- September 20, 2024
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Terry! Terry! He's our man! If he can't do it anyone (with a half a brain and something that resembles a pulse) can!
At the April 15 Sarasota City Commission Meeting, Commissioner Terry Turner moved to place a moratorium on downtown businesses seeking permits to offer entertainment or alcohol sales. According to Tuner, "things are deteriorating very quickly" because there have been a number of businesses have applied for permits to provide an active nightlife in downtown Sarasota. For instance, the The HuB's vocal ally Jesse Biter has been in the news with plans to open an open-space bar tentatively titled "The HuB PuB" in the vacant Bank of America lot adjacent to the HuB's headquarters at the intersection of Fruitville and Goodrich. Luckily, Turner's request was rendered null due to not following due process. Still, he plans to bring the matter to the table again at a 'special' city commission meeting slated for 4/23.
Perhaps Biter's reveal to the press was the cherry on top for Turner's erratic suggestion. But following the lift of the ban on amplified music, which was deemed unconstitutional by the ACLU, Turner has been in quite the tailspin, actively seeking ways to limit the amount of growth in the downtown core. Perhaps that's why I'll be cheering rather loudly when he leaves office.
After all, is now the time to limit the possibility of new revenue streams?Has anyone seen the tent city being erected in the Rosemary District on the vacant lot behind The Renaissance, near Rosemary Cemetery? What about the surge of panhandlers on every corner in downtown Sarasota? I hate to tell Turner the truth, but growth-limiting tactics are suffocating this city, along with the residents actively seeking employment.
Yes, homelessness in Sarasota is a multi-dimensional problem that involves drug and mental health issues along with some laziness in the mix. But shouldn't the city be pursuing solutions to combat this issue instead of putting more of a strain on those who are looking for work?
For the last few days I've been trying to wrap my head around Turner's rationale, and all I can conclude is that he is a fearful man clinging to fossilized ideas of what Sarasota was before the 2002 boom of downtown development. Now he's trying to prevent the next boom beginning to occur with projects such as The Jewel and the possibility of affordable rental units along Ringling Boulevard for young professionals. Perhaps he yearns to return to the 1920s prohibition era, planning to corner the market on speakeasies. After all, he will be out of a job soon, right?
Regardless, City Commissioner Paul Caragiulo, who continues to work on a plan to modify current sound regulations allowing a relaxation of decibel limits and extended weekend hours for outdoor entertainment, calls Turner's decision a "stupid way to handle the problem." Caragiulo states he previously voted in favor of the moratorium, along with the city commissioners, due to lack of clarity in regard to what the moratorium could mean for those already in the permitting process. He no longer supports the motion.
Neither do I. It's just another way to halt progress for the city of Sarasota before Turner steps down from office. If you find yourself nodding your head, plan to come to the next city commission meeting and weigh in on Turner's moratorium recommendation.
Will you attend?
Special Sarasota City Commission Meeting
City Hall
April 23, 2013
2:00 pm.
Updated 4/19/13 6:00 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27Tj-Xo_eqI
