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November 20, 2023 Public Workshop

Potential Comp Plan Change on Siesta Key

The SKCC recommends attendance at the workshop below.

This is a good opportunity to ask questions about any concerns you

have.

Virtual Public Workshop for Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2022-D and UDC Text Amendment No. 2023-15 



Date: Monday, November 20, 2023

Location: Conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams meeting. See below for information on participating in the workshop.

Time: 5:30 p.m.

The Sarasota County Planning and Development Services Department is hosting a virtual public workshop to discuss Comprehensive Plan Amendment No. 2022‐D, a publicly initiated amendment adding Future Land Use Policy 1.3.3 (E) AND associated Unified Development Code Text Amendment No. 2023-15 relating to the voluntary demolition and rebuilding of existing multi-family structures within the Siesta Key Overlay District. 

Link to information to attend virtual workshop: https://www.scgov.net/Home/Components/News/News/5666/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

As of this writing, a draft of the amendments has not been made available. The County calendar may be checked on November 16 and 17 to see if any documents have been made available before the meeting.

Some of the concerns that have been raised:

1. Can unintended consequences of these amendments affect all Siesta Key? Could they result in increased intensity, traffic and safety concerns for residents and visitors?

2. The notice states, “This amendment would not allow an increase in density,” but there may be a larger issue: Would the amendment extend grandfathered non-compliance with density requirements for perpetuity, when that may not have been the original intent?

3. Would current standards require increases in size and land use which could increase intensity and potentially affect hurricane evacuation and emergency vehicle access?

4. Could this begin an assault on changing the Comprehensive Plan on Siesta Key?

5. All condominiums on SK of 3 stories or more built in 1999 or before require a Milestone Inspection and engineering report. Why wouldn’t the County want to see that report and include it in any consideration of a request to rebuild? If the County removes the burden of engineering criteria and just uses any condo built before 2000 code as the criteria, does the amendment stray from its original intent to address structural issues beyond repair and simply offer future buyers/developers a means of circumventing the density requirements of underlying zoning? Why should such criteria be less than the original requirements had a hurricane caused the damage? Who will determine whether there is a true emergency need or just disrepair and lack of maintenance?

6. Considering the recent ruling by Judge Van Wyck that overbuilding is a valid concern on Siesta Key, should the County consider the long-range consequences of changing the Comprehensive Plan before acting?

7. The County says it cannot regulate transient use, unit mix /type, or who initiates, existing owners or an unrelated third-party developer. Couldn’t unintended consequences be exploited by the proposed amendment? Could future third-party buyer/developers seeking ownership control of the high-rise/high-density existing condos (especially with beach access) be motivated by the opportunity to circumvent the underlying zoning restrictions of density and height to rebuild more transient models (e.g., condo-hotels, daily rental and/or time-shares)? Could future economic conditions and the expense and consequences of the Milestone Inspections and SIRS may make such conversions more economically feasible?

Managers/Presidents: Please post on your bulletin boards and ensure your Board of Directors/Residents receive a copy of this notice.

Please click this link for a download of a copy for printing or distribution by email to your board/residents.