Regular Sarasota City Commission Meeting – November 3, 2025

The Sarasota City Commission met on November 3, 2025, beginning at 9:00 AM. The meeting included a proclamation, a presentation from the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC), approval of numerous consent items, a discussion on the city manager search, a legislative public hearing on a comprehensive plan amendment for the Marian Anderson Place brownfield site, and several new business items including a joint meeting with the County Commission and adoption of the 2025 Watershed Master Plan. The meeting adjourned at 2:50 PM.

Proclamation

• A proclamation recognizing November 2, 2025, as The Susan Terry Foundation Day was presented to Ray Carson (Executive Director), Hillary Dunson (Director of Development), and John Acevedo (Vice President of Government and Civic Affairs).

Public Comments & Testimony

• John Simon (city resident) expressed concern about excessive noise from downtown special events (Fresh Fridays, Rocktoberfest, etc.), citing pulse-pounding bass affecting his building at 1350 Main Street.
• John Bordeaux (downtown resident) displayed a graphic showing 31 downtown special events approved for a one-year period (July 2024–July 2025) covering 36 closed street nights, and called for limits: one event per organizer per year, no more than one downtown event per month, all events ending by 10 PM, and requiring City Commission approval for any street closure or sound permit.
• Karen Hicks (city resident) criticized school zone speed cameras as a money grab, noting that Manatee County discontinued them. She said the city has 22 cameras, with three at Southside Elementary; no camera at Brookside despite student safety concerns, and that a portion of fine revenue goes to Manatee County schools.
• Celine O’Connor (Lido Key resident) showed a video of dangerous conditions at Ted Sperling/ South Lido Park (county-owned but within city limits). She urged the city to update its noise ordinance, noting it covers the park despite county ownership, and thanked the commission for undergrounding utility lines.
• Jim Lample (city resident) supported the previous speakers’ calls for reasonable noise and safety limits downtown.
• Martin Hyde (city resident, speaking during consent agenda on police contracts) criticized the city’s budget, staffing increases, and lack of action on food insecurity.
• Bob Kelly (St. Armand’s resident and board member of St. Armand’s Residents Association) spoke in support of the Resilient SRQ funding request, noting that only 80 of 140 stores have reopened since the 2024 storms and that St. Armand’s is a critical evacuation route.

Consent Calendar

• Approved unanimously (5-0):
  • Minutes of October 6, 2025.
  • Consent Agenda No. 1 (Items 1–4 and 6–11): 2026 meeting schedule, investment advisory agreement with Wertz York Capital Management (annual cost $108,400), two collective bargaining agreements with police unions (IUPA Locals #6045 and #6043), soil and materials testing services, FP&L easement for underground transmission, coastal engineering consulting services, electrical maintenance services extension, polymer chemical supply extension, and Van Wezel security contract extension.
  • Consent Agenda No. 2: Resolution 26R-3362 – supplemental appropriation of $858,000 for police wage increases and lump-sum payments for certain positions.
• Item VI.12 – 2025 Affordable Housing Advisory Committee Recommendations was removed from consent and approved separately (see Discussion Items).

Board Actions & Presentations

• 2025 Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) Report – Presented by Vice Chair Jon Thaxton.
  • Recommendations included: creating a dedicated funding source for affordable housing (e.g., small portion of property tax increase), improving monitoring of housing policies (e.g., tracking ADU affordability, expedited permitting effectiveness), and continuing joint meetings between city and county AHAC committees.
  • Discussion covered the need for units at 80% AMI and below, the impact of market-rate density increases on affordable housing demand, and the desire for mandatory inclusionary zoning (consistent with state law).
  • Vote: Motion to accept the AHAC report passed by consensus. A subsequent motion directing the city manager to request the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners to facilitate joint meetings of the two AHAC committees passed 5-0.

Discussion Items

• City Manager Search Update:
  • Warren Hutmacher (Sumter Local Government Consulting) presented the draft recruitment brochure. The Commission discussed narrowing the hiring range (suggested $20,000 range), requiring ICMA membership or willingness to work toward it, expanding qualifications beyond 10 years of experience to “progressive senior management experience,” including median rent data, and adjusting the timeline (first resume review December 12, 2025; semifinalist interviews mid-January 2026; finalist interviews early February 2026; background checks at semifinalist stage).
  • Vote: Motion to approve the brochure with enumerated changes passed 5-0.
• Joint Meeting with Sarasota County Commission:
  • Commissioners proposed topics: transit routes affected by large developments (especially affordable housing), parks (specifically Ted Sperling Park), stormwater management, and flexible time for unstructured discussion.
  • Vote: Motion to direct staff to schedule a joint meeting with these topics passed 5-0.
• School Convocation of Local Governments (January 16, 2026):
  • Commissioners requested agenda items: recycling in schools, updated skilled trades training, impacts of new developments on school utilization, charter school occupancy of underutilized buildings, and affordable housing collaboration. No action taken.
• Resilient SRQ Letters:
  • Staff presented funding requests for two dredging projects (Hudson Bayou ~$20 million, Whitaker Bayou ~$20 million with $10 million Army Corps match) and three infrastructure projects (St. Armand’s ~$25 million, Whitaker Bayou stormwater ~$15.9 million, Sarasota stormwater ~$6.7 million). Total request ~$82 million from county’s Resilient SRQ allocation.
  • Vote: Motion to approve Mayor’s signature on letters to County Commission Chair Joe Neunder passed 5-0.

Key Outcomes

• Public Hearing – Ordinance 25-5581 (Marian Anderson Place Comp Plan Amendment):
  • The Commission voted 5-0 to pass on first reading with site-specific proffers prohibiting processing of refuse, trash, and crushing/grinding of rocks, concrete, mortar, asphalt, or similar materials. Proffers to be included on second reading.
  • Separately, a motion to defer the question of terminating the Purchase and Sale Agreement for the North Parcel (due to late submission of Site Assessment Report) to the February 2, 2026 meeting passed 5-0. The Commission will then decide on a new deadline or termination.
• Resolution 25R-3357 – 2025 Watershed Master Plan: Adopted 5-0. The plan is a prerequisite for achieving a CRS Class 4 rating, which would save the community an additional $300,000 annually on flood insurance (total ~$1.8 million).
• Staff Direction: Commissioner Ohlrich requested that the interim city manager have staff prepare a presentation on ad valorem taxes as an educational tool.
• Housing Authority Update: Commissioner Ahearn-Koch reported that the Housing Authority Board voted 4-1 to request discussion on adding public parking at McCown Towers, with concerns over security and cost.
• Legal Notice: City Attorney Polzak announced a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Christian and Bridget Ziegler regarding execution of a search warrant; the city has not been formally served. He advised against public comment during litigation.
• Miscellaneous: Vice Mayor Trice appointed Commissioner Ahearn-Koch as delegate to the National League of Cities General Meeting. The state of the city address is scheduled for Friday, November 7, 2025.