A Nice Place to Shop and Live

Village in the Park
Located on north end commercial property

Last Monday night, at the commission meeting, a few north end residents presented Longboat Key with a concept proposal for a beautiful, low-density, park-like, mixed-use development, at the north gateway to the island, called Village in the Park. The concept incorporates many features from the successful Pine Avenue project in the town of Anna Maria, but in a more park-like setting.

The idea behind the Village in the Park is to give residents, visitors and shoppers a unique and compelling experience that will promote a sense of community "with benefits". Our town has a unique opportunity to develop nearly ten acres of underutilized commercial property into a social and commercial center at the north end. There are over five hundred residences within a five minute walk from this location, so it is likely to be a convenient social center for the surrounding community.

Low density, individual, two story, green structures

The concept of extending the north end village, out to Gulf of Mexico Drive, creates an opportunity to maintain current densities while enhancing the ambiance of the entire island. Unlike Pine Avenue on Anna Maria Island, this project presents fewer obstacles to achieving an Old Florida park-like atmosphere, and at the same time restoring retail amenities that have not been available to the north end community for several years.

Foot bridge connecting Center for the Arts with the mixed-use development

The concept of a neighborhood-centric mixed-used development offers Longboat Key the opportunity to create a signature accommodation on the island that will promote both business and residential activity.  Several residents have advanced the idea of a public/private undertaking that includes "value capture" where surrounding residential properties benefit from being close to a beautiful park with light business and outdoor activities. The Village in the Park can be a relaxed social center for Longboat Key residents unlike existing parks that do not offer cafes or restaurants.

Village on the Park - a nice place to meet friends

Longboat Key has no other land where such a wonderful design concept can be created. For local residents, the Village in the Park will offer beach access and social amenities at one beautiful location in a natural setting.

Towles Court in Sarasota

The people promoting the Village in the Park point to the commercial success at Pine Avenue. It is their belief that combining public participation, along with beautiful design elements, will attract shoppers and develop a local following akin to the success of the Lazy Lobster and other retail -operations on the island, that do well on a year-round basis. They believe that if it is beautiful, and the amenities and businesses are attractive, the people will support the area.

Ed Chiles spoke at the same commission meeting about the goals of the Pine Avenue project as a means of maintaining and promoting an Old Florida town center and revitalizing an area of the community that had begun to deteriorate. Village in the Park is a concept that could accomplish the same ends and augment a unique area of Longboat Key - the village. Old Florida will remain attractive to home buyers and visitors for many decades to come.

Bishop's Bayou concept at Village in the Park

Above all, Village in the Park is about preserving and improving on the rare atmosphere of the village, while creating a viable retail/office/residential park setting. The proposal will protect Bishop's Bayou and expand controlled access to its beauty using mangrove walkways and intimate settings along the open water.







Bishop's Bayou setting concept

Bishop's Bayou is a beautiful place on Longboat Key that is presently completely inaccessible to the community. It has been the back alley of the Whitney Plaza for over thirty years. Village in the Park will protect and enhance this natural gem, respecting property owners while enabling a serene setting for island residents.

Casual social setting on Longboat Key

Village in the Park

Note:

Value capture refers to a type of public financing where increases in private land values generated by public investments are all or in part “captured” or recouped by the public sector. It provides a means for internalizing the positive externalities of public investments, allowing public agencies to tax the direct beneficiaries of their investments, and/or provide benefits to the taxpayers which fund the investments but do not necessarily enjoy them directly. The unearned increments, or increases in land value which otherwise profit private landowners without cost, may be captured directly by converting them into public revenue, e.g. using real estate taxes, impact fees, or other taxes levied upon landowners; or indirectly by converting them to land-related benefits, e.g. using exactions, public easements, or other nonpossessory interests granted to the public or a public agency.

Goat Rodeo

One Man's Charrette is Another Man's

Goat Rodeo

Goat Rodeo - A chaotic situation, often one that involves several people, each with a different agenda/vision/perception of what's going on; a situation that is very difficult, despite energy and efforts, to instill any sense or order into the process.

Goat Rodeo - A situation that has all the risks and none of the rewards. In a real rodeo, cowboys risk their necks, but they get to look cool. If the cowboys rode goats, they'd have just as much risk of injury, and wouldn't look cool. Such a situation has two possible outcomes: really bad or slightly less bad.

