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Coffee Talk (Sara/Mana)
MLS mess
Few people are talking publicly, but many local Realtors are wondering about a dispute raging between the Manatee and Sarasota realty associations.
Several months ago, the Manatee County association changed vendors for its Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data and discontinued the one-password access used by Sarasota County Realtors and surrounding associations to access the Manatee MLS. Up to that point, both associations had a reciprocal arrangement to share access to the valuable real estate listings maintained by both groups.
Coffee Talk has heard that the change was made because of security concerns stemming from allowing such a large group of people to access the MLS through one password.
In response, the Sarasota group shut off the Manatee association's access to the Sarasota MLS. The two associations are still trying to hash out a new access agreement to open the MLS systems again.
With the Manatee association considering the offer of limited service to Sarasota Realtors, the discussion has turned to creating a fee system.
"We are in the process of signing an agreement with them now," says Judy Shoemaker, president of the Sarasota Association of Realtors. "There probably will be a charge (for the access), but it is not going to be huge. The new system they have is a very good system. Every association has the right to do what is best for its members."
Wal-Mart, FDOT face off
A battle is starting to brew in Newtown over an 18-acre Brownfield site owned by the city of Sarasota at U.S. 301 and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way. On one side you have Wal-Mart Stores, which is interested in building a Supercenter on the site and needs to acquire additional property surrounding the city-owned property. At the same time, the Florida Department of Transportation wants some of the city property for a retention pond for the expansion of U.S. 301.
According to Eric Brewer, community affairs manager for Wal-Mart, if the retail behemoth is unable to acquire the holdout parcels it needs for a new big box, FDOT is likely to swoop in and acquire an important piece of the property.
"That would probably kill the opportunity," Brewer says. "That deadline is probably coming up soon."
According to John Hawthorne, Newtown redevelopment director, neither FDOT nor Wal-Mart have filed official plans for the site. If FDOT files its plans and Wal-Mart doesn't file its own plans, the city is likely to sell to FDOT eliminating the possibility of a significant economic engine in the semi-depressed section of the city. A typical Wal-Mart Supercenter employs 450 to 500 people.
"In terms of the best use of the land, it would be for it to be developed commercially," Hawthorne says. "To do anything else ... to put that in jeopardy would not be in the best interest of Newtown. It is in everyone's best interests if it could be worked out between the two of them."
Brewer was unsure if Wal-Mart and FDOT would be able to coordinate a retention pond into the current Supercenter design. Sources say Wal-Mart is looking for an alternative site.
Growth management issues
State Senator Mike Bennett, chair of the Senate Community Affairs Committee, seems destined to create a political stir. Bennett, of Bradenton, has already met a firestorm from local governments by suggesting a cap on the impact fees builders can be charged by municipalities.
Well, you can expect the rancor to be even more fierce in the next week or so when Bennett introduces a major growth management bill.
Although details are somewhat sketchy, it appears that the new bill will address a number of extremely sticky issues. One of the issues, Bennett is looking at is changes to the blight classification in regards to eminent domain law, although it is unlikely any of those provisions would make it into the growth management bill.
Bennett and the Miami-based property rights law firm of Brigham Moore LLP were doubtful the changes would even be ready for the current legislative session because of the absence of a corresponding sponsor in the House.
"It's just a tough issue," Bennett says. "I think our goal is to help the cities and counties that have to deal with these platted lots while protecting private-property rights."
If nothing happens this legislative session, Bill Moore, managing partner of Brigham Moore, hopes to gather state legislators together this summer to talk through problems with the state's blight criteria. As GCBR has reported, Moore argues that the current statutes for blight are unfairly broad.
The Concession goes high fashion
International style maven Adrienne Vittadini has joined The Concession as head of the Architectural Review Committee. Vittadini, a part-time Sarasota resident, is perhaps best known for her runway-level fashion.
"It's hard to measure the value of her sense of design and style," says Michael Saunders, president of Michael Saunders & Co. "It's not like people are buying it because it just has her name on it. It's really her talent that she brings to The Concession, not just a name."
Vittadini has developed others homes worldwide, but this will be the first community she will design in the United States.
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