In Gulf Gate Estates, Sarasota County, residents filled the Gulf Gate Library to press county leaders and a Miami-based developer over the fate of the vacant, 49-acre former Gulf Gate Golf Course. Speakers included resident Miguel Rivera, Commissioner Joe Neunder and attorney Brett Brumund of Goldstein Environmental Law Firm, and the debate centers on greenspace, stormwater infrastructure and contamination discovered in the soil. The county is negotiating with 13th Floor Investments while cleanup talks continue under state programs.
People packed the community meeting looking for clarity about what happens next with the long-idle property that has drawn attention since it closed in 2016. The room was standing-room only, a sign that the question of development versus preservation is far from academic for neighbors who live near the site. Many attendees said they want a public project that benefits everyone rather than dense housing.
Local resident Miguel Rivera laid out the practical side of that preference and tied it to past development failures. “There have been various developers who have purchased and actually backed out of the deal because of the contamination issues,” Rivera said. He argued residents would prefer public investment to address stormwater and create usable greenspace.
Rivera also said there is a clear alternative plan the community favors. “We can buy it and turn it into stormwater infrastructure, as well as a greenspace,” Rivera said. That pitch played to homeowners worried about flooding, water quality and loss of open land as the Sarasota area continues to grow.
Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Neunder confirmed negotiations are still active and framed the meeting as part of that process. “We’re actively trying to negotiate,” Neunder said. “This is the last opportunity for Sarasota County residents to have their voices heard with the developer.”
The developer side acknowledged the contamination concerns and said attorneys and environmental consultants are engaged with the state. Brett Brumund, an attorney with Goldstein Environmental Law Firm, told the crowd the firm has been listening to the neighborhood and addressing technical cleanup steps. “We heard all of their concerns,” Brumund said. “About the development that’s going on and what they would like to see in regard to communication with the developer.”
Brumund said the team is working through a voluntary cleanup program with state regulators to deal with arsenic and pesticides found in soil tests. He indicated the developers hope to begin construction later this year if approvals and remediation milestones are met. “We’re looking at breaking ground towards the end of this year, fourth quarter,” Brumund said. “Which I believe would start in October.”
Residents were told there will be two additional public hearings before any final approvals are issued, giving the public more chances to provide input to the county and the developer. Some attendees pressed for more detailed cleanup timelines and stronger public oversight before any land-use changes are approved. Others focused on design elements and how any new project would affect traffic, schools and local services.
The debate over the former Gulf Gate Golf Course is now threaded through public negotiations, environmental review and community advocacy. With 49 acres at stake and elected officials involved, the outcome will affect both neighborhood character and local infrastructure planning in Sarasota County. Authorities, developers and residents appear set to continue the conversation in hearings to come.