The last commission meeting demonstrated once again the disconnect between the commissioners and the residents. Once again the commission had unfulfilled expectations of a small town government having levels of expertise affordable only by much larger government bodies. Our commissioners appear not to realize that a two or three person department does not have the resources and capabilities of county-level agencies. By now the town manager has most likely become cognizant of the problems that arise because of a disconnect between the capabilities of the town's planning department and planning and zoning board, and the commission's blithe willingness to accept what plans are placed before them, without discussion or much consideration.

Last Monday's commission meeting was a goat rodeo when it came to the sweeping and poorly developed 2012-6 ordinance. As the commission meeting began, one commissioner looked out at the packed to over-capacity commission chamber, with dozens of residents backed up into the halls and anti chamber, and mused as to why all those people were attending a commission. He actually admonished the residents for wasting their time. It was the 2012-6 Ordinance and the north end commercial overlay that activated so many residents. After being besieged by a dozen concerned taxpayers, the commission dropped the north end overlay part of the ordinance, passing the much more drastic parts or 2012-6 virtually without discussion. How can they do that? This ordinance removes all land use protections and opens our community to political exploitation by any developer who can suck-up to enough commissioners to create a purely political majority.

I believe that the commissioners are hard working, dedicated residents with the best of intentions. I also know that they are hanging out there all on their own since, the town staff has no ability to give them expert guidance in some areas. In 27 years, I have never heard of the planning department coming before the commission to state that they know little to nothing about a particular area of zoning. Ordinance 2012-6 is a perfect example where the commission is unwittingly performing what should be brain surgery using a bulldozer instead of a scalpel.

The Key Club hearings were focused mainly on doing what Ordinance 2012-6 is now trying to legalize, without having to create and process any changes to the town's Comprehensive Plan. Instead the Key Club lawyers created Ordinance 2010-16. Ordinance 2010-16 was narrowly passed and then found to be illegal by a state judge. The result was a wasted two and a half years. Anyway, early on in the initial commission hearings, it became clear to me that what was being proposed by the Key Club, and tacitly supported by the town's legal staff, was a suspension of extremely important land use protections on Longboat Key. I remarked then that what was being proposed would allow my neighbor to construct a nuclear reactor in their back yard if four mostly unelected commissioners agreed. It got a laugh, but that is exactly what is happening. Ordinance 2012-6 does just that. Welcome to the new frontier of land use on Longboat Key.

Back to Goat Rodeos. The previous planning director, and a very small planning department, created the north end commercial overlay and presented it to a commission appointed planning and zoning board. The north end overlay looks as though it was actually created by a hotel developer. The PZB, in the view of many residents, has all the problems and challenges of a politically appointed body. Both the planning department and the planning and zoning board lack the depth and resources to craft complex zoning proposals. The problem appears to be that the commissioners find it easier to ignore this problem and act on the recommendations presented to them, as if the planning department and the planning and zoning board  recommendations invariably best serve the community.

We expect too much from our town staff, as was demonstrated by the recent TE Connectivity communications study, that exposed the deficiencies of the previous planning director,and her small staff, in the area of modern-day communications.

The commission needs to stop blindly following the advice of our hard-working staff when we ask them to perform work beyond their expertise. We need to stop believing that a few small town staff workers can possibly be experts on everything. Yet experts are exactly what is required.

The cell tower issue was misguided from the beginning by the previous planning director, and staff, who repeatedly assured the commissioners that, not only was a cell tower needed badly by a majority of the residents, but that a cell tower was the only solution. Since the commissioners rightly relied on staff to give the town well-researched and complete sets of choices, the commission was left hanging in a seemingly illogical situation with the planning director telling them they must build a cell tower despite a large community dislike for inappropriate structures on Longboat Key. Fortunately, one of our commissioners, along with the new town manager, finally gave the commission a clear understanding of the technical and  community impact implications of a cell tower. The previous commissions never questioned the ability of the previous planning director to present a competent and unbiased report to the commission. The current commissioners are much less apt to accept staff positions at face value. The cell tower process was a veritable Goat Rodeo that went on for years.

