Sarasota County officials made a big splash in early February with an approval of a major acquisition: a 2.04-acre commercial site on the mainland side of the Stickney Point Bridge to Siesta Key. Known as the Boatyard, for a restaurant under that name on the property, the site is a colorful and quirky commingling of concerns. There’s a financial planning firm and an insurance agency. There’s a Jet Ski rental business and a boat club. There was an ice cream shop. For a time, there was even a storefront that was home to a place called Soma Doma: The Sexual Wellness Studio.
The purchase, which could close by summer, is for $18.1 million — and could rise to $21.36 million with other costs, including redeveloping it into a park with increased water access for residents. The acquisition would be the largest purchase ever made in the 21-year history of the county’s Neighborhood Parkland Acquisition Program, a county spokesperson says.
Questions stem not only from some residents, but from one county commissioner, Tom Knight, who opposed the purchase in a 4-1 vote Feb. 10. “I have heard from many people through email, social media and phone calls that they see this as an excessive purchase and irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars,” Knight says in an email response to questions a few weeks after the purchase. “This includes people from every part of our community, including many business leaders who can’t puzzle this out.”…