A Tale of Two Comp Plan Amendments: "Have a Vision"

<<Note: See update from Rod Krebs in the "Postscript" below.>>

Hearty congratulations to the Miakka Community, which on Sept. 11 won the first round in its effort to have the County process a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA) that aims to reduce density and intensity in East Sarasota County. The effort, led by Becky Ayech, is the first such amendment ever sought by citizens of Sarasota -- usually they are brought by developers.

The Miakka citizen effort speaks to the interests of all who love East Sarasota and seek to preserve its "rural heritage" lifestyle.

Some 26 speakers supported the Miakka group. Rod Krebs, a landowner and lead developer seeking to intensify the area, spoke against the initiative.

One highlight of the meeting was Former Sarasota Commissioner Paul Mercier's brief, direct and crystal clear message to the Board: Understand where the community itself wants to go -- and -- "have a vision."

Communities concerned about our elected officials selling public lands near the Celery Fields for industrial, commercial, or affordable housing uses have been saying the same thing for a few years now. Mercier just said it better.

Here's his brief comment:

The Board's decision for Miakka wasn't a sure thing. Two commissioners, Al Maio and Charles Hines, both of whom are term-limited and won't face re-election, voted against it. Mike Moran, Nancy Detert, and Christian Ziegler hedged their support with various reservations, hesitations, and ambivalences, noting that reducing density near Verna and Fruitville roads could be interpreted to be a "land grab" - infringing on the rights of owners such as Krebs.

The next step normally would be for the Planning Department to do a study of the proposed amendment, and bring it to the county in about nine months.  However, on Thursday, Sept. 19, the Planning Commission will hear about another CPA -- from Krebs, who is seeking to increase the density near Verna and Fruitville -- the very area Miakka wishes to de-intensify.

If the Planning Commission recommends approval of Krebs' initiative (in June they overwhelmingly recommended denial of Miakka's petition), it will come before the Board in a few months. If the Board approves Krebs's amendment, it could nullify Miakka's CPA before it gets off the ground.

Such are the complications of amendments coming from both ends of the development field -- existing homeowners seeking to protect their traditional lifestyle, and developers seeking to create new communities that will intensify roads and make new demands on resources.

Where does whose property rights begin and end? This is the large question underlying this conflict between these Comprehensive Plan Amendments: the intensification sought by Krebs (2018-c) and the opposite goal of the Miakka Community (2019-c). 

These opposing proposals reveal a fundamental conflict underpinning Sarasota County's bi-polar assumptions about land use and ownership, human rights, environmental awareness, business interests, and citizen participation in local government. In brief, our vision of how to grow in a manner that does justice to all parties.

Board of Sarasota County Commissioners

Such questions deserve a full, wide-open public discussion, rather than being reduced to fears about whether the County could be sued if they do not let a developer change what he bought to maximize his return. Developers do not usually live on land they develop -- they work it, earn their profits, and move on.

What the Board really needs to address is precisely what Paul Mercier said: Where is the community going, and what is the Board's Vision. 

In recent years, communities concerned about land uses and impacts upon the shared treasure we call the Celery Fields have offered the County our sense of where we want to go with our public lands. Time and again we've met with a silence louder than words -- an absence of vision, of direction, perhaps even of care. It speaks of a Board that obeys orders from someone other than the people they are supposed to represent. 

For the people of Miakka to present the objective of preserving Rural Heritage - the vision of their community - for the Board to consider in all its ramifications is a wonderful first step. 

We'll watch what the Planning Commission does on Sept. 19, as we prepare for the Board's consideration of industry at the Celery Fields in early November.

See more of the 9.11 Miakka Community hearing here

Verna and Fruitville Roads in East Sarasota County

Postscript:

Two days after the 9.11 hearing, developer Rod Krebs sent an email to selected citizens indicating that he has communicated to the County his intention to postpone his Comp Plan Amendment. Stating that he is open to "creative solution to satisfy such disparate needs . . . as traffic, utilities, and water quality in the area," Krebs wrote that he is willing to work to resolve these issues, adding:

Be advised that we have requested a 9 month continuance of our CPA 2018-C petition & don't expect a presentation at the 9/19/19 Planning Commission.

