Did Manatee mishandle complaints about Medieval Fair? It’s still ’an active investigation’

An investigation of how Manatee County code enforcement officials handled complaints about Myakka City property being redeveloped by the Sarasota Medieval Fair, including whether they showed political favoritism, remains unfinished.

“This is still an active investigation,” said Lori Stephens, the county’s inspector general.

Stephens said her staff is devoting a lot of time to the investigation and is still interviewing those involved.

“It just takes awhile to do a thorough investigation,” she said.

Though county commissioners receive updates on the investigation when asked, Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said he does not have full knowledge of the investigation or its potential outcome.

However, Van Ostenbridge said when the investigation concludes, he expects there to be some repercussions based on what he has heard.

“Honestly, I can’t believe there haven’t been some resignations,” he said. “Some of them should think about getting out while the getting is good.”

In the meantime, work continues on the property much to the dismay of nearby property owners who say their properties are being flooded because of the construction. Multiple complaints from those residents to code enforcement have been closed without action.

Code enforcement lists the property’s agricultural exemptions as the reason for closing the complaints, but land attorney Robert Lincoln disputes code enforcement’s claims.

Lincoln, who specializes in land development codes, represents two of the nearby landowners. Lincoln has continued to push Manatee County to issue a stop work order and force the fair to apply for the proper permits.

Code enforcement has allowed the work to continue without requiring those permits. The fair owners, which include former Sarasota County building official Kathy Croteau and her son Jeremy, have not filed for any new permits with the county, but have filed for a new permit from the Florida Department of Transportation.

Kathy Croteau recently her position under pressure on May 12. Though a reason was not given for her resignation, it was learned she was using county equipment for personal use, including her work computer to file documents on behalf of the fair.

She resigned with a brief resignation letter, which was accepted immediately the same day, according to the emails obtained by the Bradenton Herald.

Croteau earlier had told the Bradenton Herald she had no knowledge of the fair’s activities with the property, even though she is a member of the fair’s board and had filed for earlier permits with FDOT for access improvements onto the property from State Road 70.

FDOT issued those permits with the understanding it would cover only minor improvements related to agriculture.

FDOT later learned the true intent of the development and launched its own investigation, according to a series of emails. FDOT nullified the existing permits and required the fair to ask for new permits.

FDOT District One spokesman Brian Rick confirmed Friday that the new permits have been requested.

“The property owner has recently submitted an access permit and drainage permit,” Rick said. “Both are under review.”

Lincoln has routinely asked Manatee County officials issue a stop work order and to require applications for new permits, without response from those officials. Code enforcement documents indicate the work is being allowed to continue under agricultural exemptions.

Lincoln notes that the ag exemption expired with the sale of the property. While the county has renewed exemptions for seven acres on the 50-acre site, Lincoln said the development is extending beyond agricultural area.

In his most recent email to the county dated June 23, Lincoln challenges findings filed in an April 28 report by code enforcement chief Jeff Bowman.

“Mr. Bowman asserted that the only driveway improvements were to the existing driveway, and that there is no proof that the grade was altered,” Lincoln writes. “Both of Mr. Bowman’s refutations are demonstrably false, and Mr. Bowman should have known that at the time.”

Lincoln said the fair, with the legal name of MALLARNNY LLC, has not properly notified the county of all the work it is doing on the property.

“It is increasingly difficult to see any justification for the County’s failure to act on MALLARNNY’s obvious failure to comply with UDC Sec 702 by obtaining an earthmoving permit, and failure to comply with UDC 402 by failing to obtain a special permit for major earthmoving,” Lincoln wrote.

The development is negatively impacting surrounding properties by changing water flow within the 100-year flood plain, Lincoln said. He said the concern grows graver as the rainy season begins.

The controversial development came to light in March when code enforcement officer Tonya Shaw came forward with information that her supervisors had stopped her investigation of the fair property, after learning the property was tied to Croteau.

Soon afterward, the county inspector general’s office started its investigation.