Question 1

03/23/26: Call to ACTION

Accepted Answer

stayTRU Call to Action

Please support our County Commissioners in their efforts to limit unwanted development

Send an email immediately
 Leave a voice message on Monday, March 23, 2026
 Attend the March 24th County meeting in Venice from 1 to 4pm

Dear stayTRU Members,

Our County Commissioners are exploring ways to fight development attempts like the recent request to build 2,000+ apartments on our Open Space (the Tatum Ridge Golf land).  To show our support and appreciation for the Commissioners efforts, please:

1.  Send an email immediately to  commissioners@scgov.net , tmast@scgov.net , mhsmith@scgov.net , tknight@scgov.net , jneunder@scgov.net , rcutsinger@scgov.net , info@staytru.org

Include your name and address and write:

"I support efforts to restrict Live Local Act development to urban areas close to workplaces, shopping centers and schools - as the law was originally intended.  I, along with the 1,000+ registered voters represented by stayTRU, stand with you on efforts to bring Home Rule back home."

2.  Call each Commissioner (941-861-5000) and leave a message: “I’m calling about the Live Local Act item on tomorrow’s agenda.  I’m a county resident, and I want you to know I support Commissioner Knight’s effort to keep Live Local Act development where it belongs — in urban areas close to jobs, shopping, and schools. That’s what the law was designed for.   Please stand with Commissioner Knight on this.”

3.  We need 20 volunteers to attend the March 24th County Commissioner meeting in Venice from 1 to 4pm.  Wear your yellow shirt!  It’s important that we show support to Commissioner Knight in his efforts to curtail development!  Contact info@staytru.org for more information

ROBERT L. ANDERSON ADMINISTRATION CENTER

4000 SOUTH TAMIAMI TRAIL

COMMISSION CHAMBER

VENICE, FL

The concept of Home Rule has been the most precious power available to local government.  When the 1973 Home Rule Powers Act formally revised the Florida constitution, it gave municipalities "...powers to enable them to conduct municipal government, perform municipal functions and render municipal services ..."

The Live Local Act passed in 2023 circumvents long standing local control over growth, zoning, and quality of life.  The Live Local Act, while perhaps well intentioned, has had massive consequences throughout Florida.  We in Tatum Ridge know very well the effect this law has had on our community.  We've been forced to organize our efforts, retain legal counsel and spend significant resources protecting our property interests.

Staytru supports all efforts take this out of the hands of Tallahassee and return it to local decision makers, where it belongs.

Our Commissioners are: Tom Knight, Teresa Mast, Mark Smith, Joe Neunder, and Ron Cutsinger.  Let them know we support efforts to modify the Live Local Act!

Question 2

02/20/26: Strong Legal Position; Months Before Next Step

Accepted Answer

As we reported earlier, StayTRU hired Johnson Pope, a respected Florida land use law firm, and this week they sent a formal letter to Sarasota County laying out why the proposed 2,250-unit development at Tatum Ridge Golf Links should be denied. The key points: the golf course property has no remaining residential development potential; replacing the golf course with apartments would require modifying the 1998 Special Exception that governs the entire Tatum Ridge property; that modification would violate county regulations; and the Live Local Act does not override those regulations in this case.
 
Sarasota County staff has independently flagged serious problems for the applicant as well. Staff noted that the 1998 Special Exception designates the golf course as required open space for The Legends subdivision – meaning the applicant likely cannot proceed without including The Legends parcels in the application and obtaining an affidavit from Legends lot owners and the HOA authorizing the project. Staff also made clear that Live Local does not exempt the applicant from demonstrating consistency with the county's Comprehensive Plan, which includes policies protecting established residential neighborhoods.
 
Under current county rules, the applicant's Live Local eligibility will only be determined after a full Site Development submission – a major undertaking requiring the applicant to submit detailed plans and engineering. We expect it will be months, not weeks, before that submission occurs – unless the county changes its review process.
 
We will keep you informed as this develops.

Question 3

02/03/26: stayTRU selects law firm Johnson Pope

Accepted Answer

Neighborhood association stayTRU announced today that it has selected the law firm of Johnson Pope to represent the group in its opposition to the proposed development of dedicated open space in the Tatum Ridge area of Sarasota.
 
With more than 100 legal professionals, Johnson Pope is one of the largest law firms on Florida's west coast and has an extensive land use practice.  stayTRU Board Member Tom Widen explained the association's choice: "Johnson Pope has the resources and expertise we want.  We reviewed nearly two dozen firms before selecting JP.  Their responsiveness to and understanding of the specifics of our situation were compelling."
 
