NORTH PORT – With an eye toward the likelihood that DeSoto County will reconsider a push by Mosaic to expand its phosphate mining operation onto more than 14,000 acres, the North Port City Commission is asking for input on the decision.
The City Commission unanimously voted to have staff prepare a letter to the DeSoto County Commission, Mosaic, regional elected officials and regulatory agencies, because the activity could impact both Big Slough and the Peace River, which are sources of the city’s drinking water.
Following the wastewater breach at the former Piney Point fertilizer plant in April, the DeSoto commission pushed a workshop on Mosaic’s water quality monitoring programs and practices to June 29.
NORTH PORT – Representatives for the West Villagers for Responsible Government filed a lawsuit in circuit court Friday that would allow voters who live west of the Myakka River to decide if they want to separate from the city.
The litigation seeks a court order that would force the city to accept a petition to hold a referendum on the issue. Residents are seeking the contraction, in part, because they do not feel they receive adequate services from the city for their taxes.
Residents attempted to submit the petition on April 29, shortly after the North Port City Commission unanimously rejected a petition for contraction, citing five reasons why it was not in the city’s best interest to do so, as well as the results of a feasibility study conducted by Fort Lauderdale-based consultant Munilytics.
Wellen Park spokeswoman Jennifer Hamilton said via email that dismissal made sense after the city’s decision.
“Given the City of North Port Commissioners’ level-headed and unanimous decision in denying the petition to de-annex or contract from the city, we have decided to drop the lawsuit against the City of North Port,” Hamilton wrote. “The lawsuit is no longer appropriate, as the City Commissioners have acted in the best interests of all residents within the City of North Port and Wellen Park.”
Residents of the West Villages subdivisions of Wellen Park are seeking to separate from the city, in part because they do not feel they receive adequate services from the city for their taxes.
With the exception of the environmental park, none of the city parks meet the definition of what Sarasota County considers a regional park one of which includes being roughly 100 acres in size.
The City Commission briefly entertained the prospect of selling the environmental park to Sarasota County but decided against that on April 27.
Between ongoing maintenance, capital costs and hiring of personnel to handle scheduling at the parks, the city will have to come up with roughly an additional $1.3 million to take over the parks.
In March, the Sarasota County Commission agreed to raise its fee schedule for parks from $2 per game for youth leagues and the school district to $5 per game an 150% increase.