Letter to the Sarasota Board regarding proposed industrialization near Celery Fields

Celery Fields courtesy of Emanuel Guzman

To: The Board of Sarasota County Commissioners
Re: Fresh Start statement in response to Lambert assessment industrializing parcel #3
Date: October 8, 2018

On Wednesday morning, Oct. 10, 2018, you will discuss an outside consultant’s recommendation to rezone a public parcel at Apex Rd. and Palmer Blvd. to industrial use.

As many are aware, Fresh Start has engaged in a nine-month dialog with the Board and staff regarding the fate of public lands in the Celery Fields Area. Yet despite this effort at mutual understanding, key questions remain unanswered.

Some of these questions specifically concern the recently completed assessment by your consultant, Lambert Advisory LLC -- an assessment based on spreadsheet comparables to the exclusion of real world considerations, such as road conditions or community values.

Other questions concern larger issues of planning and policy which lie at the root of land stewardship at this critical moment in the development of Northeast Sarasota County.

Take Surplus Land Policy for example: Before all else, why sell public land? Once sold, it’s gone forever. Neither the Lambert assessment nor the staff briefing states any reason why it benefits the community to sell this land.

Piecemeal planning: You have plucked one parcel (#3) from a complex interconnected area in transition and are seeking to rezone it for industry -- a use appropriate to 1983 -- without a glance at the larger relevant context. Fresh Start spent 9 months attempting to paint this larger picture from the residents' perspective. As stewards of our public lands, what proactive vision is guiding you now and for the coming explosion of development in East Sarasota?

MEC and Industry: Lambert Advisory's blunt determination that "industry" -- with no qualification as to what sort of industry -- would bring the highest price for parcel #3 is at odds with market activity at the Fruitville Initiative. That nearby area has more than 200 acres, all of which, like parcel #3, are designated MEC, but there appears to be no demand for industry. Various plans submitted to the County for the Fruitville Initiative are all multi-family residential. Given that these property owners presumably are marketing their properties to the highest and best use, there seems to be a significant disconnect between the reality created by the Lambert report and what's actually occurring on the ground. The Lambert finding warrants rigorous review and reconciliation to assure that the return on the public’s investment is not being short-changed.

Scoping task #4: Fresh Start asked to communicate with Lambert while the Consultant was doing its research. County staff opposed any communication:

Out of an abundance of caution to the process, I would not be comfortable with a private group directly communicating with a consultant on an item that will culminate in a quasi-hearing on a Board directive that was decidedly different from your own. (Email from county planner to Fresh Start dated 7.2.18).

How did this sidelining of the community advance the consultant’s task, which was to base findings on "a general understanding of the community and its residents"? (Scope #4).

Actual Road Conditions: Road conditions were the largest factor in last year's hearings concerning proposed industrial uses on parcel 2. To an inquiry from Fresh Start as to what information the County provided to Lambert regarding roads and traffic, the Lambert researcher replied:

At the time of the study, we were not aware of any documented issues related to development constraints, including roadway capacity.

• Why was essential data about the fragile road situation on Palmer Blvd. and Apex Rd not provided to the consultant? 
• Developer James Gabbert estimates that his Waste Transfer Station planned for six acres along Porter Rd. and Palmer Boulevard will generate at least 100 trucks a day, entering and leaving his new facility at Palmer and Bell Rd. 
• The Board expressed concern about road conditions on Sept. 12 when Fresh Start discussed light recreational and civic uses on these parcels. Where’s that concern now?

Foregrounding Industry: Anyone driving along Palmer Blvd. and Apex Rd. would not know there are small industrial and office parks nearby -- they are hidden by landscaping, by Ackerman Park, and by office buildings. Rezoning parcel #3 for industry redefines the character of the area -- from open space rural to industrial -- the very thing residents area have strongly opposed since January 2017.

