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Medicare Agent in Sarasota, FL
Trying to pick a health insurance plan can be a chore for anyone. For many people, just mentioning the word "open enrollment" sends shivers down the spine. It seems like there's always a nagging feeling that you're wasting money, choosing a plan with poor in-network care, or both. One would think that health insurance gets easier as you approach retirement age, but the truth is that picking an initial Medicare coverage plan can be daunting.
Unfortunately, the confusing process of signing up for Medicare causes many seniors to forego healthcare coverage altogether. After all, Medicare enrollment can involve several federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration (or SSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (or CMS).
At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, our passion is guiding seniors through the confusion of Medicare. That way, they can enjoy retirement with peace of mind knowing they are protected and ready for life after 65. We work with dozens of insurance companies, giving our clients the chance to choose a plan that best fits their lifestyle.
We choose to design our senior insurance plans with a focus on optimal benefits structure, lower costs, and personalized service. Some independent insurance agencies see their aging customers as nothing more than a financial transaction waiting to happen. In contrast, we treat each of our clients with respect and dignity as we help them navigate the confusing waters of Medicare. Combined with individualized service, we help older Americans make well-informed decisions about insurance. Whether you're in need of senior Medicare Supplement Plan insurance in Sarasota, FL or simply have questions about signing up for Medicare, our team is here to help.
- Helping Seniors Make Better-Informed Medicare Decisions
- What is Medicare?
- The amount of money you pay for your health care depends on several factors, including
- Senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Sarasota, FL
- Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance
- Medicare Agent in Sarasota, FL
- How Medicare Advantage Plans Work
- Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Rules
- Paying for Your Medicare Agent
- The Senior Medicare Insurance Services Commitment
What is Medicare?
If you're approaching the golden years of your life, it's important you understand what Medicare is if you don't already.
Medicare is a federal health insurance program reserved for people older than 65 who have worked full-time for at least ten years. The Medicare program is paid for by a combination of worker payroll tax, premiums paid by Medicare enrollees, and the U.S. government.
There are four parts of Medicare:
This type of Medicare is free for most U.S. citizens. Medicare Part A helps older adults pay for care in a nursing facility, hospital visits, and some forms of in-home senior care.
This tier costs around $100 per month. It covers different outpatient services like lab tests, preventative care, doctor's visits, mental health care, clinical trials, and some forms of surgery.
This type of Medicare is most often called Medicare Advantage. This tier of Medicare allows seniors to choose health plans provided by insurance companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Individuals who use Medicare Advantage commonly use Medicare supplement plan insurance to help pay for health care costs that Original Medicare won't cover, like coinsurance, deductibles, and copayments.
Sometimes called "PDPs," these plans add drug coverage to standard Medicare, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS), some Medicare Cost Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans (MSA).
The amount of money you pay for your health care depends on several factors, including:
- What kind of care you need, and how often it is needed.
- The type of Medicare coverage you choose.
- Whether there are alternative insurance policies that will help fill gaps in your coverage
- Whether a doctor agrees to charge you the same amount that Medicare will cover for a medical service
At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, we offer a number of health insurance solutions for seniors. Two of our most used services include Medicare Advantage plan insurance and Medicare supplement plan insurance.
Senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Sarasota, FL
Sometimes called Medigap, the purpose of Medicare Supplement Insurance is to help fill in "gaps" that might not be covered by Original Medicare. You can think of a Medigap policy as a supplement for your Original Medicare benefits.
Private companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services sell this type of insurance right here in South Carolina. While Original Medicare will pay for much of the cost associated with health care services you need, it may not cover all of your expenses. Generally, Medigap policies do not cover costs stemming from eyeglasses, private-duty nurses, dental care, hearing aids, or long-term care.
Depending on the Medicare Supplement Plan that you choose, it may cover out-of-the-country medical services when you travel abroad. Assuming you have Original Medicare coverage, your policy will cover its share of Medicare-approved health care costs. Once your Original Medicare coverage reaches its limit, your Medigap policy will pay its share of the fees.
