“Save Celery Fields” Campaign Gains First Victory

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, May 9th, 2017 – No warehouse will be built near Celery Fields, a piece of good news for residential property owners with recent market listings close to this popular wetlands preserve in east Sarasota County.

The developer of the warehouse has informed the county that it is terminating the contract to buy the planned facility’s seven-acre site west of Celery Fields. Earlier, local residents and environmentalists mounted a vigorous opposition against this project which was initially approved by county planners.

Bracing for a More Serious Threat

The lobby efforts on protecting Celery Fields, which consists of over 300 acres, are now focused on opposing a plan to set up a recycling plant near the park and nature preserve. This planned recycling facility and waste transfer station is a project of Sarasota-based TST Ventures. For its site, the firm is seeking rezoning of a 16-acre parcel at the southeast corner Palmer Boulevard and Apex Road just west of Celery Fields.

Residents of nearby communities, such as Palmer Glen and Deerfield, have formed a group to block the project which they see as a more serious threat to Celery Fields. Their opposition has resonated as well with environmental groups like the Audubon Society. The Sarasota County Democratic Party this May also announced its support of this joint campaign of local communities and environmental groups.

These folks against the recycling facility contend that the plant’s activities will create a disturbance to the wetland preserve’s wildlife habitat. Moreover, they say that a rezoning to allow the plant is incompatible with the nearby communities and could degrade residential property values near Celery Fields.

Source of Neighborhood Delights

Sarasota homes for sale in nearby local communities are notably drawing market strength from their proximity to this wetlands preserve. Palmer Glen, for instance, is a delight for prospective home buyers because it is just half a mile away from Celery Fields which offers not only wetlands, a habitat for diverse birdlife.

This nature preserve also has a man-made observation hill, bike trails and pathways, two boardwalks, and boating facilities. Available homes at Palmer Glen near these attractions are priced at around the $400s, featuring three to four bedrooms within floor plans of between 2,450 and 3,200 square feet.

Rare Home Finds at Deerfield

The Deerfield, comprised of just 93 single family homes, is another community which benefits much from Celery Fields. Directly adjacent south of the preserve, the residences in this property are rarely available amongst Sarasota homes for sale and could sell quickly.

Recent sales here were on homes with tag prices in the $200s and the $300s. These deals revolved around listings with floor areas of about 1,800 up to approximately 2,340 square feet designed with two to four bedrooms.

In addition to their proximity to Celery Fields, these homes sell well because of Deerfield’s maintenance-free features and very inexpensive HOA fees. This is also a CDD-free community with well-maintained landscaping and common facilities which include a lake and private park with a gazebo. Deerfield is a close-knit community as well, as evidenced in its residents’ strong support to the preservation of the nearby wetlands and wildlife habitat of Celery Fields.