4970 CITY HALL BLVD  
NORTH PORT, FL 34286  
City of North Port  
Meeting Minutes  
Environmental Advisory Board  
Monday, June 5, 2023  
5:30 PM  
City Hall Room 244  
1. Call to Order  
Vice Chair Holland called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.  
Mr. Powell notified the Board that Board Member Robinson requested to attend the  
meeting via Communications Media Technology (CMT).  
Vice Chair Holland provided required notifications regarding conducting a hybrid meeting.  
Board Member Robinson stated she will be attending the hybrid meeting via CMT due to  
attending a significant family obligation.  
Vice Chair Holland requested a motion.  
A
motion was made by Board Member Therrien, seconded by Board Member  
English, to approve Board Member Robinson’s request to attend the Environmental  
Advisory Board Meeting via Communications Media Technology (CMT). The  
motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.  
2. Roll Call  
4 -  
Present  
Absent  
Chair Holland, Vice Chair English, Board Member Therrien and Board Member  
Robinson  
1 - Board Member Hall  
Also Present:  
Environmental Technician Jeremy Rogus, Assistant City Attorney Katlyn Coughlin,  
Planning Manager Lori Barnes, and Recording Secretary Matthew Powell  
3. Pledge of Allegiance  
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by the Board.  
4. Public Comment  
Barbara Lockhart: spoke to prioritizing native plantings and expressed support for  
environmental conservation.  
5. Approval of Minutes  
23-0885  
A.  
Approval of the May 1, 2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting  
Minutes  
A
motion was made by Board Member Therrien, seconded by Board Member  
English, to approve the Minutes as amended to include the attendance of Board  
Member Hall. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.  
6. Presentations  
23-0748  
Presentation: Sunshine Law Training (Office of the City Attorney)  
B.  
Vice Chair Holland announced the item.  
Ms. Coughlin provided a presentation including public meetings definition, open meeting  
requirements, penalties for violation, penalty examples, public records definition,  
identifying a public record, email and text messages, public records requests, public  
records retention, Florida Commission on ethics, prohibited conduct, prohibited  
relationships, voting and conflicts of interest, relatives, penalties, meeting procedures,  
quorum and motions, discussion, alternate members, and requesting information that is  
not a public record.  
Discussion took place regarding relatives, requesting information, conflicts of interest,  
and memorandums.  
23-0741  
A.  
Presentation: Warm Mineral Springs Comprehensive Plan Amendment  
(Planning and Zoning)  
Vice Chair Holland announced the item.  
Ms. Barnes provided  
a
presentation including background, aerial view, current  
Comprehensive Plan standards, Activity Center 7 maximum density/intensity and  
limitations, park area versus future development area, Warm Mineral Springs (WMS)  
public-private partnership (P3) proposal, conceptual site plan, development intensity  
assumptions, Options 1 through 4 advantages and disadvantages, and recommendations.  
Discussion took place regarding timeline relating to Board feedback, Activity Center 7a  
property ownership, conservation restrictions, dwelling units, acreage, Commission  
direction relating to recommendations, Seminole tribe contact process, development  
petition process, environmental survey status, parking requirements, future development  
area, concept plan, park designation versus Activity Center, rezoning relating to  
economic development, green space versus residential space, recommendations, P3  
lease timeline, economic impacts, amenities, traffic impact analysis, Ortiz Boulevard  
impact, concurrency requirements, road impact fees, direction needed, pet restrictions,  
and eliminating Option 4.  
Public comment:  
Barbara Lockhart: spoke to invasive plantings and expressed support for environmental  
conservation.  
A
motion was made by Board Member English, seconded by Board Member  
Therrien, to extend the time allotted for public comment. The motion carried  
unanimously on a voice vote.  
Discussion continued regarding tree canopy study, Unified Land Development Code  
(ULDC) rewrite, and conservation efforts.  
A
motion was made by Board Member Therrien, seconded by Board Member  
English, to recommend Option 2 to City Commission.  
Discussion continued regarding conservation, Board ability to modify choice, Commission  
direction, and information required.  