We need to stop playing pin the land use ordinance on the goat. We need to stop and seek professional informed advice.

Longboat Key can afford to hire specialized professionals when specialized and/or complex solutions are required. When faced with challenges beyond the reach and training of our staff, the town needs to look outside local town government. The problem seems to be that the commission sometimes lacks the knowledge to realize the need for qualified professional advice. Hopefully, this is beginning to change.

This is wonderful music. Chris Thile is a monster musician.

Enough is Enough

Jim Eatrides, owner of  the Alpha Omega company located at Whitney Plaza on Longboat Key, has once again requested at least a half hour of the commission's time, including the expensive town attorney, to hear Eatrides' complaints about the recent telecommunications report to the town commission by TE Connectivity. TE Connectivity is a communications industry giant that was selected by the town to provide a comprehevsive, objective recommendation about the best way to solve Longboat Key's communications.  In 2011, TE Connectivity had $14.3 Billion annual net sales. The TE report states that DAS will provide better service than the 150  foot cell tower being hawked to the town by Eatrides for the past four years or more.

Office of Jim Eatrides' company Alpha Omega at Whitney Plaza

Signs on the window of the Alpha Omega office

Note the T-Shirt shop has been closed for many months

Office of Jim Eatrides' company Alpha Omega at Whitney Plaza

Jim Eatrides is being granted special status in that most any other citizen is usually allowed 3 minutes of input to the town at commission meetings. Eatrides has no licensing or certification in telecommunications. Eatrides has not submitted any sort of proposal or plan that has managed to meet the town's requirements, despite four attempts. Why is Eatrides being continually granted specific and unusual access to town government on all levels? The same can be said for a few other selected special interest efforts, where certain individuals are allowed to consume taxpayer dollars and town resources to further private agendas.

I estimate that the town has spent in the vicinity of $100,000.00 directly addressing Eatrides sales pitch, including staff and town attorney time.

It is time to charge Eatrides for town services, just like there are charges for subdividing property,  remodeling a kitchen, or expanding the Key Club.

Enough is enough! We as a community can to better than this.





The Final Solution at the North End

Foot bridge over Bishop's Bayou at north end park

What to do at the north end to solve the failed commercial blight that has been becoming increasingly worse over the past twenty years. The time has come for the town to work with the taxpayers to create a solution that will allow the surrounding 500 residences to coalesce as a neighborhood, free of the specter of an abandoned Whitney Plaza, gas station and bank building. The taxpaying north end residents are not able to support retail at the north end for many reasons. Longboat Key residents need to realize that there is 3 times more commercial property on Longboat Key than the 3000+ year-round residents can support. Some of this land needs to be converted to residential or public use. The north end, with its concentration of 500+ residences within a few minutes walk from Whitney Plaza, is the most advantageous place to create a community park that will have high usage by the surrounding homes while raising property values and hopefully attracting more families.

A community park at Whitney Plaza and the adjacent properties would not require parking since 1000+ residents own property within a few minutes walk of the park facility. There is existing public parking across GMD if needed. The park could provide social activities such as Pickle Ball, Bacci Ball and shaded areas for socializing. Tables and chairs tastefully located beside the bayou would provide a beautiful ambiance while respecting the fragile ecology of the waterway and adjacent residences.

Visitors to our island would be greeted by an attractively landscaped natural setting as they come onto Longboat Key from the north. A community park would have zero impact on traffic congestion. If the town reduces the speed limit to 35 MPH along the northern part of GMD, as has been done quite effectively by Bradenton Beach, residents would be able to traverse the highway in relative safety.

Whatever efforts the town might make to encourage commercial development at the north end, two things would remain unresolved and prolong the present decay brought on by the inability of the business community to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The first is the predictable resistance by the 500+ residence owners surrounding Whitney Plaza to tourism, as it threatens their way of life. The second is the town's inability to guarantee that any developer will be willing to invest millions at a location with very low drive-by numbers, as has been pointed out by the current owners of Whitney Plaza. No one has been able to attract a successful business to Whitney Plaza in the past twenty years. 

There is a fix for the commercial property blight that has existed at the north end for too many years. It is a solution that would increase the value of the surrounding 500+ homes and condominiums while not increasing density or congestion - a community park.

