The Sarasota City Commission will hear tonight from a community-based group that has been endeavoring to create a shared vision for the 42 publicly held acres that include the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and other civic buildings.
Bayfront 20:20 — a coalition of organizations that have voluntarily joined together and hired a consultant with private funds — will present a summary of the views expressed by members of the public during a series of open events.
The organization and its vision statement (“We support the creation of a long-term master plan for the Sarasota Bayfront area that will establish a cultural and economic legacy for the region while ensuring open, public access to the bayfront.”) already have the support of 27 groups representing a wide range of interests.
Bayfront 20:20 and its members deserve credit from the community — and the City Commission which they will address during a City Hall workshop at 6 p.m. — for providing ample opportunities for the public to express its ideas about the bayfront’s future. The process has been open and focused on principles, rather than specific proposals for using and developing the land.