STEVE REID
Editor & Publisher
sreid@lbknews.com
A city-run “visioning session” scheduled for next Thursday is being billed as a community discussion on the post-hurricane future of St. Armands Circle. But to resident leaders and watchful locals, it looks more like a Trojan horse—a maneuver that could rewrite local zoning laws, spark widespread hotelization, and forever alter the region’s charm and traffic flow.
The stakes for the barrier island have rarely been higher. At the heart of the controversy is a high-profile push by developers, notably the team seeking to rebuild the Shore restaurant, to add density and controversial third-floor boutique hotel units or short-term rentals to the Circle.
Because of the nature of municipal zoning, a concession made to revitalize one commercial property would legally apply to the rest. If the city yields to developers on density or height, the doors will be flung open for massive commercial buildup across the entire historic district.
“If this concept is financially successful for this one developer, why won’t more and more commercial properties on St. Armands do the same thing?” asked Chris Goglia, President of the St. Armands Residents Association. “Once zoning changes are made for this one property, they then apply to all properties. Is that what the community wants for the future of St. Armands?”
A Highly Restricted “Public” Meeting
Despite the massive regional implications, critics are pointing out a glaring irony: while the City claims it wants community input, Thursday’s meeting is far from an open-door town hall.
The session will be held at a venue with limited capacity and requires an RSVP through an Eventbrite link, a setup critics have likened to registering for a wedding. With pro-development stakeholders highly motivated and well-aware of the event, there are mounting fears that developers will pack the room, potentially leaving passionate residents locked out of the very meeting designed to dictate the future of their own neighborhoods.
The FEMA Factor and a History of Pushback
The current push for density is deeply tied to the devastating 2024 hurricane season. Developers of the proposed “Shore flagship” at 24 and 28 N. Boulevard of the Presidents are facing strict FEMA “50% Rule” guidelines, which require extensively damaged buildings to be elevated to modern flood codes. Faced with those exorbitant costs, developers are looking to expand upward to make their investments pencil out.
However, this is not the first time development interests have tried to reshape the Circle. In 2021 and 2022, an effort to authorize hotel use and increase commercial height limits was unanimously rejected by the City Commission. A separate plan to build a hotel on the Fillmore Parking Lot also collapsed.
Residents argue that what developers couldn’t achieve through direct proposals in the past is now being repackaged under the guise of post-storm “visioning” and resilience planning. Goglia and others emphasize that adding high-density commercial spaces and hotels to a barrier island with already-strained evacuation routes and notorious traffic congestion is a recipe for disaster.
What is at Stake?
The outcome of this process will fundamentally determine the future of St. Armands. If the visioning sessions are allowed to quietly endorse increased density without a massive showing of community opposition, the charm, traffic, and scale of the region will be permanently transformed.
Anyone who cares about overdevelopment, traffic congestion, and the preservation of St. Armands Circle is being urged by resident advocates to secure a seat, attend, and make their voices heard.
Meeting Details:
• What: St. Armands Visioning Workshop (First of two sessions)
• When: Thursday, February 26, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Where: Mote Marine Keating Marine Education Center (the elevated building on City Island) 1599 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL
• Parking: Limited parking under the building; additional parking near the Save Our Seabirds/Mote Marine lot.
• Registration: Due to limited seating, registration is strictly required. Residents can secure a ticket via Eventbrite using this Direct Link https://www.eventbrite.com/e/st-armands-visioning-workshop-tickets. Alternatively, those wishing to attend can also go to Eventbrite.com and put the words “St. Armands Visioning Workshop” in the search bar.
• Make Your Voice Heard: If the event fills up and registration is not available, or if you are unable to attend and wish to make sure your opinion is heard, it is recommended to email Sarasota City Mayor Debbie Trice at: debbie.trice@sarasotafl.gov