Given the fiscal obligations the Town currently faces, such as resolution of pension funding and the much larger and ongoing beach maintenance program, finding a way to purchase the commercial properties at the north end would be no small challenge. An ad velorum bond could be one mechanism. Another might be a privately offered tax-free instrument to the current property owners, somewhat like an owner-financed mortgage.  But the projected tax base differential between the current decaying commercial land at the north end and a beautiful community park, that would augment the island's bucollic ambiance, would probably be more than enough to off-set the cost of a low interest mortgage on $6 million in land acquision costs. Please do not take issue with these estimates, they are just that, estimates. This is a discussion and open to constructive input.

There are so many pluses attached to turning the empty, decaying commercial property at the north end of Longboat into a beautiful community park, surrounded by 500+ residential properties, that a park almost looks too good to pass up. The aggregate value of residential real estate directly surrounding Whitney Plaza exceeds $200 million. Only a modest increase in assessed property values, as a result of added community amenities, would more than pay for the $6 million long-term low interest loans used to acquire the aproximately 8 acres of commercial land to be included in the community park.

The choice between taking a chance that some commercial development will occur at the north end after 25 years of nothing as the result of some sort of commercial overlay, or the assured increase in property values resulting from transforming deteriorating and non-performing commercial property into a highly desireable community park, is clear. In the long run, the taxpayers of Longboat Key would profit most from investing in their own community. All ships rise on the tide, it is said. Actually, the county should buy all the commercial property as they will profit most from increased ad velorem taxes.

Getting burned at both ends

According to the ILO, “Americans work 137 more hours per year than Japanese workers, 260 more hours per year than British workers, and 499 more hours per year than French workers.”


Using data by the U.S. BLS, the average productivity per American worker has increased 400% since 1950. One way to look at that is that it should only take one-quarter the work hours, or 11 hours per week, to afford the same standard of living as a worker in 1950 (or our standard of living should be 4 times higher). Is that the case? Obviously not. Someone is profiting, it’s just not the average American worker.


If we look at wages in America compared to productivity since the 1970's, we see that while productivity has increased steadily, wages have remained relatively flat.

This has been a bountiful economic boon for American business. The cost of labor, as a percent of production, has been steadily decreasing for the past 40 years. This resulted in ever increasing profits. On the other side of this economic equation, American workers have been caught in ever increasing inflation with no off-setting increase in earnings.


For a time, American business was able to expand exports to compensate for greatly increased production in a society with wage controlled limited buying power.


In the early 70's American business figured out how to increase American consumption, to keep up with increased production, while decreasing labor costs and increasing profits even more.


The answer was to loan business profits back to the workers. Now profits could be made from profits while increasing the debt of the worker and assuring his/her need to work even harder, without the need for more capital investment. This was brilliant.

American business took in more and more cash while the buying power from wages of their workers remained static. This presented a problem for the business community, until someone figured out that the way to increase consumption was to loan the workers the money to buy more stuff. There was simply no other way to invest ever increasing profits. This was a brilliant scheme and it has worked extremely well for the past 40 years. During that time the standard of living in America rose faster and higher than at any other time in history.

BINGO! Now American business had a winning economic model. They were able to make money at both ends from their workers. On one hand American workers were willing to work harder, longer and smarter. Computers play a major role, increasing productivity while lowering labor costs. The American work week steadily increased from the low point at the end of the American labor movement in the late 60's where 1 in five households had 2 working parents to the 2000's where 70% of American families have 2 working parents. This is a staggering increase in the American labor force.

American workers were eager to elevate their standard of living and were willing to worker longer hours and harder to get there. So began the beginning of the end for the post  60's American business model.

Now the American worker is tired and worn out. He/she cannot work harder than they already do. The business community is slowly realizing that the rate of increased productivity in America has been slowing over the past decade, while foreign labor costs make foreign production more profitable.

There is nowhere for the current American economic system to go in the new world economy. Business has run out of ways to invest its profits in America. The American worker has reached, and passed, any reasonable amount of loan debt, so that part of the profit equation is disappearing. Though the profits (15-30% from credit cards / student loans) are pretty good, the risks to American business, loaning its profits back to the workers who created the profits, has become too risky. Even though the American worker/taxpayer has been willing to socialize what had previously been private debt (70's Savings and Loan collapse + Wall Street collapse), the US tax base has deteriorated to a level where 47 percent of Americans do not pay federal incomes taxes.

