July Update on Smith Farms Development adjacent to the Celery Fields

Taking a new approach, D.R. Horton applied to build 864 multifamily housing units in buildings up to 65 feet tall on the Smith Property on Raymond Road under the Live Local Act, which typically bypasses the county commissioners and public comment. However, the County Commission determined that OUE and OUR zoned properties do not qualify as commercial use and are exempt from the Act. In response to the Commission’s action, four developers, including D.R. Horton, sued the county. The county is vigorously defending its position. We will participate in this litigation as feasible and hope to report our actions to you soon.

We continue to investigate every avenue with our lawyers to stop this unnecessary, overly dense development. We will keep you updated as the research unfolds. We will not stop fighting this development on Raymond Rd. Any development beyond the current zoning at Smith Farm will be extremely detrimental to the area. If you are able, please consider donating to support this ongoing fight by using the link below. Our commitment to this cause remains unwavering.

Read our Opinion Piece Here

Live Local Law Explained

John Kennedy Capital Bureau | USA TODAY NETWORK – FLORIDA explains in this July 24, 2026, article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Whatever We Don’t Preserve Will Be Lost

Earle Kimel, Sarasota Herald-Tribune | USA TODAY NETWORK, July 26, 2026.
A deep dive into the history of the Sarasota County Environmentally Sensitive Lands Program including interviews with Jon Thaxton, Christine Johnson and Jono Miller. This explains why we want to continue the program.