Newsletter 146

NEWS FROM THE SUNCOAST …..

WHY IS IT SO HOT?

It’s hot, so hot that the National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Sarasota and the rest of Southwest Florida. The average temperature from July 1-29 was 86.2 degrees, breaking the record for the warmest July in Sarasota-Bradenton, according to the National Weather Service. The previous placeholder was 2020 at 85.8 degrees. Ross Giarratana, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said the extreme heat is caused by a perfect storm of high pressure and humidity, eastward winds, and a lack of rain. Additionally, a strong ridge of pressure across the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, and portions of the Central Atlantic Ocean that produces a lot of heat has locked over certain areas. The traditional late-day shower and thunders storms that offer high-temperature relief during this time of the year in Sarasota are practically nonexistent. This is because the winds have been pushing thunderstorm activity to the eastern part of the state, Giarratana said. Sarasota’s rainfall is way below average with only 12.23 inches of rain this year, compared to the average 28.80 inches of rain that’s expected at this point, Giarratana added. The lack of rain and clouds has allowed temperatures to climb. The afternoon rain provides relief from the day’s peak temperatures, allowing the air to cool down significantly in a short period of time. The average temperature for July 1-29 was 86.2 degrees, compared to a normal July temperature of 83.1 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The warmest July in the Sarasota Bradenton area was in 2020 at 85.8 degrees.The total rainfall for July 1-29 was 1.10 inches, while the normal rainfall in July would be 7.39 inches, according to the National Weather Service. The driest July in the Sarasota Bradenton area was 0.93 inches of rain in 1970, and at No. 2 was 1917 with 1.80 inches. Giarratana said he doesn’t see a whole lot of change in the foreseeable future for the heat index. Up until Sunday night, the National Weather Service forecasts that every day will be sunny with a low chance of scattered thunderstorms. If the area happens to get a daily shower and thunderstorms, that might allow things to get a touch cooler, but that doesn’t look like a possibility at least with the current forecast, Giarratana added. For more on this story, courtesy of Sarasota Herald-Tribune, please click here: Why Is It So Hot?

MALARIA ALERT COULD END IN SEPTEMBER

If Sarasota County continues to see no new malaria cases, the local mosquito-borne illness alert is expected to be lifted in early September, the county’s communications director said recently. Sarasota and Manatee counties have been under the alert since June 19 because of an outbreak of locally acquired malaria. A total of seven cases have been reported in Sarasota County, but no new cases were reported recently. Sarasota County and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted a media briefing on the outbreak recently. Jamie Carson, the county’s director of communications, said the mosquito-borne illness alert will remain in place until the county has gone approximately eight weeks without new cases. She said the last case was on July 13, so the alert could potentially be lifted around Sept. 7. Carson said that hopefully Sarasota County is on “the right track,” but she noted that community members are still encouraged to take precautions against mosquito bites. Under the alert, Sarasota-Manatee residents are being advised to apply mosquito repellant and to avoid being outside at nighttime if possible. If you can’t avoid it, you should wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants and insect repellant on your clothing, according to Wade Brennan, the manager of Sarasota County Mosquito Management Services. All seven cases were in the Desoto Acres and Kensington Park areas in north Sarasota County. The individuals have been treated and are recovering, Carson said. To read more on this story, please click here: Malaria Alert Could End