Domino Effect: If parcel #3 goes to industry, parcel #2 will be surrounded by industrial uses on three sides. Mr. Gabbert's waste transfer station is already in the works for the six acres along the west side of parcel #2; Robert Waechter owns warehouses screened by trees immediately south of it. How long will it take before someone proposes that it “makes sense” to rezone parcel #2 for industry?

Irreparable damage

For these good reasons and more, Fresh Start opposes Sarasota County's rezoning and sale of any of our public lands at Apex and Palmer to private industrial developers. Approving industry here will compromise everything that planning is supposed to be about: Optimizing road safety, environment, community resources, aesthetics and economic value.

Sarasota has long enjoyed a reputation as one of the rare counties that's met developers seeking uncontrolled growth with intelligent restraint, a sense of design, and an awareness of tradition.

As our nine-month effort has made clear, many commonsense, beneficial alternatives exist for these public parcels. We urge you to respect this place of birds, fresh air and open space -- respect this unique place and the people from near and far who love it.

While the Celery Fields area itself lacks sufficient parking and complementary amenities such as a place for a bite to eat, where are the County’s plans for those real needs? Instead you are spending tax dollars to rezone a public parcel without a buyer in sight, or any industrial proposal on the table.

On Sept. 12 Fresh Start respectfully asked that you adopt a basic resolution:

• To dedicate the Celery Fields Quads to beneficial public uses in perpetuity;
• To actively seek and formally approve uses for these lands only after completing careful study of trending markets and opportunities; and
• To invest in a plan that realizes the community’s vision.

We remain steadfast in supporting this course of action.

If you go forward with this rezoning, Sarasota will be known as the place where, over the unequivocal opposition of its citizens, the Board compromised the safety, the environmental health, and the future prospects of a pristine 360-acre birding sanctuary, recreation, tourism and residential area.

Sincerely,

Glenna Blomquist, Carlos Correa, Tom Matrullo, Gary Walsh

Executive Council for the Fresh Start Initiative

From November 2017 to September 2018, Fresh Start invested well over 1,000 volunteer hours gathering ideas, community support, and expert perspectives on the Celery Fields Area. Its July report is here. A "big picture" presentation is incorporated in this report, which was presented to the Board on Sept. 12. 2018 in video format. More about the Lambert Advisory report here and here.

Fresh Start Presentation (Video) of 9.12.18

Here's the video presentation made to the Sarasota County Commissioners by the Fresh Start team on Sept. 12, 2018. Beneath the video are two slides used in the presentation.

Growth Context

Connectivity Context

Our recent Petition with more than 1,040 signatures and more than 370 comments was also submitted in print form.

Video: Fresh Start's April 25th Presentation to Sarasota County

This is the County video of the April 25th Fresh Start presentation of community-based proposals for Quad Parcels 1 and 2 to the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners.

The process by which residents came up with over 40 proposals, which then were vetted and narrowed through a rigorous community roundtable process to four, was outlined. The proposals were then described with a powerpoint including images, and an integrative vision for the entire Celery Fields area was briefly outlined.

Fresh Start was encouraged  to refine the proposals and return with a report before the Board's vacation break. Fresh Start returned on July 11 to present an updated complete report, entitled Public Uses for Public Lands at the Celery Fields.

The April 25 presentation below begins at the 30 minute mark, and ends at 1 hr. 27 minutes:

Community Vision for the Quads - Fresh Start

Update: a specific proposal for the Quad Parcels is in the works and will be presented to the Board in July. We hope the Community will come to the hearing (date TBA) and show support. There is resistance to our community-friendly proposals that only our communities can overcome.

Fresh Start, a community coalition for rational planning and land use on public lands at the Celery Fields, presented the results of its community outreach and roundtable process for parcels 1 and 2 between I-75 and the Celery Fields at its April 25th Presentation to the Commission.

All proposals had come to the Fresh Start Initiative through our community, although some were submitted by nonprofit organizations. Each proposal was examined and evaluated by a volunteer panel of advisers. Part of the vetting process was to gauge how proposals stood up to four community-based criteria:

• Feasibility
• Compatibility with the Area
• Utility to Neighbors
• Economic Viability

 Slides from the full presentation to the Board are here.