In March 2025, stayTRU mounted a coordinated opposition to planned construction of 400+ homes on the Tatum Ridge Golf Links land.  Strong community involvement resulted in a 5-0 Sarasota County Commissioner denial of that proposal.  Two subsequent development proposals for the land have prompted the group to seek legal representation.  "We speak for more than 1,000 area residents who oppose any development of the land," said John Davis, stayTRU Board Member.  "The land has NO development possibilities.  All development rights were swept off the land and clustered into what became The Legends neighborhood back in 1998.  The County's own official documents restrict usage of the land to only golf course operations and open space into perpetuity."
 
In May 2025, Tatum Ridge Golf Links owner Newpope Holdco III LLC requested an amendment to the Sarasota Comprehensive Plan which aims to greatly expands the number and locations of properties throughout Sarasota County that could be rezoned into industrial/warehousing.  The Tatum Ridge Golf Links land could qualify for development if that plan amendment is approved.  That request is currently under consideration by the County.  In October 2025, the land owner made yet another request to develop the land - this time seeking approval to build up to 2,800 apartment units spread across 60 building complexes with more than 4,000 parking spots.  This request was made under Florida's Live Local Act and would require that 40% of the dwellings be "affordable".  Sarasota County has a five-step review process for Live Local Act applications.  This application affecting the Tatum Ridge Golf Links land is in step 4 - the point in which County staff can either approve or deny the application.
 
stayTRU Board Member, Duane Henderson, had this to say about the groups' new legal partner: "It's concerning that this Live Local application, which is fundamentally flawed, has progressed so far in the County's review process.  I've known Matt Taylor from Johnson Pope for many years.  We grew up together.  He's a Partner at the firm and a skilled litigator.  I called him because I trust him."
 
For more information about Johnson Pope, visit www.jpfirm.com .  
For more information about stayTRU and its mission, visit www.staytru.org

Question 4

09/15/25: Live Local on TRGL

Accepted Answer

On September 15, 2025, the golf course/open space parcel owner submitted a memorandum to the Sarasota County planning and services department arguing that the golf land, while zoned RE-1 ("Residential") has several commercial and industrial uses permitted by right and therefore qualifies  for Live Local Act development. The owner simultaneously submitted a request for a preapplication conference.

The Property has existing access on three (3) public roadways, specifically, Tatum Road, Duke Drive, and Duchess Drive. The Property is zoned Residential Estate, 1 unit/2 acres (“RE-1”) and has a Future Land Use Designation of Semi-Rural and Rural Heritage Estate (“RHE”). In total, the Property is comprised of 206.5 +/- acres.  The Applicant intends to develop 2,280 units (approximately 11.04 units per acre) on the Property in buildings up to three (3) stories pursuant to the Live Local Act.

In accordance with the Live Local Act, forty (40) percent of the total 2,280 units will be rented to households at or below one hundred twenty (120) percent of the Area Median Income (“AMI”) for a period of 30 years (912 affordable units).

According to the Applicant, the county must authorize multifamily and mixed-use residential as allowable uses in any area zoned for commercial, industrial, or mixed-use, and in portions of any flexibly zoned area such as planned unit development permitted for commercial, industrial, or mixed use, if at least 40 percent of the residential units in a proposed multifamily development are rental units that, for a period of at least 30 years, are affordable.

When Florida’s Live Local Act was first passed in 2023 under Florida Senate Bill No. 102 (“SB 102”), it mandated administrative approval of multifamily and mixed-use developments on land zoned for commercial, industrial, or mixed-use so long as certain affordable housing thresholds were met. However, SB 102 did not define “commercial use,”  “industrial use,” or “mixed-use,” leaving room for inconsistent local interpretations. In practice, some jurisdictions denied administrative approval solely based on the title of the zone district, rather than the permitted uses within it.

Question 5

07/22/25: STAYTRU ASSOCIATION INC becomes a 501(c)(4) non-profit corporation

Accepted Answer

On July 22, 2025, STAYTRU ASSOCIATION INC registered with the State of Florida and the Federal Government (FEIN 39-3335685) as a 501(c)(4) non-profit (status pending) community association.

Donations made to STAYTRU ASSOCIATION INC are not tax deductible.