SAVE SIESTA KEY INCORPORATION ON HOLD

Concluding that the political climate in Tallahassee is far from conducive for its effort for incorporation, Save Siesta Key announced on July 15 that it would be putting its mission on hold. That means it will be bypassing the Sept. 1 deadline for an incorporation application that would have been its third. After the next round of state elections are complete next year, the group feel its chances are better in the 2025 legislative sessions – where the House, Senate and governor must vote to approve incorporation. Again, the application deadline would be Sept. 1 — this time in 2024. The decision comes on the heels of two failures – the first in January of 2022 when the Sarasota County Legislative Delegation voted against an incorporation bill advancing to the Florida Legislature, and the second coming this year in May when, despite being approved by the local delegation, a required committee in Tallahassee literally killed the bill (House Bill 923) by ignoring it. The incorporation group, which is calling its decision “a strategic pause,” reports that its lobbyists have subsequently continued to have conversations with House leadership and “have been informed of ongoing concerns over the creation of new taxing authorities and additional layers of government.” Said Tim Hensey, chairman of Save Siesta Key, “Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result,” adding that 42% of the registered voters on Siesta Key participated in a 2022 straw ballot and 87% of those responding favored incorporation “yet the current House leadership does not give us a path to pass a bill in 2024. “House Bill 923 never asked the Legislature to create the town of Siesta Key or increase taxes for the island’s residents. Rather, House Bill 923 would have allowed the residents of Siesta Key to vote and decide for themselves. “Given the straw poll, it is logical to conclude the vast majority of Siesta Key residents think an additional one-half mil is a reasonable additional tax to have more of a voice in the governance of our island.” According to Hensey, members of the House noted their primary concern is that the initial proposed millage of .5 could increase over time. “That is a fair concern for many municipalities in Florida but we think Siesta Key, with its projected total taxable property value of roughly $8.78 billion in 2024, is different,” Hensey said. According to Save Siesta Key, the required feasibility study it submitted to the legislature concluded the revenue derived from ad valorem taxes and other sources would cover all anticipated operating costs, discretionary additional law enforcement, and public works, with a reserve of $1.2 million growing to more than $2.8 million in five years. Please click here for more, courtesy of Siesta Sand: SK Incorporation On Hold

MIDNIGHT PASS PLAN ADVOCATES PERSIST

The leaders of the “Restore Midnight Pass” movement are continuing to pursue their goal of reestablishing a tidal connection between Little Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico after a recent setback. Last month, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a $1 million allocation for the project’s design and permitting that lawmakers had included in the state budget. Mike Evanoff, the president of the Midnight Pass Society II, said at a recent Sarasota Tiger Bay Club meeting that the society hopes that Sarasota County will use some of its federal hurricane recovery grant to start the permitting process for the project. The county is expected to receive a $201.5 million grant from the federal government to help with the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Ian and preparation for future storms. The county has been developing a draft plan for the federal money, which was released to the public on July 26. Local residents will then have until Aug. 25 to provide feedback on the plan. Evanoff told the Herald-Tribune that the Midnight Pass Society II hasn’t yet talked with the county about the idea of using some of the resiliency grant funding on the Midnight Pass permitting process, but they plan to. There’s more on this story here: Midnight Pass Advocates Persist

SARASOTA COUNTY PLANS FOR FEDERAL CASH

Sarasota County is planning to spend a $201.5 million hurricane recovery grant on rehabilitating homes, building new affordable housing and improving South River Road, among other projects. In March, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that it would give out $3.3 billion in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funds to communities around the country, including $201.5 million to Sarasota County. The money will fund a new Sarasota County program called Resilient SRQ. For the county to receive the grant, it had to assess the community’s unmet needs after Hurricane Ian struck last September. The results of the assessment and the county’s plans for how to spend the grant money are included in the county’s Draft Public Action Plan, which was released recently. Members of the public have until Aug. 25 to submit feedback to Sarasota County on the draft. The plan could be revised based on public comments. It will then be reviewed by the County Commission in September and submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Please follow the jump for more: Sarasota County Plans For Federal Money

