Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/356321
A case involving the illegal destruction of man- groves on Manasota Key remains unresolved five months after the incident occurred, with no representative of the property owners hav- ing shown up for a Code Enforcement Special Magistrate hearing on July 18, county staff has reported. In an email to the Sarasota County Commission following that hear- ing, Matt Osterhoudt, manager of environ- mental protection in the county's Planning a n d D e v e l o p m e n t Services Office, wrote that staff had introduced photographic evi- dence and testimony to demonstrate that the site at 8215 Manasota Key Road in Englewood remains out of compliance with an order Special Magistrate Robert Zack issued on April 16. Staff also informed Zack on July 18 that "[it] has received no communication from the property owner since April 21," Osterhoudt pointed out. Therefore, staff asked Zack to impose the maximum penalty of County staff photographed the scene after arriving at 8215 Manasota Key Road on the afternoon of Feb. 22. Photo courtesy Sarasota County NO RESOLUTION TO THE DEVASTATION MONTHS AFTER THEY WERE CITED FOR DESTROYING MANGROVES AND ILLEGALLY BRINGING IN FILL, ENGLEWOOD PROPERTY OWNERS FAIL TO SHOW UP FOR A HEARING AND REMAIN OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE COUNTY You can't even begin to grasp [the damage] until you're on-site looking at it. Christine Robinson Vice Chairwoman Sarasota County Commission By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor