Residents want remediation for soil contamination, the county wants it for flood prevention. But price is an issue.
By Ramon Lopez
Original Air Date: September 8 2026
Host: Sarasota County still wants to buy the Gulf Gate golf course from a developer to prevent more construction and improve stormwater systems. Ramon Lopez has the story.
Ramon Lopez: The Sarasota County Commission held a public hearing on Tuesday regarding the potential acquisition of the abandoned Gulf Gate Golf Course property. It would be used for regional stormwater management versus become a site for new houses. The commissioners heard from both county staffers and Gulf Gate homeowners.
The 49-acre golf course deal is not without roadblocks. A developer holds the rights to transform it into a new 100-home community should the county not acquire the rare chunk of open land.
A year ago, the county leaders asked staff to put together a presentation on the benefits of such a purchase. The study was to address both outstanding financial and environmental issues. They include soil contamination from arsenic that will require remediation.
Also at issue is a fair market price. The county appraisal is much lower than the owner’s asking price. And the county also needs to resolve where it would get the cash to purchase the property.
Gulf Gate homeowner Terry Moore said the developer was left off the hook regarding arsenic cleanup.
Development plan detailing the transformation of the Gulf Gate golf course into a 100 single-family home development
Terry Moore: 13th Floor officially requested a slight modification to the remediation plan that leaves all the arsenic contamination on site. FDEP approved that plan. In other words, FDEP is allowing 13th Floor to cover all contaminated sites with two feet of soil, leaving all the arsenic in place where construction will expose Gulf Gate and Palmer Ranch residents to daily airborne toxins for all the years of construction. This two feet of soil raises 13th Floor properties well above Gulf Gate, so arsenic-laden water runs downhill literally into our back yards, then washes into the roads, down the storm drains and directly into Sarasota Bay, poisoning our coastal waters. Our government has failed us. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has failed us. Please don’t you fail us, too. If the county doesn’t buy the golf course, 13th Floor is now under no obligation whatsoever to remove any contaminants, and they will do as they please with no regard for residents’ health, flooding or Sarasota Bay. We hope you will save the bay and buy the golf course.
RL: County Commissioners Ron Cutsinger, Teresa Mast and Mark Smith then weighed in—in that order.
Different views of the Gulf Gate Golf Course
Ron Cutsinger: Alright, commissioners. We need to move this forward in a way that gives some direction here. I do think there’s an opportunity for a legacy project. I think we’re all struggling with several things. Number one is what they’re asking for. It’s not within the realm of reality, as far as I’m concerned. We need to get serious about what the purchase price will be because, right now, it’s sort-of in the air.
Teresa Mast: I think there has to be some very hard negotiations with the current property owners because the discrepancy in the appraisals is really significant.
Mark Smith: I’m in agreement with Commissioner Mast on the fact that we need to get the valuation of the property set. We collect a lot of heat when people perceive that we’re paying more than we’re supposed to.
RL: In the end, the matter was—for now—left unresolved. We hear from Teresa Mast.
TM: Make a motion to direct staff to do a survey specific to expectations on what could potentially be on the site. Include negotiations with the current owner and value discrepancies, and bring it back to the board for continued discussion.
RL: This is Ramon Lopez for WSLR News.
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