HOME BUYING STILL ON THE RISE

Home purchases in the region continued to climb over the past month, marking a second consecutive increase in sales, according to data released from Florida Realtors and compiled by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee (RASM) recently. The real estate organizations announced recently that combined June home sales increased in the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metro region, new listings are down and home values have stayed higher overall when compared to the same time last year. InSarasota County, single-family sales decreased by 4.1% to 769 sales, while condo sales increased year-over-year by 1.3% to 381 sales. For Manatee County, single-family home sales increased year-over-year by 17.7% to 759 properties sold, while condo sales increased by 12.1% to 297 sales. Brian Tresidder, 2023 RASM President and Strategic Growth & Sales Manager at William Raveis Real Estate says “the real estate market in Sarasota County remains dynamic, with single-family sales experiencing a decline compared to 2022. Nevertheless, June sales point to more balance, slowly narrowing the gap with last year’s figures and reaffirming the region’s market strength.” Increases in the inventory of homes in both Manatee and Sarasota counties have increased over the last year, too. RASM reported that single-family home inventory in Manatee County increased by 55.6% while the availability of condominium units rose by 126%. Sarasota County supply and home inventory have increased to a three-month supply of available units and properties for home buyers to purchase, the report stated. Overall, there were 5,386 active listings combined for both property types in the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metro region — a 51.6% increase from last June and a nearly 4% increase from last month. Across the two-county region, a total of 3,545 active listings were reported for single-family homes, and 1,841 listings were reported in the condo market at the end of June. There’s more on this story here: Home Buying On The Rise

AAA NOT RENEWING UMBRELLA POLICIES

AAA won’t renew “a very small percentage” of homeowners and auto insurance policies in hurricane-wracked Florida, joining other insurers in limiting their exposure in the Sunshine State despite efforts by lawmakers to calm the volatile insurance market, the company said recently. AAA said in a statement that it wasn’t leaving Florida, but that last year’s devastating hurricane season had led to an “unprecedented” rise in reinsurance rates, making it more costly to operate.

Officials with the company refused to say how many policies in Florida wouldn’t be renewed but said that they were “higher exposure” package policies which bundle homeowners and auto policies and were underwritten by Auto Club Insurance Company of Florida. An AAA spokesman wouldn’t explain how the company defined “higher exposure,” when asked. “This is a decision we do not take lightly,” the AAA statement said. “We acknowledge that this is a difficult time for those affected.” The affected policyholders already have been notified, and they can apply for auto coverage from sister carrier, Auto Club South Insurance. AAA also said it would continue to write other, new home and auto policies, despite the decision not to renew some policies. Florida’s insurance woes are leaving some homeowners like Lawrence Kolin in the lurch. His insurer wouldn’t renew a policy for his stucco and brick, Spanish-tile-roofed home near downtown Orlando. With 30 days left until his coverage lapses, he can’t get another insurance company to give him a quote.

“My house has survived 84 years of hurricane seasons,” Kolin, a mediator and trial attorney in Orlando, said Tuesday. “It’s just an untenable situation.” Florida has struggled to maintain stability in the state insurance market since 1992 when Hurricane Andrew flattened Homestead, wiped out some insurance carriers and left many remaining companies fearful to write or renew policies in Florida. Risks for carriers have also been growing as climate change increases the strength of hurricanes and the intensity of rainstorms. Please click here for more, courtesy of Tampa Bay Times: AAA Not Renewing Umbrella Policies

SARASOTA RANKED AMONG TOP 10 METROS

It must be a day that ends in the letter Y, as the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metro area once again finds itself atop a national list related to real estate — this time from the real estate website Redfin.com. The local metro area landed at sixth among the nation’s top 10 metros where homebuyers are moving. The list is ranked by “net inflow.” Redfin described “net inflow” as the number of Redfin.com home searchers who sought information on moving to a particular metro, minus the number of searchers looking to leave that metro. The Sarasota area metro had a 2023 “net inflow” of 4,700, compared to 5,900 in 2022. Redfin attributes less net inflow this year — experienced across most metro areas — to increased interest rates that have caused mortgage rates to spike in 2023. Sarasota and Manatee counties make up the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metro area, with about 830,000 residents combined. The five metro areas placing ahead of Sarasota-Manatee were Sacramento, California, with a metro population of about 2.4 million and a Redfin net inflow of 4,800; Orlando, with a metro population of 2.5 million and a Redfin net inflow of 4,900; Tampa, with a metro population of about 3.2 million and a Redfin net inflow of 5,000; Phoenix, Arizona, with a metro population of about 4.9 million and a Redfin net inflow of 5,300; and Las Vegas, Nevada, at No. 1, with a metro population of about 2.9 million and a net inflow of 5,700. The Cape Coral metro area, with a Redfin net inflow of 4,100, came in at number seven on the list. Interestingly, the Redfin data also included the city where the most searches originated. For Tampa, Orlando and the Sarasota area metros, New York City was the top spot for people searching the local real estate market looking to move. Cape Coral’s top city where people were seeking to move from was Chicago. Recently, the Sarasota area has made several lists compiled by various sources. Local master-planned communities posted strong sales so far in 2023, according to the mid-year report from a real estate consulting firm that has tracked the fastest growing communities in the country for nearly three decades. Please click on the link for more: Sarasota Among Top 10 Metros

