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.