Voices heard at the Final Comp Plan Hearing 10.25.16

Some of the people's voices heard at the Final Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan hearing - apologies for inaccuracies,  just fragments. 

If you spoke at the Oct. 25th hearing, you are welcome to send a full copy of your comments to sarasotavision@gmail.com and we'll post them.

The Comprehensive Plan was approved at the meeting.


Mr. D.

• "We need a clear picture of what we don't want."

Jono Miller -

• The plan needs measures/benchmarks/dates to track progress.
• Find better way to better engage the community on planning related projects
• Slow the Comp Plan update process down
• Staff is proposing vaguer language
• We’ve lost ⅕ of our beach - replaced with rock

Margaret C. - (shows images of torn up wetlands at Whole Foods site on University Parkway)

• Wetlands in process of being destroyed
• Not against development - do it in thoughtful, gentle way
• Environmental part of plan - “required” and “shall” being replaced by “may, voluntary,” etc.

Mike Cosentino

• I feel I’m protecting the biz community and the public from the County Commission 
• The only way to help us - make the County Charter like a phone book 

Woman -

• I would like to know how we keep natural parts safe from developers

Glenna Blomquist

• As a county we need rules that protect us from ourselves.
• Tallahassee has decimated state power to monitor local development
• My neighborhood - rezoned from 1 unit per 10 acres to 2 units per one acre - 
• Stringent language is lacking in the comp plan 
• The proposed plan may make our plan less protective
• Full text of Blomquist remarks.
• 
  

The Comp Plan Hearing:: 10.25. 2016

Michael C

• I want to believe changes are valid
• I do not hear why the controversial changes are needed or beneficial - I end with doubts.
• I respectfully request that the Comm address the criticisms the main ones - write an article, or be interviewed, answering in-depth questions.

Margaret Jean Cannon

• In 2010 - Sarasota came in 11th in growth - adding another city the size of Venice - we had been 18th
• Hypergrowth - challenges - look at 2050 plan 
• County mission statement - enhanced quality of life - 
• 1. protect the quality and integrity of our established neighborhoods
• 2. Storm surge
• 3. Looking at siloes - need traffic studies
• 4. “Should” and “shall” 

Linda Hunter

• I’ve lived here 26 years - love Sarasota
• I’m sure your goal was to protect the citizens
• Compatibility with neighborhoods
• Traffic - do you want to sit on 41, or drive on it?
• Environmental impact - Once you pave paradise, it’s gone
• Make intelligent choices
• The plan seems to remove a lot of your ability to protect our interests

Geraldine Swarmsted

• One member of Sierra Club - 2,100 members -
• I wish this were an update, not an evisceration
• Meetings when 19 people speak against something, 3 or 4 speak for, and it goes thru

Tom Matrullo

• "This new Comp plan is a behemoth. Few other than highly paid, specialized experts will master its intricacies." 
• Do you aim to govern? Or just “encourage?”
• "This is a moment of gigantism, and the new Comp Plan, in its size, complexity, and lack of clarity, looks strangely like the outsized growth it was supposed to control."

Dan Lobeck

• Density or intensity “may be lower” - it doesn’t talk about mitigation measures
• This is an evisceration of the neighborhood compatibility plan - you are taking away a very important provision
• Traffic - you are not required by state law to eliminate concurrency. If you do, your cty attorney has pointed out that you can limit a proposed rezone or special exception based on traffic considerations
• 1.3.12 - if you mean what you say, amend this to add “rezoning and special exceptions.”
• The people are right -
• Took out regs that affect mobility, environment - evisceration of 72? Policies.

Wade Matthews

• Conservation chair of Audubon Society
• We have about 1200 members
• What I hope you do is don’t approve this today
• Take some of the changes they have brought up
• Pervasive elimination of “shall”
• Majority of people don’t like the loosening of the comp plan
• Susan McManus - study - prime concerns of people of Sarasota Cty - principle concern is overdevelopment, congestion, too many people, 2nd issue is traffic
• I hope it’s not required that you make your decision today - deserves more time
• Take account of the clear feelings of the people of Sarasota County

Man from Osprey

• Your emphasis should be for the people
• Do not adopt this current update as it stands.
• Commissioner Robinson should recuse herself from this vote.