The American way is running on fumes. There is nothing remaining to exploit. We have passed the point where political ideologies will make a difference. American business has been very successful since the second World War. Now the piper must be paid and the party may already be over.

I hope that our economy turns around quickly. I hope everyone has a good job very soon. I hope that our education system finds a way to get our children to once again hit the books, and get serious about getting an education instead of merely getting a degree. I hope we, as a nation, find a way to stop paying 2 to 3 times as much as other industrialized nations, for a mediocre, profit-driven medical system. I hope we as a people find a national dialog instead of everybody talking and nobody listening.

We are our own worst enemy.

Making Sense of Commission Myths

Myth 1 - that the commission can substantially change the major trends of the global real estate market.  The commission is trying to localize the housing market issue and scare the residents into believing that only developers can save our community from certain ruin. Nothing could be further from the truth. Up until the global economic recession of 2008, Longboat Key was one of the hottest real estate investment communities in America. Those little and old condominiums and homes, where most of us live, were selling for very high prices. The truth of the matter is that they will soon again be in great demand because of our unique low density community. That is unless we allow developers to plunge us into decades of redevelopment, where few would want to purchase property. That is where I disagree with a commission that wants to replace what has worked for decades with bigger and thus necessarily taller condominiums. I say let's wait a few years to change the comprehensive plan. If after the economy recovers we find that our homes are not selling at good prices, then we can seek solutions based on a stable real estate market and not on global conditions that affect everyone. The commissioners are not real estate marketing experts or land use experts.

Myth 2 - that if a community center is built in the middle of a 10-mile island, where a large percentage of the residents live only half the year or less, the center will be sustainable and active all year long by attracting off-island customers. 


The commission says if we spend millions of dollars to build a large community center, then everyone will flock to Bayfront Park to enjoy the view of the bay and attend meetings and classes. Ask yourself if you are one of those people. The commission further contends that in the 6 to 8 months of the year when residents are not living here, the facility will be filled by off-island organizations and clubs renting the meeting rooms and using the gym. I doubt that there will be all that much enthusiasm to drive 15 to 20 miles, through traffic, from downtown Sarasota or Bradenton to use our community center building. There are so many meeting centers in town. I think the taxpayers will be stuck paying a half million dollars a year to run and maintain the community center. I favor using the existing underutilized commercial building on Bay Isles at a fraction of the cost of constructing and maintaining a speculative venture at Bayfront Park.

When all is said and done, the commissioner's Bayfront Park project could cost $11+ million taxpayer dollars including the $4+ million the county spent for the commercial land south of Bayfront Park.

Myth 3 - if you try hard enough to legislate land use changes, that compromise the residents in favor of commercial interests, then the developers will fix everything. Developers, unless they are unfortunate, do not do anything that is not in their economic interests. Two developers took control of Whitney Plaza 2 years ago. To date they have been unsuccessful in attracting a single business to the shopping center. They have been unfortunate. I believe it will be more difficult for them now that Publix is building an attractive new commercial center at mid-island.


The current commission wants to sweeten the pot by using a quaint residential neighborhood as tourist bait, in hopes that a developer will invest millions in a large commercial tourist center at the north end. They have no plan 'B'. Yet they also have no idea if any developer will ever want to invest in what has been a losing proposition for the past 20 years. If the commission, or the commission's committee, does know about a developer, then our system of government is broken and we need to look at what happened in Venice. What if no developer comes forward? How many more years must we wait to rid our community of a blight that adversely affects the entire island? The proposed north end commercial overlay may actually prolong the north end blight resulting in continued depressed home values as far south as the Cedars tennis club.

Here's an idea and possible solution for the north end along GMD and Broadway.  The commercial property could be acquired for under $5 million in today's market. If the taxpayers are willing to spend upwards of $11 million on Bayfront Park, why not spend $5 million to create a park at the north end that would be easily accessible to more people while quickly resolving the blight conditions at the northern gateway to Longboat Key. After all a community is about its taxpaying residents above all else.

