Sarasota County wants to clear the air about misinformation regarding Celery Fields

The county entered into a conservation easement in 2020 on the southwest quad that provides for both conservation and for a portion to be used for county government needs. The southeast and northeast quads are also protected by the same conservation easement. The conservation easement was initiated by county commission, and they approved it in 2020 to protect the buffer with the celery fields.

See the following excerpt from page three of Board Assignment 22-002:

“Future County Plans for Southwest Quad:

The county-owned southwest quad is located at the southwestern intersection of Palmer Boulevard and Apex Road.  The property is approximately 10.3 acres and is currently undeveloped. The developable area of this parcel is limited by a perpetual Conservation Easement (Attachment 11) that was granted by the County to the Conversation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, Inc. Please see Article IV of the Conservation Easement for list of uses and practices that are expressly prohibited or restricted. Per Section G of Article IV of the Conservation Easement: “Development and land uses are prohibited unless for government, civic, recreation, conservation, and/or education purposes by the Grantor or Grantee … “Furthermore, per Article X. Miscellaneous, Paragraph P, No Third-Party Rights. “The Parties hereto do not intend, nor shall this Easement be construed, to grant any rights, privileges or interest to any third party.” Therefore, the Conservation Easement does not allow for a private, non-governmental, or third­party organization or office use.”

To reiterate, there is no plan for private sector development on the southwest quad or the other two protected quads.

Read the full board assignment here: https://loom.ly/usJeOMo