Concerning the Quads at the Celery Fields: Open Letter to the Planning Commission

Update: After this blog post was published, a further exchange of emails between myself and county planner Steve Kirk took place. The upshot was some clarification of areas of concern. This exchange along with two recommendations for considerataion by the Planning Commission were then sent to the public record files as testimony to be included in the May 6 hearing on the Quads Parcels CAP:

Testimony to the Planning Commission, May 6, 2021

]

The Quads 2021

The Sarasota County Planning Commission is set to consider the county's proposed Critical Area Plan (CAP) for the area that includes the Quad Parcels and Celery Fields at a May 6, 2021 hearing. 

The plan proposes rezoning the Quads to Government Use (GU) and delineates constraints and recommendations to preserve and protect bird habitat and create a open vista -- a green gateway to East County.

County Planner Steve Kirk put a lot of thought into this presentation, which seeks to honor the intent behind the county's grant of a permanent easement over three of the four parcels (outlined above) to the Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast and to Sarasota Audubon, which has had s strong commitment to the Celery Fields, and which will manage the future redevelopment of these parcels. 

Here's my email to the Planning Commission:

As one of the founding members of the Fresh Start Initiative, a community group that spent 10 months gathering community input and recommendations for the Quads parcels, I invite the Planning Commission to weigh in on the CAP as it now stands. 

1. The Critical Area Plan seeks to realize the vision of a Gateway to East County, with an open viewshed, and new, Audubon-guided bird habitat. It stresses a unifying compatibility of architectural styles, setbacks, building height and more. However, while these constraints will certainly enhance the three parcels under easement, the Northwest Parcel has 4+ acres of developable land that will simply be rezoned GU. This acreage could be developed by the County or sold to a developer, with options for light industry, commercial, or residential uses.

Wide range of options for the NW Parcel

It would make perfect sense for the Planning Commission to strongly recommend that the NW parcel's 4+ developable acres have binding language stating that any proposed use must be found compatible with the larger vision for the Quads and Celery Fields Area.

A four-acre warehouse serviced by giant 18-wheelers on the Northwest parcel would hardly be consistent with the purpose of the perpetual easement, or for that matter with the roads and residential neighborhoods on and near Palmer Blvd.

The Fresh Start group did present a few community suggestions for the Northwest parcel. One that would both be consistent with the easement vision and offer practical help to motorists would be a bus loop enabling schoolchildren to get on and off buses without stopping traffic both ways on Palmer. 

  

The loop could have a pavilion with tables where children could sit out of the rain or strong sun, and perhaps eat a snack. Snacks could be provided by a rotating series of food trucks on an area set aside for this purpose.

Not only would this use be an asset for our children and help the flow of traffic, but it would also fit with the fact that, as public land, the Northwest parcel already holds a brand new fire station in suitable Old Florida style.

2. Another noteworthy element of the permanent easement reserves the County's right to construct a building on six acres of the Southwest parcel. While the Board has spoken of using the land for a history museum, nothing in the CAP specifies this use, leaving open the possibility of some other Government Use on this parcel. 

GU, however, allows a great many things -- firing ranges, bus terminals and asphalt manufacturing among them. It would be a valuable enhancement to the Planning Commission review to recommend binding the use of the Southwest parcel to consistency and compatibility with the "Prime Directive" of the permanent easement: protection of bird habitat in the Celery Fields.

Finally, it would help to remind our community that Sarasota Audubon has taken on the task of shaping the parcels under easement. It will be raising funds for the purpose and we all should be both grateful and mindful that the commitment of Audubon deserves the support of all those who love the Celery Fields.

Very truly yours, 

Tom Matrullo

======

Note: Anyone seeking to provide comment or other input to the Planning Commission needs to register in advance at this link.

Steve Suau selected to guide management of Quads at Celery Fields

Steve Suau had served on the Stormwater Advisory Committee and then as Sarasota County Stormwater Director when the plan to manage floodwaters endangering homes on Phillippi Creek took form. 

Along with former Commissioner Jon Thaxton and a few others, Suau laid the groundwork for what has become a phenomenal asset: The Celery Fields Water Management Area, now home to the Audubon Nature Center, protects homes from high water, cleanses Phillippi Creek of nutrients, provides a much-loved recreation area, and has created wetlands and uplands offering habitat for hundreds of nesting and migrating bird species. (Story below from Sarasota Magazine.)

The Celery Fields (photo: Tom Matrullo)

The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast and Sarasota Audubon Society have announced the selection of the Quad Parcels Project owners’ representative: Steve Suau of Progressive Water Resources. As owners’ representative, Suau will assist both organizations in managing the project from beginning to end, which will improve wildlife habitat, buffer the Celery Fields from industrial use and I-75 to the west, and provide low-impact public access. The 33 acres will buffer the western edge of the environmentally sensitive Celery Fields, a nationally recognized birding hotspot that is a vital part of Sarasota County’s water quality and flood protection system for the Phillippi Creek watershed.

In October 2020, the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners approved a unique public-private partnership, which gifted a conservation easement on the northeast, southeast and southwest quads parcels to Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast—ensuring protection forever—and contracted with Sarasota Audubon Society to improve habitat and manage the properties. The draft design is expected to be announced in the next few months. The two nonprofits are fundraising for the project and anticipate a public campaign kickoff later this year. For more information, click here.

The "Quads":

The Quads Parcels - County Photo