City, county to discuss homeless shelter

After trading barbs about progress on the local homeless initiative at separate meetings, Sarasota county and city commissioners will meet for a workshop Tuesday to vet the topic together.

Commissioners will discuss progress on the second round of environmental studies of two sites picked to potentially house a "come as you are" homeless shelter, as recommended by consultant Robert Marbut. Staff will also issue updates on plans for a families and children shelter in the city of North Port, a homeless management information system and the city of Sarasota's homeless outreach teams.

City staff earlier this year identified the site at 1330 North Osprey Ave. as problematic because the city had planned to use the property as a staging area for a wastewater project, and Tuesday staff will advise officials that the site will need to go through a public hearing process before coming before the Planning Board, according to an email from Assistant County Administrator Lee Ann Lowery. The same process would take six months to complete prior to any potential development of a homeless shelter on the other site at 1800 East Ave.

"This seems to be another last minute addition, similar to the 18 month 'staging area' one that was brought up a few weeks ago," said County Commissioner Joe Barbetta in a response to Lowery's email. Barbetta has been a vocal critic of the city's handling of the site-selection process.

“There is a clear path by the administration in the city to sabotage this process,” Barbetta said during a March 19 meeting. “It’s becoming a political football, and it’s just not proper. I think they’re insulting Dr. Marbut ... and they’re insulting the public.”

Commissioners will also discuss recommendations from advisory board to extend the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area from another 30 years, instead of allowing it to sunset in 2016.

Since 1986, the Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency has taken city and county property taxes from within the downtown area and reinvested them into infrastructure and public/private projects inside the heart of the city and, since 2007, Newtown.

“There are several areas that have not been redeveloped, which is the whole point of this,” said CRA extension committee Vice Chairman Chris Gallagher. “There’s still a lot of work to do, and so, in a sense, its mission is not complete yet.”

IF YOU GO
What: Sarasota Count Commission/Sarasota City Commission workshop
When: Noon Tuesday, April 1
Where: Commission Chambers, Administration Building, 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota