Sarasota City Commission Town Hall on Strategic Plan - February 14, 2025
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Sarasota City Commission Town Hall on Strategic Plan - February 14, 2025
The Sarasota City Commission held a Town Hall Public Meeting on February 14, 2025, from 9:00 AM (called to order at 9:05 AM) at the SRQ Media Studio in City Hall Annex, 1565 First Street, Sarasota, Florida. The purpose was to receive public comments on the City of Sarasota Strategic Plan. The Commission allotted three minutes per speaker.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Donna Cubit Slawyer (City resident, Rosemary District) expressed appreciation for a city employee who went out of his way to help a resident with a parking citation. She urged the city to refresh the rainbow crosswalk at First, Second, and Pineapple to show support for the LGBTQ+ community, offering to donate paint for the project.
- John Mercer (Downtown Sarasota resident) argued that the city's so-called strategic plan is not strategic but rather a tactical plan or commission project plan. He stated that municipal strategic plans should look 10–20 years into the future and cover entire city operations, and noted that the city already has a true strategic plan in its comprehensive plan.
- Kelly Brown (President, Glesby Park Neighborhood Association and Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations, representing over 30 neighborhoods and 6,000 residents) cited survey results showing 73% of respondents ranked community well-being as their top priority related to development and parks, and over 83% ranked public safety as their top priority. She asked the Commission to support increased budget requests for resident safety (walking, bicycling, driving), and for continued progress on meaningful neighborhood input, park protection, and growth management.
- Richard Harris (Immediate Past President, Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations) voiced support for CCNA's president and the strategic planning process. He recounted the history of CCNA's strategic initiatives, including the missing middle overlay, Bobby Jones golf course, and meaningful neighborhood input.
- David Lough (speaking on behalf of DISCA) presented a PowerPoint with growth data: city population increased about 6% in the last four years, county population increased 10%, and Northport increased over 23%. He noted that approximately 60–70% of the city's growth will continue to come from greater downtown (including Rosemary District and Golden Gate Point), with growth now shifting east, north, and west. He cited examples: The Quay may have over 3,000 residents and 700 dwelling units, plus a new Hyatt and condo on the bay, with an estimated property valuation over $3 billion; Main Street recently completed about 400 apartments; and a new project at Ringling and Pineapple could include 100 attainable units. He also mentioned storm resilience challenges. Mayor Alpert requested he send the PowerPoint to the Commission.
Key Outcomes
- The Commission received public comments on the Strategic Plan; no formal action was taken during the Town Hall.
- Mayor Alpert asked David Lough to email the PowerPoint presentation to the Commission.
- A Commissioner noted that the city survey received nearly 700 responses to each freeform question, and those comments would be reviewed and considered as the Strategic Plan is developed.
- The meeting adjourned at 9:25 AM.
Meeting Transcript
2025. And um the purpose of the town hall is to allow for comments um regarding the strategic plan by the public. So we have about um we only have about five five or six uh cards up here. So commissioners, uh let me run it by you. How much uh time do we want to do like three minutes, five minutes, uh three minutes? Three is the typical, I think let's stick with it. All right, and um I I don't have a beat buzzer, so I'm gonna have to say stop. Right. So and the uh um would you read the pledge of public conduct because that applies to this meeting as well. We may disagree, but we will be respectful to one another. We would write all comments to issues, we will not engage in personal attacks. All right. So um I guess I guess um the speakers would come up to this table here and two at a time. We got Donna Cubit Slawyer and John Mercer. Tell me when you start the clock. We don't we don't have the clock here up here like we do too. Oh, I'm Donna Cubit Shoyer. I have a compliment for the city for you people, which is a segue into my comment. Um the other day I was on First Street and a middle-aged Latino woman looked very bewildered, so I asked if I could help her. She was looking for where she could get some information on her parking citation. She had been sent from this building across the street and she couldn't find it. Um the place. And I called the phone number, and uh a very nice young man, well, everybody's young to me, but um, answered the phone, and he said we're at fifteen fifty-eight or whatever, and he said, I'll come out to the door and meet you. And sure enough, we turned around, walked ten feet, and there was this charming young man who evidently was gonna not make her pay her ticket, um, to meet us. And I thought that was just wonderful, that an employee would go out of his or her way to help a citizen, no matter who it was. And I find that that is true whenever I deal with the city. And somebody sitting around this table probably encourages it and makes that happen. So thank you very much. Um my issue is I hope this stays the diverse and inclusive community that it currently is. I live in the Rosemary District. Um what I would like to see happen at one of the five many five corners we have in this city. It's the one at first, second, and pineapple, where the pride colors are are painted in the crosswalks. They're looking a little dingy. I believe that we need to support the LBGTQ plus community and freshen those up. I'd be glad to donate money for the paint. You don't want me to paint it. Um, but I think we need to show that community who is very present in our community that we care about them. It uh sends a message to the community and to our tourists and to everybody. Thank you. Thank you so much. Um if it looks like I'm not paying attention, I'm taking notes on what you are saying. So John Mercer. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Um, I'm John Mercer. I live in Sarasota, uh, downtown. My issue is probably unique to me. It's really a pet peeve that I have about your so-called strategic plan. Um, and I apologize if it comes off as being a bit pendantic. But what bothers me is that for many years the city has called the document that you are about to develop, its strategic plan. It most certainly is not a strategic plan.
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