Our priority: birds, people?

It is just never enough. Never enough.

You get the impression if the Florida Audubon Society and similar environmental groups, statewide and locally, were the autocratic rulers of Florida, they would turn all of undeveloped Florida into untouchable, taxpayer-funded, preserved environmentally sensitive park land.

Just watch what happens next month when the Florida Audubon Society, the Sarasota Citizen Action Network and other eviro groups descend on the Sarasota County Commission to block the rezoning of 50 acres of the Smith family farm near the county’s Celery Fields bird sanctuary. 

The owners want to rezone their property from its current status of one home per 10 acres to 3.5 homes per acres to allow for the development of 170 homes. The property, by the way, is listed on the county’s future land use map for moderate density residential.

But as these things always go in Sarasota and Manatee counties, the anti-development forces want government to intervene and stop property owners from having the rightful benefits and use of what they own.

Indeed, we often say that anyone who thinks he owns his home and has the rights that come with ownership — e.g. managing your property for your own use, benefit and enjoyment — is delusional. Earlier in the year, we referred to the current state of property ownership as economic fascism. That is, lawmakers leave ownership in the hands of private individuals (you maintain it; you pay the taxes), but pressures from the mob cause lawmakers to bow and coerce private individuals to cede control of their property to the government.

That’s exactly what they want with the Smith Farm.

Courtesy image

In spite of what existing county ordinances and regulations allow, in spite of what the law allows, opponents of the Smith Farm development made their case against development with the standard stuff: Incompatible with the neighborhood; too much traffic; likely to cause flooding of streets.

Incompatible? Uh, look at the accompanying aerial map. If you define the neighborhood only as the Celery Fields to the north and west, maybe so. But if you’re honest, look to the east and south of the Smith Farm. It’s all residential. Look to the west of the Celery Fields; it’s light industrial and commercial. There is traffic and human activity all around. Incompatible? Ha.

Likely to cause flooding? You can bet that any homebuilder with integrity these days is well in tune with the issue of flooding in East Sarasota County, especially after Tropical Storm Debby. From now on, demands and expectations will be high for homebuilders to design extensive mitigation — not just in their projects, but also to include the surrounding areas. And you can bet smart buyers are likely to be wary of the flooding question before buying. So it will be in any homebuilder’s economic interests to design low flood-risk projects.

But even then, the environmental opponents are likely to persist with, shall we say, their laughable objections. They say lights from the homes and street lights will disturb the birds in the Celery Fields sanctuary, and they will spoil the fun for stargazers and local astronomy clubs. 

Oh, by all means, let’s not forget the rights of the birds and stargazers. Much like the Native American Indians who lost to the encroachment and takings by European and American conquistadors, for the past six centuries, the birds and stargazers in Sarasota County have been under constant assault from the influx of population. The loss of the Smith Farm to development would be just another horrible “nail in the coffin” of injustice to the birds and stargazers. 

The existing 400 acres of Celery Fields simply are not enough for their protection and enjoyment.

Ok, pardon the cynicism. But put these 50 acres in context. For one, anyone can see what has been occurring around the Celery Fields and what has been predicted for decades to occur. That region is in the path of common-sense development. 

What’s more, the point of creating the Celery Fields was to create a preserve in the path of future development. It was not created to prevent all future land uses.

More, larger context: Consider that 126,700 acres, or 34.4%, of Sarasota County’s 368,000 total acreage are already preserved and off limits to future development, according to Sarasota County data. How much more is needed or necessary?

Now flip the coin. It’s widely accepted and known that throughout Florida, especially in Sarasota County, there is an acute shortage of housing for the lower and middle class working population. Demand far outstrips supply. It’s the No. 1 economic challenge in Sarasota County. 

So every time Sarasota County commissioners deny and/or restrict development, they drive up the cost of housing and living in general. Which begs the question: What is the greater priority — people or birds?

Actually, there is always a simple solution to situations such as the Smith Farm. In fact, it can apply to every case where people don’t want development to encroach on them. That simple solution is this: Buy the property.

If the Audubon Society, stargazers and birds believe the Smith Farm’s 50 acres are so crucial to their existence and happiness, they can ensure that with one, simple act: Buy the property themselves.