A petition for the Celery Fields community

At this writing, my son and I are fortunate to be spending a few days in the hills of Western North Carolina. It's a welcome break. But as I took this photo an hour ago from a serene hilltop overlooking the Smokies, I thought of the days I've experienced a sense of solace and tranquility -- looking East in the mornings or West in the evenings -- from our Celery Fields sanctuary and the vantage of its marvelous hill.

It was a community effort that saved this place. Without you, James Gabbert's 16-acre waste facility would be pulverizing construction debris every day next to our nesting wetlands, to the thunder of large trucks pounding Palmer Blvd. 

Personally I can't in good faith ignore the fact that Mike Moran, now seeking reelection in District 1, voted to approve Gabbert's project. It was the overwhelming work of all of you that saved this place. Now, backed by developer money and anonymous PAC funding, Mr. Moran wants our vote to exercise power for four more years.

Fortunately he faces opposition from a Republican who cares about the environment -- Mike Hutchinson. And Mark Pienkos, a Democrat, is ready to face the winner of the August 18 Primary on Nov. 3.

It's perhaps not surprising that Mr. Moran has declined to appear in person to share his views -- the virus is a reasonable excuse. But he has also refused invitations to appear online and face his opponents; he has refused to talk with a reporter doing an article about the District 1 race, and he has bombarded us with photos of himself holding a gun -- as if this somehow assured us that he'll do right by our neighborhoods, our environment, and our quality of life.

What's even more surprising than this candidate's refusal to discuss his record with both constituents and the Press is that the Press - at least so far - is giving him a free pass. Instead of calling him out and noting that he's avoiding the most basic responsibilities of a candidate for public office, our mainstream Media see Mr. Moran's desire to duck public scrutiny of his record and are looking the other way.

Because that's the case, I ask that you join me in signing a Petition to demand that our Media engage our candidates -- all of them. No one deserves special treatment, especially a candidate who's proven he can listen to an entire community's pleas for the Celery Fields and ignore every one of us for the sake of one rich man's dump.

Here's a link to the petition:

http://chng.it/RRjmHq2LCz

Your signature will challenge our local Media to challenge Mike Moran and all our candidates to face the people's issues and questions -- openly, honestly, and without gun in hand.

Peace -- and thanks,

Tom Matrullo

Consultant recommends industry near Celery Fields

Quads

Earlier this year, Sarasota County hired a consultant to study the "highest and best use" for parcel #3 of the public lands near the Celery Fields known as "the Quads." That report is now in (link here) -- it recommends rezoning 7 acres of parcel #3 for industrial use:

Some preliminary observations:

Specialized Approach: The $61,000 report from Miami-based Lambert Advisory LLC follows a specialized "highest and best use" (HBU) approach, which looks at real estate comparables solely to form an estimate of highest potential dollar value. By design HBU ignores quality of life, community benefit, impacts on the environment, potential social or economic gains from other uses, and basically everything other than top-dollar price for this public land.

Siloed Consultancy: Since January, Fresh Start repeatedly asked to communicate with the consultant. We were told that at the County’s direction, the Consultant was to work walled off from residents or anyone else, to “limit the influences on the data.”

Fiscal Motive Evaporates: Last November, the Commission cited a need to sell public lands to cover a temporary budget shortfall as the compelling reason for this rezoning. Since then the Board has revised its view. Commissioner Maio now says the county is in excellent fiscal health and that there is "no shortfall" this year or next (audio clip: longer; shorter). 

Warehouse south of parcel 2

Dominoes: Rezoning parcel #3 to industrial is not only about parcel #3. IF/when that rezoning is complete, the southwest parcel (#2) will be surrounded on three sides by industry (Parcel #3 to the north, James Gabbert's planned waste transfer station to the west, and Robert Waechter's warehouses immediately to the south). Private industrial interests will use this "enveloping zoning" to argue for making parcel #2  industrial. (Parcel #2 is the 10.6 acres Mr. Gabbert wished to situate a giant open waste processing facility on last year.)

Fresh Start will present a very different vision of the prospects for the Quad parcels to the commissioners next Wednesday, Sept. 12 at approximately 9:30 a.m. As it is not a public hearing, input from the public will be limited to 3 minutes before or after the Agenda.

The Fresh Start Executive Council

Have you signed our petition opposing industry at the Celery Fields?

Tough choice? Sign the Petition

This was the Celery Fields this morning, August 17, 2018:

Celery Fields, West Slope

Please sign the Petition to make sure no one comes back with a waste processing facility, or other egregiously inappropriate use, for the public - yes, PUBLIC - lands next to this clear, tranquil, happy place. Because this almost happened on August 23, 2017, for parcel #2:

Waste Facility built by James Gabbert, now WCA on Fruitville Rd., Sarasota 

Petition to protect the Celery Fields

This August 23rd will make a full year since the people showed up en masse to oppose the sale of public land for a 16-acre demolition waste facility to James Gabbert. The overwhelming public presence of the community, the many hours of sincere, unscripted testimony from a wide range of residents added up to a win: the Board voted 3-2 to deny Mr. Gabbert his waste plant

By law, no developer could return to seek to rezone our public parcel for one year. But after August 23, anyone can, because in the past year, the Board has made no change in the rules governing public parcel #2, which Mr. Gabbert wanted. Despite clear evidence of the community's will and growing awareness of the profound changes that have occurred (and they've only begun) in East County, the pubic parcels at the Celery Fields are still subject to the same land uses they were given in 1983.

After August 23, there is no guarantee that Mr. Gabbert or another industrial developer won't pay his fee and seek approval for industry served by diesel trucks within a short walk from our pristine Celery Fields bird sanctuary and recreation area. One commissioner has indicated he thinks industry makes sense at this Gateway to East County, where new homes are coming on the market daily.

For this reason, we ask you to take a moment to sign our petition urging the Board to revamp the zoning of this environmentally sensitive area with a vision for the greater good:

Sarasota County: We urge you to acknowledge this rare opportunity for public good. Do NOT sell our public lands to private developers. Protect and enhance the Celery Fields Area for all the people of Sarasota.

Thank you for remaining true to the Celery Fields.