from the desk of:
Tom Barwin
Sarasota City Manager
January 24, 2020
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There's an important environmental meeting next week regarding a proposed fish farm in the Gulf of Mexico just 45 miles west of Sarasota. Scroll down for detailed information in Weekly Briefs.
Thank you for reading this week's edition! If you have questions, comments or suggestions for topics, please contact us directly: 941-263-6402 or
CityNews@SarasotaFL.Gov
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Fish Farming in the Gulf?
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I know two things about Sarasotans. One: we eat. And, two: we care about our environment. Of course, there are 7.7 billion other people on earth who also eat and impact the environment, with another 2 billion expected by 2050. So, we are going from around 8 billion people now, to 10 billion people on the planet soon. That’s a 25 percent projected population increase, which means we will also need well over 25 percent more food in the years ahead.
When it comes to feeding the masses, the best ancient and social wisdom we had may have been the Chinese proverb: “If you give a man a fish, he will eat today, but teach a man to fish and he will eat forever.” Well, today’s reality is that there isn’t enough fish left to catch to feed everyone who eats fish, as evidenced by 50 percent of the world's fish supply now coming from fish farms, with wild caught and farmed fish being shipped every which way around the world. I’ve been paying attention to this for some time because I try to cook fish at least a couple of times a week. It’s my best dish, but it is getting harder and harder to find wild caught fish in our local markets. Nonetheless, America's annual fish consumption continues to rise. Hence, companies are striving to provide more fish to respond to market opportunities.
Now for the environmental and Sarasota part. The EPA is currently taking public input on whether or not to permit the very first aquaculture fish farm in America, proposed to be located in the Gulf of Mexico, just 45 miles west of Sarasota Bay.
Kampachi Farms seeks to experiment in the open waters of the Gulf by penning up and raising 20,000 fin fish each year called almaco jack. Until now, most of the world's fish farms have been inland pond-like operations. Some countries have tried open water fish farms but now ban them. It is possible to raise fish in land-based systems where the water is recirculated and filtered, reducing the risk of disease transfer, pollution, and escapes.
While it sounds like fish farming in open and natural waters is logical, many fear that the concentration of fish in netted pens will create more problems than it solves by dumping large amounts of fish food into the fish farm pens, disrupting the natural order of things. Another concern is that large amounts of concentrated fish waste from the fish pens will pollute areas of the Gulf. An additional concern is that dousing the open water fish pens with fish antibiotics is akin to opening Pandora's box in the Gulf, and we haven't even factored in RED TIDE yet.
The EPA will take public input on the fish farm's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit application
Tuesday, Jan. 28 from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. at Mote Marine, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway
. You can also email your comments, pro or con, to the EPA at
wahlstrom-ramler.meghan@epa.gov
That plant-based diet my sister-in-law keeps pitching is starting to sound like it might be worth a try.
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City Commission Workshop
Monday, Jan. 27 - 5 p.m.
City Hall - Commission Chambers
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The Mark – Residents moving in!
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Expect to see an uptick in pedestrian movement in downtown, as residents are now moving into The Mark, the new mixed-use development at Lemon Ave. and State Street in downtown. All 157 units are sold and we’re told buyers specifically wanted a dynamic urban lifestyle, where high-quality locally-owned restaurants, cultural arts venues and sunsets on our beautiful Bayfront are within a short stroll. Some buyers shared with the developer, Kolter Group, that they’re moving from the barrier islands and Lakewood Ranch to avoid traffic and enjoy life in a pleasant walkable downtown. Kolter estimates 60-70 percent of the buyers will be fulltime residents.
By the end of the year, BMO bank is expected to move into the ground floor on the southeast corner of the building fronting Lemon Ave. Other prime space could house a top tier restaurant or two.
Originally known as Pineapple Square, that development was placed on hold during the Great Recession and ultimately became The Mark. With a spacious covered promenade open to the public to walk between Lemon Ave. and Pineapple Ave. plus extensive retail frontage, The Mark is sure to be popular with pedestrians, especially during the Saturday Farmers Market.
Thanks to David Arent, Kolter Urban’s senior project manager, for arranging the tour with City staff who have been involved with the development over the years. And welcome to our newest downtown residents!
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Citizens' Academy – 2020 Class
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The 2020 Citizens' Academy is now underway! 28 residents will spend eight weeks learning the ins and outs of their municipal government. There was so much interest in this year’s class, we now have a waiting list!
The academy opened this week with an introduction from City Commissioners, an overview from the Charter Officials and their roles and responsibilities, plus an inside peek at how the Public Information Office functions.