Our Medigap policies are drafted to meet your specific needs, and can help cover remaining health care costs such as:
Deductibles
Copayments
Coinsurance
Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance
To dispel some confusion, you should know that a Medigap policy is not the same as a Medicare Advantage Plan. The latter helps you receive Medicare benefits, while the former supplements the benefits you obtain through your Original Medicare plan. As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:
As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:
- To qualify for a Medigap policy, you must first have Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.
- Payments on your Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan will be made to the private insurance company that you choose, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. These payments are made every month and are paid in addition to the monthly payment you make for Medicare Part B.
- If you are the holder of a Medicare Advantage Plan, it is illegal for an insurance company to sell you a senior Medicare Supplement Policy. If you plan on switching back to an Original Medicare plan, you may be able to purchase a Medigap policy.
- If you have health problems as you age, your standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed to be renewable. So long as you pay your monthly premium, your insurance provider cannot cancel your policy.
- Medigap policies only cover one person. If you have a spouse or family member that would like coverage, they must purchase a separate policy.
- You may only buy a Senior Medicare Supplement Plan from an insurance agent that is licensed to sell them in your state. Senior Medicare Insurance Services has been licensed to sell Medigap policies in South Carolina for years. We have helped countless seniors get the Medicare coverage they need and continue to do so to this day.
- In the past, Medigap policies were able to cover costs related to prescription drugs. As of January 1st, 2006, prescription drug coverage is not available on Medicare Supplement Plans. The best way to get coverage for your prescription drugs is to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, often called Part D. Contact our office today to learn more about paying premiums on Medigap and Medicare plans.
For many people, the best time to buy senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Sarasota, FL is during the 7 months Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This period starts the day you turn 65 years old, so long as you hold Medical Insurance (Medicare Part B). Generally, during the enrollment period, you get more policy choices and better pricing. Once the enrollment period is over, you may not be able to purchase a Medigap policy. Contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services today to determine if you qualify for a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan.
Medicare Agent in Sarasota, FL
A Medicare Advantage Plan is a kind of Medicare health coverage designed to provide seniors with all their Part A and Part B Medicare benefits. Many Medicare Advantage Plans will often include coverage of the following:
- Preferred Provider Organizations
- Special Needs Plans
- Private Fee-for-Service
- Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans
- Health Maintenance Organizations
In addition, most Medicare Advantage Plans give seniors coverage for their prescription drug needs. When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan through Senior Medicare Insurance Services, your Medicare benefits are covered through your plan and will not be paid for by traditional Medicare.
How Medicare Advantage Plans Work
Sometimes called "MA Plans" or "Part C," Medicare Advantage Plans are considered an "all in one" solution to Original Medicare. Senior Medicare Advantage Plans are only offered by private companies that are approved, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Seniors who enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan are still on Medicare. However, these individuals enjoy bundled plans that give seniors the benefits of hospital insurance (Medicare Part A), medical insurance (Medicare Part B), and sometimes drug coverage (Part D).
Medicare Advantage Plans are very popular because they cover all Medicare services and make life a little easier for seniors who have trouble understanding the nuances of Medicare.
When you contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services to choose your Medicare Advantage Plan, ask your agent about Medicare prescription drug coverage. Unless you already have drug coverage (Part D), you should seriously consider Part D coverage to help reduce costs associated with prescription drugs. You may also want to consider a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan to help fill gaps in coverage that Original Medicare will not cover.
Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Rules
Medicare works by paying a set amount of money to the companies that offer Medicare Agent in Sarasota, FL. That money is used to pay for the care services that you need. Because Medicare Advantage Plans are different, you should expect out-of-pocket costs to vary depending on the plan you choose.
Different plans have different rules for how you receive services, such as:
If you must go to facilities, suppliers, or doctors that belong to your Advantage Plan for non-urgent and non-emergency care.-
Whether you must get a referral to see a specialized doctor
Companies that offer Medicare Advantage Plans must follow strict rules, which are set by Medicare and can change every year.
