The project is under review through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which funds efforts that strengthen community resilience. The review includes required evaluations under the National Environmental Policy Act to weigh environmental, social, economic and safety impacts. Executive Order 11988 and Executive Order 11990 also require FEMA to consider how the work may affect local floodplains or wetlands.

County officials say the Englewood Sports Complex has repeatedly served as a post disaster recovery hub, supporting the Englewood Fire Department, staging crews for Florida Power and Light and sheltering up to 18 emergency personnel during major storm events. The facility currently operates without a backup power system.

The proposal calls for buying and installing a 200 kilowatt diesel generator, or a size determined by vendor and engineering review. The project includes a concrete pad, an automatic transfer switch, a sub base fuel tank and all required electrical work. The county says a reliable standby power source is needed to keep emergency operations running during outages.

Two alternatives were examined. The first, taking no action, would leave the center without backup power, limiting its ability to support emergency response and community needs after storms. The second, constructing a new facility, was determined to be too costly and too time consuming to be feasible.

Comment period

Comments are being accepted from the public, government agencies and other interested parties to help evaluate the potential impacts of the project. Written comments should be sent to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Mitigation, 2555 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100, and are due by December 25, 2025. The state will forward comments to applicable regulatory agencies as needed.

Anyone interested in submitting comments, obtaining more detailed information about the proposed action or requesting a copy of the findings may contact Wendi Crisp, Pre-Award Services, Sarasota County, at 941-861-5000 or by email at grants@scgov.net

Funding will depend on compliance with federal, tribal, state and local laws, regulations, floodplain standards and permitting requirements.

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The public hearing is set for Sept. 4 at 5 p.m. at the Robert L. Anderson Administration Center in Venice. The petition, filed under case number RZ 25-01, seeks to change the zoning of the parcel at 1407 East Manasota Beach Road from OUE-2 (Open Use Estate, one unit per two acres) and OPI (Office, Professional and Institutional) to CN (Commercial Neighborhood).

County officials said the proposal, if approved, would allow for neighborhood-level commercial development at the site, which lies near the intersection of SR776 and Manasota Beach Road. Interested residents may review the petition and supporting documents during normal business hours at the Planning and Development Services Department, 1001 Sarasota Center Blvd., Sarasota. The materials will also be posted online on the Friday before the hearing at www.scgov.net under “Planning Commission.”

Residents can submit written comments to the Planning and Development Services Department or email them to planner@scgov.net prior to the meeting. The hearing could be continued if necessary.

In accordance with the Sarasota County Charter, applicants are required to disclose true ownership interests in the property. That disclosure is available for public inspection at the Planning and Development Services office.

For more information, call 941-861-5000.

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