The moratorium would stop the city from accepting or processing new data center applications while leaders dig into the best ways to regulate these facilities. 

One important detail: commissioners amended the measure so that North Port’s single existing data center application could keep moving through the review process. Still, it can’t get final approval while the moratorium is in place.

The ordinance goes back to the commission for a final vote on September 22. In the meantime, the city has planned a data center workshop on September 3 at City Hall. They want residents to come out, get informed, and weigh in, as there’s clearly a lot of community interest. City officials said they appreciated the passion and thoughtful feedback at Monday’s meeting, especially from those who stayed until the end.

This moratorium isn’t just about hitting pause for the sake of delay. North Port wants time to study the impacts of data centers, issues like water and electricity demand, infrastructure strain, and environmental risks. The city’s also looking at how other communities, including Sarasota County, have tackled similar issues.

One of the more striking parts of the proposed ordinance is its retroactive aspect; it would apply to all data center applications, even those submitted before the effective date, regardless of whether they’re complete. Consequently, the data center application North Port, received late on July 20, just hours before this moratorium was raised, falls under the freeze. The applicant behind that project hasn’t been revealed, and city officials say state law protects the company’s confidentiality while expansion plans are under review.

Commissioners seem open to working with companies that want to invest in North Port, as long as they’re willing to engage with the city’s concerns and wait out a temporary pause. Commissioner Phil Stokes summed it up: he expects applicants to respect the city’s process and cooperate, not walk away just because things slowed down.

North Port’s situation mirrors what’s happening in other parts of the SWFL region, where cities are weighing the promise of big data projects against the need for careful oversight. Right now, the only data center with a green light in the area is a multimillion-dollar project in Fort Meade.

This conversation continues. The city’s next steps, another commission vote and ongoing public workshops, will determine what data centers look like in North Port’s future. The commission currently desires continued discussion and public involvement to shape the rules before making significant decisions.

The post North Port Pushes Forward with 18-Month Data Center Freeze appeared first on Englewood Review.

On July 21, the judge dismissed the case without prejudice, so it’s not over yet. Kelly and her supporters took that opening and jumped on it. They had 15 days to file a new petition, and that’s exactly what they did. The court accepted it. Now they’re waiting for the judge’s next move, aiming for the September hearing.

Kelly Bauman remains at the center of it all. Despite the personal cost, which includes losing her son last year, she is still fighting. She deals with online criticism every day, but she keeps moving forward. Why? She puts it simply: “Someone has to stand up for nature and the families who’ll be deeply affected by this project.”

The stakes are high. Sarasota County documents show the project could wipe out as much as 46 acres of natural land. Developers want to bulldoze real wetlands and replace them with man-made retention ponds, calling it “mitigation.” Let’s not kid ourselves: destroying a living ecosystem and filling the space with artificial lakes isn’t a fair trade. The damage to Florida’s natural environment is permanent. We’re sacrificing it for convenience, not necessity.

Despite setbacks, Kelly and her group haven’t backed down. They’re calling on the community to come together now. They’re hosting an event on August 26th at the Englewood Chamber, and everyone’s welcome.

Kelly recently reached out to Englewood REVIEW to share an update, no sugarcoating: “Here’s the judge’s order accepting our timely petition,” she said. “We’ll see how she rules on it.”

She laid out what’s next: “We’re holding a fundraiser—a year-in-review gathering with drinks and light appetizers—on August 26th, 6:30 to 8 pm at the Englewood Chamber. We hope to bring in an environmentalist to speak. While we wait for Judge Van Wyk’s decision, our attorney is actively finding more ways to challenge the county’s plans.”

Kelly says community support has been incredible. People from all over, Wellen Park, Sarasota National, Englewood, Venice, the West Villages, North Port, residents both young and old, snowbirds, locals, keep reaching out. They’re buying shirts, asking how to help, urging the group to keep pushing back and protect what little natural land remains.

“We all should oppose this project,” Kelly insists. “It’s a road built for convenience, not out of necessity.”

She’s not buying the county’s arguments either. The SCG transportation engineer, Spencer Anderson, claims there needs to be an east-west connector road every seven miles along the coast. But Dearborn to Jacaranda is just under seven miles. Kelly asks, “So, who’s calling the shots here?”

Kelly recalls an October 2025 meeting where she grilled Anderson about claims that Manasota Beach Road (MBR) would be an evacuation route. He dodged her questions. Anderson said for a road to serve as an evacuation route, it can’t flood by even an inch during a 1% rain event. “They don’t call it River Road for nothing,” he joked. Another staff member passed the buck, saying, “it’s the commissioners, it’s the commissioners.”

Kelly’s not buying that either. She points out how developers, especially Pat Neal, got involved and changed the whole direction of the project. He pushed for the unsolicited PPP (public-private partnership) and lobbied to remove the keyway from the map, just like he did with Boca Royale Boulevard (old Englewood Road) in years past.

People have had enough of county commissioners bending to developers, she says. New projects go up, and no one listens to the needs or safety concerns of the people already living here. That’s how Kelly’s group feels, and from what they’re hearing, they’re not alone.

She calls out the commissioners directly: “Election year or not, Mark Smith—thank you for listening. Joe Neunder and Tom Knight—maybe you could learn from him.”

A year has passed, but the backlash hasn’t faded. Something’s wrong here, Kelly says. The project zipped through as an “easy PPP.” They wanted a 14-day approval with only one public hearing. That should never have happened.

And the details? The county doesn’t even own the rights-of-way. Even if they control an easement, they don’t own Sarasota National’s right-of-way. Residents there will feel the impact, and many don’t even know it yet. West Villages Improvement District Unit 2 will end up footing the bill for the east end of the road, without their knowledge. Gran Paradiso, located three miles from MBR, did not receive notification.