Over the coming weeks, attendees will learn firsthand through detailed, interactive presentations what it takes to keep the city operating 24/7/365. They’ll hear from the Development Services Department, Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, Parks & Recreation, Planning, Public Works and Sustainability. SPD will provide students with scenarios where they have to make life-or-death split-second decisions, which comes with the responsibility of being a public safety officer. Utilities will show how we ensure the community’s drinking water is safe. And, a backstage tour awaits at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with our talented staff giving the lowdown on what goes into bringing all the fabulous shows to the “purple cow.”
While every department plays a part to make the Citizens' Academy a success, we appreciate the Planning Department hosting it and offering residents an interesting way to better understand their municipal government.
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Economic Development Office - Legacy Award
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Congratulations to our Economic Development Office, which was recognized recently for the City’s commitment to preserving African American history.
The City supported the creation of the Newtown Conservation Historic District, which is now better known as
“Newtown Alive”
. This initiative helped create the Newtown Heritage Trail, a walking trail highlighting 15 areas of interest with historic markers. The importance of this educational trail, documenting early African American life in Sarasota, was recognized last year when it was added to the U.S. Civil Rights Trail and is now distinguished as the southernmost site on that trail.
In addition, the
personal histories
of dozens of families rooted in Newtown for generations have been recorded and preserved. These vivid memories, some heart-wrenching and others laugh-out-loud funny, provide a window into the past and insight into how Newtown became such a close-knit community. These oral histories provide a foundation for further community-driven change to Newtown with an eye on economic development and job training.
Ringling College of Art & Design recently partnered with Newtown Alive, Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition and Greatness Beyond Measure to celebrate Newtown’s vast history and introduce the Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition, which is working toward the creation of a City supported African American cultural arts center.
The art exhibit, "Spectrum: A Celebration of Artistic Diversity," which celebrates the works of 18 African American artists, was the backdrop for the award ceremony. The exhibition is free and open to the public through Thursday, Feb. 6, in the Lois & David Stulberg Gallery at the Richard and Barbara Basch Visual Arts Center on the Ringling campus. More information is available at
www.Ringling.edu/galleries
Special thanks to those committed to preserving Newtown’s history, including Newtown Alive administrator Vickie Oldham and longtime project supporters Jetson Grimes, Johnny Hunter Sr., former Mayor Fredd Atkins and Shelia Atkins. Congratulations, all!
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Left to right: Newtown Alive administrator Vickie Oldham, Deputy City Manager Marlon Brown, Redevelopment Specialist Rowena Elliott, Sarasota African American Cultural Coalition Board Chair Dr. Washington Hill
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Household Hazardous Waste Collection – Saturday, Feb. 8
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Our Solid Waste Division is teaming up with Sarasota County Hazardous Waste for a special collection event from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 8, at Payne Park.
Household hazardous waste items such as aerosols, antifreeze, cleaners, electronics, fertilizers, gasoline, motor oil, pesticides, paint, pool chemicals, rechargeable batteries and more can be dropped off for free at the event. Additional dumpsters will also be available for regular trash, bulk items and yard waste debris disposal.
The collection will take place in the parking lots between Ringling Boulevard and School Avenue at the park, 2050 Adams Lane. It’s open to city and county residents only.
This is an opportunity to get rid of these common household items that can’t be placed in your garbage. For City residents, hazardous waste is managed by the county, and hazardous waste must otherwise be dropped off either at the Sarasota County Chemical Collection Center, 8750 Bee Ridge Road, or at the Central Sarasota County Solid Waste Disposal Complex, 4010 Knights Trail Road, Nokomis.
We hope you’ll take advantage of this free collection event and clear out some of these potentially hazardous items. And if you’re unsure of how to properly dispose of an item, you can look it up using a handy tool available online at
www.SarasotaFL.gov/BeCartSmart
under the “Be Cart Smart” icon.
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Waitress
Jan. 24-26
Louie Anderson and Rita Rudner
Tuesday, Jan. 28
Kristen Chenoweth in Concert - For The Girls
Thursday, Jan. 30
Steve Solomon's - My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy
Monday, Feb. 3
Bandstand
Monday, Feb. 4-5
Lewis Black
Saturday, Feb. 8
Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons
Sunday, Feb. 9
Stayin' Alive
Monday, Feb. 10
Pirates of Penzance
Thursday, Feb. 13
Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell
Saturday, Feb. 15
Mandy Patinkin in Concert
Sunday, Feb. 16
The Beach Boys
Tuesday, Feb. 18
Neil Berg's 111 Years of Broadway
Wednesday, Feb. 19
An Evening with Michael Feinstein Singing Gerswhin
Tuesday, Feb. 20
John Fogerty
Friday, Feb. 21
Les Miserables
Feb. 26 - 28
To purchase tickets over the phone call 941-953-3368 or stop by the Box Office at 777 N.Tamiami Trail.
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"Sarasota Scene"
Norm Schimmel
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