2015 Issues to Watch: Bayfront plans

Sarasota Bayfront 20:20 is focused on developing a long-term vision for city-owned waterfront land, but whether its work will come to fruition is decidedly a short-term issue.

The group has done a considerable amount of work since forming early last year: First, by drawing in the participation of a laundry list of community organizations (24 at last count), then, by conducting a series of public meetings to compile hundreds of pages of resident input.

Michael Klauber, chairman of the Visit Sarasota County board and leader of Bayfront 20:20, has constantly stressed that the group is focused on the long-term big-picture, declining to delve into the specifics of what goes where until a broader community vision for the land is established.

That vision has begun to crystallize in recent months, and will be further solidified this year. After another pair of community workshops Saturday and Sunday, the group will share its preliminary findings with the City Commission at a workshop Monday. The centerpiece of those findings is a list of core principles — the values the community indicated are crucial in guiding the development of the land.

Candace Damon, vice chairman of consulting firm HR&A Advisors, compared the principles to a constitution, which would give the conversation surrounding the bayfront land continuity even as political administrations and whims change. The goal is to provide context for decision-makers down the road, she said, when concrete plans for the bayfront are ultimately mapped out.

“This gives you a framework to have 15 years of discussion and debate,” Damon said.

To this point, the city has given a seal of approval to the work of Sarasota Bayfront 20:20. January’s meeting will be the first opportunity for commissioners to weigh in on the principles — and, in general, the bulk of the work Bayfront 20:20 leaders have undertaken. Klauber said the workshop would give the commission a chance to provide direction to the organization’s leaders going forward.

Within the positive feedback the commission has given to Bayfront 20:20, there have been some signs that the city could be reluctant to cede too much power to outside sources. The commission did not hesitate to restrict the construction of a convention center on the land in question following a leaked proposal that included a similar amenity, and Vice Mayor Susan Chapman has indicated the city should be actively steering the planning efforts.

“Certainly given that this is our land — the largest section — I think it’s important the city take a more active role in this process,” Chapman said.

Even if all goes well, it remains to be seen what role the group plays in the planning process beyond the next few months, when it finalizes its preliminary guiding principles and a roadmap to implementation. At that point, Klauber said, it’s the city’s prerogative to determine what the next step is.

At its last meeting, Bayfront 20:20 members discussed the various scenarios that could emerge — ranging from the city conferring planning power to an independent organization to the group functioning solely as a support organization as the city takes the lead. Regardless of what happens, Klauber and the rest of the group are determined to push forward and achieve some significant progress toward their lofty ambitions.

“Almost 100 years ago, John Ringling had a vision for a cultural institution on the bayfront, which is now the Ringling campus,” Klauber said. “One hundred years later, it’s our turn.”
 

FACTS FOR ’15
The issue: City leaders have long targeted a 42-acre swath of city-owned bayfront land, largely devoted to parking at the moment, for redevelopment.

Why you should care: After seeking community input on how that land should be developed, a grassroots collective will present its findings to the City Commission this year — a crucial moment for the future of prime Sarasota real estate.

WHAT’s NEXT: Sarasota Bayfront 20:20 is still holding meetings to gather community input on the land in question, including two this weekend. The group will go before the City Commission on Monday, a workshop planned as a precursor to a more strenuous discussion with the board in the spring.