VAN WEZEL GETS LIFT IN PRESERVATION EFFORTS

Weeks after the Sarasota City Commission named a panel to explore future uses for the city-owned Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, the iconic structure has been added to the list of the most threatened historic properties in the state. Florida’s “11 to Save” list is put together by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Van Wezel was nominated by the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, and other groups. Buildings are nominated by the public. “These are the historic places that matter to people throughout our state and we’re optimistically enthused that the Van Wezel has been recognized as a vital property to protect,” Erin DiFazio, program director for the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, said in a statement. “We’re also pleased that the city of Sarasota is exploring future use options and storm surge protection measures for this iconic landmark.” Buildings on the list gain access to the 11 to Save Grant Fund, which the Florida Trust states “aims to make a tangible impact supporting historic sites on current or previous” lists. The future of the Van Wezel has been in question since plans were first announced by what is now known as the Sarasota Performing Arts Center Foundation to create a new 2,250-seat performing arts hall on land that is part of the Van Wezel parking lot as part of the development of the Bay Park Conservancy project. In an initial agreement between the Foundation and the city for development of the new center, there was an understanding that the 53-year-old Van Wezel would not compete for the kind of shows it has long presented. But as discussions began about the future use of the Van Wezel, Foundation leaders have indicated that it is possible for other, smaller local organizations, to present programs in the hall. In conversations with architectural firms being considered to design the new venue, there were discussions about ways to potentially link the two buildings with paths, landscaping or other methods. In June, a separate panel selected Renzo Piano Building Workshop to be the design firm for the new hall. There’s more on this story here: Van Wezel Gets Lift

NEW MOTE AQUARIUM PROJECT UPDATE

A tall yellow construction crane slowly lowered a 27,900-pound acrylic window into a concrete tank. The window will allow visitors to peer into the tank and view coral reef formations, sharks, sea turtles and other marine animals. The crane moved the window to the edge of the tank, its new home. At the nearby PopStroke golf attraction at the University Town Center, Mote Marine staff and donors watched live drone footage of the window placement on TV screens. Some took photos or videos of the work or pointed at the screens. The crowd assembled recently to watch the window placement in the new Mote Science Education Aquarium’s Gulf of Mexico habitat. The installation of the window – and another one that was expected to be installed later in the day or on the next day – was an important step in the $130 million construction of the new Mote aquarium by Interstate 75. The project, which began in November 2020, is expected to be completed in 2024. Mote is moving its aquarium to Nathan Benderson Park. It’s also planning to renovate its campus on City Island, which will continue to house Mote’s research labs. The new aquarium will have a variety of marine and freshwater creatures in its galleries, which include the Gulf of Mexico Gallery, Pacific Waters Gallery and Florida Waters Gallery. The facility will also have three STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) teaching labs and four STEM workforce training labs, which will be used by K-12 students, according to a Mote brochure. Click here for more: Mote New Aquarium Update