The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.  
Discussion continued regarding meeting time limitation and prioritizing discussion.  
Without objection, Vice Chair Holland reordered the agenda to hear Item No.  
23-0884 at this time.  
7. New Business  
23-0884  
B.  
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Rescheduling the July 3, 2023  
Board Meeting  
Vice Chair Holland announced the item.  
Discussion took place regarding Independence Day holiday.  
A
motion was made by Board Member Therrien, seconded by Board Member  
English, to reschedule the July 3, 2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting to  
July 10, 2023.  
Discussion continued regarding staffing requirements and determining a date.  
The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.  
A
motion was made by Board Member English, seconded by Board Member  
Therrien, to postpone Item No. 23-0886 to the July 10, 2023 Environmental Advisory  
Board Meeting. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.  
Discussion continued regarding meeting time limitation and prioritizing discussion.  
Without objection, Vice Chair Holland reordered the agenda to hear Item No.  
23-0926 at this time.  
23-0926  
C.  
Discussion and Possible Action regarding Environmental Advisory Board  
Memorandum to City Commission advising Commission to use tree fund  
Monies for the acquisition of properties for wildlife, habitat, and tree canopy  
conservation.  
Vice Chair Holland announced the item.  
Board Member English spoke to the item regarding submitting the memorandum.  
A
motion was made by Board Member English, seconded by Board Member  
Therrien, to submit the Land Acquisition Memorandum to City Commission and  
the City Clerk. The motion carried unanimously on a voice vote.  
Public comment:  
Barbara Lockhart: expressed support for conservation easement requirements and  
expressed support for renaming of funds to environmental restoration fund.  
Discussion continued regarding amending the memorandum, tree fund usage, June 12,  
2023 Joint Meeting with City Commission, and postponing unfinished business.  
A
motion was made by Board Member Therrien, seconded by Board Member  
English, to postpone Item Nos. 23-0927, 23-0742, 23-0466, 23-0460, and 23-3596 to  
the July 10, 2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting. The motion carried  
unanimously on a voice vote.  
23-0886  
Election of Chair  
A.  
This item was postponed to the July 10, 2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting.  
Presentations  
23-0927  
C.  
Native and Pollinator Plantings at City Parks and Recreation Sites (Parks  
and Recreation Department)  
This item was postponed to the July 10, 2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting.  
8. Unfinished Business  
23-0742  
23-0466  
23-0460  
A.  
B.  
C.  
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Implementation of Additional  
Community Gardens (Lola Robinson)  
This item was postponed to the July 10, 2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting.  
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Finalizing the Board's Annual  
Report to the Commission (Jeremy Rogus)  
This item was postponed to the July 10, 2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting.  
Inviting a Representative from Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to  
Provide an Overview of their Board. (Jeremy Rogus)  
This item was postponed to the July 10, 2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting.  
22-3596  
22-3263  
Memo Regarding Pesticides Used in Sarasota County (Erin Hall)  
D.  
E.  
This item was postponed to the July 10, 2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting.  
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding the Feasibility of Gopher  
Tortoise Relocation on Public Land or Private Conservation Easements  
within the City of North Port  
Chair Holland announced the item.  
Discussion took place regarding the June 12, 2023 Joint Meeting with City Commission.  
Public comment:  
Barbara Lockhart: expressed opposition to gopher tortoise relocation and expressed  
support for environmental conservation.  
There was consensus to postpone Item Nos. 22-3263 and 22-3592 to the July 10,  
2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting.  
22-3592  
F.  
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Recommendation that the City  
Commission Support the Native Plantings in Public Parks and Spaces  
(e.g. Bee Stations and Butterfly Gardens)  
This item was postponed to the July 10, 2023 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting.  
Discussion took place regarding including the postponed items.  
There was no public comment.  
9. Future Agenda Items  
10. Public Comment  
11. Adjournment  
Vice Chair Holland adjourned the meeting at 7:46 p.m.  
By: _____________________________  
Honey Holland, Vice Chair  
These minutes were approved on the ____ day of _______________, 2023.