STAYTRU ASSOCIATION INC
7793 Castleisland Dr
Sarasota, FL. 34240

Our Purpose:

To encourage and promote, through and by means of social or community club or association, the dissemination of educational and scientific information which shall have for its purpose the preservation, conservation, protection and development of the natural resources, together with the agricultural, horticultural, and botanical potentialities of the area or regions commonly known as Tatum Ridge which area generally includes lands lying within a boundary described as beginning at the northeast corner of the land currently known as Tatum Ridge Golf Links heading due west to US Interstate 75, then south to Palmer Road then east following Palmer Road to a point due south of the origin, then north back the origin, and including subdivisions of The Legends at Tatum Ridge, Fox Creek I and Fox Creek II, and includes others in Sarasota County in the State of Florida including the flora and fauna indigenous to said area, the integrity of its waterways, flood plains,  the navigability of its waters, and other open space and rural characteristics, all for the benefit and enjoyment of the citizens and residences of said community, and the public at large; to acquire by gift, purchase or otherwise and to hold, own, build, manage, develop, sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of both real and personal properties, whether owned by itself or others and including, but not limited to, roads, bridges, docks, ferries, wildlife, and bird sanctuaries, museums, aquariums, laboratories, test farms and test stations, orchards, stables, groves, greenhouses, nurseries, farms, fisheries, hatcheries, and such other like instrumentalities as may be necessary, proper or incidental to any or all the objects and purposes foresaid.

Question 6

05/20/25: County Commissioner Meeting Results

Accepted Answer

Tatum Ridge Golf Links
Saved - for now!

On May 20, 2025, the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners voted 5-0 to deny a request to amend the County's Comprehensive Plan Conservation Subdivision policy.  If adopted, this amendment could have led to the construction of 400+ homes on the Tatum Ridge Golf Links property.

We Won! Now what...

Hi Neighbors,

Tuesday's 5-0 vote denying a developer's plans to build 400+ homes on the Tatum Golf Links land was decisive and appropriate.  All five commissioners agreed that expanding an already failing Conservation Subdivision policy was bad policy.  Further, as one commissioner said: the applicant's request to build homes on the golf course was "philosophically wrong".  The density had previously been consolidated into the Legend's 162 homes and "common sense" said that placing density back onto the land was not the "intent" of "the promise" made back in 1997.

We are pleased with the outcome because we feel the commissioners gave thoughtful consideration to public concerns about the short comings of the current Conservation Subdivision policy and to the specifics of our community.  Commissioner Neunder made a point to thank all of you who attended by saying "It takes a lot of courage to be here...to take time out of your day...you were well organized...well behaved."

Your involvement made a difference.  117+ concerned citizens sat for 8 hours to make their voices heard.  You should feel proud of your efforts.  Thank you! Enjoy the win.

Please agree to commit your future participation and unity -  developers rarely just go away.  Tatum Ridge must stay United.  We will commit to continuing to be part of this movement and expanding it.  Will you too?   Our Unity is our Strength.  Stay Tatum Ridge United.

Going forward, TRUSRQ.org will be the landing spot for our community association.  Please bookmark it and make sure our emails don't get caught in your spam folder. I'll put up more photos and if you have your own photos you'd like to share send them to info@trusrq.org

TRU will become a real association - more on that soon.

A PARTY is in order and one is in the works.  Looking for party animals to help plan. Send an email to info@trusrq.org

We are planning to nominate a subcommittee who will actively monitor the horizon so that we won't be caught flatfooted again.

And we are considering some strategic options and ways to work actively with our Commissioners so that our interests - and the interests of similar groups - are kept at the forefront of policy making.

Without each of you, the outcome may well have been different.  Your involvement came in all forms: emails, personal visits, pledges for donations, attendance at meetings, speaking, wearing yellow.... And it all worked well.  Thank you everyone!!!!!  Thank you to the speakers, Jim Wallace, Susan Shoettle Gumm, Bud Gaunce, Scott Featherman, Lisa Sykes, Betsy Freeman, John Davis, Tom Widen, and Duane "The Closer" Henderson who practiced and delivered.  Thank you to our conditional speakers - while you didn't get a chance to speak, you gave your time to the cause.  Thank you to our Sponsors for lending their name and reputation to our cause.  Thank you to those of you who unilaterally offered money.  We don't need it!  Thank you Lois and Dan Stimax.  Thank you Kelly Anderson, Trevor Hind and Jim Scordato.  Thank you Jaci Harris and Lorraine Massaro.  Thanks to Bob & Tom @ CTI Printing (https://ctiprinting.com/).

And, again, thank you to those residents who called in sick to work, found daycare, took a vacation day, and spent the day to make it happen.

We owe immense gratitude to Ron Collins, Chris Bales, Susan Shoettle Gumm, and Laura without whom we'd have lost.  Their knowledge, strategy, insight, professionalism, and selflessness are humbling and inspiring.  Laura called out of the blue and asked: "did you know they want to develop your golf course?" We didn't. Without Laura we'd have learned of their plans only when they began digging foundations. Attorney Susan provided good counsel and valuable experience. Chris led the Speaker Team and the results were spectacular. And Ron Collins... a superconductor of energy, inside knowledge, passion and conviction. Dude..we owe you . Thank you all! ​