Note: Parcel #2, near the highway, is adjacent to a planned waste transfer station to the West.

Parcel #1 has the Celery Fields wetlands to the East, separated by a canal with 150' borders (Main C).

Of 41 submitted ideas and proposals, the final four are below -- the delegates from our HOAs selected two options for each parcel, and voted on them -- voting results are in parentheses. 

But the process has not stood still. Additional ideas from our community for connective elements like a roundabout, a footbridge, a bus loop and an observation tower have been coming in. 

rookery

bus loop

whimsical observation tower

Footbridge from Parcel 1 to Celery Fields

Some of these connective elements are shown in the composite images below.

Proposals for Parcel #1 12.7 acres

Community Multi-Use Area: Pavilion, adult playground, wedding spot, buffer for Celery Fields (supported by 63%):

Ecolodge with outlook on roosting areas for birds (37% support)

Below, the figure shows a combination of Nature Lodge and buffer, pavilion, trails on eastern portion on parcel #1. Additional suggestions from community shown include a roundabout at Apex/Palmer, a footbridge across the canal to the Celery Fields wetlands, and automobile ingress to parking area from Apex Road, not Palmer Boulevard:

Proposals for Parcel #2 10.7 acres

YMCA playfields, sports complex (84% support): Fully funded, $1 million investment by the YMCA in structures, commitment to fully maintain at no cost to County, leased.

Shops, Fooderies, Apartments (16% support)

Below: The two parcels, with YMCA facility on #2, and Ecolodge with trails, pavilion and buffer on #1:

Fresh Start to bring community vision to Commissioners April 25

Feasibility | Economic Viability | Compatibility with the Area | Utility to Neighbors

MEDIA ADVISORY

April 18, 2018

What: Fresh Start Initiative Update
When: 9 a.m. Wednesday April 25
Where: Sarasota County Commission, 1660 Ringling Blvd.

Fresh Start to Present Proposals for Public Lands near Celery Fields

The Fresh Start Initiative will present the first-round results of its civic experiment in community-based visioning for public lands to the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners on Wednesday, April 25.

The community Initiative began November 28, 2017, after the Board agreed to hold off on surplus-land decisions for two public parcels near the Celery Fields for six months while the citizen group consulted the community’s wishes for the parcels. Fresh Start cites the support of 50 HOAs surrounding the Celery Fields for the effort.

The results offer a sense of the community’s vision that could transform the two parcels, which total 23 acres, by developing them in ways that would both enhance the natural treasure already there and serve the people of the community, according to members of the group’s Executive Council.

The Quad Parcel

The parcels are at the intersection of Apex Road and Palmer Boulevard. Parcel #1 on the southeastern corner is 12.7 acres and abuts the western edge of the Celery Fields wetlands. Two bird walks there draw tourists from across the country eager to see some of the rarer of more than 225 species known to visit there. Parcel #2 on the southwestern corner has 10.7 acres. The parcels have sat vacant for 20 years.

Fresh Start’s process required time to organize and implement.

"Over the past five months, we have designed, organized and implemented a three-step process,” said Fresh Start council member Marguerite Malone. “We first elicited interest, ideas, and then proposals from our communities. Secondly, we reviewed those proposals through a strong team of local experts in planning, architecture, environment and neighborhood organization. Thirdly, we established delegates from our community who attended a roundtable meeting to discuss, listen, modify, and then vote for the best proposals."

The proposals were vetted both by the community and the Advisory Panel for their congruence with four leading criteria: Feasibility, Economic Viability, Compatibility with the Area, and Utility to Neighbors. Utilizing a weighted vote approach, the roundtable participants selected four proposals -- two for each parcel.

The proposals combine a variety of public uses with private opportunities to offer goods or services on land leased from the county, said Fresh Start member and Meadow Walk president Gary Walsh. Instead of selling the lands outright to private developers, they would remain in public hands, but provide annual revenue to the County via leases, tourist taxes, and employment. Over time that revenue could exceed what a one-time sale would bring in, he added.

