Sarasota official tied to Medieval Fair property resigns. Investigation continues

The Sarasota County official connected to the development of property in Manatee County for the Medieval Fair has resigned amid the ongoing controversy over the project.

In her May 12 resignation letter to Planning and Development Services Director Matthew Osterhoudt, obtained on Thursday, former Sarasota County Building Official Kathy Croteau writes, “Per our discussion, I am resigning my position effective today.”

Osterhoudt responded the same day, writing, “I am in receipt of your letter of resignation and hereby accept your resignation effective today.”

In late March, a Manatee County code enforcement officer came forward with allegations that her supervisor Tommy Wooten removed her from an investigation into the potential illegal development taking place off of State Road 70 in Myakka City, as no permits had been filed for the development.

The removal, code enforcement officer Tanya Shaw said, was because Wooten discovered that the 50 acres is tied to Croteau and her son Jeremy. Wooten, in a series of emails, removed Shaw from the case and assigned code enforcement officer Chet Brown, who closed out Shaw’s investigation without her knowledge.

Brown was subsequently promoted a few days later.

Kathy Croteau denied any knowledge of the property’s development when contacted by the Bradenton Herald on March 25 and refused to answer questions about her son’s involvement. She referred all questions to fair officials, who did not respond for comment.

Further investigation revealed that Kathy Croteau is an officer on the fair’s board and that her son is the president. Photos surfaced of Kathy Croteau at a groundbreaking ceremony for the fair late last year.

The Manatee County’s code enforcement department handling of the project came under investigation by the county’s Office of Inspector General a week later. That investigation remains ongoing and in the meantime, so does the development of the property.

Documents obtained by the Bradenton Herald show that Brown and Wooten continue to close out citizen complaints about the property. One complainant said Croteau had violated the property’s agricultural exemption by bringing in more than 10 yards of fill dirt.

Brown responded that no violation occurred despite multiple eyewitnesses, including neighbors and state officials who saw hundreds of yards of fill being brought onto the property. To retain an agricultural exemption, no more than 10 yards of fill can be brought onto the property or removed and land alteration is forbidden.

Acres have been cleared, structures have been built and a road is currently being paved.

Despite the Croteaus advertising that the property at 29641 SR 70 as the new home of the Medieval Fair as early as last September, they continued to tell officials with the Florida Department of Transportation and other agencies that they were revitalizing an old nursery.

Kathy Croteau submitted a permit application to FDOT for minor improvements to the entrance way off of State Road 70, stating the property was to be used for agricultural purposes. On the application, there was no mention of plans to bring tens of thousands of people onto a narrow section of the highway and onto the property for the Medieval Fair and other events.

FDOT launched its own investigation in mid April and concluded the Croteaus would have to submit a new permit application.