SARASOTA – The fight is far from over between Suncoast residents and Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. It was last November that the iconic gardens proposed to city officials of adding a parking garage to allow for more visitors, as well as new amenities for its members.
But several neighbors in the area were not on board with the expansion. “There are still so many unanswered questions,” said Robert Bernstein.
Wednesday night Selby Botanical Garden’s staff invited the community to a workshop at City Hall, to discuss the new master plan that has several key changes in order to find a middle ground with their neighbors.
“We cut building height nearly in half, we’ve greatly reduced the size of the restaurant, and we’ve made other significant compromises,” said Jennifer Rominiecki
Rominiecki, President of Selby Botanical Gardens, says the staff has listened to their community and wants to continue to work with the public to make bring change to Sarasota and continue to add to the legacy of the gardens.
“Selby Gardens is such an iconic institution for the City of Sarasota and we really want our master site plan – our compromised plan – to be widely embraced,” said Rominiecki.
The new master plan consists of scaling down in size both the parking garage that won’t go over 45 feet. And the restaurant will now be an accessory use of the gardens.
Selby officials are also proposing to redistrict the area to permit the gardens strict limitations on developing the area. Some neighbors don’t think that solves the problems that come with the expansion.
“It does not appear to us that they have – even with the changes that they’re proposing that they will be able to eliminate the concerns for traffic,” said Bernstein.
Bernstein, President of the Bay Point Park Neighborhood Association, says neighbors tell him they are concerned over the traffic to get into their homes and the constant events that at times disturb the peace and quiet of the neighborhood.
“I don’t expect there to be total agreements on both sides but I’m hoping, and very wishful, that we’ll come to an agreement that will work for both of us,” he said.
Selby officials plan on holding another workshop in the future to continue to share with the Suncoast of the changes they can expect.