After the close of public comments, The Board of County Commissioners approved the Final Plan.

Voices heard at the Final Comp Plan Hearing 10.25.16

Some of the people's voices heard at the Final Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan hearing - apologies for inaccuracies,  just fragments. 

If you spoke at the Oct. 25th hearing, you are welcome to send a full copy of your comments to sarasotavision@gmail.com and we'll post them.


Mr. D.

• "We need a clear picture of what we don't want."

Jono Miller -

• The plan needs measures/benchmarks/dates to track progress.
• Find better way to better engage the community on planning related projects
• Slow the Comp Plan update process down
• Staff is proposing vaguer language
• We’ve lost ⅕ of our beach - replaced with rock

Margaret C. - (shows images of torn up wetlands at Whole Foods site on University Parkway)

• Wetlands in process of being destroyed
• Not against development - do it in thoughtful, gentle way
• Environmental part of plan - “required” and “shall” being replaced by “may, voluntary,” etc.

Woman -

• I would like to know how we keep natural parts safe from developers

Glenna Blomquist

• As a county we need rules that protect us from ourselves.
• Tallahassee has decimated state power to monitor local development
• My neighborhood - rezoned from 1 unit per 10 acres to 2 units per one acre - 
• Stringent language is lacking in the comp plan 
• The proposed plan may make our plan less protective

The Comp Plan Hearing:: 10.25. 2016

Margaret Jean Cannon

• In 2010 - Sarasota came in 11th in growth - adding another city the size of Venice - we had been 18th
• Hypergrowth - challenges - look at 2050 plan 
• County mission statement - enhanced quality of life - 
• 1. protect the quality and integrity of our established neighborhoods
• 2. Storm surge
• 3. Looking at siloes - need traffic studies
• 4. “Should” and “shall” 

Linda Hunter

• I’ve lived here 26 years - love Sarasota
• I’m sure your goal was to protect the citizens
• Compatibility with neighborhoods
• Traffic - do you want to sit on 41, or drive on it?
• Environmental impact - Once you pave paradise, it’s gone
• Make intelligent choices
• The plan seems to remove a lot of your ability to protect our interests

Geraldine Swarmsted

• One member of Sierra Club - 2,100 members -
• I wish this were an update, not an evisceration
• Meetings when 19 people speak against something, 3 or 4 speak for, and it goes thru

Tom Matrullo

• "This new Comp plan is a behemoth. Few other than highly paid, specialized experts will master its intricacies." 
• Do you aim to govern? Or just “encourage?”
• "This is a moment of gigantism, and the new Comp Plan, in its size, complexity, and lack of clarity, looks strangely like the outsized growth it was supposed to control."

Dan Lobeck

• Density or intensity “may be lower” - it doesn’t talk about mitigation measures
• This is an evisceration of the neighborhood compatibility plan - you are taking away a very important provision
• Traffic - you are not required by state law to eliminate concurrency. If you do, your cty attorney has pointed out that you can limit a proposed rezone or special exception based on traffic considerations
• 1.3.12 - if you mean what you say, amend this to add “rezoning and special exceptions.”
• The people are right -
• Took out regs that affect mobility, environment - evisceration of 72? Policies.

Wade Matthews

• Conservation chair of Audubon Society
• We have about 1200 members
• What I hope you do is don’t approve this today
• Take some of the changes they have brought up
• Pervasive elimination of “shall”
• Majority of people don’t like the loosening of the comp plan
• Susan McManus - study - prime concerns of people of Sarasota Cty - principle concern is overdevelopment, congestion, too many people, 2nd issue is traffic
• I hope it’s not required that you make your decision today - deserves more time
• Take account of the clear feelings of the people of Sarasota County

Man from Osprey

• Your emphasis should be for the people
• Do not adopt this current update as it stands.
• Commissioner Robinson should recuse herself from this vote.

After the close of public comments, The Board of County Commissioners approved the Final Plan.

