City Commission to hear bayfront update

For the first time in six months, Sarasota Bayfront 20:20 will formally update city leaders on the group’s work toward developing a vision for the future of 75 acres of bayfront land.

The City Commission is holding a workshop today regarding the efforts of Sarasota Bayfront 20:20. The group, backed by more than 20 stakeholder groups, is attempting to build community consensus surrounding the development of that bayfront land, located near the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.

The majority of that land — 42 acres — is owned by the city. Commissioners have endorsed the group over the past year, enabling city staff to work alongside Bayfront 20:20 following a July meeting. Still, the lion’s share of the bayfront group’s engagement with the public has come after that meeting, with today’s workshop serving as the commission’s first formal opportunity to weigh in on those efforts.

With the assistance of New York-based consultants HR&A Advisors, Bayfront 20:20 has developed a preliminary list of six guiding principles for the bayfront real estate. Over the past three months of public workshops, the community has indicated those principles are crucial in guiding the development of the land. They are:

+ Aspiration — making the bayfront an iconic, public destination focused on the city’s cultural institutions and natural environment
+ Cultural Heritage — strengthening the bayfront’s identity as a cultural and arts destination
+ Bayfront/Natural Assets — developing publicly accessible space and enhancing views of the bay
+ Activation — building amenities and creating activities that will support the active usage of the bayfront throughout the day and year-round
+ Connectivity — enhancing the connectivity of the bayfront to adjacent neighborhoods and the entire region
+ Sustainability — ensuring that whatever development is both ecologically and economically sustainable

Those principles are subject to change as the group continues to gather feedback from the community. Bayfront 20:20 held two public meetings this weekend, designed at capturing input from a broader segment of the city. The first was held at JDub’s Brewing Co., and the second at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex in Newtown. Between the two events, the group estimated more than 150 individuals attended.

Michael Klauber, leader of the Bayfront 20:20 group, said Monday’s meeting will serve as an opportunity for the commission to provide direction on the work done over the past six months. Afterwards, the group will continue to work on refining the principles and developing a blueprint to implement its findings.

IF YOU GO

What: Sarasota Bayfront 20:20 City Commission Workshop
When: 6 p.m. Monday, January 5
Where: Commission Chambers, City Hall, 1565 First St., Sarasota.

More information about Sarasota Bayfront 20:20 can be found at the group's website.

Contact David Conway at [email protected].