Paying for Your Medicare Agent
How much you pay for your Medicare Advantage Plan varies and depends on a few different factors. In most cases, if you need a kind of medical service, you will need to rely on the doctors and providers in your plan's service area and network to pay the lowest amounts. In some cases, if you choose to use a service outside of your plan's network of coverage, you may have to pay out-of-pocket.
We encourage you to contact our office today to learn more about Medicare Advantage Plans, how they work, what your options are, and how often you will have to pay out-of-pocket, if at all.
The Senior Medicare Insurance Services Commitment
Since our company was founded, we have led the insurance industry by providing our clients with the most valuable, helpful insurance solutions available. We are fully committed to our current and prospective clients by:
Choosing to focus on personalized, one-on-one service. When you work with our team, know that we will always design your health insurance plan with your best interests in mind.-
Listening to your specific needs. -
Responding to all inquiries and questions promptly and with a friendly attitude. -
Providing you with the best customer service in the senior health insurance industry, whether you have questions or are ready to move forward with a Medicare plan.
Our mission is to help give seniors the best Medicare assistance available so that they may understand the Medicare process and make an informed health coverage decision. We have the knowledge, skills, and experience to assist anyone interested in Medicare. Our personal goal is to become a lifetime resource for our clients and give them greater confidence in choosing their insurance plans.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 8 organizations which offer 82 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
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Latest News in Sarasota, FL
Pine View School in Sarasota ranked best high school in the state of Florida
Angie Angershttps://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2026/08/21/absolute-magic-what-makes-pine-view-floridas-top-ranked-high-school
SARASOTA, Fla. — Pine View School in Sarasota has been ranked the #1 high school in Florida by U.S. News & World Report, earning the top spot among nearly 1,300 high schools across the state.The Sarasota County school serves about 1,900 students in grades two through 12 and is designed specifically for students who have been identified as gifted.Principal Dr. Stephen Covert said he was elated to learn Pine View had earned the state’s top ranking, but said the school tries to balance celebrating the accomplishmen...
SARASOTA, Fla. — Pine View School in Sarasota has been ranked the #1 high school in Florida by U.S. News & World Report, earning the top spot among nearly 1,300 high schools across the state.
The Sarasota County school serves about 1,900 students in grades two through 12 and is designed specifically for students who have been identified as gifted.
Principal Dr. Stephen Covert said he was elated to learn Pine View had earned the state’s top ranking, but said the school tries to balance celebrating the accomplishment with humility and a focus on continuous improvement.
Teachers at Pine View receive specialized training. In addition to holding the certifications required to teach in Florida, teachers earn a gifted endorsement by completing five courses focused on educating gifted students.
Covert said that specialized environment gives students an opportunity to learn alongside classmates who may approach school in similar ways.
“I think there’s something special about being around intellectual peers, being around supportive peers, in an environment where it’s okay to be different, it’s okay to think about things differently,” Covert said. “In fact, we encourage that.”
Covert says Pine View’s success isn’t simply the result of bringing gifted students together. He credits highly trained teachers, strong community support and high expectations for helping students succeed.
“You take highly capable students and very well-trained teachers, but you put them together in the presence of high expectations and the support of our community and absolute magic happens,” Covert said.
Covert said many of the strategies used at Pine View can also be applied at other schools. That includes providing high-quality instruction, meeting students where they are academically and supporting them as they progress through school.
The U.S. News & World Report rankings look at several factors, including college readiness, performance on state assessments, and how students perform in challenging college-level courses, including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs.
Suncoast Polytechnical High School and Riverview High School in Sarasota County also ranked in the top 100, along with several Pinellas County schools, including Palm Harbor University High School, Osceola Fundamental High School, St. Petersburg High School and East Lake High School.
Several other schools across Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco and Manatee counties also landed within the state’s top 200.
