist, another was an architect. Some brought copies of the Compromise agreement developed over years by the Fruitville Community and the County and landowners; some brought maps, others did calculations showing relative size and impact that a trucking facility would have on a plan for a mixed-use development.

• The Public Hearing is closed at 7 hrs. 59 minutes and the Commission's discussion begins right after that.

Many citizens have emailed the County Commission to thank the Board for its decision to deny the Benderson Petition. According to the information presented by some of the public hearing speakers, the Board would have violated the law to do anything else. 

Those who worked hard to develop the Fruitville Initiative and those who came out to hold the County to it deserve our sincere gratitude.

Fruitville Initiative Mixed-Usse Vision by Stefano Polyzoides

Is Sarasota County Hallucinating?

How did Sarasota County's plan for Fruitville go from this . . . 

to this?

The Bendersonville Initiative

The Detail
Cathy Antunes

The Fruitville Initiative began when Sarasota County approached five landowners about working together to plan high value, walkable development at the Fruitiville-Interstate-75 interchange. Rather than standard big box retail, gas stations, fast food or strip malls, the County wanted to coordinate development of the 42 acres of public land next to Fruitville Library with 300 adjacent acres owned by private landowners. The private landowners agreed. Public workshops attracted hundreds of residents. The collaboration produced a beautiful, walkable residential and commercial mixed-use development plan that harmonizes with Audubon’s Celery Fields bird sanctuary. The County paid a national expert $500,000 to put the plan on paper, and passed the Fruitville Initiative in 2010. Today, the County has reneged on the plan, selling the public’s 42 acres to Benderson Development for a bargain-basement price. On October 28th, this Wednesday afternoon, Benderson’s plan to build a trucking distribution center will be presented for a vote to the Sarasota County Commission (to attend and give public input, see details below). The Browardization of Sarasota County (aka Bendersonville) continues. MORE . . .

County Commission will decide whether to adopt the new Bendersonville Trucking Center on Wednesday afternoon:

Sarasota County Commission meeting, Wednesday October 28th, 1660 Ringling Blvd.  Commission Chamber, Sarasota, FL.  

Here's the Agenda

The site plan presentation, public input, Commission discussion and vote will occur in the afternoon (item 10), sometime after 1:30pm (exact time depends on how quickly the Commission will move through other agenda items – see agenda link below).  Because it is a public hearing, citizens who sign up to give input at the meeting will each have 5 minutes to speak.