The group is scheduled to present details of the four proposals to the County shortly after 9 a.m., April 25.

“In some cases the final ideas combine two or more original proposals,” said Glenna Blomquist of Fresh Start, adding, “There was a creative ferment -- ideas evolved along the way.”

Fresh Start grew out of a community uproar over a developer's proposal last year to convert one of the parcels into an open-air demolition waste processing facility. More than 300 residents concerned about traffic, health, noise, environmental harm, property values and more turned out at the County Commission's August 23 public hearing on the petition, which lasted seven hours before the Commissioners voted the proposal down.

The waste plant was a wake-up call, the group says. While the waste proposal failed, nothing prevents another developer from seeking to convert the same public parcel to heavy industrial use.

“The Board didn’t use the opportunity to direct staff to review the underlying land use provisions for the area, which were put in place nearly 40 years ago -- before many of the residential communities and businesses -- before even the Celery Fields area itself -- existed,” said Fresh Start council member Carlos Correa, president of The Enclave, a residential community on Palmer Boulevard East.

That concern prompted the formation of Fresh Start, which offered to research the area, gather community participation and input, and to come back with some conceptual plans within six months of the November 28, 2017 agreement with the Board.

“The Initiative here was to facilitate a potential synergy of community vision and county supervision,” said Tom Matrullo of Fresh Start. “We are not backing any specific plan, nor are we associated with any organization behind any proposal. We facilitated a community-based method to produce and gain consensus on coordinated, viable plans, creating the opportunity for a positive collaboration between our elected officials and our residents, who were deeply divided over the County’s handling of the Waste Plant proposal last year.”

In addition to proposals for the two parcels, ideas came up along the way for enhancements to the common areas -- a roundabout, a bus loop, a footbridge, and more. The group says such features would unify the area and hopes the County will give them consideration.

The group will present the four proposals selected at the Roundtable meeting to the Commissioners and invite them to take the next step: To authorize staff to work with community representatives on refining them.

“The enthusiasm and creativity of our citizens working on this has been extraordinary,” said Fresh Start’s Blomquist. “A balanced collaborate effort of community and County can transform these vacant public lands into a win/win: a community catalyst that interrelates commerce, history, nature, neighborhood walkability, recreation and tourism.”

Fresh Start has been given 30 minutes for presentation and discussion beginning shortly after 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 25. The public is welcome to attend the meeting, to be held in the Commission Chamber of the County Administration Building at 1660 Ringling Boulevard. Supporters of Fresh Start plan to wear green shirts or tops.

Reminder: Fresh Start Proposals due March 1

A quick Reminder that proposals for the Fresh Start Initiative are due March 1. We have heard from a number of people who have shared great ideas, and we look forward to having a selection of thoughtful proposals.

Some background on Fresh Start from the Sarasota News Leader.

Please make sure your proposal includes the following:

Contact Info: Name, Phone, Email

Description: This is key. Please include as much of the following as you can:

Public parcels 1, 2, and 3

Parcel: Which parcel are you considering: #1 or #2?
Facilities: Will your facility provide parking? Restrooms?
Dimensions: Details of size of structures, or of space devoted to uses.
Disposition of land: Sale, lease, or county control?

Use: What is the primary purpose you envision? More than one purpose?

Users: Who are the primary users you anticipate will make use of it? Have you been in touch with any prospective user groups? How are you sure of demand?

Revenue: Will the County receive any revenue - whether through sale, lease, fees, activity charges, tourist tax, property tax, employment, etc.

Traffic: What sort of traffic - cars? bicycles? big trucks? Primary times of day?

Goals: Will the use meet the needs of nearby residents? The general public? Tourists?

Compatibility: How would your proposal work within the existing uses of the Celery Fields Area? What kinds of uses would you like to see on the other public parcels at Apex and Palmer?

Economics: Will the proposed use pay for itself? If not, how will it be supported?

Legacy: In addition to needs and values, are there other aspects of the character and legacy of Sarasota that your proposal would recognize or enhance?