There are several differences between the two park projects including the costs. A park at the north end would be in walking distance of over 400 residences in the village and surrounding condominiums. People cannot easily get to Bayfront Park on foot. Having a park located at the north end, with low impact boating activities, would become an economic engine for rentals and home sales in the surrounding neighborhood. I do not believe there are many north end residents who want increased commercial tourism in their community. While Bayfront Park is just another roadside attraction, a park at the north end would be appreciated by anyone coming onto or leaving the north end of the island.

It does seem odd that the commission sanctioned revitalization committee, with the assistance of New College, a few north end residents and business people and several behind-the-gates residents could only come up with a single solution for the north end and that was a hotel



Myth 4 -  that the commission, and its various commercial proposals, has the support of the community. There are 16 people who comprise the Planning and Zoning Board and the Commission. Only 3 of these people have been elected. There have been no referendums, no community-wide scientific surveys and little effort by the the two bodies to include the community. Since Mr. Brenner has been on the commission, there has been much greater emphasis on using appointed committees that operate outside the Florida sunshine laws, but are still granted the same standing as if they were elected groups holding public meetings. This commission has effectively obfuscated the process of government. Mr. Spoll, a leader of one of the commission's secretive committees made recent comments that might lead one to think that Mr. Spoll is delegating the responsibility to each resident of ferreting out the inner-workings of our town's stealth apparatus, rather than the government being transparent and inclusive. This is never going to be an inclusive commission it seems.


Myth 5 - that the commission has made real progress towards improving our community in any substantive manner. I can not think of a single major effort by the commission that has come to fruition. Mr. Brenner is taking much credit for the Publix project, without any way of verifying his assertions, since according to Mr Brenner everything was done behind the scenes. The pension mess remains stuck in process. The marketplace continues to drive business on the island as it should, despite the so far feckless words of our commission that they will plan our way out of our problems. Luxury homes continue to be built in fair numbers up and down the island without input from the commission.


If you look at facts instead of myths, perhaps you will conclude that the current commissioner election offers Longboat Key residents an opportunity to tell the commission that we need to change our approach to town government. So far the commission's focus on pro-business, pro-developer legislation has not translated into any meaningful improvements for Longboat Key. There is no guarantee that the tourism business will ever return to a community that long ago transformed itself into an exclusive community that probably doesn't even want tourists. Isn't that why people live behind gates and on private roads?

Sex, promises and 150 room hotels

Mr. Spoll has now publicly assured the residents at the north end of Longboat Key that he will not force them to accept anything taller than a 3 story hotel over 2 stories of parking. Mr. Spoll may have forgotten that nice hotels usually have a spacious lobby and a restaurant on the first level. That makes 6 stories and counting the additional 14 feet allowed by town codes for elevator and stair shafts and equipment rooms on the roof.

Since the town commission is working on the second legal reading of their sweeping changes to the town's Comprehensive Plan, residents may no longer expect any sort of protection in the legal area of our codes. This commission is quickly making the process of granting variances to developers a political process. We have already reached the level of politics where our unelected mayor represents clients, as their architect, before the Planning and Zoning Board that he appoints. Who would you hire if you too wanted your building plans to have smooth sailing through the town?

No matter that two hotel developers have stated that a minimum of 150 rooms is essential to build a financially viable hotel at the north end of the island. Mr. Spoll knows better it seems. Three year ago, the same Mr. Spoll voted to spend $25K taxpayer dollars to hire a traffic engineer who would agree with Mr. Spoll that traffic roundabouts are bad and unsafe. Now that same Mr. Spoll appears to have done a 180 degree reversal and now embraces traffic roundabouts. I wish he had saved us all the $25K in the first place.

I typed into Google Images - "150 room hotel" and came up with dozens and dozens of pictures of 150 room hotels. You be the judge whether Mr. Spool has any idea what a 150 room hotel looks like. All the pictures show 6 to 9 story hotels. Please note that the two tallest condominiums at the Key Club are 10 stories tall.

When you vote, remember that Mr. Brenner publicly supports tourism development at the north end of Longboat Key. Then think about who would want to buy your home if your island becomes a commercial tourism destination at both the north and south ends.

L'Ambiance condominium - 10 stories tall