North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton Home Values Are Down 17 Percent From Their Peak
Sarasota Magazinehttps://www.sarasotamagazine.com/home-and-real-estate/2026/08/north-port-sarasota-bradenton-home-values-are-down-17-percent-from-their-peak
Home values across the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metropolitan area remain 17 percent below their 2022 peak, the third-largest decline among Florida metros, according to a ResiClub analysis of the Zillow Home Value Index.The latest numbers also offer a tentative sign that the market’s prolonged correction is losing some of its force. Values increased 0.3 percent from June to July after seasonal adjustments, but they were still down 2.7 percent from July 2025.Among single-family homes, values fell 4.2 percent between Ju...
Home values across the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metropolitan area remain 17 percent below their 2022 peak, the third-largest decline among Florida metros, according to a ResiClub analysis of the Zillow Home Value Index.
The latest numbers also offer a tentative sign that the market’s prolonged correction is losing some of its force. Values increased 0.3 percent from June to July after seasonal adjustments, but they were still down 2.7 percent from July 2025.
Among single-family homes, values fell 4.2 percent between July 2025 and July 2026. That was roughly half the 8.2 percent decline recorded during the preceding 12-month period.
Condo values remained under greater pressure, falling 7.4 percent during the latest year, compared with an 11.8 percent decline from July 2024 to July 2025.
The results are based on Zillow’s index of estimated home values, not the median prices of properties sold during a given month. Zillow’s Home Value Index tracks changes in the typical value of homes in a market and is designed to reduce distortions caused by the types of homes that happen to sell in any one period.
The local market remains one of the most deeply corrected in Florida. Only Punta Gorda, down 24.5 percent from its 2022 peak, and Cape Coral-Fort Myers, down 19.1 percent, have experienced larger declines. The North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton drop was also considerably greater than the 11.7 percent decline in Naples-Marco Island and the 8.4 percent declines recorded in both Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater and Sebastian-Vero Beach.
The comparison changes when looking only at the past year. Overall home values in the Sarasota-area metro fell 2.7 percent from July 2025, compared with declines of 4.4 percent in Punta Gorda and 4 percent in Cape Coral-Fort Myers. Naples-Marco Island was down 2 percent, while Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater declined 1.2 percent.
Nationally, home values rose 1.1 percent during the same period.
The latest monthly results were more encouraging. The North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metro’s seasonally adjusted 0.3 percent increase from June to July matched Tampa and exceeded Naples, where values increased 0.1 percent. Punta Gorda, the state’s most deeply corrected metro, rose 0.4 percent.
One month of appreciation doesn’t establish a long-term rebound. It does, however, fit the broader pattern: Price corrections are continuing in much of Florida, but their intensity has diminished through this year.
Twenty-two of the 29 Florida metro areas examined in the report still had year-over-year declines in single-family values in July. All 26 markets measured for condo values recorded annual declines.
The North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton figures show how much the market has changed since the pandemic without erasing the gains of that period. Even after falling 17 percent from its peak, overall local home values remained 41 percent above their March 2020 level as of July.
That increase trails several nearby metros. Values remained 52.7 percent above March 2020 levels in Naples-Marco Island and 48.8 percent higher in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. They were up 37.8 percent in Cape Coral-Fort Myers and 29.7 percent in Punta Gorda.
Nationally, home values were 47.4 percent higher than in March 2020.
ResiClub attributes Florida’s broader correction to several overlapping forces following the state’s pandemic housing boom. Florida home values rose 51 percent between March 2020 and June 2022, compared with 41 percent nationally, leaving some markets more vulnerable when demand weakened.
The report also points to slower domestic migration, rising insurance costs, increased housing construction and the financial pressures facing older condominium buildings. New construction has placed additional pressure on resales as builders have used mortgage-rate buydowns and other incentives to attract buyers.
The unprecedented 2024 storm season also contributed to the decline in the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton metro.
That makes for a housing market that has surrendered a significant portion of its pandemic-era appreciation while remaining substantially more expensive than it was in early 2020. July’s monthly increase and the smaller annual declines in both single-family and condo values suggest the downward movement is stabilizing.
