That was the rallying cry of the many concerned citizens who passionately spoke to the Sarasota County Commission back on February 12th about the proposed new development on the southeastern border of the Celery Fields. The 9:00 AM meeting ran well into the afternoon as the Commissioners patiently listened to concerns about the preservation of the Celery Fields as a world renowned bird sanctuary and a key part of our infrastructure to reduce flooding and help improve the quality of our coastal waterways.
Ultimately, the Commissioners unanimously voted against the proposal by 5 to 0. The hope now is that the County will find a way to acquire the property and preserve it as a buffer to protect the Celery Fields from the impact of other nearby development.
BE THERE MARCH 12th
While the Commission’s decision to not allow the proposed development next to the Celery Fields is a major step forward in protecting neighborhood homes from future flooding, many people along the Suncoast have been shocked by the amount of flooding during recent storms and rain events. This concern was clearly demonstrated at the February meeting of the Sarasota Tiger Bay Club when Spencer Anderson, Sarasota County’s Public Works Director, was peppered with questions from many people who said their homes were flooded and they don’t even live in a flood prone area.
Spencer responded by saying that our current Level Of Service (LOS) for our stormwater infrastructure is to handle up to 10 inches of rain in a 24 hour period. With some recent storms bringing in as much as twice that amount, he said it is time to re-examine our parameters to effectively control stormwater. He encouraged the audience to attend the March 12th Commission meeting where the staff will outline the current situation and make recommendations to the Commission that will upgrade our ability to control flooding. If you are concerned about flooding in your neighborhood, this is a meeting you should not miss.