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 said sand and debris removal and some stabilization work were completed in late 2024 and early 2025, but county staff still needs formal design, permitting and historical-review approvals before full restoration can proceed. She said a realistic minimum timeline from design to completion would be at least one year once design and permitting are approved.

Two repair options presented to the board: Option 1, county-led restoration using the county’s existing design–build contractor (A Squared Group) so work follows FEMA procurement rules and maximizes potential reimbursement. Option 2, permit the Hermitage to manage and fund repairs itself and relieve the county’s design–build contractor of the work. County staff said either option will require state, local and historical preservation approvals that affect schedule.

Hermitage’s position: Hermitage board and staff representatives said they have bids and contractors ready and offered to conduct repairs themselves. CEO Andy Sandberg told the board the Hermitage had submitted bids and proposed using a contractor familiar with the campus; he said one construction bid would be under $400,000 with electrical work under $100,000 and asked the county to authorize repairs quickly. Private counsel Steven Solowski reminded commissioners that the lease requires the county to “direct the recovery and restoration efforts of County owned property in a reasonable time” and that the county has obligations as landlord independent of FEMA timing.

Legal and land-use constraints: Planning Director Matt Osterhoud reviewed the surplus/land-disposition process and zoning implications if the county were to convey the land to a private nonprofit. He said the county would need to order appraisals (two have been requested), and any future sale would have to follow Florida statutory notice requirements for properties inside a community redevelopment area. He also noted the Manasota Key Conservation District (a state-designated overlay from 1971) restricts nonresidential uses inside its boundaries and that some uses now in place may predate that district’s creation; staff needs to research whether current Hermitage uses are legally “existing” under the conservation overlay before the board could consider rezoning or a sale.

Board direction and next steps: Commissioners did not take a final vote. Staff said it would return for a discussion item on Oct. 8 to request clear direction on whether to (a) proceed with the county-driven design–build restoration, (b) authorize the Hermitage to assume repair responsibility, (c) open negotiations on a purchase and sale and (d) which parcel(s) — the building complex footprint, the neighborhood-parkland parcel purchased with public funds in 2014, or the entire leased area — would be included. Ristler told the board county appraisals are ordered and a complete cost-and-timeline estimate from the county design–build contractor requires engineering and permitting and will take additional time.

Public comment: Hermitage leadership and local residents addressed the board during the meeting’s public portion. Hermitage representatives requested quicker action and expressed willingness to collaborate on legal and permitting questions; nonprofit leaders said the organization’s contractors are experienced with the campus. Several residents urged the board to expedite repairs.

What’s next: Staff will bring the matter back Oct. 8 with appraisals, a proposed path for repairs (county-led or Hermitage-led) and recommended language should the board want to pursue surplus and conveyance steps. County staff emphasized that FEMA and historic-preservation approvals will shape cost-reimbursement and timing regardless of the repair-delivery approach.