One reason Sarasota County is not attracting good companies

The UTC mall was constructed on 500 acres of land that was formerly designated as MEC-Major Employment Center- which allowed light industry-the zoning was changed to commercial to allow the mall. Over the past 15 years over 3500 acres of MEC land has been changed from MEC to residential and commercial use. If a major light industrial company wanted to come to Sarasota ( High wage jobs) they would have difficulty in finding appropriately zoned land. Sarasota’s economy generates low wage service jobs- there has been no effort to create a healthy balance between the high wage light manufacturing and residential needs. Our educated children must leave the area to find meaningful employment. 

Kevin Connelly 

Board Member- Sarasota Manatee Manufacturing Assoc.
Kevin T. ConnellyPresident

 

Apollo Sunguard Systems, Inc.

4487 A Ashton Road

Sarasota, FL 34233

Office: 941-925-3000 ext.106 | Cell: 941-321-9763 | Fax: 941-925-3001

Email: president@sunguard.net

www.apollosunguard.com

Mr. Connelly is a candidate for the Sarasota SMH Public Board.

Pat Neal seeks exception to rules

Dan Lobeck:

Neal Revises Exemptions From Sarasota 2050 Plan

Hearing before Commission Wednesday, Oct. 26, 9 a.m.
Citizens may comment at the hearing, and/or email the County Commission.

Developer Pat Neal, in the wake of a 7 to 0 rejection by the Planning Commission, has revised his requests for exemptions from the Sarasota 2050 Plan for his Grand Lake development east of I-75 and south of Clark Road.

He continues to want big breaks, just not as much as before.

Neal still wants to be totally relieved from the requirement to build 10% of the units as Affordable Housing, that is sold to people earning not more than 80% of the Area Median Income (A M I).

In place of that he would build 10% of the units as Community Housing, which is defined as sold to people earning not more than 100% A M I. That is twice the 5% Community Housing which the Sarasota 2050 Plan now requires on top of the 10% Affordable Housing (for 15% total under the current 2050 standards). A Community Housing home under current data would sell for not over $244,000.

So while other Sarasota 2050 developers must sell 15% of their houses at reduced prices, Neal would have to do that with only 10% of his houses. And he would be allowed to fulfill that requirement at higher prices than other developers.

Neal has withdrawn his request to be exempt from purchasing development rights from off-site Greenways (or from the County for use in buying new environmental lands).

However, in addition to the Affordable Housing exemption, he still wants to reduce the Greenbelt around the development from the current Sarasota 2050 requirement of 500 feet all the way down to 50 feet. Also, he still wants to be able to reduce his open space from 50% to 30% and to be exempt from mixed use requirements.

These special breaks for Pat Neal would be provided by creating a new "Village Enclave" category with the new rules, with geographic criteria limited to his site.

The public hearing on this revised exemption request will be before the Sarasota County Commission on Wednesday, October 26, at 9 am, at 1660 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota.

A simple suggestion

This coming Tuesday, Oct. 25 -- two years after the Sarasota County Commission voted to decimate the 2050 Plan -- that august body is expected to vote to approve a new Comprehensive Plan that will set the rules of the game county-wide for 10 years. It's an enormous document covering planning, future land use, parks, economic development and much more.

It's a troubling behemoth.

For example, certain key principles no longer "govern" -- now they "guide" -- a meaningful difference. The new Comp Plan opens our future to questionable possibilities, including the potential sale of preserve lands, and to development unburdened by rigorous regulation, adding stress to our already failing roads and burdened services. (For an extensive analysis of the plan's impacts, see this detailed critique by Dan Lobeck.)

Developers and builders will profit -- and use those profits to install new County Commissioners to approve future developer-friendly plan amendments. 

Here's the suggestion:

-- The final hearing on the Comp Plan is set for this Tuesday at 1:30 pm at the Admin Building on Ringling.

-- Come, fill out a speaker's card, and when called upon, have your say.

-- When you finish, add one more sentence:

"For the above reasons, I wish to go on record with a citizen's vote of no confidence in this Board's action on the 2016 Comprehensive Plan."