SCIENTISTS RELOCATE KEYS CORAL

By the time a sensor in Manatee Bay recorded a water temperature of 101.1 degrees last month, coral scientists in the Florida Keys were already in the midst of a rescue effort that has been described as a cross between Noah’s Ark and the evacuation of Allied soldiers at Dunkirk. To combat a coral bleaching event that has hit staghorn and elkhorn coral especially hard, divers have been undertaking the meticulous task of removing corals from offshore nurseries and, in some cases, the reef itself, for safekeeping in land-based coral nurseries, as well as temperature-controlled tanks in land-based aquariums. At the same time, scientists will seek to learn from the conditions as they seek to breed resilient corals in the effort to restore the Florida Reef Tract as part of Mission Iconic Reefs. Cynthia Lewis, director of the Keys Marine Lab on Long Key – which is part of the Florida Institute for Oceanography at the St. Petersburg campus of the University of South Florida – noted that the sensor which recorded the 101.5 degree water on July 24 is only in four feet of water, tucked into a corner of Florida Bay. Still, she’s seen dive computers record temperatures in the low 90-degree range, and many of the reefs researchers have been monitoring – and in many cases actively restoring – are experiencing water temperature warmer than 88 degrees, which had been more common in late August. “At this time of year we expect it to be 85, 86 degrees,” she added. Please click here for more: Scientists Relocate Keys Coral

BENDERSON TALKS DOWNTOWN OVERHAUL

Nearly 100 residents of the downtown neighborhood of Laurel Park attended a neighborhood workshop hosted recently by Benderson Development Co. in a process that could see part of the historic neighborhood rezoned and redeveloped after Sarasota County government vacates its longtime headquarters. The county has a lease agreement that runs through 2025 with Benderson after the Manatee County-based company purchased the property for $25 million in 2021. Benderson — which developed the University Town Center and is working on the Siesta Promenade, among many other commercial projects — met a skeptical audience recently concerned about recent changes to state law that creates the potential for dramatically higher residential growth. While part of the county headquarters property is in the downtown area with the potential for more residential development, a large parking lot south of Morrill Street has a residential zoning that allows a maximum of nine units per acre. It is also on the northern border of the historic neighborhood of Laurel Park, which has in the past been well organized and vocal about city development issues. The state’s new Live Local Act was brought up several times by residents at the meeting. The law was ostensibly promoted as a way to spur development of more affordable housing, but it can also strip local governments of many of their regulatory powers when a developer pledges to build affordable housing in areas zoned for commercial, industrial or mixed-use projects. Residents appeared worried that by rezoning the property in the neighborhood to Downtown Neighborhood and Downtown Edge, which are both mixed-use zoning designations, Benderson would open the possibility that the Live Local Act could be applied in Laurel Park and gain the ability to dramatically increase the number of residences allowed. A Benderson representative said the developer did not plan to use Live Local Act in its redevelopment plans. Several audience members also expressed frustratration with a lack of concrete details for the development. A site plan, which is not required by Sarasota Government during a rezone petition, was not presented during the meeting. One apparent area of agreement centered on the County Administrative building at 1600 Ringling Boulevard. Several residents said the building was ugly and they were grateful the building would be receiving a facelift in the near future. There’s more to read here: Benderson Talks Downtown Overhaul

