Tatum Ridge Unites Against Unfair Development

More than 100 Tatum Ridge residents from the Richardson Road area gathered on Sunday, April 26, 2026 in opposition to repeated efforts to develop the Tatum Ridge Golf Links. The residents signed formal petitions urging Sarasota County to protect land long recognized and duly recorded as Open Space.

The Golf Links was created in 1987 when Roy C. Anderson purchased a 336 acre tract of land on Tatum Road and built the 18 hole course. In 1998, the Anderson family sold all development rights on the entire tract along with 129 acres to Centex Homes and Sarasota County granted a Special Exception that allowed the Anderson's to continue to operate a golf business on the 206 remaining acres provided that no development ever be permitted on the golf land.

In 2020, the Anderson family sold the golf land to New Pope Holdco III LLC which has since submitted at least three different proposals to develop the property.

Area residents Drew Dirmeyer and Jack Meyer coordinated Sunday's meeting. "My neighbor, Mark Salomonsky, and I met with Matt Procaccini from stayTRU in early February to determine how those of us living adjacent to the golf course could be more actively involved in protecting the land. We've identified several strategies," said Meyer.

Residents living near the Tatum Ridge Golf Links land on Tatum Road in Sarasota sign petitions aimed to protect the Open Space designation.

Photo: Jack Meyer

In Florida, adjacent property owners can have "significantly enhanced" standing to challenge a proposed development if it is inconsistent with the local planning. While not necessarily a direct property "interest" or "right" in the land itself, Florida law grants such property owners procedural and substantive rights to protect the character and value of their own property. To have standing, a property owner must show that development will affect certain interests (such as health, safety, or property value) to a greater degree than the general public.

"I've lived here my entire life," said Drew Dirmeyer. "My father too has lived here for more than 30 years with the golf land behind his property. Sarasota has changed a lot but the golf land has provided a buffer .. a dedicated open space buffer. When we were looking to purchase a home for our young family, the fact that the golf land is protected as Open Space per County stipulations made our decision to buy near the course easy. That is why I'm getting involved - to protect the safety of my kids and the value of my property."

Residents plan to present their petitions to County officials soon. Many residents said they had been unaware of the development attempts but have now joined the stayTRU Association efforts to protect and preserve the duly recorded Open Space of the golf land.

For more information, visit: www.staytru.org

stayTRU - stay Tatum Ridge United