Sarasota County Primary Election Results 2026
Observer Staffhttps://www.yourobserver.com/news/2026/aug/18/sarasota-county-primary-results/
As of 10:30 p.m., 98/98 Sarasota County precincts are reported; 107,478 ballots were counted, with an overall 32.69% countywide voter turnout.Top three advance to the general election Nov. 3 for two seats.Jen Ahearn-Koch | 6,069 votes | 34.27%Flo Entler | 5,153 votes | 29.10%John Harshman | 3,203 votes | 18.09%Yevgeny Khodorkovsky | 594 votes | 3.35%Rob Rominiecki | 2,690 votes | 15.19%District 2Winner takes office.Mark Smith (REP) | 8,412 vo...
As of 10:30 p.m., 98/98 Sarasota County precincts are reported; 107,478 ballots were counted, with an overall 32.69% countywide voter turnout.
Top three advance to the general election Nov. 3 for two seats.
Jen Ahearn-Koch | 6,069 votes | 34.27%
Flo Entler | 5,153 votes | 29.10%
John Harshman | 3,203 votes | 18.09%
Yevgeny Khodorkovsky | 594 votes | 3.35%
Rob Rominiecki | 2,690 votes | 15.19%
District 2
Winner takes office.
Mark Smith (REP) | 8,412 votes | 53.32%
Kristina Sargent (REP) | 7,363 votes | 46.68%
District 4
Winner faces Julie London (DEM) in the general election Nov. 3.
Jim DeNiro (REP) | 6,627 votes | 53.20%
Joe Neunder (REP) | 5,829 votes | 46.80%
District 1
The top two vote-getters will go into a runoff election.
Jimmy Glover | 43,772 votes | 43.53%
Heidi Brandt | 31,898 votes | 31.72%
Teresa DeWitt | 24,895 votes | 24.76%
District 4
Winner takes office.
Megan Tennimon | 55,011 votes | 55.11%
Frank DiCicco | 44,805 votes | 44.89%
District 5
Winner takes office.
Beth Mayberry | 56,465 votes | 56.63%
Michelle Pozzie | 43,236 votes | 43.37%
District 1
Winner takes office.
Alexandra Coe (REP) | 41,951 votes | 49.61%
Nicholas Altier (REP) | 21,495 votes | 25.42%
Bill Van Allen (REP) | 21,109 | 24.96%
District 3
Winner faces Jim Tate (DEM) in the general election Nov. 3.
Chip Adams (REP) | 28,235 votes | 59.58%
Ali Hopper (REP) | 19,157 votes | 40.42%
District 5
Winner faces Andrea Doria Kale (DEM) in the general election Nov. 3.
Erin Halstead (REP) | 24,201 votes | 51.40%
Andrew F. Sias (REP) | 22,886 votes | 48.60%
Northern District, Seat 1
Winner takes office.
Brad Baker (REP) | 54,625 votes | 62.77%
Bill Woeltjen (REP) | 32,396 votes | 37.23%
Florida Senate, District 22
Winner faces Martin Hyde (NPA) and Lew Wasserman (DEM) in the general election Nov. 3.
James Buchanan (REP) | 50,770 votes | 77.89%
Vic Rohe (REP) | 14,415 votes | 22.11%
Florida House, District 74
Winner faces Ryan Neill (DEM) in the general election Nov. 3.
Nick Pachota (REP) | 7,971 votes | 34.70%
Les Nichols (REP) | 2,092 votes | 9.11%
Jennifer Peeples Winkler (REP) | 6,183 votes | 26.92%
Kelly Ann Walker (REP) | 6,724 votes | 29.27%
New shopping center, with residential options, coming to Palmer Ranch in Sarasota County
Claire Alfreehttps://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/economic-development/2026/08/28/sarasota-square-construction-update-new-residential-and-shopping-options-coming-to-the-palmer-ranch-area
SARASOTA, Fla. — Mike Wayne remembers the glory days of the Sarasota Square Mall."My son was young at the time, and so we would come if there was a kids event. He was in the Boy Scouts, and they'd have some scouting stuff," he said.Now the land is an active construction site. But as those walls fall, a new era will soon begin. Stores and restaurants will be within walking distance from apartments, all being built on the same property.While he's not a big shopper, Wayne says he's looking forward to checkin...