SIESTA KEY PROPERTY WINS HGTV COMPETITION

A Siesta Key property listed for $5.99 million was crowned the overall winner of HGTV Ultimate House Hunt 2023 after tallying the most votes during the month-long competition, according to the brokerage that listed the property. In fact, three properties listed by Michael Saunders & Company also were fan favorites and placed highly in the contest. More than 1.2 million votes were cast in the HGTV annual event in which 84 finalists competed in eight categories: Amazing Kitchens, Beachfront Homes, Countryside Retreats, Curb Appeal, Downtown Dwellings, Homes With a History, Outdoor Escapes and Waterside Homes. In addition to receiving the most overall votes, the winning property at 7340 Point of Rocks Road, listed by Denise Mei of Michael Saunders & Co., took first place in the Beachfront Homes category. “We are honored and excited that this remarkable property overlooking scenic Point of Rocks captured the attention of so many HGTV House Hunt voters,” said Michael Saunders, founder and CEO of Michael Saunders & Company. “This stunning seaside sanctuary with private access to Point of Rocks provides an oasis for collecting shells, viewing marine life, snorkeling, paddleboarding and kayaking.” The local real estate market has begun a return to normal after home prices increased dramatically over the last two years with the median price of a single-family home selling above $500,000 for five consecutive quarters. A $9.98 million listing at 5131 Jungle Plum Road, represented by Michael Saunders & Co. Realtor Cindy Fischer, received the most votes in the Waterside Homes category. “The enchanting three-quarter-acre bayfront estate showcases thoughtful updates, expansive indoor-outdoor living, gorgeous tropical landscaping and picturesque water views from nearly every room,” said a news release describing the property. Michael Saunders & Company’s listing at 8324 Sanderling Road on Siesta Key for $9 million, represented by Kim Ogilvie, received the second-highest number of votes in the Beachfront Homes category, according to a Michael Saunders & Co. news release. There’s more on this story here: SK Home Wins HGTV Competition

LAWSUIT LANDSCAPE GET MORE AND MORE HAZY

In relation to the lawsuits against the Sarasota County-approved hotels, the legal carousel keeps turning. And the ride for Siesta Key resident Lourdes Ramirez gets ever more tedious. And expensive. Since January, Ramirez – who sued the county in late 2021 – has had representatives go before the 12th Circuit Court on several occasions and even a commission at the state capitol building comprised of members of the governor’s cabinet. Nothing has been ruled upon, however, and a trial set for November combining both Ramirez’s case and another similar lawsuit is still possibly in play. “Legal costs keep piling up,” Ramirez said. “But that is what the developers count on — they hope to make it a financial burden for citizens to challenge their developments. “But I’ll keep moving forward.” On July 7, in the most recent round of activity, attorney Richard Grosso presented on Ramirez’s behalf his opinions on how the county violated its own comprehensive plan when giving the green light in late 2021 for an eight-story, 170-room hotel near the Village along Calle Miramar and later a seven-story, 120-room hotel on Old Stickney Point Road near the south bridge – including a five-story parking garage across the street. In 2022, a third hotel was approved at 5810 Midnight Pass Rd., at the location of the former Wells Fargo Bank, with six stories and 112 rooms in the plans. Unlimited density was allowed by the county’s commissioners as part of the 2021 decision, opening the door for the large hotels. Previous to that, there were limits on the island of 26 rooms per acre and 35 feet of height for such developments. In the Calle Miramar case, which is the focus of Ramirez’s lawsuit, the 170 rooms would be on .96 acres. The proposed hotel is near where she resides. A second lawsuit against the county involves all of the hotels and was filed jointly by Robert Sax and the Marina Del Sol condominium, which is located by the Old Stickney Point hotel and where Sax is the president, and by the residents of the complex at 222 Beach Rd., near the Calle Miramar project. Attorneys for the county and the developers also spoke on July 7, now before Hunter Carroll, a judge with the 12th Circuit Court. That court was asked by both Ramirez and the county late last year for a summary judgment instead of a trial. Carroll said that day he would make a ruling in a few weeks, and what impact that ruling, if any, could have on the slated trail remains uncertain. Meanwhile, a second Ramirez filing with the state’s Division of Administrative Hearings did receive a ruling in the spring, and it was in Ramirez’s favor. Susan Van Wyk, an administrative law judge, determined on April 3 that the county’s actions were not consistent with its comprehensive plan. That led to a May 23 hearing before the Florida Administration Commission, where the members would possibly rule on whether Sarasota County could suffer sanctions for its decision unless it’s repealed – sanctions that could impact the state’s contributions to the county in areas such as funding for roads. No such findings against a Florida county have occurred since 1996. Please click on the link for more, courtesy of Siesta Sand: Lawsuit Landscape Gets More Hazy