Development

Suncoast Searchlight studied property appraisals and tax bills for more than 300 homes across these special districts to create a first-of-its-kind dataset comparing their annual fees to the property taxes they pay for city and county services.

A Sarasota-area community’s effort to save its golf course by forming a special-purpose government district and issuing $24 million in public bonds has devolved into a bitter, yearslong feud over cost, governance and transparency.

The city recently approved construction of twin 31-floor apartment towers on downtown property once earmarked for a Moffitt Cancer Center. However, Mayor Ken Welch says Moffitt is not out of picture.

If Sarasota city commissioners approve the condo, Bay Plaza residents say they’ll take the fight to circuit court — a move that could push their costs far higher and prolong the battle for years.

Officials say many homeowners don’t understand what they’re getting into and are then left with few options to fight back when decisions turn contentious.

In an interview with St. Pete Catalyst, Mayor Ken Welch said he has “never supported” a high-density development to replace the airport.

In some cases, districts have financed extravagant projects like a beach-style swimming lagoon or even a baseball stadium for the Atlanta Braves. Yet if the housing market sours or a project fails, it’s the homeowners — not the builders — who are left footing the bill.

What’s happening in Gran Paradiso isn’t just a neighborhood dispute over water; it’s a window into who holds the power in Florida’s fastest-growing communities and what happens when the homeowners organize to push back.

The initiative, tentatively dubbed the Sunline, will align visions and goals for the Pinellas Trail and help cut bureaucratic red tape.

The county has been trying to develop the area in St. Petersburg for almost 25 years. A new proposal would turn the land into a large youth sports complex.

Some longtime Cape Coral residents fear for the future of the once laid-back community. Development, they say, is ruining the old charm of the cape.

Instead, it wants to utilize the course as space for a new construction project instead of replacing old dorms.