Don't believe the fearmongering on bars in downtown Sarasota
I would like to respond to the Dec. 15 letter titled "Maintain zoning standards for Sarasota bars," which addressed the proposed Sarasota City Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) to regulate bars, restaurants and nightclubs.
The universally accepted and primary reason for processing this ZTA is to decouple land use standards regulated by the Zoning Code from the state's operational standards for venue licensure – and also to provide more clarity to definitions and procedures.
To understand the motivation for this effort, just recall the pain and suffering during the petition review to approve Le Petite Brasserie – a 1,500-square-foot piano bar/restaurant that had to be processed as a "nightclub" despite the fact it lacked enough space to even put up a disco mirror ball.
It was a process that ended up pitting some neighbors against others who lived in a downtown condominium whose marketing tagline is “Downtown Downstairs."
Still, let's recite some of the statements in the Dec. 15 letter and evaluate each one:
“City staff wants to take a blowtorch to the oversight currently in place for the zoning of bars."
This statement shows a clear lack of understanding of city rules, procedures and protocols. The city staff is not able to arbitrarily implement a ZTA; it goes through an arduous process that ultimately requires planning board review and approval from the Sarasota City Commission. This hardly fits the letter writer's narrative of city staff taking "a blowtorch" to zoning procedures in Sarasota.
“If passed, the ZTA will allow bars to be built as easily as restaurants….”
The letter writer has clearly never operated a bar or restaurant – and this individual has also clearly never had to apply for city building permits or state licenses. There ain’t nothing “easy” about any of it.
“…with no input from the community, Sarasota’s Planning Board or the city commission.”
This statement clearly shows the letter writer has not read the proposed revisions to the Code and doesn't understand city review procedures. It also disregards the extensive outreach carried out by Sarasota's Planning Department on the matter, as well as the substantial public input that was received on this issue.
“By using retractable or roll-up walls, outdoor and rooftop bars can also be built without oversight."
Please! The writer should not insult the city of Sarasota's staff members, who are fully capable of providing oversight. There is also a thing called a "building permit," which cannot be issued without oversight of all prevailing applicable rules and regulations by all city review departments.
“…this workaround remains wide open.”
I have never heard of this supposed "workaround" that the letter writer believes is present in the city's zoning process. But what do I know? I'm a professional land planner who has been practicing in Sarasota for only 45 years!
“…the staff wants to eliminate any minimum separation of bars from houses of worship in the downtown neighborhoods."
This statement is silly. It can be easily refuted by simply reading the actual language of the proposed Zoning Text Amendment.
“This is an insult of people of faith."
No, this statement is an insult to people of intellect.
“If this ZTA passes, Sarasota will have one of the most permissive zoning standards for bars, including outdoor and rooftop bars, in the state of Florida."
I would love to see any research, empirical standards and data that has been collected to actually substantiate this ridiculous proclamation.
“I fear there may not be a majority on the City Commission to stop this madness."
The only act of madness would be for people to actually believe this statement – or any of the others made in the Dec. 15 letter that were clearly contrary to the facts.
Bruce E. Franklin is president of Land Resource Strategies LLC, a land planning and real estate development consulting firm in Sarasota.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Don't vilify bars in downtown Sarasota
