The Smith Farm (held by the Cindy L. Smith Revocable Living Trust) is a 51.5-acre agricultural property located along Raymond Road in east Sarasota County, positioned directly across from the South Cell and Raymond Road boardwalk of the Celery Fields Click to open side panel for more information
The property has been at the center of a major land-use and environmental battle between developers, county officials, and local conservation advocates.
Core Details & Location
- Location & Setting: Bordered by Raymond Road, which wraps around the land before connecting toward Palmer Boulevard. It sits directly opposite one of the quietest wildlife viewing access points at Celery Fields, frequently used for birding and student field trips.
- Current Zoning: Open Use Rural (OUR), which limits development density to roughly one dwelling unit per 5 to 10 acres (allowing approximately 5 to 10 homes total under current entitlements).
The Development Dispute
- Initial Proposals by D.R. Horton:
- In late 2023, national homebuilder D.R. Horton entered into an agreement with the Smith trust to acquire the land, petitioning to rezone the six parcels from Open Use Rural to Residential Single Family to build 170 homes.
- Following widespread community pushback, the proposal was scaled down to 126 homes.
- County Commission Denials:
- In November 2024, the Sarasota County Planning Commission recommended denial (4–3).
- In February 2025, the Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously (5–0) to deny the rezoning, emphasizing the incompatibility of high-density housing next to a critical environmental preserve and flood management facility.
- Dispute Resolution & Scaled-Back Plans:
- D.R. Horton filed for relief under the Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act (FLUEDRA), arguing that the denial unfairly burdened the landowner’s property rights.
- Through mediation in late 2025, D.R. Horton submitted a revised concept for 85 homes, proposing concessions such as eliminating one of the Raymond Road access points, expanding stormwater retention ponds, and implementing dark-sky lighting and buffer plantings.
- Sarasota County Commissioners unanimously rejected the mediated settlement in October 2025.
- Litigation:
- Following impasse in dispute proceedings, D.R. Horton filed suit against Sarasota County in Sarasota County Circuit Court to challenge the denial of residential development rights.
Key Community & Ecological Concerns
- Stormwater & Flooding: The property sits in a sensitive floodplain adjacent to the Celery Fields’ primary flood mitigation basin. During Tropical Storm Debby in August 2024, the Raymond Road and Palmer Boulevard corridor experienced severe roadway flooding, reinforcing local opposition to replacing open agricultural soils with impervious development.
- Wildlife Buffer: Sarasota Audubon Society and area conservation groups have consistently advocated that high-density residential development—bringing vehicle trips, artificial night lighting, domestic pets, and fertilizer runoff—would degrade the fragile wetland habitat that supports over 250 bird species.
- Public Acquisition Goal: Conservation organizations and neighborhood coalitions have urged Sarasota County to consider acquiring the Smith Farm parcels directly (or placing them under a perpetual conservation easement) to expand the Celery Fields’ protected buffer footprint.