I have a dream... of pristine coastal life

In my dream I am shown a now-famous place on Sarasota Bay, formerly Long Bar Pointe, now known as “Aqua by the Bay.” In my dream, there is no housing for the wealthy, no 2,900 homes, no high-rise towers, no seawall, only peace and solitude, broken perhaps by the sounds of wildlife numbering 2,900 or more, using the land they have lived on for past eons. It is a place where birds, fish, turtles, dolphins, manatees and other abundant coastal life inhabit the waters which the sun sparkles across, in my dream. And I realize this is the last unspoiled area on all of Sarasota Bay where people would ever be able to have what should be preserved for centuries to come.

In my dream, the owner of this property has taken a good look at himself and what he could finally accomplish, and he realizes what he must do. He has changed his mind about making yet another few million dollars by ruining this beautiful piece of property on the bay, and has instead turned it into a glorious park so that this shoreline can be forever preserved for the enjoyment of all those people presently living in this county, and those who will be arriving in the coming years. He has finally realized that once this land is built upon, it can never go back to what it once was, and that he has a wonderful legacy to leave in his name.

Yes, I have a dream — and I realize that’s just what it is, merely a dream. But wouldn’t it be great if there were a way for it to become true! I hope our county planners have a dream, too — I hope they realize that this county does not need another glut of homes, condos, and high rises for the wealthy. We do not need to grow in this fashion, we do not need to become another Miami, we need to maintain some semblance of why we all came here in the first place. We have thousands already who came for our beautiful beaches with another 2,900 homes between them and the beach, guess who will have to spend 90 or more minutes in their cars in order to get there. Please, beg our County Commissioners to vote “no” on this development... it is bad for Manatee County.

This story was originally published May 2, 2017 at 3:46 PM with the headline "I have a dream... of pristine coastal life."