SARASOTA, Fla. — Mike Wayne remembers the glory days of the Sarasota Square Mall.
"My son was young at the time, and so we would come if there was a kids event. He was in the Boy Scouts, and they'd have some scouting stuff," he said.
Now the land is an active construction site. But as those walls fall, a new era will soon begin. Stores and restaurants will be within walking distance from apartments, all being built on the same property.
While he's not a big shopper, Wayne says he's looking forward to checking it out.
"It'll be different, though. It won't be giant hallways and corridors," Wayne said. "They're going to go more towards younger people that want to live in a place that's happening where they can walk over and get a cup of coffee."
Katrin Pfitzenreiter drives by the construction everyday on her way home. She works in real estate and thinks mixed use development like this is needed for Palmer Ranch.
"People don't want to trek across town to grab coffee with a friend or go to a restaurant. And so here, with there being apartment buildings built into as well, people aren't just going to live here, they're going to be able to just walk," she said.
Next year, phase one of construction will be complete, with restaurants and shops open.
Then the downtown center will come to life in phase two, mixing in green spaces with more stores. That's also when the first apartment building will be built.
However Pfitzenreiter says some residents already living within a Palmer Ranch community are concerned about the crowds that will come with this new development over the next two years.
"They're worried about traffic and noise. And those are a real issue. Nobody really knows how much the traffic is going to increase. It certainly will because this area here has been deserted for many years. But I think the pros, in my opinion, are going to outweigh the cons," she said.
Even when phase two is complete in 2028, the master plan includes a third construction phase. Those plans aren't finalized just yet, but for people like Wayne, who watched the former mall's decline, he's happy to see a new purpose brought to this space again.
"This is a pretty prime spot, and it always has been. It's just gonna look a little different than it did back in the 80s, for sure," said Wayne.
While Demolition cleared most of the Sarasota Square Mall for redevelopment, the Costco and JCPenney continue to operate as separate, freestanding locations, that residents can still access while construction is ongoing.
Sarasota County faces four Live Local Act lawsuits
Elizabeth Kinghttps://www.yourobserver.com/news/2026/sep/03/sarasota-county-faces-live-local-lawsuits/
The much-hyped and controversial statewide Live Local Act is living in court, at least in Sarasota County.Four Live Local developers filed lawsuits recently against the county for blocking their projects. The act allows developers to bypass ordinary developmental review procedures in areas zoned for commercial, industrial and mixed-use to create affordable and workforce housing. To qualify, 40% of units must be for those earning at or below 120% the area median income.The developers, in general, allege commissioners violated st...
The much-hyped and controversial statewide Live Local Act is living in court, at least in Sarasota County.
Four Live Local developers filed lawsuits recently against the county for blocking their projects. The act allows developers to bypass ordinary developmental review procedures in areas zoned for commercial, industrial and mixed-use to create affordable and workforce housing. To qualify, 40% of units must be for those earning at or below 120% the area median income.
The developers, in general, allege commissioners violated state law when they unanimously determined April 7 the act did not apply to Sarasota County’s Open Use and Residential Estate One zoning districts.
County Attorney Joshua Moye told officials his office filed a motion to dismiss each lawsuit on Aug. 25.
Two lawsuits also name commissioners as defendants in their professional and personal capacities. Commissioners set a cap of $100,000 per commissioner on their reimbursable legal fees before they must return for permission for more funding.
“I've never been sued before, and I'm a chiropractor,” Commissioner Joe Neunder said.
A glance at each lawsuit includes similar themes.
2,250-unit project off Tatum Road halted
Plaintiff: New Pope Holdco III LLC. The registered agent, state records show, is Keith Pope, a real estate broker and CEO of Sarasota-based Pope Properties.
Defendants: Sarasota County and all commissioners.
Filed: July 6
Allegations: New Pope Holdco II owns 206.5 acres at 421 Tatum Road zoned RE-1.