If you do not wish to say anything else, you can simply step up and say:

"I wish to go on record with a citizen's vote of no confidence in this Board's action on the 2016 Comprehensive Plan."

That's it. 

Please come on Tuesday, and give your "vote of confidence" to this simple intervention. Your words and solidarity will echo in this commission's memory - especially the next time they ask for your vote.

Citizens for Sarasota County (CSC) is a new coalition to promote ethical, responsive government that preserves and enhances Sarasota's unique natural environment and cultural heritage while building a sound local economy based on effective stewardship and innovation. 

CSC Blog

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Sarasota at Risk: Lobeck on Final Oct. 25th Hearing

Nature, Neighborhoods, Mobility and Taxpayers at Risk

Giving It Away to Developers

Final County Commission Public Hearing

Tuesday, October 25   1:30 pm

1660 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota

The rules of the game may be about to change, in terrible ways for anyone who cares about reasonable controls on development.

They call it an “Update” of the Sarasota County Comprehensive Plan. 

What it really does however is gut numerous important protections of neighborhoods, nature, traffic mobility and good planning, to serve the developers who bankroll County Commission campaigns.  Their slogan is, “Today, Tomorrow, Together” but the only people moving together on this are our County Commissioners and their patrons in the development industry.  The rest of us get left behind, with traffic gridlock, threatened neighborhoods and increased destruction of the natural environment.

Many of the worst changes were written by developer attorney Bill Merrill for a coalition of development interests that include the Argus Foundation, of which County Commissioner Christine Robinson serves as Executive Director.

This Comprehensive Plan “Update” is up for its final public hearing on October 25, at 1:30 pm, at 1660 Ringling Boulevard in Sarasota. Citizens will be allowed to speak for up to five minutes each.

Also, you can email the County Commissioners at Email to County Commissioners.

It would be well to identify specific changes you oppose, together with comment generally on the others.  You have a broad choice of topics from those identified in this handout.  It is possible the County Commission could relent on some of the changes.  At least one County Commissioner, for example, recently expressed reluctance to support the proposed change to the neighborhood compatibility policy, although he voted for it at the first hearing.

You can also send a letter to the editor of 250 words or less to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune at Letter to the Editor Link Here.  Do it right away, however, as time is growing short.

Among the many measures on the chopping block are the following:

• Neighborhood compatibility protections
• The square foot limit on the size of commercial centers
• Concurrency, the rule that developers must produce traffic studies and pay their proportionate share of needed road improvements -- without the replacement policy allowed by state law which would keep traffic studies and limit rezoning and Plan changes that overcrowd our roads
• The level of service C standard for county roads, lowering it to D and thereby accepting more traffic congestion
• The requirement that the County plan for needed infrastructure over a ten-year period, leaving only planning for five years at a time
• The requirement that affordable housing built with density bonuses in mixed use centers remain affordable, be built to green standards and have a jobs-housing balance
• Current protections of wetlands and other natural habitat from development impacts
• Environmental and other “quality of life” standards for new businesses sought for the County

A fuller analysis of this proposed destruction of important protections of the public interest is set forth on the following pages.  It's a lot to digest, I know.  However, I hope you read through enough to get as upset as I am about this and to give you enough ammunition to speak out against this injustice at the public hearing.

Thank you for your consideration.

  -- Dan Lobeck
Join Control Growth Now

Click below for details . . .

Fredd Atkins at CONA Sarasota

CONA Sarasota held a "debate" Monday evening - an important race - District #1, the only seat on the Commission to be decided by voters in November -- the other seats were decided by a minority vote of Republicans in the August primaries.

Here's the CONA event - in two parts. First, Dan Lobeck offers his take on the Comprehensive Plan that's about to be approved by the Commission on Oct. 25th -- and why it's a very bad idea.

The second part is a series of questions to Fredd Atkins - the only candidate to appear at the meeting. Another candidate was invited, and his empty chair was an eloquent sign of that candidate's attitude toward the people whose votes he allegedly requires to be elected.

The candidate who did not appear is heavily backed by the community of developers, builders, and financial folks who pay great sums to have their folks in office. They are the machine.