Kelly’s conclusion: development interests and county officials are taking advantage of the public. It’s only when residents push back that all these hidden issues appear. Resistance shouldn’t surprise them. Every project deserves scrutiny. Officials should expect to be held accountable for decisions with lasting consequences.

“We need to do better,” Kelly says. “We need to think less selfishly, speak up for the environment, for the water, for the people who can’t speak up for themselves. This is our moment. We’ve taken the charge, but more people need to step up.”

She sees groups like Oppose Manasota Beach Road as necessary watchdogs. In fact, she says they should be common, not rare. “It should be expected that people will stand up for the land, the animals, the beaches—together, in large numbers. If not you, then who?”

Click here for more information about Oppose Manasota Beach Rd. on their Facebook page.

The post ‘If Not You, Then Who?’: Defiant Watchdogs Refuse to Back Down on Manasota Beach Road Fight appeared first on Englewood Review.

The grassroots effort isn’t backing down. Last we checked in, they scored a massive win: their David-and-Goliath battle wasn’t dismissed. It’s moving forward to a formal administrative hearing in September 2026.

Residents have been out on the streets for months now, pushing for transparency and forcing the hands of powerful developers. Kelly’s petition didn’t just make noise; it demanded real accountability. She’s fighting to protect wetlands, wildlife, and neighborhood safety from a wave of overdevelopment.

Still, as of June 25, 2026, the opposition made its next move. They filed two motions to dismiss, a standard play. Kelly was ready for it. “We heard from the judge and her assistant, and they’re setting dates to review the motion to dismiss,” Kelly said. “The Economic Stimulus Working Group filed one, too. We’ll regroup and answer those.” The judge scheduled a hearing for July 16, 2-4 p.m. The details are still coming together, but Kelly wants supporters on standby. “We’ll figure out the rest soon, so mark your calendars,” she said.

The Economic Stimulus Working Group is an 18-year-old consortium of real estate developers and executives led by billionaire homebuilder and former Florida State Senator Pat Neal.

The meeting will occur via Zoom. Kelly plans to keep her evidence front and center, with charts about flooding, the environmental damage, all of it. She’ll be alone on camera, but she’s hoping for community support. “They have to decide that day whether we move forward. I want as many people as possible showing support,” she said. “We’re just regular citizens. What’s the problem? Why won’t they listen? If this process is for citizens, why are they shutting us out?”

To strengthen their case, Kelly’s looking for another expert hydrologist and environmental specialist for September. She believes the judge will hear them out; she says the judge seems fair and focused on facts. “After all, what are they so worried about? A couple of residents, with over 4,000 signatures on their petition.”

The strong backing from the community fuels Kelly day to day. She shared a voicemail that stuck with her: “Hello, good morning. Just wanted to let you know that the community sees you guys, the community hears you guys, and we stand behind you guys 100%. I am a local business owner that sees the struggle you guys are fighting against the new communities and Pat Neal, and it’s a godsend. Thank you, and continue the fight, and we will continue donating. Now, only you guys can save the beautiful side of Florida, which those developers are trying to destroy. Thank you, because the corruption in their pockets has been bought by the lobbyists and the most corrupt in this state. Thank you very, very much.” 

Kelly says people have been reaching out from everywhere: Iowa, Connecticut, Georgia, Ohio, and plenty of folks from Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch. Kelly’s trying to keep up with all the messages. People appreciate the fight for Englewood, for the beach, for nature. It matters.

The group is holding a rally Tuesday, June 30, 2026, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Manasota Beach Road and 776. Park at the retention pond, and if you can’t walk, they’ll get you there. Or just honk when you pass, let them know they’re not alone. For information on this rally, click here.

This fight isn’t over, and the Englewood REVIEW will keep covering the story as it unfolds.

Click here for a link to the Oppose Manasota Beach Rd. Petition.

Click here to go to their GoFundMe page.

The post Manasota Beach Road Battle Intensifies as Judge Sets Key July Hearing on Dismissal Motions appeared first on Englewood Review.

Last week, the Englewood REVIEW put a spotlight on Kelly Bauman, who’s basically stepped into the “David vs. Goliath” role, except her Goliath isn’t just one guy. She’s up against the Economic Stimulus Working Group, developer Pat Neal of Neal Communities, Sarasota County’s approval, and $15 million backing of the project. 

You can read the story at this link.

This week, the group isn’t sitting back. They’re showing up in force at three major meetings:

June 16, 9:00 a.m.
Sarasota County Budget Meeting
Robert L. Anderson Administration Center, Venice

June 17, 9:00 a.m.
Public Hearing
Rally/Protest: 10:00 a.m.—11:00 a.m.

June 18, 5:00 p.m.
Planning Meeting
Robert L. Anderson Administration Center, Venice

They want concerned citizens to show up, make noise, and support their cause. You can contact them on Facebook or join them at the meetings to take action.

Last August 2025, The County Commission approved the road project, handing Pat Neal the contract for a half-mile extension. It looked easy at first: big money, a unanimous vote, everything neat on paper. But residents pushed back hard. Protests, meetings, yard signs, people showing up, refusing to just watch it happen.

Kelly Bauman decided protesting wasn’t enough. She filed for an administrative hearing, taking on both Sarasota County Transportation and the Southwest Florida Water Management District to demand accountability under Florida law. She’s determined to dig into every detail and won’t let questionable moves slide by.

If you ask Kelly how to help, her answer is simple: show up. Speak out. Do not be afraid. 

Remember the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

For information, call 941-500-9356 or on Facebook.

The post Extension Tension: The $15 Million Roadblock Group Details This Week’s Must-Attend Meetings appeared first on Englewood Review.