Officials, residents discuss city-neighborhood relations

When city parks staff members decided to expand the availability of dog parks in Sarasota, they had to pick a starting point.

Based on previous resident input, the city settled on Whitaker Gateway Park and Gillespie Park. Residents near both parks had approached the city previously about building fenced-in dog parks, and no opposition to either proposal had emerged. In August 2017, the City Commission dedicated $210,000 in funding toward two dog park projects at those two sites.

Earlier this month, the city celebrated the grand opening of the Gillespie Park dog park. But plans for the Whitaker Gateway Park dog park are now a source of controversy. Earlier this year, residents of the nearby Bays Bluff condominium association spoke at a commission meeting opposing the plans, stating the city had never approached them.

They returned to the commission twice more, until eventually the board agreed to revisit the project at a future meeting.

For Commissioner Hagen Brody, the outcome has been troubling. The city approved plans based on reports of significant resident support, including testimony from the Tahiti Park Neighborhood Association, only to discover a pocket of resident opposition for which officials had failed to account.

Brody said that, generally speaking, he sees input from a neighborhood association as a significant factor when considering an issue. But he believes the city may need to be more vigilant about considering the potential shortcomings of using a neighborhood association’s position as shorthand for broader community consensus.

“As a representative of the entire population of the city, I have to keep in the back of my mind that there are some people who are not involved in the neighborhood associations,” Brody said. “At the end of the day, I have to take everything into account to make a decision.”

A similar point of concern came up earlier in the summer when the Alta Vista Neighborhood Association spoke in opposition to the proposed extended closure of a segment of School Avenue near Sarasota High School. Although the neighborhood association was formally against the plans, another Alta Vista resident pointed out that fewer than a dozen residents attended the meeting where that decision was made.

So, when the city hears from its neighborhoods, how much weight should it ascribe to that input?

Community representatives

Despite his concern on the Whitaker Gateway Park issue and a few others, Brody spoke highly of the city’s efforts to coordinate and engage with neighborhood groups.

So did Carl Shoffstall, president of the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations. CCNA represents more than 30 neighborhood groups throughout the city, bringing residents together each month to discuss specific and citywide issues. Shoffstall said the group is trying to be as helpful as possible for its members, offering a support system for neighborhoods and a direct line to key city decision-makers.

A number of city officials typically attend each meeting, including at least one representative for administration, other staff members and multiple commissioners. The officials have become part of a recurring feature at CCNA meetings, giving neighborhood representatives an opportunity to get answers regarding pressing topics from people such as Deputy City Manager Marlon Brown.

“I think they’re really trying to work with the neighborhoods,” Shoffstall said of city staff.

Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch sees the city’s relationship with neighborhood associations as a point of pride rather than a point of potential concern. Before joining the commission, she was president of the Tahiti Park Neighborhood Association and a member of the CCNA executive committee.

She said neighborhood input is just one thing she takes into account when making a decision, but she said there is significance to someone speaking on behalf of a larger group. She wasn’t certain whether that significance varied depending on a neighborhood association’s size or level of engagement, but she is committed to hearing out any group or individual offering input on city issues.

“I think what’s important is that you listen to people when they come and speak to you,” Ahearn-Koch said.

With regard to the Whitaker Gateway Park project specifically, Ahearn-Koch said it was unfortunate Bays Bluff did not learn about the plans, but she said the proposal was discussed at multiple public meetings before the commission approved it. She said getting involved with a neighborhood group was an opportunity to stay apprised of key issues affecting your segment of the community.

“Whether it’s on a personal level or a civic level, it’s important to reach out to your neighbors and know who they are,” Ahearn-Koch said.

Shoffstall acknowledged some neighborhood associations are more organized than others, but he said CCNA was striving to help all neighborhood groups become more stable, purposeful organizations. He also said CCNA was willing to help educate residents in areas without a formal neighborhood association about the benefits of joining together.

“We’re trying to get as many neighborhoods involved as possible,” Shoffstall said.

Differing perspectives

Although he said it was useful for neighborhood associations to be well organized, Shoffstall bristled at the notion that the city ascribed too much significance to input from resident groups. Shoffstall is also president of the Lido Key Residents Association, a group that has offered outspoken opposition to the city’s plans to lease the Lido Pavilion to a private operator. Despite that opposition, the city approved a lease agreement last year.

Brody was one of three commissioners to vote to adopt that lease agreement. His rationale for that vote echoed his thoughts about the influence of neighborhood associations. Resident input is one factor to take into consideration, but oftentimes, the city is considering proposals that have implications extending beyond the neighborhood closest to a project site.

“In some cases, they have a limited voice because our decisions cannot only affect one neighborhood, but can affect many,” Brody said.

Brody said he “tremendously valued” input from neighborhood associations, and said the groups generally have a good read on the feelings of residents within their community. Still, he wanted officials to keep in mind that most city residents are not engaged with neighborhood associations, which means there are often voices unaccounted for when the commission weighs public input.

“At the end of the day, the analysis has to include our own common sense in the decision-making,” Brody said.