Amendment 1: Vote No - Here's Why

The utilities are spending $20 million dollars on their ballot initiative that has been labeled by Justice Barbara Pariente as 'Sheep in wolf's clothing'. In this short Power Point presentation, I will explain why the League of Women Voters oppose Amendment 1. The only way to defeat the utility monopolies is with a grass roots effort since no non-profit concerned about the amendment has the money to fight them so PLEASE share.

Lourdes Ramirez of the League of Women Voters

Grace and the Machine: Sarasota's Candidates

We greatly appreciate the cooperation of the candidates for the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Public Board, and for the Charter Review Board, who took time out of their busy schedules to answer questions from the Citizens for Sarasota County.

Nine of the 11 candidates running for Hospital Board shared thoughtful and detailed responses to six questions that touched on the costs of healthcare, a push for privatizing SMH, the whys and wherefores of hospital expansion, mental health services (and their lack), Medicaid, and more.

Eight of the 11 candidates for the Sarasota County Charter Review Board were equally willing to take time to answer six questions concerning the structure, purpose, and issues facing the Board. 

Before you fill out your November ballot, take a few minutes to hear what these candidates are saying. Their civic efforts, and the Boards whose important missions they wish to be part of, deserve more than lockstep party-line votes.

The Sarasota County Commission race is a different kettle of fish.

Just one seat on the County Commission was not decided by a minority of Republic voters in August -- thanks to the local Sarasota Machine. 

There has not been a non-Republican on the Commission since 1970 - thanks to the Machine. 

Michael Moran didn't show up at a forum held by Cona Sarasota a few months ago. And he likely feels he doesn't have to show up to debate Fredd Atkins for County Commission at CONA Sarasota on Monday evening, because of the Machine.

Mike@VoteForMoran.com

Tell Michael  Moran to either step up and debate his opponent like a real candidate, or step down and concede he doesn't have what it takes to represent all of the people.

On Monday, Oct. 10, the Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations will hold a forum for the two candidates campaigning to represent district one on the Sarasota County Commission. Both Fredd Atkins and Mike Moran have been invited to participate. All county voters will be able to vote in the race this November. William Zoller will moderate the forum. The event begins with social time at 6:30 p.m.; the forum will begin at 7. The Council’s meetings take place at the Sarasota Garden Club, 1131 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota.

Hospital Board candidates respond to questionnaire

The Healthcare Debate 

As anyone who lives in Florida knows, nearly everything is on the line with public healthcare. Several of the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Board candidates recently faced off in a dynamic forum held by the League of Women Voters. They confront a strong set of issues this November. 

We invited all 11 candidates to respond to 6 questions relating to public health, Medicaid funding, mental health, hospital expansion, and more.

Thanks to all who are giving their time and energies to public life. Special thanks to the candidates who participated in this project. 

The candidates are listed below in the order presented by the Superintendent of Elections. Each respondent's name links to her or his responses.

This project was undertaken by the Citizens for Sarasota County (CSC) in the interest of sharing knowledge of the issues, the candidates, and the mission of the Hospital Board in a non-partisan way. The hope is better acquaintance with the substance and facts will lead Sarasota's voters to make these important decisions with discernment and judgment. 


Hospital Board At Large, Seat 1                        Kevin T. Connelly 
Hospital Board At Large, Seat 1                        Sharon Wetzler DePeters 
Hospital Board At Large, Seat 2                        Miglena Entcheva 
Hospital Board At Large, Seat 2                        Tramm Hudson
Hospital Board At Large, Seat 2                        Reid Schwabach 
Hospital Board At Large, Seat 3                        Cheryl Brandi 
Hospital Board At Large, Seat 3                        Susan Tucker
Hospital Board Central District, Seat 1            Jody Davenport
Hospital Board Central District, Seat 1            William P. Noonan
Hospital Board Northern District, Seat 1        Delores "Dee" McFarland 
Hospital Board Northern District, Seat 1        Jim Meister 

For more on these candidates, see the Herald Trib Oct. 24 article by Barbara Peters Smith.