Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/264109
Patterson told her colleagues before they voted in mid-January to advertise the pub- lic hearing that she was hopeful staff would be able to determine the county still had a pedestrian easement on that property leading to the Gulf of Mexico. Even though research showed no such easement exists, she said, "I just can't bring myself to vacate potentially waterfront property of any access." In fact, she pointed out, a section of the coun- ty's comprehensive plan calling for the county not to "vacate road segments on waterfronts along any creek, river, lake, bay, or gulf access point" and to encourage right of way use of those areas for coastal beach and bay access might have stemmed from commissioners' attendance at a conference in Hawaii shortly after she came on the board in 2002. Attendees at that conference learned the State of Hawaii does not allow people to build "much of any- thing on the water without reserving some public access," she continued, "and that just sort of stuck in my mind." Referencing Patterson's concern, Chairman Charles Hines said, "I think not [granting this particular right of way vacation] is trying to solve something that happened in the past." Robinson — who joined Patterson in voting against a county right of way vacation in May 2013 involving direct access to a canal on Calle de Costa Rica on Siesta Key — said this situation was different. Regarding the argument George Tatge, a Parks and Recreation Department manager, had made earlier that day regarding sea level A photo shows the view on South Shell Road, looking west, from Higel Avenue. Image courtesy Sarasota County Sarasota News Leader February 21, 2014 Page 57