VISUALS: Diagrams, photos, hand-drawn images, video - best if in digital form, as we will use a projector for our workshops.

Key dates: 

• March 1 - Proposals Due
• March 15 - Advisory Board Meeting
• April 10 - Roundtable Workshop at Fruitville Library, 3 pm - 7 pm

Send to FreshStartSarasota@gmail.com

Thank you.

Why we are doing this

Fresh Start: What and Why

Fresh Start is a grassroots experiment in Sarasota County that seeks good ideas for two pieces of public land -- ideas endorsed by the neighbors, businesses and greater community of Sarasota citizens who care about local impacts, the environment, and the need for vision in planning.

The initiative gained traction after the entire community witnessed a concerted effort to change land use and zoning designations to allow heavy industrial activity (a 16-acre open air demolition waste processing facility) on "the Quads" -- parcels of public lands next to the Celery Fields, a priceless bird sanctuary, recreation area and ecotourism destination. Timeline of Gabbert waste plan here.

Fresh Start is about finding sensible proposals for these parcels that protect the environment, build the economy, and enhance the Celery Fields area. What's at stake goes well beyond these properties, however. In view of the nearly disastrous missteps of recent times, it's clear that Sarasota County needs to rigorously rethink its planning process. Just a few examples:

Notification: How often do we learn too late that a developer has received approval for a plan that neighbors didn't hear about?

Consultation: The county requires public workshops, but awareness of these meetings can be minimal, thanks to the ineffectual notification policies. Also, a developer can say anything at these meetings. The community can express its approval or disapproval, but the actual record of the workshop is usually up to the developer.

Integration: The County's 2050 Plan calls for coordinated comprehensive planning. If these principles were faithfully practiced, the Gabbert plan for a giant open-air waste processing facility at the Celery Fields would never have made it to first base.

How can we do this better? For each of these elements in the planning process, it's time to ask the question: What changes to or innovations in practice and procedure would benefit both the people of Sarasota and the County?

Trends: When County planners evaluated the Waste Processsing proposal, they didn't take into account radical changes in the area -- changes readily apparent to anyone who bothered to look. For example:

West -> East: The open spaces to the East of I-75 are just now opening to large scale development at Hi Hat Ranch, LT Ranch, Lakewood Ranch, and more. The radical increase in population, the new needs to be met, the demand on roads and power all deserve consideration when planning a gateway area to East County.

Past -> Future: The rationalization for a waste facility at Apex and Palmer was based on a 40-year old land use designation. Doing so ignored the fact that the entire character of the area has changed due to the development of 2000 homes, the creation of the Celery Fields, and the coming Fruitville Initiative. So much new potential requires a re-vision of an area whose entire character is undergoing transformation.

Vision: Land use in Sarasota has long been played out on a battleground where the interests of ambitious developers, county residents, and a slow-moving County bureaucracy have struggled against each other as if planning were a zero-sum game. What if we began instead with the proposition that our lands are worthy of a larger vision? A vision of answerable growth -- that is, a process that responsibly articulates key community needs and desirable growth priorities via a commonsense vision of a meaningful organic whole. 

        External factors such as boom/bust market dynamics and the bi-polar winds of political change (see this excellent study by Professor E.R. Linkous of USF) have not made a joint effort to move toward a comprehensive vision any easier. The Fresh Start Initiative doesn't pretend to have an easy solution. 

A teachable moment? Fresh Start's effort to bring the county and the community into a fruitful dialog addressing some 24 acres of public land offers a small practical sampling of the difficulties facing us on a much larger scale. Better connection and communication can go far to getting beyond the "battleground." Much depends on the good faith participation of all. What we learn from this civic experiment might constructively be applied to processes and procedures for future land use issues. 

 

By the way . . .

If you have a proposal for either of the parcels at the Celery Fields, here's a good place to begin. And here's a bit about what to consider including. Proposals are due March 1, with some flexibility for those just learning of this civic experiment. Proposals should be sent to FreshStartSarasota@gmail.com.