Hermitage Artist Retreat and Sarasota County clash over storm repairs and a land-conveyance proposal; board to consider options Oct. 8

Sarasota County commissioners spent the better part of the morning discussing the Hermitage Artist Retreat at Blind Pass Beach Park, a county-owned 61-acre property that includes a cluster of historically designated structures used by the nonprofit Hermitage. Commissioners heard that multiple structures remain unoccupiable after three hurricanes struck the county last year and that different repair-delivery options and legal constraints will affect timing, cost and reimbursement eligibility.

The county and the Hermitage are at odds over who should manage and pay for repairs. Under a 2024 lease amendment, county staff said the county is positioned to direct post-disaster recovery for county-owned property in order to maximize FEMA reimbursement; Hermitage representatives argued their organization has qualified contractors and a lower-cost path to reopen parts of the campus sooner.

Damage and timeline: Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Director Nicole Ristler and consultant reports summarized the damage: about six feet of sand covered the campus after the storms; utilities including the lift station, electrical service and sewage pumps were destroyed and require full replacement; four buildings remain nonoccupiable. Ristler…