After initiating the pre-application review in September 2025, the plaintiff alleges the process came to a halt after the April 7 vote.
The complaint alleges commissioners “implemented a policy reflecting the commissioners’ political preference instead of the law.” The lawsuit cited Commissioner Mark Smith saying April 7 that “I would rather be on the side of our citizens than on the side of the development community."
The developer alleges the county created “mandatory gatekeeping conditions” before an applicant could be reviewed under the act, violating its right to due process.
Status: A hearing on the motion to dismiss was held Aug. 25. A non-jury civil trial is set for March 29.
540-unit project blocked near Lorraine Road
Plaintiff: Sitc Inc. Company is controlled by Jack Cox, president of Lakewood Ranch-based Halfacre Construction.
Defendants: Sarasota County and commissioners.
Filed: May 20
Allegations: The property, owned by Sitc and located east of Interstate 75 off Fruitville Road and fronting Lorraine Road, is zoned open use estate.
On Dec. 4, 2025, the plaintiff submitted an application for an apartment project.
The plaintiffs, in the lawsuit, allege the county violated state law prohibiting construction moratoriums and burdensome or restrictive regulations in areas impacted by hurricanes before Oct. 1, 2027, by creating a five-step process for Live Local projects it says delays approval timelines and unfairly increases the risk for a Live Local project.
The plaintiff alleges commissioners had “animus and malice" toward developers, citing, for one, the comment from Smith.
Status: A motions hearing is set for today. A non-jury civil trial is set for Aug. 23, 2027.
Builder prevented from applying for 864 apartments near Celery Fields
Plaintiffs: D.R. Horton Inc., The Cindy L. Smith Revocable Living Trust, Matt Smith, Cindy L. Smith
Defendants: Sarasota County, Matthew Osterhoudt (county director of planning and development services), Jonathan Lewis (county administrator)
Filed: June 30
Allegations: The trust and the Smiths own property near the Celery Fields. D.R. Horton is the contract purchaser of the property, which encompasses 50.85 acres fronting Raymond Road zoned open use rural (OUR).
On May 29, D.R. Horton and the Smiths submitted a request for a preliminary pre-application conference, required by Sarasota County for Live Local developments. They were told a meeting was not necessary since it was ineligible, and heard the same when they filed a pre-submittal application.
“The county’s refusal to process the Raymond Road Live Local Project application is in direct violation of the Live Local Act as the OUR zone district qualifies for Live Local development,” the complaint says.
Status: A hearing on the to dismiss is scheduled for Sept. 18.
Potential YIGBY developer denied 352 apartments off Fruitville Road
Plaintiffs: Yeshua’s Love Biblical Fellowship of Sarasota Inc. and Curco Land Holdings LLC. (The term YIGBY refers to Yes in God's Backyard, for religious organizations seeking to convert property to housing.)
Defendant: Sarasota County
Filed: May 15
Allegations: Yeshua’s Love owns 8893 Fruitville Road., which is zoned open use estate. Curco Land Holdings signed a contract to purchase the property, contingent on the county’s processing and approval of its Live Local development application for the 23.69-acre site.
Project officials submitted their initial application package Aug. 19, 2025. The plaintiffs say Osterhoudt said their proposed project “was meeting the Live Local Act factors relating to zoning, density and height” in correspondence dated Sept. 17, 2025.
Curco and Yeshua’s Love then “made substantial additional investments in advancing the project,” the complaint says.
The plaintiffs allege the exclusion of open use zoning districts was applied retroactively and enacted as an “interpretation” of the act “in disregard of the legal requirements for enactment of land development regulations, and without public notice or opportunity for public comment.”
Status: The motion to dismiss was heard June 30; there is no ruling as of Monday. Also, on June 29 Yeshua’s Love and Curco submitted a proposed settlement to move forward under the YIGBY religious institution provision and modifications such as reducing the number of apartments to 306. Commissioners voted Aug. 25 to authorize Moye to continue negotiations, but did not approve the settlement.
This article originally appeared on sister site BusinessObserverFL.com.
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